Brainwavez

By D.W G. Pope

An old man, who is at the end of his life, is fortunate to have his brain transplanted into the body of a young man who died during a brain operation.
During the operation, an inert part of the old mans brain was activated, which, after 12 months caused his brain to develop, giving him extraordinary powers, and a second life full of adventures, he could have only dreamed about in his previous life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Dec 12, 2013
• ISBN: 9781493131549

D.W G. Pope

David Pope was born, educated, and grew up in the historic city of Bath in Somerset. David is married, with four children and numerous grandchildren. He emigrated to Australia in 1973 and lives in Cairns, Queensland. David took up writing novels in his seventies.

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Copyright © 2013 by D.W.G Pope.

ISBN:      Softcover      978-1-4931-3153-2

                Ebook            978-1-4931-3154-9

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Rev. date: 12/10/2013

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CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1   Transplant

Chapter 2   Next Day

Chapter 3   Leaving Hospital

Chapter 4   A New Life

Chapter 5   On My Own

Chapter 6   A Strange Occurrence

Chapter 7   Dr Zeibermann

Chapter 8   The Meeting

Chapter 9   The Doctor’s Dilemma

Chapter 10   Tennis Circuit

Chapter 11   Prisoners In Russia

Chapter 12   Home Again

Chapter 13   America

Chapter 14   Flashing Fields

Chapter 15   The Asian Tour

Chapter 16   An Interesting Trip

Chapter 17   Anna’s Problem

Chapter 18   A New Occupation

Chapter 19   The Tail

Chapter 20   Team Work

Chapter 21   Miss Sinclair

Chapter 22   A New Outlook

Chapter 23   Spectacular Entertainment

Chapter 24   Back Home

Chapter 25   The Games

Chapter 26   Birthday Orgy

Chapter 27   Tennis Lessons

Chapter 28   Bondage

Chapter 29   Three-Way Love

Chapter 30   More Loving

Chapter 31   Forebodings

Other Books By David Pope

PREFACE

The characters in this novel are completely fictitious and bear no resemblance to any person or persons.

This novel is about an old man who has the opportunity to have his brain transplanted into the body of a brain dead young man, and the effects and consequences arising from the operation, and also his adventures, as he adapts to his life in a new body.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank Tamara and Margaret for reviewing this novel, and for their contributions in this capacity.

CHAPTER 1

Transplant

I was lying on my hospital bed reminiscing about my life. I am in my ninety fourth year, and my body is worn out, my limbs, difficult to move, and my organs winding down. Only my brain was working, and working well, as it had done, all my life.

I had a room to myself, and a dreary room it was, with dull green walls and a white ceiling, all very depressing.

I had been thinking that science should have progressed to enable a person to revert back to their youth once there body had reached their ‘used by’ date, so that one could take a stab at life knowing the pitfalls to avoid.

The door of my room opened, stopping my thoughts in their tracks. I turned my head with an effort to see a white coated, white haired gentleman with a smile on his face. It was Dr John Stevens, the physician whose care I was under.

Dr Stevens was a tall, lean man, shoulders bent in almost a shrug like position. He was a kindly man and I guessed would have been in his early sixties.

‘I am returning your autobiography, Edward. I enjoyed it very much. You have lived a remarkable life, I must say’.

Dr Stevens sat down on the chair next to my bed, and I rolled slowly over, to face him.

‘Edward, it grieves me to see you like this’ he said with a frown ‘To have a brain so active and lucid at your age, only to have it imprisoned in a worn out old body. It does not seem right to me. How are you feeling today?’ he asked.

‘Ready for a round of eighteen holes on the golf course, then a cross country run’ I replied, forcing a grin.

The good doctor smiled.

‘I had been thinking that scientists have been rather lax in not discovering how to turn back the clock, to enable old codgers like me a second chance of life, and be able to start again, avoiding the pitfalls that abound.

Dr Stevens nodded, but his mind was thinking about something different.

I rambled on ‘They could have at least made it possible for a brain transplant. I would have liked to have had had mine put into a brain dead young man. Not a female, mind you’

Dr Stevens seemed to come to back to the present, when I mentioned a brain transplant.

John Stevens looked at me ‘You are joking, aren’t you?’

‘No, I am not’ I replied a trifle haughtily.

The doctor looked at me and said nothing, but I could see that he was churning something over in his mind, so I shut my mouth. I had not intended to sound so adamant, and I regretted it. I think that the doctor could see that the thought of dying was alien to me.

Dr Stevens came out of his thoughts ‘Edward, would you really be willing to have a brain transplant?’

‘To damn true’ I replied ‘How long will my body hold out, a week, maybe two? What is a couple of weeks in nearly ninety four years?’

The doctor looked at me ‘Look Edward, there is a young fellow waiting for surgery for a malignant brain tumour, and unfortunately he is unlikely to pull through. He is a young man of seventeen and in good physical condition. It is an absolute shame that this has happened to him.’

I was about to speak, but the doctor put his hand up to stop me.

‘Let me finish please, Edward.’

‘The theory of a brain transplant has been around for a couple of years now, and most doctors have looked into it, but an opportunity has not occurred, that is, until now. I know what your answer will be, before I ask if you would be willing to give it a try.’

I nodded.

‘If this young fellow should pull through, then I am afraid the transplant will be aborted. Also, there is no guarantee of success, although in theory, it should work’ he said solemnly.

‘As I said before doc, what have I got to lose?’

Dr Stevens nodded his head in agreement ‘I want you to think about this, and I will be back in about two hours, I have some calls to make.’

I felt genuinely sorry for the young lad and half hoped he would live, but the other half did not. I had to think on what the future would hold if I did have a brain transplant and it was successful.

I was already a registered organ donor, not that I was worried about my body, although I did not think there were many organs that could be of use to someone else.

I thought over what I wanted to do and called the nurse, informing her that I wanted to make a statement and asked if she would write down what I wanted and I would get Dr Stevens to witness my signature.

In the statement I informed my family that there would be no body for burial as I was leaving it for research and organ donation. I told them that I loved them and I would watch over them, and for them to have a wonderful life, because, it is later than you think.

It was a couple of hours before a smiling Dr Stevens returned, and in his hand was a form, giving him permission to go ahead with the operation should the occasion occur. The doctor read out what the form said.

‘Before I sign it, I have made a statement. Please ring for the nurse, she should have finished typing it by now’ I said.

The doctor rang the bell, and the nurse brought in my statement. The doctor smiled as he read the statement.

‘This is better than mine he said screwing up the form. It just shows how good your brain is working. When you have signed it I will sign as witness and the nurse can do so as well. That will cover all that we need.’

After the signing and witnessing, both the doctor and I thanked the nurse and she left and returned to her duties.

‘Edward, I have spoken with several eminent surgeons who are more than willing to help in the transplant, if it works out that way. A couple of them are brain specialists, so we will have the best of the best.

The operation will take many hours, and we have set up two teams. One will rest while the other works, and then alternatively until all is complete.

All those taking part are excited at the prospect of the operation, for if it is a success they will become household names and their careers will be elevated to great prominence. As for me, I just want it to be a success for you and the opportunity to see how a young man manages with an experienced brain.

If the operation goes ahead, and it is successful, you will be required to stay in hospital and undergo tests and until it is deemed that you are fit to leave.’

‘I would expect that’ I replied ‘When, are the operations to take place?’

‘Tomorrow at 9.00 am. Both you and the young fellow will be taken to the theatre, ready for the immediate operation, should that occur. The young lad will be told that you are to have a similar operation immediately following his.

Dr Stevens looked at me and smiled ‘Maybe you will be reborn tomorrow!’ He walked towards the door, turned and said ‘Good night’ Edward.’

I had a restless night, sometimes wondering if it would be my last, other times thinking what life would be like in a young body again. It had been so long, I could hardly remember, but if all went well, I would appreciate it, that was for sure.

Finally sleep overtook my weary body and I slept until morning.

Not long after waking, the nurse entered my room ‘No breakfast this morning, Edward. Can’t have you throwing up over all those fine doctors’ she smiled.

The nurse adjusted the blinds, letting in the sun’s rays.

‘It’s a lovely day, Edward. Perhaps that is a good omen’ she said.

‘I hope so, nurse. If the op goes the wrong way, I want you to know that I appreciate all that you have done for me’ I said.

‘It has been a pleasure, Edward. All the nurses like you, because you do not complain, like most’ she said and left me to my thoughts.

I watched the clock as the minutes ticked by. I was wishing the time to go quicker. I should not have done so really, this might be the last few hours of my life, but I wanted to get it over and done with, one way or another.

At 8.30 am, the nurse came to take me to be prepared for the operation.

We reached the operating theatre and she said ‘Best of luck, Edward’ she said, and bent over and gave me a peck on the cheek’ and returned to her duties.

Another nurse, wearing a mask, wheeled me into the theatre. I saw that the young lad was already there looking nervous. I gave him a wink and he gave me a weak smile in return.

He was already on the operating table, and I saw that his head had been shaved. That was not a problem for me, for I had very little hair left on mine.

A curtain was drawn between me and the operating table, so that I could not see what was happening.

I knew that the operation would take a while, and eventually I nodded off.

I was awoken by my shoulder being shaken ‘It’s your turn now’ said Dr Stevens.’

‘He didn’t pull through?’ I asked.

The doctor shook his head sadly.

I was lifted onto the operating table. Dr Stevens shook my hand and remained silent.

The anaesthetist placed the mask over my mouth and nose, and I was out like a light.

CHAPTER 2

Next Day

Sometime later, I was told that the operation had taken twenty hours.

I had awoken to discover that I was back in my old room and lying on my bed, with a nurse in her fifties, I would think, sat in the chair at the side of my bed, nodding off.

I looked around the room wondering if I was dead, but I knew I was not, because I knew that if I was, I would be in a better place than where I was now.

I made it, I said to myself, and grinned. I lifted an arm, and saw that it was a young strong looking arm. I raised a leg, and that was working well too.

I turned my head and looked at the nurse, and in a voice that was not too loud, but more than a whisper, I said ‘Wakey, wakey, nurse.’

The nurse jumped ‘Oh, my gosh, you are awake’ she gasped, rather flustered ‘How long have you been awake?’

‘A couple of hours or so’ I grinned.

‘I can’t have been asleep that long, surely. Please don’t tell anyone’ she said, aghast.

‘I was only joking, I have just woken’ I said not recognising my voice.

‘Thank God for that. I have to report the minute you wake.’

‘Then you had best do so, nurse’ I said.

The nurse nodded and half ran, half walked out into the adjoining ward.

A moment later, I heard ‘He’s awake, he’s awake’ she said loudly in excitement.

I heard the phone crash down and she came scurrying back into the room.

‘Dr Stevens will be here shortly’ she informed me.

‘How do you feel?’ she asked.

‘Much better than I thought I would’ I replied ‘and you?’

‘Fine thank you’ she replied having calmed down somewhat.

I put my hand to my face and felt the smooth skin of youth instead of a rough, wrinkled old skin, and smiled to myself, it worked.

A few minutes later I heard a door close in the ward, and quick footsteps echoing, getting louder as they pounded on the wooden floor towards the door of my room.

The door opened and in came Dr Stevens, with his white coat undone and wearing a grin a mile wide.

‘How are you, Edward’ he asked reaching out his hand.

‘Who is Edward? There is no Edward here! I grinned shaking his hand.

‘Gosh, that’s true you are not Edward anymore, are you.’

‘No, I am not, well only a little bit of me. I don’t know the poor lad’s name, and I think it might be better if I didn’t. I can’t use my old name, so I will think of a new name for a new body and a new life.

‘That’s a good idea. Do you have any after effects from the operation?’ he asked.

‘Only a slight headache’ I replied.

‘That is to be expected. Can you get up? I would like to see if everything is working’ Dr Stevens said.

‘I think so’ I said, and pulled the bedclothes back, skewed my body around and slid off the bed.

I was naked no covering was put on my body after the operation.

‘Oh’ said the nurse and was about to make towards the door.

‘Please stay here Nurse Wilkins, I might need you to help me. I have to check this young man out.’

Nurse Wilkins stopped in her tracks and stood as the doctor checked me over, and trying not to look at my nakedness.

Everything seems to be working alright. Only one thing left to check, and that is to see if you can have an erection.’

‘I don’t think I can do that without some sort of arousal’ I said.

The doctor thought for a moment, then turned to the nurse and said.

Nurse Wilkins, please lift the hem of your uniform to your waist’ then added as the nurse hesitated ‘This is all in the cause of medicine, nurse.’

Nurse Wilkins did as she was asked, and above her black stockings, I saw a sheer pair of lace panties that just covered the fork at the top of her thighs.

My erection was immediate and the nurse blushed at what she saw, and let go the hem of her uniform, and my erection slowly fell back into its normal place.

Dr Stevens noticed the nurse’s red face ‘Surely you have seen many penises during your career, Nurse Wilkins.’

‘Yes, Dr Stevens, but the patients were all old and ill, not virile young men’ she replied.

‘Ah, Yes, I suppose there is a difference’ Dr Stevens said ‘You can go back to your duties, now. I will speak to you shortly’ a smile appearing on his face.

Nurse Wilkins went out to the ward and to her duties.

‘There are some questions that I need to ask’ I said.

‘Go ahead, I will answer all I can’ he replied sitting in the chair Nurse Wilkins had vacated.

‘What of the lad’s family’ I asked.

‘He has none. His parents died in a car accident when he was just a year old. He survived the crash being in a capsule. He was placed in an orphanage until a few weeks ago, when we found out about the tumour. He had just finished his schooling. That’s about it’ Dr Stevens said.

‘He has nowhere to go, and neither do I’ I remarked, deep in thought.

‘No, that’s true, but I am looking into that, until that time, you will be living here, of course.’

‘Besides finding a name, I have to think what I am going to do with my life. I don’t want to make mistakes this time around, I won’t get another chance’ I exclaimed.

‘I have yet to inform the other doctors of the success of the operation, and soon it will be all over the papers and probably the world’ he said.

‘You will be famous Doc, and deservedly so’ I said.

‘You will be too’ he said.

‘But I do not wish to be a celebrity’ I grimaced.

‘Nor me’ Dr Stevens stated grimly ‘Though it will die down after a while.’

‘It’s the bit before it does, that I don’t want’ I commented.

‘I suppose there is no way out, so I will have to decide on two names’ I added.

‘Two names?’ the doctor queried.

‘Yes, one for the press and another for when I leave the hospital’ I replied.

‘I can see that your brain has not been affected. I think that a name should be decided upon quickly. Have you any ideas? The doctor said.

‘I like Conrad for a first name’ I said.

‘And how about something unusual for a surname, like Smith?’ the doctor chuckled.

‘Yes, that will do nicely, Conrad Smith it is. I will leave the press to you. ‘Oh, and I would like a shower, if there is something I can put on my head to stop the bandages getting wet’ I asked.

‘The nurse will get you a waterproof hat to put on’ the doctor replied.

‘And a mirror too, I have yet to take a look at myself, though you have seen me, and Nurse Wilkins has had an eyeful too’ I grinned.

Dr Stevens agreed. ‘Yes, that’s true’ and chuckled ‘Do you think that you will need a nurse to stand by in case you have problems?’

‘No, I don’t think that will be necessary’ I replied.

‘Do I walk to the shower room in the nude?’ I asked.

‘No, besides more nurses, there are ladies in the ward’ Dr Stevens remarked, then a thought came to him ‘I do hope that they have not disposed of the young lad’s clothes’ and off he dashed, and returned several minutes later with a pair of jeans and a shirt, before they had been put in the furnace.

I put the jeans and shirt on to walk through the ward and into the shower room.

I had my shower and checked myself out in the mirror. I saw that I was taller than my old self, about 5 ft 10 inches, I estimated, and nicely muscled, like an athlete, I thought. I was pleased too, to see that the appendage between my legs was a couple of inches longer than the old one, and hoped it worked just as well. My face was also an improvement. All in all, I was well pleased with my new body.

I returned to my room, but not to my bed, instead stood at the window, looking out onto the busy street, wondering what my life would be like in my new body, and would my body reject my brain. Not if I can help it, I thought.

Lots of things went through my mind. How was my family getting on with their lives? I knew that time would heal any sadness. Getting rid of my old body was a master-stroke, I felt, knowing that there was no false grave to be visited.

What was I going to do with my life? I had made no decisions as yet. That would have to be given a great deal of thought.

There was another thing, where would I go when the tests were over and it was time to leave the hospital?

I had not a penny to my name, and no doubt the young man did not either. I knew I would be alright for food and a bed while I was still in hospital, but what, after that? I would speak to Dr Stevens about my near future needs.

Dr Stevens looked in later that day to see how I was coping with my new body. I asked if I could have a few words with him after he had finished his shift.

‘You have a few concerns, Edward, I mean Conrad?’ he asked.

‘Yes, and I would like some paper and a pen to make notes as they come to mind’ I requested.

‘Yes, of course. Now, how are you feeling with a new brain in your body, or I should say, your body with a new brain. It gets a bit confusing at times knowing you and the young man beforehand.’

Ten minutes after Dr Stevens had left to continue his duties, a nurse brought in a foolscap exercise book and a pen. I began to write immediately, putting down on paper the thoughts as they came into my head.

Several hours later, Dr Stevens arrived without his white coat, so I knew he was off duty.

Finding me sat in the only chair in the room, he went back into the ward, and brought a spare chair back in, and sat opposite me.

‘Now Conrad, I got it right that time’ he grinned ‘First tell me if you have any health problems.’

‘No, none doctor, even my headache has gone. Though it should have increased with the problems I have been conjuring up’ I replied.

I handed my list of problems to the doctor and he sat reading through them for several minutes.

‘I would like to take these away with me, not only to give them some thought, but there are many that I think the other doctors should be aware of. No doubt they are thinking of their success now, and have forgotten about your needs. Also, it will be of help for future operations of this type, because now that it has been done successfully, others will follow.

With regards to you leaving the hospital with nowhere to go, and with no money, we would not let that happen, and I have some ideas about that. Just leave it with me for the time being’ Dr Stevens said.

‘Doctor, there are a couple of things that I have yet to write.’

‘Go ahead, Conrad.’

‘Well, Doc, although I do not wish to know the young fellow’s name, I would like to know what he was good at, at school, I mean. It might help me to adjust to his body. Secondly, all through my life, I have been an introvert. Oh, I am fine with family and friends and people I know, but I would like to be less like that, and not sure how to go about it.’

‘I did not realise there would be so many questions that would need answers. I will probably need help in working some of them out. Do not think I will forget about them, but it will take a little time to come up with some of the answers, and I will find out what your body was good at and not good at, from his school. I will do that personally.

‘I can see that your brain is still working perfectly well’ he smiled. I must be off now’ he said picking up my list of questions. If there are any more questions, just let me know,