Still Not Better

I woke up just a couple hours ago. I must've slept for almost twenty-four hours. My body is shutting down to fight whatever it is that is going on. That guy who's about my age that I met on the street, and apparently took me in when I fainted on the street, stepped into the room. "There's, there's not much to say, being that you don't know me yet." he sighed, "you survive."

"What?"

"I see you after your surgery; you recover."
"That's assuring." I said, not at all understanding.

He sighed again, "I was hoping it would be different, the last time I got to see you."

"We really got to know each other." I looked at him curiously.

"Got to know each other!" he said indignantly, but then calmed down, and said softly, I think I saw tears come to his eyes, "yes, yes. That's an understatement, actually. I wouldn't be alive without you, and my family, you did so much for my family, working so hard to give them a chance to survive. I'm going to miss knowing you." he stared hard at the ground, while I felt somewhat embarrassed, as if I, too, should feel the pain and remorse he was experiencing. Then I heard the mad scientist's familiar footsteps in the hall.

"How peculiar." the mad scientist walked in, "he remembers you, and you have no recollection of him. But enough of that, you look as if you had just eaten a whole box of sugar cookies and a lifetime supply of Belgian Chocolate while having the stomach flu. I think you need better care than what the 18th century can give you. Now listen carefully, I'm sending you to the future for a couple days to get adequate 21st century medical care, but after that, you're coming right back, and if you dare to take that watch off, or even to let anyone else even touch it, then goodbye Ben. Comprenez-vous?"

I nodded.

"I'll give him a few seconds with you while I enter in the coordinates. Your trip should only take you one hour if I have the formula correctly understood."

"So this is goodbye...and hello." he mused sadly.

"Wait, wait you said give your family a 'chance'. Does that mean they die?" I asked urgently, "and what's your name?"

"My name's Oleck Smart and-,"

"Aleck? What are you doing here?"

"No, Oleck Smart." (he pronounced it "all-lick")

"And what about your family?"

"As for my family," he began, but then I disappeared into the darkness of time-travel, never to hear his reply. It's been fifty-five minutes since I disappeared, and the pain is getting progressively worse. My heart fills with dread wondering if they'll be able save me from this painful death when I finally get there, but what that strange Oleck fellow said about me surviving is giving me some comfort...