"Now if you would, Katarina, please count back from 100."
The doctor said it a moment ago, but it seemed like hours. Once more, she inhaled the air provided from the plastic mask that had been placed over her mouth and nose. It didn't smell different or odd, but it made her head spin and her vision slightly blurry.
"100, 99, 98.."
She couldn't tell if she was saying the numbers out loud or just in her mind, but her lips moved slightly anyway. Her forehead itched, and she lifted up a heavy arm to relieve the sensation, before remembering the electrode that was firmly in place in the middle of her irritation. Several other similar electrodes were placed on her temples and the base of her head. They didn't feel like anything, but somehow they transferred over to the monitors in motions and beeps that she really didn't understand. Thankfully, this hospital was beyond needing and IV, which had meant no needles, and no need to show her embarrassment over her fear of them.
"97, 96, 95.."
Locke had dropped her off for her appointment with promises to return once he was finished with work. It didn't make sense for him to waste his day waiting, and Katarina had tried to keep him from coming back today all together, but he had been rather persistent. Now, being in the unfamiliar room, alone with just the doctors and nurses, she was comforted with the thought. Even if she would be too drugged and tired to appreciate his visit.
"94, 93, 92.."
Katarina tried to force her body to relax, to decrease the pace of her beating heart. It was to be expected; the nerves of surgery and the unknown. But it wasn't the first time. First, when she was young, to remove her tonsils. She couldn't remember much, except her doctor at the time showed her his "trick" of being able to dislocate this thumb from his hand. And later on in life, a less formal healing procedure on her damaged ankle, only she did not have the luxury of removing her senses from the pain.
"91, 9-"
Heavy eyes couldn't remain open any longer, and she didn't fight the sensation. Nor did she try to fight through the quick halting of her thoughts. Instead, she cocooned her mind and succumbed to darkness.
The doctor said it a moment ago, but it seemed like hours. Once more, she inhaled the air provided from the plastic mask that had been placed over her mouth and nose. It didn't smell different or odd, but it made her head spin and her vision slightly blurry.
"100, 99, 98.."
She couldn't tell if she was saying the numbers out loud or just in her mind, but her lips moved slightly anyway. Her forehead itched, and she lifted up a heavy arm to relieve the sensation, before remembering the electrode that was firmly in place in the middle of her irritation. Several other similar electrodes were placed on her temples and the base of her head. They didn't feel like anything, but somehow they transferred over to the monitors in motions and beeps that she really didn't understand. Thankfully, this hospital was beyond needing and IV, which had meant no needles, and no need to show her embarrassment over her fear of them.
"97, 96, 95.."
Locke had dropped her off for her appointment with promises to return once he was finished with work. It didn't make sense for him to waste his day waiting, and Katarina had tried to keep him from coming back today all together, but he had been rather persistent. Now, being in the unfamiliar room, alone with just the doctors and nurses, she was comforted with the thought. Even if she would be too drugged and tired to appreciate his visit.
"94, 93, 92.."
Katarina tried to force her body to relax, to decrease the pace of her beating heart. It was to be expected; the nerves of surgery and the unknown. But it wasn't the first time. First, when she was young, to remove her tonsils. She couldn't remember much, except her doctor at the time showed her his "trick" of being able to dislocate this thumb from his hand. And later on in life, a less formal healing procedure on her damaged ankle, only she did not have the luxury of removing her senses from the pain.
"91, 9-"
Heavy eyes couldn't remain open any longer, and she didn't fight the sensation. Nor did she try to fight through the quick halting of her thoughts. Instead, she cocooned her mind and succumbed to darkness.