I woke in the recovery room
To the smell of hospital soap and anesthesia
The sound of the beeping heart monitor
The IV gurgling in my veins
Bleary-eyed I tried to focus on the Doctor’s voice
He rubbed my hand, “We had to do a hysterectomy”
I gulped, eyes closed, anesthesia lulling me back to sleep
I opened one eye, trying to focus on the nurse,
“Did I hear that correctly? Did he say hysterectomy?”
“Yes.”
I remember turning my head and looking out the window
The sky was cloudy and gray
It was going to storm
Lightening flashed in the distance
My eyes grew heavy once again
I succumbed to the anesthesia fog
And remembered thinking,
“But we had already picked your name…”