the journal of literature and the arts at saint david ’ s school
most uncomfortable slumber I ever experienced . I had a constant stomach pain , as if someone had planted a hot metal ball in my belly . Experimenting with different sleeping positions to see which one was best , I found that the most comfortable one was sitting straight up . The pain intensified and I just could not sleep . When I complained to my mom about my discomfort , never having had a pain like this before , her mom instincts told her this was worse than a bad stomach bug . Being cautious about the situation , we drove to the nearest children ’ s hospital ’ s emergency room . I remember the hour spent driving , feeling as if I was bound to vomit any minute .
The emergency room was jam packed . Families arrived with either one daughter , or five children all together . Numerous bench seats had room for probably two to three people each . The chairs were coated in vibrant colors , amusing to the eye . Right next to the automatic doors leading to the exit was a lonely fish tank , containing no fish . The front desk had a couple of computer monitors and a woman who was like a broken record , repeating the same phrase , “ I ’ ll let you know in a bit , honey .” However , the doors leading into the actual ER seldom opened , as if there was a dungeon from Hell past that cryptic gateway .
Impatiently waiting , Mom explained to me that either I was constipated or had appendicitis . I had no knowledge of what the appendix was , other than if it bursts , you could be hospitalized for days , even weeks . Three hours later , I was led into the dungeon . The ER was like a labyrinth . There were multiple hallways , all leading to a dead end , but the walls were all doorways to various hospital rooms . Although most of them were empty , some contained kids who were sitting in chairs or on beds , playing with the TV remote . Finally , I
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