"Bruce Sterling - Heavy Weather" - читать интересную книгу автора (Sterling Bruce)

"Thank you," the doctor said. "Once the chronic mucu~ is scrubbed
away from the lung surfaces, then we can treat the membranes
directly. There is membrane damage in your lungs, of course, deep
cellular damage, but we cannot get to the damaged surfaces until the
mucus is removed." He looked at Alex seriously, over his glasses.
"Your chronic mucus is full of many contaminations, you know' Years
of bad gases and particles you have inhaled. Environmental
pollutions, allergic pollens, smoke particles, virus, and bacteria.
They have all adhered to the chronic mucus. When your lungs are
scrubbed clean with
the enema, the lungs will be as the lungs of a newborn child!" He
smiled.
Alex nodded silently.
"It won't be pleasant at first, but afterward you will feel quite
lovely."
"Do you have to knock me Out again?" Alex said.
"No, Alex. It's important that you breathe properly during the
procedure. The detergent has to reach the very bottom of the lungs.
You understand?" He paused, tapping his notepad. "Are you a good
swimmer, Alex?"
"No," Alex said.
"Then you know that sensation when you swallow water down the wrong
pipe," said the doctor, nodding triumphantly. "That choking reflex.
You see, Alex, the reason Mother Nature makes you choke on water, is
because there is no proper oxygen in water for your lungs. The enema
liquid, though, which will be filling your lungs, is not water, Alex.
It is a dense silicone fluid. It carries much oxygen dissolved inside
it, plenty of oxygen." Dr. Mirabi chuckled. "If you lie still without
breathing, you can live half an hour on the oxygen in a single
lungful of enema fluid! It has so much oxygen that at first you will
feel hyperventilated."
"I have to inhale this stuff somehow, is that it?"
"Not quite. It's too dense to be inhaled. In any case, we don't want
it to enter your sinuses." He frowned. "We have to decant the fluid
into your lungs, gently."
"I see."
"We fit a thin tube through your mouth and down past the epiglottis.
The end of the tube will have a local anesthetic, so you should not
feel the pain in the epiglottis very long.... You must remain quite
still during the procedure, try to relax fully, and breathe only on
my order."
Alex nodded.
"The sensations are very unusual, but they are not dangerous. You
must make up your mind to accept the procedure. If you choke up the
fluid, then we have to begin again."
"Doctor," Alex said, "you don't have to go on pet.~ suading me. I'm
not afraid. You can trust me. I don't stop.
I never stop. If I stopped at things, I wouldn't be here now, would
I?"
"There will be some discomfort."