He goes back in, probing again, searching for more fragments.
After a few moments the doctor pulls out another fragment.
"You're doing great, Adi," Elena says and rubs the back of my head with her finger nails.
The doctor finally sets the forceps down.
"That's all of them."
The nurse cleans the area as the doctor picks up a long curved needle and thread.
"Now we stitch."
The doctor works on my shoulder. The needle pierces my skin again and again, the thread tugging as he ties off each knot.
Finally, he moves to my bicep.
After what feels like too long, the doctor finally steps back, finished.
The nurse wraps fresh bandages around my shoulder, then my bicep.
"You're lucky," he says. "No major arteries hit. The fragments missed the important parts. You'll heal, but you need to rest. No heavy lifting, no strain on that arm for at least three to six weeks."
I nod.
"Thanks, doc."
The nurse cleans up the blood and tools, packing everything away.
The doctor strips off his gloves.
"I'll check on you tomorrow. Also, you're going to need to wear this," he says and hands me a sling for my arm.
"I'll help him with that, doctor," Elena says.
He nods and then he and the nurse leave and then it's just me and Elena.
She stands in front of me. "Here, let's put your arm in the thing now," she says. "While the pain medicine is working."
I lean forward and she wraps it around my neck and gently puts my arm in the sling.
"There," she says.
I look down and now my left arm is bent at a ninety degree angle across my chest. I do feel some weightlessness on my shoulder area, so I guess that's good.
"So," I say and stand, "How does it feel to be back home?"
She smiles. "Nice. I don't think I could fully take it in because I was so worried about you, but now that you're taken care of," she stops and looks out the window, "Yeah, it's nice."
I walk over to her and stand right next to her and look out the same window.
"I can order from your favorite place," I say.
"Oh God, that would be good. I want papana?i."
"Papana?i?"
"Yes," she laughs. "I missed that dessert so much."