Chapter 18 - Where Am I?

I just stood there as the doctors and nurses checked her, she asked for some water and they gave her. After about 30 minutes they started leaving the room and I started to wonder what was going on.

Dr.Robert turned to me, I looked in the direction of the bed and noticed she was not moving. What's going on? Why is she...

She is sleeping Dr.Robert said

Sleeping ? I asked puzzled...but she just woke up, is she okay? or has she slipped back to coma?

Yes, Mr. Crown she is okay and no she is just sleeping now but he paused; People who do wake up from a coma usually come round gradually. She was very agitated and confused to begin with when we were checking her so we had to give her a sedative to sleep.

Her recovery will be gradual. She may make a full recovery and be completely unaffected by the coma or experience disabilities caused by the damage to their brain we're not certain right now.

I walked to her bedside, staring at her. The way she was on the bed was different... and I noticed her eyebrows moving.

Mr Crown...I know this is hard but emerging from a coma is not like waking up from regular sleep.

When someone first starts to "wake up" from coma, they may not be able to focus their eyes or may not be able to respond to you. Part of this is from the injury; part of it may be from medicine. Movement can be another sign of improvement; and she moved her hand, you said she spoke so I'm certain we will have positive reports.

As I stood close to her, I wanted to touch her hand but ...what of if she wakes up and wonder who I was I thought suddenly feeling uncertain now that she has finally woken up.

When will she wake up I asked

Probably in the morning or afternoon, she might even sleep till evening. I think you should go and rest Mr Crown, you look really tire Dr.Robert noted

I didn't say anything. I just walked out of the room, upstairs and straight to Sunshine"s nursery.

She was just lying there on her bed, she obviously just woke up or something. Sunny girl what's up with you I asked as I picked her up.

She just stared at me, she is three months and some days, I noticed she has discovered that there's more to life than just eating, sleeping and crying. This days she stays awake for longer stretches, wanting to play and ...yesterday she was entertaining me and my mother with her new antics.

I picked up one of her rattles and we started playing, I read from a baby website that you can help your baby learn by providing plenty of sensory-stimulating opportunities, such as brightly colored toys, infant play gyms so I went shopping and got her some very colourful toys.

We played for about 20 minutes then she started fussing, her way of letting me know she's had enough.

Okay you ...you're probably hungry or you want another toy I tried another rattle but she just fused more.

Her nanny walked in with a bottle of formula for her right on time.

How many bottles had she had today I asked. Putting on her bib, I collected the bottle of formula milk and started feeding her.

This is her 6th bottle and the last before she sleeps for the night, her nanny Mary replied

Okay ...she finished the bottle within 10 minutes and started blowing air into it, making a whistling noise. Someone is full, someone is full I sung laughing

Hey cutie, your mum woke up today. Don't you think that's awesome I asked talking to her.

I kept her upright on my shoulder since she just finished eating..I wanted her to burp before putting her back to bed, otherwise she will wake up in pain with trapped gas.

.

We were like that for another 15 minutes, when I was sure she has burped, I placed her back down to sleep.

Good night Sunny I said leaving her nursery.

The next morning, I was already up and working in my study at about 7:30am. I had lots of work that I left unattended to yesterday.

I got a call from Dr.Robert that Katie was awake, I immediately rushed to her room.

When I got to the room, she was surrounded by doctors and two nurses..

She was responding to instructions from one of the doctors...."Squeeze my hand." and she squeezed. After all the check up, I heard her asking for water again and Dr.Robert instructed one of the nurses to give her a little water.

Because she was surrounded I was not able to see her face. she asked for food, I noticed her speech was slow and I could barely hear her.

My dear you cannot eat anything heavy now, we will give you fluids. it's too early Dr.Robert remarked.

Where...am..am I? she asked

In a hospital one of the doctors answered

Hospital? I wondered..anyway in her condition we couldn't start explaining anything to her.

Dr.Robert gave some instructions to the other doctors and they started leaving her bed side, giving me a clear view of her on the bed.

I started at her ...and she started back at me after some time she looked around the room, her face was swollen from all the bruises from yesterday's incident.

She is still trying to coordinate her thoughts so she might stare for some time Dr.Robert explained to me.

Okay..but is she fine I asked

As far as we know she is ..but we will run somemore test today. It's a miracle she is responding this clearly, and we suspect the trauma of the accident helped in waking her up. We just hope that apart from the physical injuries she doesn't have any internal complications.

I'm heading back to the hospital Dr.Robert said tiredly. I just nodded.

I turned my head, and suddenly I was alone with Katie.

She looked at me again...and I stared back taking in her looks . Sunshine does look like her mother in almost every way. She was like a mini me of her, which was great; imagine if she had looked like that mad man Marcus.

Ah I signed...no way.

Where am I ? she asked again ...this time asking me.

She talked to me ...I was surprised and her speech was a bit clearer this time.