Free Karen D. Badger - Yesterday Once More by Karen D. Badger

“Hey there, Jordan. It’s good to see you. Do you have any questions before we begin your exam?”
    Jordan leaned forward. “Tell me about the new implant. How do you propose to reestablish the synapse connections in order to restore feeling as well as mobility?”
    “Our immediate goal is to restore mobility, but, long-term, we believe the implant will stimulate nerve growth and permanently repair the synapses.”
    Jordan nodded. “Okay. How?”
    Peter picked up a stylus and drew a diagram. Jordan leaned forward to afford herself a better view. “The device has six electrodes. Three are implanted above the injury, three are implanted below. The alternating current between the upper and lower sets of electrodes will encourage the nerves to grow toward each other. At some point, they will grow close enough to close the gap over the injury site and reestablish spinal function.”
    “Are you sure the new implant will restore all sensory response? Will I actually be able to feel things like heat and cold, pain and pleasure?”
    Peter nodded. “The new implant will significantly change your life. Are you sure you want to do this?”
    Jordan’s head snapped up. “Yes,” she responded immediately. “Yes, I am very sure. When will the implant be ready?”
    “In about three weeks, maybe four. We’ll need to prepare your nerve endings above and below the L1 vertebra to accept the new electrodes, and you’ll need about two weeks to recover before we place the new implant. We’ll need to schedule that in the next week or so. Any more questions?”
    When Jordan didn’t respond, Peter continued. “How are you feeling?”
    Jordan perked up considerably. “I feel great. Don’t get me wrong—it’s been really frustrating being stuck in this chair again, but physically I’m coping quite well. I’ve even been able to help my contractors work on my house.”
    “You aren’t overdoing it, are you? You had strict instructions not to do any heavy lifting.”
    “No, I’ve been taking it easy. I’m anxious to come back to work. Kale tells me you need to release me before the institute will allow me to return.”
    “Let’s take a look at you and see if you’re ready. We can do the tests for the electrode placement surgery at the same time.”
    Over the next quarter hour, Peter performed a battery of tests to gauge Jordan’s strength and responsiveness to external stimuli. As expected, she had superior strength and responsiveness in her upper body but none below her waist.
    Peter turned off the reflex probe and turned to Jordan. “I’m not surprised by the results so far. I really didn’t expect any response from your lower body. Everything else looks good. All we have to do now is some blood work and a thoracic holograph. You can go to the lab today. We should have the results tomorrow.”
    “Can I go back to work?” Jordan asked anxiously.
    “On one condition. You work only an eight-hour day. Understood?”
    “Understood.”

Chapter 7

    When Kale and Jordan got home from work that afternoon, a transmission was waiting for them from the Shelburne Hall of Records. Jordan anxiously opened it and scanned its contents.
    “It says here that the farm was owned by Gary and Sharon Downs from 1985 until 2019. Then a woman named Janneal Safford owned it from 2019 until 2031. It was purchased next by Leland and Marion McKenzie who owned it until 2048, when the deed was transferred to Carl and Rachel McKenzie... probably their son. Carl and Rachel sold the farm to my parents in 2071. I was born two years later. When my parents died, the deed passed to me.”
    “Let’s see,” Jordan continued. “Maggie was sixteen in 2004, so that means she was born in 1988, and she was my age in 2020. She was born eighty-five years before me. Hell, if she were still alive today, she’d be one-hundred seventeen years old.”
    “You know, Jordan, if she were born today, she might well live to be that old, but back in 1988, life