Searing skin, breathe and cough

Start of 2025, year of illness

The world narrows to a tiny aperture and blurs, I slump
struggling to remain conscious, I pull back from the abyss
Heat, burning, searing... my body is aflame,
I hear ringing, high pitched whines, I cough explosively
ribs erupt with pain with each tormented cough
I gasp, struggling to eke in another tortured breath.
Cool hands burn my brow, then, I am suddenly moving
Later, needles, bright lights and cold hard surfaces
Distantly from afar, I hear "Pneumonia" and "Pleural Effusion"
dimly I am transferred, gentle hands move me, work on me
my wracking cough bursts out, my ribs! I cry out
A cool flush in my arm, pain ebbs, a mask obscures my sight
my chest relaxes a tiny bit, I drift off...seeking escape