“We are here pumpkin; we came as soon as we heard!” Announced Bola as she came in bearing gifts; a fruit basket and a sweet smile, she blew me a kiss as she placed the basket on the side table while she mumbled something about asking a nurse if she could get a knife and saucer to chop the fruits in.
She was followed closely by Kaycee and Zara. “Oh you poor thing,” Zara said giving me a smothering hug. “How are you love?” Kaycee asked kissing my forehead her beautiful face wrinkled in concern.
I felt like I was in a trance, what’s all these I wondered looking around feeling uncomfortable with all the attention I was getting. “Ok, so what happened? I can’t wait anymore; tell us what landed Tobs in the hospital?” Zara asked curiously. Dennis called me last night to tell me Tobs had passed out soon after she stepped out of his car by the side of the highway.
The Doctor called it a vasovagal attack or neutrally meditated syncope, he says if the syncope is prolonged, it can trigger a seizure. “What the hell is that?” Zara asked in wonder, her comical expression would have made me laugh in different circumstances. “He says it is a sudden, brief loss of consciousness and posture caused by decreased blood flow to the brain and that one may suffer from a simple fainting spell due to anxiety, fear, pain, intense emotional stress, hunger or use of alcohol or drugs,”
Jasmine said intelligently sounding very intellectual. “Ok so which category is Tobs own? Oh my goodness, you did mention Dennis called you? Na man mata?” My tormentor, Zara asked in disbelieve as if the situation was not bad enough.
“Actually there is a slight twist to the story,” Jasmine said as she went ahead and told them what happened at the Restaurant and how Rick showed up unannounced. “Oh boy, you are telling me Tobs is stressed out and fainted because two boys are fighting over her?” Zara asked hilariously in disbelieve and in one fell swoop trivialised what happened at the Restaurant. I was quiet all through these exchanges as I didn’t have the strength to respond to Zara’s snide remarks. “Zara can’t you see all these is upsetting for Tobs?”
Kaycee asked staring at me anxiously. Zara was unperturbed but thankfully did not continue in that line of conversation for which I was grateful. The girls stayed a little while until the Doctor came and insisted they all leave and that I needed a little rest. “May I have a moment with her Doctor?” Kaycee asked insistently looking at the Doctor intently. After the girls stepped out, Kaycee sat at the edge of my bed and held my hands. She asked if she could pray with me and I nodded acquiescence.
“Please Lord clear this confusion in Tobs head between Rick and Dennis….” I looked at Kaycee in surprise, what is this, I wondered. “Why are you staring at me in surprise? This issue with Rick and Dennis is becoming worrisome,” Kaycee said in chagrin. I know Kaycee is right but I don’t want anyone stressing me over the issue. This issue with Rick and Dennis isn’t something I have the energy to process right now, I mused but then a tiny voice within whispered back, ‘so when do you intend processing?’ The truth is I am afraid, yes afraid of the unknown. If only I can see the future then I will know what to do but I am not God! I thanked Kaycee for her concern and asked her to keep me in her prayers. Sometimes that is all that is needed, prayers, especially when you are confused. Don’t get me wrong, prayers should always be first in all we do so God guides us aright. I am a typical example of ‘you can take the girl out of the church (physical building) but you can’t take the church (spiritual) out of the girl’.
I was discharged by evening and Jasmine insisted on not just picking me but making sure I had bed rest by staying with me till the following day. Thankfully the sources of my stress neither called nor showed up as I kept expecting them to pop up anytime.