Sophomore year: The second year of high school or college.
Slamming into the inside of my skull: The brain, a soft mass, hit the hard, bony inner surface of the skull due to the sudden impact.
Distorted U-shape: Describes a nose that has been broken and bent into a shape resembling the letter "U."
Multiple skull fractures: Several breaks in the bones of the skull.
Shattered eye sockets: The bony cavities that hold the eyeballs were broken into many pieces.
Plugging the stream of blood: Using the shirt to stop the heavy flow of blood from the broken nose.
Unaware of how seriously I had been injured: Not realizing the full extent of the injuries because of the initial shock.
Every minute mattered: Emphasizes that time was critical for receiving medical treatment, and the slow walk was dangerous.
Stalled: Hesitated or paused, unable to answer immediately.
Lost consciousness: Became unresponsive and unaware of one's surroundings, often due to a head injury.
My body began shutting down: The body's vital systems started to fail, and it struggled to perform basic functions.
Basic functions like swallowing and breathing: Essential bodily processes that normally happen automatically.
First seizure of the day: An uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain, causing convulsions or loss of consciousness.
Unaware of how seriously I had been injured: Not realizing the full extent of the injuries because of the initial shock.
Unaware of how seriously I had been injured: Not realizing the full extent of the injuries because of the initial shock.
Unequipped to handle the situation: Lacking the necessary medical equipment or specialists to treat such severe injuries.
Helipad: A designated area for helicopters to land.
Stretcher: A wheeled bed used to transport patients.
Pumped each breath into me by hand: A manual process where a medical professional squeezed a bag to force air into the patient's lungs since they couldn't breathe on their own.
Choked back tears: Tried to hold back tears and suppress emotions.
Trauma unit: A specialized hospital unit that treats patients with severe, life-threatening injuries.
Repeated post-traumatic seizures: Multiple seizures occurring as a direct result of the severe head injury.
Medically induced coma: A temporary coma caused by drugs to protect the brain from swelling and injury.
Ventilator: A machine that helps a patient breathe by moving air into and out of the lungs.
No strangers to this hospital: The family was familiar with the hospital due to previous visits.
Leukemia: A type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow.
Chemotherapy treatments: A type of cancer treatment using drugs to kill cancer cells.
Spinal taps (lumbar punctures): A medical procedure where a needle is inserted into the spinal canal to collect fluid, often to check for diseases.
Bone marrow biopsies: A procedure where a sample of bone marrow is taken to check for diseases.
Slipped into a coma: Began the period of being in a coma.
Social worker: A professional who helps patients and their families with emotional and practical issues related to their illness.
Series of machines kept me alive: Refers to medical devices like the ventilator and monitors that were essential for the patient's survival.
Collapse from fatigue: To fall asleep or become extremely tired due to exhaustion.
Wide awake with worry: Unable to sleep because of anxiety and fear.
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