Noah Syndrome
This is based on a dream I had. As such it probably doesn't make a lot of sense.
An 18 year old should not have to go through all this. I was the only 'adult' in his close family, left to deal with such a terrible situation so shortly after losing Mum. The doctors said that his grief had certainly contributed to the illness.
Daddy was disappearing from us and I was heartbroken. He had been stable, maybe even slightly improving for a week or so, but a text during gym had advised me to come straight away. As I hastily pulled on my school uniform, I rushed to the bus stop just in time to step on the number 11 straight to the hospital.
He was in his own private room, as experts were mystified and had him hooked up to all sorts of monitors. Dr Ouango explained:
"Your father has a severe form of agnosia in which all 5 of his senses are affected. It is a unique condition so we're calling it
Noah Syndrome
. In one respect he is still with us, his vital organs are functioning normally, liver, heart etc. But his senses are being blocked. He appears to have already lost hearing and sight and the remaining senses are weak and only getting worse."
He explained all this as he led me to the ward.
"Oh, just wait here a moment, Miss."
I saw Daddy through the viewing glass, tubes everywhere and machines bleeping and flickering. Dr. Ouango hastily covered up my father's lower half, as he was naked and apparently fully erect.
The doctor beckoned me in.
"Um something I didn't mention, a side-effect of your father's medication is a form of priapism - a state of permanent erection even after ejaculation. We, er...were obliged to do some tests."
Ouango seemed uncomfortable. I looked over at the thin sheet covering Daddy from the waist down and tried to appear nonchalant.
"Can I speak to him?"
"He probably won't respond. Please understand, his ears are fine, everything is as it should be in that respect, it's just that messages are not being processed by his brain, effectively rendering his senses redundant."
"Hi, Daddy. It's me. Wake up now, we need you - what's that noise?"
The doctor explained.
"These five monitors are measuring his sense responses to a very precise degree. As you can see, hearing and sight are at practically zero. This one is smell. Then we have taste, and finally touch. These figures are percentages I suppose you would say, anything below 10 is considered failed, possibly irreparably."
"So why did the smell one make a ping?"
"One thing we have noticed is that very strong smells, or, we suspect, smells he finds appealing, can temporarily increase the reading before it slowly backs down again. We hope if we can get a sense above 80% it will return to normal, but that's just conjecture at this stage. As I say this is a unique situation."
His pager buzzed.
"OK I have to see to this. My shift is nearly over but my replacement will be here within the hour to apply the cream to your father's um, penis. We need to keep it moistened or else we fear the skin might crack. Good evening to you, Miss. Any problems you can press the red button there and a nurse will attend to you."
And with that he was gone. I was slightly annoyed that he didn't seem more concerned, but I supposed Daddy's case was just one of dozens he had to deal with.
I looked at the monitors and contemplated what it all meant. His organs were working but messages weren't being processed, is that what he said? Like some kind of traffic jam. I couldn't really fathom what it meant, but then I'm not an expert in these things.
The smell monitor was gradually dropping back to 45 or so. Intriguing that my smell would have that effect. I mean, yes I am a bit sweaty but I don't stink!
I ventured to his bedside again to see if it would affect the meters. I leaned into him so that he could smell my skin. Nothing. Perhaps a tiny flicker of the least significant zero.
"Hmm, maybe it wears off."
I stood up straight and pulled the chair nearer, as I did so the monitor rose a few points. Puzzled, I backed away and it gradually started falling. I moved closer again. Up.
"Oh God!" Daddy seemed to be responding to my skirt. Checking nobody was about I lifted the front of my skirt to my nose to see if I could smell anything. As I did so the monitor rose sharply.
"My...my knickers?"
Looking down I could see a damp patch where the exertion of the class, the rope climbing probably, had provoked a bit of sweat and perhaps other girlie fluids. I smeared the patch with my fingers and held them to my nose.