All Nonfiction
- Bullying
- Books
- Academic
- Author Interviews
- Celebrity interviews
- College Articles
- College Essays
- Educator of the Year
- Heroes
- Interviews
- Memoir
- Personal Experience
- Sports
- Travel & Culture
All Opinions
- Bullying
- Current Events / Politics
- Discrimination
- Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking
- Entertainment / Celebrities
- Environment
- Love / Relationships
- Movies / Music / TV
- Pop Culture / Trends
- School / College
- Social Issues / Civics
- Spirituality / Religion
- Sports / Hobbies
All Hot Topics
- Bullying
- Community Service
- Environment
- Health
- Letters to the Editor
- Pride & Prejudice
- What Matters
- Back
Summer Guide
- Program Links
- Program Reviews
- Back
College Guide
- College Links
- College Reviews
- College Essays
- College Articles
- Back
It’s Ok
Over the years
I’ve been in and out of hospitals a lot
Good news is that they know what’s wrong
Bad news is they don’t know the cause
The IV prickles your skin
Cold smothers you
Mom’s pacing
With that heart throbbing look in her eyes
She’s trying to be strong
But she’s having hard time
There’s worry in her eyes
Because after all when your daughter has a sudden pain in her side
You want to alieve it
Everything in your body wants to fight it
For me
Because after all this isn’t what’s supposed to happen when you’re sixteen
You’re supposed to be dancing not looking into an oasis
Squeezing your side trying to take the
Crying for every burst of pain
It splits like a knife, going in throbbing one at a time
trying to take my breath away
I’m sitting there under swarthy cloth
Trying to be brave
It’s ok mom
Normal is overrated anyway
A fighter is better any day
Dad’s got that look on his face
He’s overwhelmed
Scared
Frustrated
It’s ok dad
I’m not something you can fix
I’m glad I’m not made of lugnuts and screws anyway
A polar bear sits on me putting his full weight into my side
Tears sting my eyes
The IV is put in
A bee comes to my arm and zaps it
Dad puts on Halloween Baking competition
Trying to calm me
Until they’re ready to take X-rays
They roll me through the hallway
Imagining snow drops
Sticking to my coat as I brace myself laughing
A squackning, high sound
For the bottom of the hill
I’m brought back to reality
By the stop of the bed
I get up for them
A tree is winding it’s branches along my back
I sit down
Ready to go through the machine
At one point my parents could only sell me on by telling me it was a donut
I yearn for the creamy, sweet, warm frosting
Instead of this overwhelming metallic taste
Smells a little like cleaning day
Sun attacks me
Choking down my throat
I start gasping
Then it goes away
Wheeling back to the room
The polar bear is sitting a little lighter
Easing off of me
It’s probably a cyst
I ask why
It’s not my fault
It just happens
Oh that’s comforting
Everything is ok
Even if polar bear might not have fully gone away
everything is ok
Similar Articles
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
This article has 0 comments.
I wrote this piece after having a health incident this past year where I suddenly started having a stabbing pain in my side and feeling sick to my stomach in my sixth hour. I have Vestibular Aqueduct Syndrome, and Epilepsy. I have been in hospitals a fair amount because of those conditions and have a pretty extensive medical record. But I always knew why and what was happening. This was different. I still don’t know what happened, but it’s ok.