โPenelope, open up!โ
Penelope glanced her head towards the door. Her sister had been banging for at least two minutes now, so she stood and walked a few paces to the huge oak door.
After she had the door pulled open, Peneโs sister Maia stood in the doorway.
โPene, are you okay?โ Maia asked.ย
Pene did her best to stand tall. She had been feeling under the weather recently, but she wasnโt going to tell her over worrying sister about that. โYes, Mai, Iโm alright.โ Pene tried for an eye roll, but she was too fatigued.
Maia glanced over Peneโs shoulder. She spotted the peppermint schnapps bottles that littered the floor.ย
โCโmon. Pene.โ Maia sighed. โYou were never a good liar.โ
Pene sighed.
โAt least let me take your pulse ox.โ Maia insisted.
โFine.โ Pene said. Whatever could get Maia out of her house quicker.
Pulse ox stands for pulse oxygen, or the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream. It showed how well you happened to breathing at the time. The average person had about 98%, and smokers averaged 95%.
Maia slipped the little clamp around Peneโs middle finger, and they waited in silence as the machine gauged her pulse ox.
Finally, the machine was done.
It read 60%.
Maia stood bolt upright. โPene! With that percentageโฆโ She didnโt need to finish. Pene knew what she was going to say.
You should be dead.
---
Pene didnโt want to go to the hospital, so Maia took her to the Urgent Care. Peneโs daughter Felicity met them there.
โI left Scout at home.โ Felicity said to Maia. โShe doesnโt quite understand what's happening, but I left Colin with her.โย
Scout was Felicityโs daughter (Peneโs granddaughter), and Colin was Felicityโs husband.
Together, the three of them entered.
Not long after Pene had entered the office, the doctor sent her back out, saying she needed to go to the hospital, stat.
Pene protested, but in the end, she went.
After Pene was checked in at the hospital, the doctors spoke to Felicity quietly.
โI donโt know how you want to tell her,โ They said, โBut her kidneys are failing. Sheโll need to start kidney dialysis.โ
Felicity was mortified, but she knew it was possible. Her mother drank like a fish, and had since Felicity was very small.
She nodded. โIs there any other solution? Mom wonโt want to do that.โ
โWellโฆโ One of the doctors glanced at another, who shook his head. โWeโll explore those options if the dialysis doesnโt work.โ
Felicity straightened and went in.
โMom,โ She said, and Pene looked up at her. โYour kidneys are failing.โ
Pene didnโt look shocked. โI know.โ
โWhat?โ
โI know. Dr. Gregor and I have been talking about it for years.โ Pene waved her hand dismissively.
โMom.โ Felicity stared at her. โHow could you say that? Like it's no big deal?โ
โBecause it isn't. Iโve known for years.โ
โThen why didnโt you tell us? Me and Aunt Maia both! Why did you keep drinking if it destroyed your kidneys?โ
Pene shifted in her hospital bed and put her head back against the pillow. If Felicity knew her mom, that meant the conversation was over. Felicity walked outside the room.
She walked outside and called Colin.
โSheโs stable and settled. You and Scout can come now.โ
---
Scout was twelve years old and knew about hospitals and death. Felicity worked in an old folkโs home, where Scout often came and spent her days in the summer.
And so death was normal to Scout. She knew it happened to everyone, and she knew lots of people died in hospitals.
But she was worried about her grandmother. She had put two and two together and Grandma = sick + Grandma = in hospital made her worried.
Colin had his hand on her shoulder as she made her way inside. The sliding doors whirred open and the receptionist gave them the room number for Pene.
Scout ran into the room. โGrandma!โ
Pene smiled, her eyes etched with guilt. This little girl really cared for her, why did she keep drinking?
Because it was a constant. It was something to lose yourself in. It made you feel better.
Pene had learned that.
Scout flattened against her grandma, hugging her tight.ย
โWoah, there, Scout. Donโt disconnect my machines.โ
โDo you need the machines to live? Are they keeping you alive?โ Scout asked, her eyes big.
Pene looked over at Felicity, who was leaning against the doorframe, staring daggers at Pene.
Do you see what youโre doing?
---
A few days later Pene was moved into the Intensive Care Unit. The ICU was cold and sad and generally not a fun place to be.
Pene got worse. She was always sleeping and was often delirious. One day, Pene was thirsty and wanted something to drink.
She looked at her daughter, who had gone out of work on FMLA. โCan I have some coffee? I know not the regular stuff, since you guys probably wonโt let me have it, butโฆโ Pene paused, searching for the word. โDiet coffee?โ She said, scrunching up her nose.
Felicity tried not to guffaw. Diet coffee?
โDo you mean decaf, Mom?โ
โYes, that's the word.โ
---
A few days later, Pene tried dialysis for the first time.
It did not go well.
The dialysis nurse was very kind. He had already ignored a racial slur from Pene, telling her he was from Puerto Rico and he was not โone of those Mexicansโ.
Machines started to whir and beep. He mumbled curses in Spanish and Felicity asked, โIs everything okay?โ
โSheโs going into afib.โ
โOh no.โย
Felicity ushered Scout out of the room in case it went really wrong. Then she returned, and the nurse was unplugging Pene.
โYouโre not done already?โ Felicity asked.
โI have to stop.โ He said. โHer afib was getting so bad, I legally could not continue.โ
โBut without dialysis, she canโt live!โ
โDoctor Marino will talk to you about that.โ He said before leaving the room.
Soon enough, Doctor Marino came through the door. โFelicity.โย
She stood. โYes?โ
He beckoned. โCome with me.โ
They walked into Doctor Marinoโs office. โSit.โ He said, pointing to a plush chair.
She sat.
โSo, it has come to my attention that the dialysis isnโt working for Ms. Pene.โ
โYes. Is there anything we can do?โ
โTheyโre testing a product right now. A metal kidney. That can work in place of her failing one. Theyโve told us to offer it to anyone in dire need here in this hospital. Iโd say your mom fits those guidelines.โ
โReally? Are you joking right now?โ Felicity looked around the office, then leaned close to the doctor and whispered, โWhere are the hidden cameras?โ
โThere are none, I assure you. If she says yes, we can operate on her as soon as the day after tomorrow.โ
ย ---
โSo, Mom, I have good news.โ
โYes?โ Pene opened her eyes and lifted her head off the pillow before finding her head too heavy and flopping back onto the pillow.
โThey can give you a new kidney. Just for you.โ
โThe catch?โ Pene asked skeptically and narrowed her eyes.
โItโs metal.โ
โTheyโll be putting a computer inside of my body?โ
โYes. But it will save your life. Mom, your body is rejecting dialysis.โ
โMaybe I donโt want to live that badly!โ
โMom! You really donโt mean that! Think about Scout! Think about Maia! Think about me!โ
โYou donโt think I have? I donโt want a computer inside me! What if it controls my brain?โ
โWHAT IF IT SAVES YOUR LIFE?โ Felicity roared.
Colin grabbed Felicityโs arm and dragged her out of the hospital room.
โBabe, you canโt scream in the ICU.โ
โI know that, but itโs just like...like she doesnโt care at all!โ
โYeah, but thats on her. Maybe if it was you in her position, youโd do it without a second thought. But her generation never had the technology ours had. So youโve gotta give that to her.โ
โYeah,โ Felicity sniffed. โI suppose so.โ
---
Three Months Later
A stroll through the park.
A sunny day.
These are the kind Felicity wished her mother had seen.
After that day in the ICU, Pene adamantly refused the metal kidney. They had tried dialysis trice more, all ending the same.
Extreme afib.
And so Pene passed on a quiet afternoon, surrounded by her family.
And thus
Is the bane
Of the
Technological
World.
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54 comments
Wow.
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thank you!
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i agree
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With what?
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that the story is ยดยดwowยดยด
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ok
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A sad story, written wonderfully.
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thank you!
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Great story, I felt hopeful through the dialogue and thought things were about to change for the best. You did well to foster a sense of sadness at the end with your descriptive writing.
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Thank you so much!
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Hi :) Would you like to play Skribble today at 3:30 EST, even though we haven't played for a while. Also, if you want to ask anyone else if they want to play, feel free. :)
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okay, thanks!
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Here's the link if you want: https://skribbl.io/?5EIqZpEpdZua
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thanks! be on in a sec...
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WOWOWOWOW! this is amazing!
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Thank you!
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Did you do my clan quiz?
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Yes! Thank you for giving me the link :D
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:)
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wowEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE how- liek- the idea- djghjshODHFGJWNGKVBJ CONGRATS FOR 20 STORIESSSS!!!! :D GREAT JOB! ~ Amethyst
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Thank you!!!!
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:D np! i want the new prompts to come out so I can write, because the science fair is OVER! *pumps fist*
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yay! did you do well? ive done many science fairs but never win because my pojects are always last minute
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idk, they're gonna judge them and choose people to go to the city wide one I do NOT expect mine to get to city wide XD lol I had to upload my recording and pictures 2 hours before the deadline and that's the most last-minute thing I've ever done in my LIFE XD
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XD our county has such a low population two from our school go onto COUNTY wide along with all the other schools I hope u do well! :D
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Oof, Carolina..what a story. Amazing job (and yay 20 stories!!)
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:) ty! Yay 20!
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Ok... So, lots of words are coming, so I hope you find time to read it all! This was an amazing story! I like the certain spin on the prompt (I love this stuff) and how it seemed like she would survive, but... :( I love sad stories, even though I can't write them...My best try was "The Fate I Didn't Want" and that was not sad at all. So basically, great sad story! Also, I LOVE RICK RIORDAN! Did you know that he is coming out with a new book? It's called Daughter of the Deep, and it is supposed to come out in October. So far, I have read all...
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Thank you! I will totally check your story out! I have heard about Daughter of the Deep! So so excited, I may have to preorder it ;) I havent read Maze of Bones, but I have read everything else. My favorite of his books was probably the tower of nero, because the ending was so heartfelt it made me cry. Have you heard about the Celtic mythology series he may be writing? Also, do you agree that we need a novel where Nico and Will go save Bob? Word blurb totally fine, I love nerding out haha ๐๐ค
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Thank you! I have also considered ordering it or trying to wait XD The tower of Nero is a really good book, too! I love how much Lester changed from the first book, and I agree that the ending was really touching! ๐๐ I have not heard about the Celtic mythology book yet! I might have to check that out! ๐ฎ I DEFINITELY think that Will and Nico (Solangelo) should save Bob! ๐I actually almost cried when they had to leave Bob and Small Bob...And Dasmien too ๐ญ Rick Riordan literally left the TOA on a CLIFFHANGER and is writing OTHER books now ๐ซ I t...
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WHOA I hadnt noticed that! but its true! I really hope Estelle comes in some way, like maybe as a sidekick to whoever the main character is in the Celtic mythology book, and its a time jump so shes twelve or thirteen. "Twelve minutes, I can give you that." ๐ญ
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That would be SOOO cool! ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐๐ค๐
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Also, I wrote a heroes of olympus fan fic! You have to scroll pretty far through my stories to find it. Heres the link! https://blog.reedsy.com/creative-writing-prompts/contests/71/submissions/45130/
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Hi Carolina! It's been a LONG time since I read any of your stories, and this one was really well written! I couldn't stop reading till the very end, and I can't wait to read more of your stories! (which I will, after I catch up with things on reedsy because I'm logging in after a month) Is there any specific story of yours you want me to read? If there is, you could tell me, and I would love to read that one! Also, are the downvoters behind your points, too? They stopped for a while when I was inactive, but I'm sure they will strike again a...
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Hi! So glad you could stop by! My favorite story of mine is probably "Names", its autobiographical. Yeah, I was up to #92 and I got downvoted from 1900 to 1700. I've been working my way back up but it'll take a while. If not for the downvoters I would probably be around 2200 right now. :( Thank you so much! I hope the same.
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Sure, I will read that story! Me too, I've been getting downvoted the past 2 months, and I think I would have been in the 2000s or even 3000s by now, too :( No problem! I hope things get better.
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A glossary of terms: Dialysis: In medicine, dialysis is the process of removing excess water, solutes, and toxins from the blood in people whose kidneys can no longer perform these functions naturally. Afib: Atrial fibrillation (afib) is an irregular and often rapid heart rate that can increase your risk of strokes, heart failure and other heart-related complications. Kidney: The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs on either side of your spine, below your ribs and behind your belly. Each kidney is about 4 or 5 inches long, roughly the ...
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I love how her Grandchild cares for her so much and she relizes but its a sad story its beautifly written
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thank you!
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your welcome
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your welcome
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your welcome
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