I hate hospitals, I hate the way they smell, I hate the sterile white light that fills the hallways. I hate the sounds the machines make, going on and off. A heartbreaking reminder that for some of those poor souls those peeping, noise, making machines are the only things keeping them alive. The only thing guarding them from the angle of death. It all gave me flashbacks to my mothers last few painful months on this spinning ball of rock that we called Earth. I forced myself to take a deep breath of sterile air. I had been laid out in Exam Room Seven in the ER of our local hospital, Our Lady of The Manchester River.. fitting enough a Catholic Hospital for a transgender Catholic School Girl.

Anyway I laid back down upon an old iron hospital gurney. The whole room was spinning around me, and around me. Much like an old fashion record. And just for a record I felt I'd also been dipped into a vat of battery acid. And to add insult to injury or to rub salt into an open wound, the staff thus far had been calling by dead name. My dead name was 'Emil' but I preferred the name 'Emily' in fact I'd told them so. I told them several times already this evening. Even going as far as to directly correct them. But all of my old medical records till had my old name of 'Emil' on them.

“Well Emily.” A sudden bird-like voice brought me out of my brooding. The voice belonged to a middle age woman. She was dressed in a nice pencil black skirt, a vanilla cream colored blouse, a white doctor's coat was worn over the blouse. Her long brunette hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail and her jade green eyes seemed to shimmer concern. “I just got the result of your x-rays back.” She said with a sigh.

“Give it to the straight doc.” I said trying to lift myself from the gurrey. “How long do I have?”

The doctor sighed and peered at me.

“Well, I'm going to say that I think your not going to die tonight.” The doctor said, smirking. “Anyway, your blood work is fine. But your x-rays worry me. You have fluid in your lungs and your fever is quite high. Now, I was thinking about giving you a round of shots of antibiotics, a breathing treatment, and sending you home with enough antibiotic pills to float a battleship.”

“But?” I said falling back on the gurney.

“But I think it's best if we find you a room here. So we can keep a eye on you. You see, according all the test we ran on you, you have a nasty case of pneumonia. And while I know pneumonia is mostly a cold weather infection. A weaker, but no less lethal strand is known to have popped up in the early to late summer months. We call this type of pneumonia 'Walking pneumonia' and left untreated can prove just as lethal as its cold weather cousin” The doctor said, sighing.

“Oh... darn..” I said, taking a deep breath.

“You volunteered for the dunking booth, for the fundraiser that happened last week right?” The Doctor asked. It was a direct question that made me shiver.

“I thought so, every time the carnival comes to town and the fair we see an upsurge in cases of pneumonia, flu, and the common cold. Not to mention food poison." The doctors said, sighing. “And God knows who else was dunked in that water before your turn.”

I just peered at her and gave her a look.

“Anyway, you're still going to get a good round of antibiotic shots, and we're going to keep shooting you up around the clock. Also also going to get plenty of gatorade to keep you hydrated, and plenty of rest to give your body time to recover. Plus, with your aunt whom I understand is your caretaker and legal guardian works here at this very hospital.

I managed enough energy to tip my head to the side in confusion. If I was an anime character I'm sure the moment I titled my head sideways would be the moment a large, red, question mark would appear. Just like it does in anime and manga. Seeing I was clearly lost for words the doctor decided to enlighten me.

“So you're going to give me plenty of healing potions so I can recover my health points and mana points?” I muttered.

“Come again?”

“In the Fantasy Table Top Roleplaying Community, we call 'Gatoraid' for lack of better words 'Healing Potions' because of the many different colors it comes in, I know the different colors are supposed to be different flavors and stuff. But the stuff kind of looks like the potions you find in video games, so we in the community call it 'Healing Potions'.”

“You learn something everyday.” The Doctor mutter underleader.

“Anyway, returning to our conversation, like I said with your aunt bing here, she can help keep a check on you. We can also update her more easily if your condition changes for the better or the worst. And I doubt you'll give us any trouble with your beloved aunt so close at hand.” The Doctor quickly added.

“Why are you calling me 'Emily' when the other doctors and and nurse have been calling me 'Emil' since I've been wheeled into this pill pushing, band-aid station this morning.” I muttered darkly under my breath.

The doctor smiled and stood up. Smoothing her skirt as she did so.

“Because unlike the rest of the doctors here, I took a few minutes to read your chat and I found that you're transiting. In your short I discovered that you're transgender, male to female I believe. The other doctor here. The one who was treating you is a bit of old school. Dr. Brunner is a good man, a good doctor, but he has a terrible bedside manner and can be a bit frank at times. And I'm sad to say, that often small things like that escape his gasp. But in his defense, what can you really expect from a doctor who cut his teeth in the blood soaked jungles of South Asia.” The Doctor paused.

“Anyway, I took time to give your profile a once over and I noticed a little post-it sticker taped to the corner that said you wanted female pronouns. And plus, I noticed you had the transpride flag sewn into the left break of your hoodie. Cute hoodie, the baby blue really brings out the color of your hair.

I blushed a little.

“And with that in mind, I've asked a newly pinned nurse to settle you in. Her name is Nurse Catherine Anna Croft And she is from what I understand within the 'Family' if you will. I figured you will be more comfortable with somebody like her wheeling you into your hospital room. Instead of you knowing somebody else.” The doctor then clapped her hands together and smiled as she stood up.

And that was that.

To be continued.