Imagine The Impossible!!

 For as long as I can remember I have been a nerdy child, going through junior school with few friends, and always excited to be learning. College was no different, attending sporting games and such with the nerdy group, was never super exciting, but I tried to fit in where I could. As my knowledge base increased my social compacity decreased. 

 

One thing I do remember very clearly is my interest is seeing a young female with a sprained ankle. Attending College volleyball was always my favourite, as quite often one of the female players would jump and land wrong resulting in a sprained ankle. Watching them being carried off, or hopping off the court, and then seeing them on crutches throughout the campus always excited me. 

 

Now in my early 30’s most of my time is focused on my Technology company, building software, digital products and nano robotics for small to large scale business and start-ups around the world. Unfortunately, my social abilities are far less developed than my tech skills. 

 

One day, whilst brainstorming a product at my home office one evening, it dawned on me, why don’t I invent something to feed my interest. A sprain gun if you will. 

 

I browsed my company’s library of products and came across the latest in nano robotics technology, which we were working on for a medical firm. 

 

So, I started my project after hours, long nights and early mornings, until I had my first prototype. 

 

A small stainless steel pistol type device that loaded a very small injectable projectile filled with nano robotics which were programable, and traceable via a digital interface. The beauty of this is pin point accuracy was not needed as the nano robots would be able to seek out the desired location. I took my experiment one step further and designed two types one which would cause the injury and a second which would aid in repairing the injury in record time. 

 

I needed a subject to test my design on and trial the findings, I sent out some requests to our database of willing test subjects to see if I would get a response. 

 

I waited a few days and no responses came back. This one morning I was sitting on my front porch having a coffee. And as normal my neighbour a young 28yr single lady, was out walking with her dog. I had watched them several times walk past and would say hello from a distance, as my social abilities kept me at bay. She was attractive lady, and always doing some kind of fitness activity. I thought about trying my new device on her, but without testing it first I resisted. 

 

A couple weeks passed and finally I got an enquiry on my test request. Annabelle a 25yr old single mum came forward looking to raise some extra money. She was quite attractive with a slim build and quite petite. 

 

She attended my home office the following week to discuss the test and the specifics.

 

I started by explaining the product to her and the reverse capabilities, of injury and healing, leaning towards the healing side of course. We negotiated a reasonable amount of compensation and signed the disclosure statements as required to conduct the testing and of course to acknowledge any potential risks as well. I confident that should the nano bots go astray we had multiple inbuilt redundancies to terminate their life in an instant so the risk was low to non existent. 

 

We booked a time for the following week and I asked her to arrive in sports cloths and sneakers and socks. 

 

She arrives on schedule, and I have prepped my office with the essentials to treat the injury normally. I got my iPad and console program up and running and ensured the nanobots were communicating with the software. First we did some preliminary testing in my office, I shot her once in the arm, and asked her if she felt it. To which she said yes but it just felt like a mosquito bite, there was a small pin prick hole where the minute projectile entered her arm.  

 

I monitored the bots on my iPad, as they progressed through her body, and within 2 minutes they were already positioned at her ankle. I asked her if she had any previous ankle injury history. “No I haven’t actually” she replied. 

 

We then moved onto stage two. We exited to the rear of my home, where I had a decent amount of yard space. I set up on a chair on the edge of the yard, including some crutches for when needed and then I asked Annabelle to walk around the yard in a normal fashion. After a few rotations of the yard, I dialled in a command to the nano bots which would position them at the Anterior Talo Fibular Ligament for this test. During this stage they would isolate and identify the whole ligament from attachment point to attachment point and isolate its self to the mid-section of the ligament. At the command it would either stretch, partial or completely severe the ligament representing the different grades of injury.

 

I double and triple checked the parameters and decided my first test would be aimed at a grade 2 ankle sprain. The bots would release the serum as there was no weight on the joint, measuring when she would lift her foot and transfer weight to the opposing leg, so that the resulting next movement would trigger the injury. 

 

I pressed the accept button on my iPad, and like clockwork, Annabelle, raised her right ankle and the nano bots worked instantly releasing the serum, as she stepped down on her right foot on her very next step as she was walking around, her right ankle rolled out wards instantly. Annabelle, cringed and tumbled down to the grass. “oh god, Oh God, I think it worked” She said as she sat on the grass clutching her right ankle. In utter amazement, I was silent for a few moments. Before I snapped back to it. 

 

I got up and went to her aid immediately, I couldn’t believe my eyes or what was happening a dream come true. 

 

Anabelle, cringed a little as she sat with her leg out in front of her watching as her ankle started to swell almost instantly. Within a few minutes there was a large egg on the outer side of her right ankle. I preceded to ensure she was ok, to which she said “Yes thank you”

 

The next step was to have her stand up to indeed test the injury and severity to confirm, before returning inside to start phase 2. 

 

As I knelt down, I assisted her to stand up, keeping all the pressure off her right ankle initially. She groaned a little as she stood, and the blood commenced to rush to the ankle. After a few moments of standing, I asked her if she was ok to try some weight on the ankle, and once again, she agreed with no hesitation. 

 

With her arm draped over my shoulders, she positions her right foot flat on the grass, and then proceeds to transfer some weight as she takes a step. “arrrrhhhhh” she exhales as she attempts the first step. Then a second and third step before pausing for a moment. “How does it feel?” I ask. She looks down at her swollen ankle and back up at me, “its throbbing quite a lot now, and it’s quite hard to put weight on it”. 

 

“Ok Stay here for moment”, I help her balance for a moment on the spot and I fetch the crutches for her from my workstation I have set up outside. I return to her and pass her the under-arm crutches, and she positions them under her arms. “Thank you she says” as she balances on the crutches now, holding her right foot up a fraction to relieve the pressure. 

 

“Ok let’s head back to my office and we will commence part 3.”

 

Annabelle starts the journey inside with myself in toe, with my iPad in hand I help her back into my office. I help her position on the seat in my office and bring a short stool over for her to raise and rest her ankle on. 

 

I take my office chair and bring it closer and place my iPad on the chair. I fetch a glass of water from the kitchen and then return and hand it over to her and then take a seat. I open my iPad and then click on the next stage of the testing and select commence. The various testing in the past for the medical industries exploring this tech, generally healing results can vary from minutes to hours or even days depending on the specifics of what is being repaired. I start the process and ask Annabelle to move her ankle immediately as I start and relay how it feels. 

 

She lifts her leg enough to raise her foot above the chair and slowly moves her ankle around, she moans as she attempts to, and the movement is quite limited. “Ok rest it back down and let’s wait 15 mins”

 

We sit in silence for a moment, my mind in overdrive, wondering why I didn’t explore this sooner, when Annabelle breaks the silence, “You have a lovely home here” I look up at her and smile, “thanks it’s a bit big for me but I love the location” I reply. Then I ask “May I ask you, why you decided to respond to my clinical tests?” she starts to laugh, “ hahaha, well to be brutally honest, it was the money really, after school I took some time off and worked a bit, then I had my daughter and unfortunately found myself single with a baby, and now im back at university studying law while raising a family and working part time. It’s been very hard to cover everything and anything I can get towards my tuition will help a lot.”

 

I smile and respond, “Well that’s very commendable of you to do that all on your own!!”

 

“Thanks” she responds.

 

It had now been about 15 minutes since phase 3 started, I looked down at my iPad and it’s indicating an estimate of 45 mins to go, so approx. a quarter of the way. I look up at Annabelle, and ask her how the pain level is? She looks at me and then at her ankle and then looks back up, “Actually now that you ask its actually not hurting at all at the moment” 

I gaze down at her ankle and there appears to be no reduction in the swelling on the outer side of her ankle. “Ok can you lift it up and try to move it again please” I watch closely as she raises her leg and foot up off the stool. She starts to move her ankle around, and she is amazed. “Oh my god I can move it a lot better than before”. I watch as she moves her foot around, rotating her ankle in all directions, with limited resistance, but still not at full extent of travel. 

 

“Wow great results already” I Exclaim. Do you mind removing your shoe and sock, and then I will have you try some weight in 15 mins. “No of course that’s no problem” she replies. 

 

As she removes her sneaker and sock quite effortlessly, her very cute foot is on show, approx. a size 6.6, well-shaped. With the shoe and sock removed the swelling is quite pronounced on the outer ankle area. She rests her ankle back down as I catch myself gazing…..

 

I snap out of my trance and try to stimulate the conversation again whilst we wait 15 minutes further. “So why law, what’s your interest in this field?” I ask. 

 

“Well, this is going to sound really stupid, but I remember watching a moving called legally blonde, you know the one with Reece Witherspoon, where she is this glamourise girl that becomes a lawyer and no one believes she can do it?”

 

I think to myself for a moment, “Oh yes I think I recall seeing some of that movie” thinking inside my head that I had probably seen a preview at most as my TV time is usually limited.

 

“Well I have had a pretty tough up bringing and trying to do everything myself for myself, I decided that I wanted a career that gives me great earning potential, and hopefully I can inspire others to do the same” 

 

“Oh, that’s really good of you, I can sense that you are very committed to it so I’m sure you will go a long way” I reply. 

 

She smiles and says “Thank you, well this money will certainty go a long way to helping me get there as well. 

 

We continue some brief discussion, my attention mainly focused on her Cute foot resting on my stool” Then I hear an audible tone from my iPad “Ding”.. I look down and the screen has timed out and was black so I press the home button to wake it up, as it opens up again I noticed that it says 100% complete. 

 

“Umm that’s odd” I exclaim…

 

Annabelle feeling a bit confused asks, “Everything ok?”

 

“Well, it says that it is complete, which is about 30 minutes faster than I calculated” I raise my head up and look at her ankle, and note that the swelling is still there and had not reduced at all. “It says it’s finished but the swelling still remains”

 

“Ok let’s try some movement”

 

Annabelle lifts her leg up and moves her foot around like the sprain did not happen at all, “it feels great” She says. “Ok let’s try some weight now” 

 

I push the stool out of the way, and she stands up by herself, full weight bearing on her right ankle now. She takes a step slowly the first time, and then realises that her ankle feels 100%, she takes a few more getting faster and faster, turns and then even hops a few steps. 

 

“How does it feel” I ask. 

 

“It feels great, just like it did when I first arrived, Wow this is amazing!!” She exclaims. 

 

At first, I’m thinking wow, this works really well, but as I peer at her ankle, I wonder why the swelling hadn’t gone down at all. I ask her to move closer to me so that I can examine the swelling. I press on the swollen area, and it does feel quite firm like fluids are pooled in the area. “Does that hurt at all” I ask?

 

“No not one little bit” She says. 

“well, I would have expected the swelling to go down, seems like it still needs some tweaking” I exhale as I position myself on the chair again. 

 

“Well Annabelle you are ready to go when you are ready, we just need to remove the nano bots and then can you please update me in the next 24 hours on the swelling though, I would have expected it to disperse as part of the healing”

 

“Yeah, sure thing” she says as she sits down and rests her foot back on the stool. I take the stainless-steel gun device and place it with the muzzle against the bottom of her heel, and then press a button on the side to retrieve the nano bots. She feels a tiny sting like a mozzie bit on the bottom of her foot. “Ok All done” I exclaim as she starts to put her shoe and sock back on. I place the gun down, my mind now in overdrive thinking about what I can tweak or change to rectify the outcome, or what variables are possible, and then it drifts to her cute foot resting on my stool with her ankle still swollen, but she is 100% walking.. 

 

Once she is ready, she stands up and I show Annabelle out to the front door, “Thank you very much for helping me with my work, the funds will clear in your account in the next 24 hours” I say as she exists the door. She turns and smiles, “Not at all, pleasure to help, and thank you for helping me” she giggles… As she turns to walk away, I think about asking if she would be interested in further work with me, but the social anxiety kicks in as my brain is still trying to process what just happened. But then Annabelle stops and turns, ‘Hey doc if you would like to do further testing on a subject, I would be happy to oblige as the money will help me greatly.”

 

I look up and say, “Ok thank you, I will let you know”

 

I close the door and lock it and then turn and lean against the door. For a moment, I’m gobsmacked, this cute girl with a sprained ankle, then healed it and then offered to do it again!!! I can instantly feel myself get aroused after hours of trying to hold it back. 

 

I head to my office and get straight to work on my pc looking at the code for the next test…

 

That night there were very few hours of sleep, as tempted as I was to check in with Annabelle, I couldn’t help feel my anxiety take over and I would withdraw. 

 

The next morning I arise at a brisk 8am, after a late night in the office at home. 

I check my phone and there is a message from Annabelle, with a picture. 

 

“Hi Doc, I thought you would like to know I awoke this morning and my ankle feels fine and the swelling has completely gone now, here is a pic for you to see for yourself” I open the picture and she has taken a picture laying in bed with both her feet out in front of her resting on the mattress, I zoom in and she is 100% correct there is absolutely no discernible difference between the left and the right ankle. I cant help but notice her cute pedicured toes distracting me as I try to review her ankle. 

 

I ponder this for a moment, and come to a realisation, that the swelling which is a natural reaction from the body to flood the area of injury to self heal as the injury was 100% the body over night simply removed the fluids from the area. 

 

“Now I know what I need to do” I exclaim to myself, as I jump out of bed. 

 

The excitement, makes me completely forget to reply, and later in the day, I get another text from Annabelle, “Hi Doc just checking you got my message this morning?”

 

I then realise I never replied to her. “ Hi Annabelle, my apologies I totally forgot to reply to you, yes I did and thank you for letting me know……” I Pause for a moment, wondering if I should set up a second test with her now….

 

Once again, I loose my grit, and send the message without asking. 

 

I place my phone down, and then within moments, I get a reply. 

“That’s ok” she says…

Then another message straight after, “I have next Thursday off work and Uni if you wanted to do another experiment?” She replies.

 

I ponder for a moment…. “Ok Thursday sounds great, I think I might have fixed the problem with the first test and I would like to try it out” I wait anxiously as she replies…

 

‘Ok great same time and same outfit?” she asks, “yes that would be great” I reply…

 

“Ok see you then” she replies

 

 Thursday arrives, and the doorbell rings, I make my way to the door and Annabelle Is standing there. “Hi Annabelle” I greet her as she enters through the door. 

 

We head straight to my office and prepare for stage 1 just like the previous visit. Once complete we head to the back yard again as before and we execute stage 2. I repeat it on the same ankle as previous being the right, and this time I assist her inside immediately after the injury and into my home office space where she can rest her ankle on the stool again. 

 

This time though I help her remove her show and sock once inside so that I can visibly note the swelling on her ankle, and see her cute toes of course!!

 

Unlike the previous time I do not get her to test it as the healing process proceeds, but rather, I check in on the swelling periodically over the course. At the 30 minute mark, there is a noticeable reduction in the swelling this time. I continue to monitor periodically until my Ipad lets out its finished tone!! This time taking about 47 minutes to complete. I look down at her ankle, and this time the swelling is completely gone. I ask her to stand up, and walk like the previous time. She jumps up, and starts to walk around, testing her ankle out, “Wow, I think you have fixed it this time” She replies. 

 

As I watch her cute barefoot praise the floor in my office, I’m mesmerised. 

 

I look up at her, “That’s great, I think this one is a full success”

 

She makes her way to the chair to put her sneaker and sock back on. 

 

“So, what’s next doc” She asks. I ponder my thoughts for a moment, thinking I wish I had taken the opportunity to touch her sprained ankle… But I resist….

 

“Well, the next test would be stepping up the severity, and potentially leaving the injury for several days before completing the third phase of healing to see if the results are the same. But I understand this might not work for you with study and work etc.”

 

Annabelle ponders her thoughts for a few moments as she ties her shoe laces up tightly. 

 

She then grabs her phone and starts to look at something. 

“So, when you mean a few days, how many days are you thinking? She asks. 

My eyebrows lift thinking wow she is interested, I never thought that would happen. “Well, I think the next time needs to be a grade 3 sprain, at least one maybe two ruptured ligaments, I will be honest thought it will be substantially more painful that previous tests especially because it will be left to self-heal for several days. And then I would think maybe 3-5 days on crutches, before commencing stage 3 healing” Thinking to myself, Annabelle is certainty not going to be interested in the next stage…

 

‘Ok well in two weeks’ time, I have a week off University, I will have work, but if you can compensate me accordingly I can take the week off as well. You might need to help me with some transport as well”

 

I look up and my eyes open wide, OMG she is going to participate!! Instantly I start to envision her ankle blown up like a balloon..

 

Completely blown away, I make her a financial offer, with the offer of a driver to take her around for a week as she needs. 

 

Annabella, lowers her phone in her lap, with her eyes wide open…. “OMG that will pay a full year of my university, I’m in” She says..

 

Both of us gob smacked, I almost forget to respond…

 

“Ok that’s great” I say, and then we shake hands. 

 

I stand up to show her out, and she exits the door and says see ill see you Tuesday fortnightly, and smiles and then exists towards her car. 

 

I close the door, and my legs start to shake. In absolute shock, no way, this cant be happening……

 

I sit by the door in absolute owe thinking about what just happened….

 

The next two weeks fly by, I ensure I have everything I need for the next test along with some braces for Annabelle, and bandages etc. The Morning of, I wake up anxious wondering if she is going to still arrive today, or has she changed her mind. As I make myself a coffee, I hear my phone vibrate, like a kid in a candy store I grab it off the bench, its Annabelle. 

 

Oh no she is going to cancel, I Tell myself. I pick up the phone, and unlock it and then open the message, “Hi Doc, just running a few minutes late as I’m catching an Uber over, so I don’t leave my car on the road, sorry won’t be too long” my heart starts to beat again. 

 

I make my way to my office and prepare the nano bots for the experiment, double and triple checking the code before loading them in the gun. Then from the rear I hear the doorbell ring. I jump from my seat and make my way to the door, as I open it Annabelle is standing there in her sports clothes, and sneakers and socks, smiling. 

 

“Hi Doc, you ready to do this?” she says with such enthusiasm. 

 

Almost lost for words and taken back by the enthusiasm, I almost forget to say hello as she enters my house and makes her way to the office. 

 

She takes a seat on the chair as normal, and I sit next to her with my iPad in hand and the sprain gun on the bench loaded and ready to go. I start by asking how her ankle has been since the second visit, “it’s been totally fine, if anything better than ever” she says with a smile..

 

I start to explain the third test, “Ok so this time I have programmed a grade 3 sprain, and depending on you, we can do a single or dual ligament rupture to demonstrate the most severe of sprains possible. We can start with a single ligament and then progress to two, or do them both at the same time.”

 

Annabelle, thinks for a moment, “well I feel like this one is going to hurt a lot so lets go two, one first and then the second one afterwards” I literally can’t believe what I hearing, all I can picture is her beautiful foot and ankle, badly sprained in my hands. 

 

I snap back to reality, “Ok let me make a few minor changes and we can head outside”. 

 

I complete the changes to the coding and administer the nano bots into Annabelle’s arm and we exit to the rear of my home once again, I have crutches on the ready, and set my self up on a chair on the edge of the deck overlooking the back lawn. 

 

Annabelle heads onto the lawn as planned and starts to walk around. 

 

I take my iPad in my hand, and load up the screen ready for execution. I have incorporated two buttons this time to the coding, one for the atfl and one for the ctfl to ensure that I can isolate each incident and stop at one if Annabelle decides. I feel a rush of blood run through my body as I edge closer to pressing the button, part of me can’t wait to see her ankle badly sprained and on crutches the second part worries that it will be too much pain for her. 

 

This time I processed a 5 second delay into the coding as well, so I edge my finger closer and press the atfl button, it illuminates green instantly indicating that the action has been verified and has commenced, I look up to see Annabelle walking up and back on the lawn step by step, and subliminally I can hear my self counting, 5,4,3,2,1, Anabelle raises her right foot as she steps off, and then steps forward and plants her right foot down, as she lifts the weight from her left foot, it happens instantly. Like her foot and ankle has turned to jelly, as the weight transfers her right ankle rolls forwards and outwards, so far that a distinctive snap sound echo’s off the lawn.