coma?

Coma is a word that was never mentioned. Marie continued to lay unconscious, in the intensive care unit. Each day the nurse would say, Marie is still asleep. Who sleeps for days, never getting up to go to the bathroom. Never being thirsty or hungry. Why did no one ever say coma. That's the word that came to my mind.

I didn't know if the medical staff was hiding something, or if they just didn't know what was going on. It's a scary thought, that with all Marie had been through, no one knew what was going on. Surgery, seizures. Coma?

Another day come with more examining. They hooked Marie up to all kind of electrodes. There was a machine that was measuring brain waves. The test came back normal. No explanation. She was like sleeping beauty. The drainage bag was still connected and in a level position with her head. She was in this state four days. I continued to sleep in the waiting room, and go in and out of the intensive care unit to check on her. The morning of the fifth day, when I went into her room, Marie was awake and sitting in a chair. The nurse was busy changing the bed linens. She turned to me when I came in and said, surprise. I couldn't believe it. She explained to me that since nothing else seemed to be working, she decided to try something on her own. She had taken a cool wash cloth and kept stroking Marie's arms, legs and face. Eventually she came to.

I spoke to Marie and she responded with a small smile and a nod. There never was an explanation of what had caused the sleeping spell, or whatever it was. But it was over.