Mark’s GrandmaMark’s Grandma

By: Bulie JathanBy: Bulie Jathan

It was Monday It was Monday morning and Mark morning and Mark had just woken to go had just woken to go to school. He glanced to school. He glanced at his clock and saw at his clock and saw that he was late. He that he was late. He didn’t get much sleep didn’t get much sleep because his grandma because his grandma was coughing all night was coughing all night and had a high fever.and had a high fever.

He took a quick bath He took a quick bath and got ready for and got ready for school. He went to say school. He went to say goodbye to his goodbye to his grandma but as he grandma but as he entered her room he entered her room he could hear her could hear her coughing up a storm. coughing up a storm. “What’s wrong with “What’s wrong with you grandma?” said you grandma?” said Mark. “Nothing son, I Mark. “Nothing son, I just have the Flu”. just have the Flu”. Replied his grandma.Replied his grandma.

Mark hugged his Mark hugged his grandma then went grandma then went off to school. While off to school. While Mark was at school Mark was at school he was very worried he was very worried about his grandma. about his grandma. He wasn’t paying He wasn’t paying attention in class and attention in class and his teacher kept his teacher kept calling to him to stay calling to him to stay focused.focused.

As soon as Mark As soon as Mark heard the dismissal heard the dismissal bell he packed his bell he packed his bag, hopped on his bag, hopped on his bike and rode quickly bike and rode quickly home. As he turned home. As he turned the corner he saw red the corner he saw red lights flashing. There lights flashing. There was an ambulance in was an ambulance in his yard.his yard.

When he reached in When he reached in the yard he dropped the yard he dropped his bike and bag and his bike and bag and ran straight to his ran straight to his grandma’s room. He grandma’s room. He could see the could see the paramedics putting paramedics putting her on a stretcher and her on a stretcher and they were wearing they were wearing masks over their masks over their noses. noses.

Mark’s dad quickly snatched him up and Mark’s dad quickly snatched him up and took him out of the room. Mark started to took him out of the room. Mark started to cry. “What’s wrong with grandma dad?” he cry. “What’s wrong with grandma dad?” he asked. “Well son, grandma is very ill. She asked. “Well son, grandma is very ill. She is coughing up blood, she has pain in her is coughing up blood, she has pain in her chest when she coughs and she also has chest when she coughs and she also has a very high fever. But we don’t know a very high fever. But we don’t know exactly what is causing her to be sick so exactly what is causing her to be sick so she will be taken to the hospital”. she will be taken to the hospital”.

The next day Mark The next day Mark and his Parents went and his Parents went to visit grandma at the to visit grandma at the hospital. Because hospital. Because Mark was under 18 Mark was under 18 years old he was not years old he was not allowed to see his allowed to see his grandma. So, his grandma. So, his mother waited with mother waited with him in the sitting room him in the sitting room until his dad came until his dad came back with news about back with news about his grandma.his grandma.

About 30 minutes later About 30 minutes later Mark saw his dad Mark saw his dad walking towards them walking towards them with tears in his eyes. with tears in his eyes. He hugged Mark and He hugged Mark and told him that grandma told him that grandma was in a room by was in a room by herself away from herself away from other patients. Mark other patients. Mark asked, “why?” Then asked, “why?” Then his dad told him to sit his dad told him to sit so they could talk.so they could talk.

Mark’s dad explained to Mark’s dad explained to him that grandma him that grandma contracted a contagious contracted a contagious disease called disease called Tuberculosis. He also told Tuberculosis. He also told Mark that when his Mark that when his grandma coughs or grandma coughs or sneezes the bacteria goes sneezes the bacteria goes into the air and therefore into the air and therefore other people can catch other people can catch the disease. So that was the disease. So that was the reason she had to be the reason she had to be in a room by herself.in a room by herself.

““Is grandma going to die?” Is grandma going to die?” asked Mark. “No,” replied asked Mark. “No,” replied his dad; “she is going to his dad; “she is going to be just fine, she just has be just fine, she just has to take a combination of to take a combination of medicines for a period of medicines for a period of six months until the TB six months until the TB (Tuberculosis) goes (Tuberculosis) goes away.” His dad then told away.” His dad then told him that all three of them him that all three of them would have to be tested would have to be tested for tuberculosis because for tuberculosis because they were at home with they were at home with grandma when she got grandma when she got sick.sick.

Mark was relieved to Mark was relieved to know that his grandma know that his grandma was going to be ok. Mark was going to be ok. Mark also noticed that also noticed that whenever they went to whenever they went to look for grandma his look for grandma his mom and dad wore mom and dad wore masks over their nose masks over their nose and mouth and they and mouth and they always washed their always washed their hands after they left the hands after they left the room. His dad told him it room. His dad told him it was because they didn’t was because they didn’t want to spread the want to spread the disease any further.disease any further.

Mark and his family Mark and his family did the test for did the test for tuberculosis and the tuberculosis and the result was negative. result was negative. After six months his After six months his grandma was home grandma was home and well. The entire and well. The entire family was happy family was happy once more.once more.

THE ENDTHE END