Graves

"As per the arrangements you made prior to your collapse, I had begun the process of handling the legal hurdles that this procedure could cause Andy," stated his lawyer Deena Carrde who he noticed for the first time. Deena was an interesting and amazing find as they meet at alumni event for their alma mater and hit it off from the word go. He counted her as a friend and when he needed legal assistance, he thought of her first. Deena was in her mid 30's, she was currently single but had 15-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, in school currently. She took great care of herself and to look at her you would place her age in the twenties and assume her children were more likely young siblings as she kept in shape through swimming, running and Krav Maga. She was also the only person outside of his immediate family who had ever gotten away with calling him Andy. While she would normally be more formal when speaking to him as a client, the slip and her smile made him a little more relaxed. "You are still Andrew Graves for now, however with you now being a young woman I have prepared the documents needed for the legal name change and can begin filing the other required documents while you are recovering and going through physical therapy."

Andrew let out a sigh in relief, "It is going to be difficult enough adjusting to the new me. I find myself relieved that I won't immediately be thrown into someone else's life. Wonderful work as always Deena."

Deena walks closer to the bed placing a folder onto the rolling table. Opening it to reveal prepared forms for a legal name change, as well as applications for new driver's license, passport and letters to his banks for replacement credit cards and checks with the new name he still needed to choose. With a slightly panicked look Andrew looked up at her face, "I'm not sure what to pick as a new first name," still getting used to the new voice it cracked displaying his nervousness to all around him. "Let's table the name change for now; I need to know more about Kayleigh and new self before I make any decisions there. Please contact my family and let them know I am awake and recovering from the procedure. If there are any requests to see me make the needed arrangements for their travel, however none of the children for now. I'd prefer to let adults adjust to this insanity and prepare the children for it," feeling nervous about seeing his family and how things were going to go yet not being able to hide it was well as he'd previously been. Andrew realized that while he could move properly if weekly and that the new body was healthy, a lot of the muscle memory and ability to hide his emotions by controlling his body language would need to be learned once again.

Dr. Patrick spoke up here, "I'd also suggest have the psychologist present or at least close for those meeting, for your families benefit as well as your own. Even with how quickly and well your recovery is coming along physically care should be taken with both your mental and emotional state as well. While mentally you still know who you were, you are also a completely new person. As you're the first successful human patient there may be issues that arise in regard to this and we want to make sure you are properly cared for going forward."

"I agree with Dr. Patrick on this," agreed Dr. Shultz tersely.

With another sigh, Andrew nodded. Dropping his shoulders Andrew moved more fully onto the bed placing his back against the raised upper section of it. He leaned his head back against the pillows, drew his legs up and wrapped his arms around them looking totally exhausted and stressed. Klaudia spoke up from the back, "I recommend everyone leave the room for now and allow the patient to recover her energy," Andrew's eyes darted toward Klaudia with the use of pronoun her in describing him. "While she is recovering well, as you all said this is an experimental procedure and we need to ensure the patient's health, physical and mental. Now, out of the room so I can help the young woman relax."

To Andrew the rush that the doctors showed in leaving the room cause a very small smile to tug at the corners of his mouth. It almost seemed like they were afraid of the nurse's wrath. That bright note and the smile not fully coming to form was due to the pressure of realizing than he was, at least physically, now a she and would need to start thinking and acting that way. "Thank you again Klaudia. I'm getting a little overwhelmed even in my own head with all this."

Klaudia smiled, part of Andrew found it to be an attractive smile and another simple appreciated the support that it directed to him. "Anyone could see the stress building as you had to think more and more about the changes coming into your life now. I find myself caring more about your condition than I do most other patients. Don't get me wrong, I love my career and care greatly for all my patients but the strength and fragility I see in you has me wanting to ensure you're properly cared for." She gently straited out his legs along the mattress, lowered the back of the bed until it was only slightly raised. Pulling the blankets up to cover Andrew to the neck Klaudia once again looked him is the eyes, "get some sleep now, your lawyer friend will be here when you wake and you can worry more about the future then. For the time being I want you to just focus on your immediate recovery Ms. Graves."

"Thank you again Klaudia, this would all be more difficult without you here." Andrew closed his eyes to think and was sleeping in seconds, it had been a difficult day thus far.

Andrew wakes up a few hours later and opens his eyes to the darkening sky outside the windows. "Good evening miss comes a soft voice from near the door."

Andrew reflexively responds, "good evening."

"I'm Terry, your evening nurse. I wanted to ask if you were hungry as it's almost time for dinner?" Upon hearing the mention of food, Andrew's stomach decided for itself to be heard as an audible growl in the quiet evening, "I'll take than as a yes then. We have a cook on staff since this isn't a normal hospital so you tell me what you want and we'll get it for you, doctor's orders permitting."

Thinking about what he wanted to eat Andrew felt a little confusion as conflicting thoughts rushed through his mind. He always had been a traditional meat and potatoes person so started to order, "A nice, juicy medium cooked steak with whatever the cook thinks would go well with it." As the nurse turned to leave he spoke up again, "please add a fresh salad to that and some cut fruit for after?" Andrew was surprised at himself for the request, while he tried to eat healthier foods, he wasn't a salad and fresh fruit with a steak kind of person.

"Glad to see your appetite is strong, that's usually a good sign for recovery," Terry replied with a puzzled smile looking at your lithe frame, most likely wondering how you could eat like that and maintain the figure you now had before walking out.

Dinner arrived a short time later and Andrew dug into it with gusto, cutting into the steak, taking a bite of its' juicy perfection wanting to savor the flavor of it as he always had. Placing the slice into his mouth something wasn't right, the piece of meat was perfectly cooked, tender with juices sliding down his throat, properly seasoned just as he had always enjoyed them. His mind was telling him the steak was perfect, but his taste buds just weren't agreeing with that idea. They seemed to think it was too salty and just a little undercooked. He tried a couple more bites thinking the feeling was going to pass and he'd be able to enjoy the steak properly he didn't get halfway through it before he gave up on the taste and pushing the plate to the side. Andrew picked up his fork and dug into the salad he'd ordered for some reason. Taking the first bite and expecting to enjoy it as little as he always had and just focus on getting through it for his balanced diet and health he was shocked at how good it tasted. It was one of the best things he ever tasted, crisp lettuce with succulent grape tomatoes exploding in his mouth, the acid of pickled onions and carrots mixed with tender chicken that had been cooked in some kind of marinade. While the steak was a fight to get through less than half of it, the salad disappeared way to quickly as he wanted to enjoy all those amazing flavors. After finishing the salad Andrew was still hungry and went right to the place of fresh fruit which the cook had added some cheese to as well. For whatever reason he again experienced flavors anew, this time it wasn't as shocking as he had always enjoyed fresh fruit at family gathering or while traveling to exotic locations and the cheeses were ones he'd have served at functions and enjoyed himself. In thinking about the food Andrew realized this was another thing he needed to discuss with the doctors. After Terry came in and removed the tray of dishes and leftover food Andrew rolled over and went back to sleep sated.