Note: This is part of a serial fiction series focusing on the life of St. Anna Schäffer, following the life of a fictional character as she encounters the saint. New chapters are released every Sunday! For past chapter(s) click here.
“AHHHH!! My legs!!!”
Anna started to wake up after passing out from the intense pain she suffered. Her legs felt like they were on fire, sizzling in a pan for hours on end.
The boiling water had fallen into into was mixed with laundry chemicals, and this added to her suffering. The gardener had raced her as fast she he could to the nearest hospital close to Kösching. He gently placed her on the operating table and the local doctors quickly examined her.
It didn’t look promising.
The boiling water and the chemicals provided a potent mix that seeped into her skin and into the muscle tissue. The doctors were at a loss as to what they should do.
“I have never seen anything like this!” said one of the doctors. “We don’t have any medicine or the instruments to treat this injury. This is beyond our capabilities here.”
A few hours later Sofia arrived with Anna’s family. Sofia ran to Anna’s side and grasped her hand.
“Anna, are you alright? Have they been able to heal your legs?”
“I-I-I don’t know….I’ve been unconscious for most of the day…every time I wake-up my legs feel like they are burning inside. I dare not look underneath the covers of my blanket. I can only imagine what they look like!”
It was difficult for Sofia to see the pain on Anna’s face. Her friend was in such great agony and she could do nothing about it.
She noticed the doctors huddled in the corner talking quietly among themselves. They kept turning back to point at Anna’s legs, and then would shake their heads in unison. The doctors clearly didn’t know what to do for her.
Then one of the doctors stepped forward and made a declaration.
“She is a lost cause. We can do nothing for her. She will likely die within a few weeks.”
Both Anna and her mother cried uncontrollably. This was a difficult pill to swallow, especially as Anna was about to turn 19 years old. She had her whole life to live, and now it would end prematurely.
Sofia, instead of feeling sorrow, was enraged by this hopeless outlook left by the doctors. Did they really try to help her friend? Why don’t they send her to a better hospital, with better doctors and more equipment?
She stormed over to the group of doctors and questioned them in a severe tone.
“My friend will not die! If you can’t treat her, send her to the University Clinic of Erlangen! My cousin was sent there and the doctors there were able to cure her!”
One of the doctors was offended by this assault on their medical knowledge, and growled back.
“How dare you question us, little girl? You know nothing about medicine! Go home and let your friend die in peace!”
This only fueled the anger that was within Sofia. She was about to scream loudly, wanting to throw something at this idiotic doctor. Then a different doctor came forward and pushed away his colleague.
“You have a good point! Doctor Müller, why don’t we listen to this girl? I know this clinic well; we just sent a patient there last week. Can we not give this child a little hope?”
The face on Doctor Müller softened a bit as he recognized the reasoning of his colleague and of Sofia. He turned back to her and to Anna.
“Personally, I don’t think there is any hope of a recovery. However, we can at least try sending Anna to the University Clinic of Erlangen. They may not have a cure for her legs, but they can try experimental treatments on her and do what they can. She may not walk ever again, but she may live for at least a few more years.”
Anna’s mother rose from the bed and began shaking the hands of the doctors.
“Thank you!! Thank you!! I pray and hope that my child will be cured. Thank you for giving us a chance!!!”
Come back next Sunday for the next chapter!
And today we celebrate...