Post by Shanna on Oct 3, 2015 11:57:19 GMT -5
“Damn it!!! I said leave me alone!!!” he shouted. “No!” His dad Ted answered, “I’ll check on the boys and be back.” He went to the coffee table where the boys were, Billy was working on his homework and Jason was playing. “You guys doing okay?” When they nodded he smiled, “okay I’m going to be helping daddy with exercises if you need anything.” He remarked kissing the tops of their heads.
Going back to the door Ted barely dodged a magazine that was flying at him and landed at his feet.
“Leave me alone ole man!” Nick yelled.
“You know that’s not an option right now.” His dad stated as he stood at the end of the bed. “I’ll put the warm towels on your legs while we are doing this and maybe that will help. Ted placed the warm, damp, towels over both his legs from the top of the leg to the ankle. He saw when Nick bucked, arching his back off the bed.
“Owww!!! Owww!!! This hurts like hell.” Nick remarked watching his dad
“Hurt bad? Or hurt good?”
“Both.” Nick said on shaky laugh. “Did you take anything before I came over?” his dad wondered.
Nick nodded, “Yeah I took an Advil.” He saw that his dad was puzzled so he continued, “Dr. Johnson said I could alternate between the Tylenol for the not so bad days and Advil which is an anti-inflammatory for the bad days.” His dad nodded in understanding.
After a little longer with the towels on his legs Nick nodded and Ted took them off and slowly began the exercises. When his leg was bent Nick grimaced, “just breathe son” he replied as he took Nick’s hand but kept stretching and bending his left leg.
“Daddy?”
Nick looked over at the door as he tried to bite back the pain, “Yeah Billy?” “Can you help me with my math homework?” He nodded and the little boy walked in and over to the bed.
“Okay little man, pull a chair over and we’ll get to work while Granddad works on me.” Ted chuckled. “You’re still adding numbers right?” Billy nodded “up to 2 and 0.” He smiled and Billy handed him the paper so his dad could check the problems he’d already done.
“Third problem is wrong Billy, it’s not 8, here watch.” Nick replied holding five fingers up on one hand and four on the other, “now count my fingers.” Nick asked as he moved them so the little boy could count them. “It is nine daddy.” “There ya go.” He said as he watched Billy erase the answer and put in the right one. “What’s the next problem?”
“Eight plus four daddy.” “Okay we have 8 here.” Nick replied holding up eight fingers—“then you add four more.” He said holding four fingers up so the little boy could count his fingers, “9, 10, 11, and 12.” Billy smiled as he wrote the answer. They worked like that for another thirty minutes while Ted continued to stretch and bend his legs.
A little later, Jason walked in, Hi daddy, I drew you a picture.” “You did?” Nick asked reaching to take the picture and look at it. “That’s great buddy. I love it. I’ll see if Granddad can hang it for me in a few minutes.” Ted looked over at Jason and nodded. The boys stayed with Nick while he finished the exercises and Granddad put the warm towels back on his legs.
“Owww, owww.” Nick said as he ran his hands over his face trying to mentally block out the pain.
“Sill hurt really bad?” his dad asked. He nodded, “More than you realize.”
Granddad squatted down in front of the boys, “Okay guys daddy’s tired from the exercises why don’t we scoot out and let him take a nap for awhile.” Their grandfather replied. They nodded as they stood and went to the bed. Ted lifted Billy on the bed,“Daddy, I’m sorry you’re hurtin’” he replied hugging him. “I’m sorry you heard me yelling at Granddad. But you know I love you right?” Nick wondered. The boys nodded as Billy hugged him again then Jason did.
“Head up to your room and I’ll be up in a minute.” Ted told the boys as they ran out.
Taking the towels from his legs his dad folded them then looked at him, “Do you want the light sheet to cover up with?” Nodding he placed it over Nick. “Okay, try and get some rest and yell if you need something.” Ted remarked after covering his son with a sheet
“Daddy, I’m really sorry I yelled and threw something at you.” Nick replied seriously. “Its okay, no damage done, and I’ll shout back.” he said smiling. “Try to sleep, Sarah should be back soon.”
“Has she called?” Nick wondered. Shaking his head Ted answered, “Haven’t talked to her since she left why?”
“Because she hasn’t been feeling good lately and I’m worried about her.” Nick responded. “Oh okay, try and rest son.” Ted replied as he watched his son close his eyes then he quietly closed the door a little bit.
At Dr. Johnson’s Office…
“Brett, I’m scared, how do I help him.” Sarah said as the tears slid silently down her cheeks. “I don’t know how much more I can watch him go through this… the worse the pain gets the more the paralysis is the there. I can’t take away his pain and when he’s in that much pain I freeze; I’m afraid to touch him because I’m afraid I’ll hurt him more.
“Watching him day after day is hurting me—because I see the man I love but not seeing him active like he was hurts my heart. I see myself loosing him to this disease. I’ve woken up at night on more then one occasion just to watch him. I can’t lose him.”
“Does he know how scared you are?” Dr. Johnson wondered. “He does know I’m scared but not to what extent.” “Talk to him Sarah. I, as the doctor, can only reassure both of you medically and be a listening ear. When I saw you both yesterday for his exam I gave it to you straight the paralysis is at waist level now and still moving. Seeing him yesterday—he needs you as much as you need him. Nick is one of a few patients that will fight GBS endlessly and not let it take him. He does because he won’t leave the life he loves and the people he loves and Sarah that love is you plain and simple. He won’t leave you, believe that.” Brett said.
Just then her phone rang, “Excuse me.” She replied and he nodded. “Okay I’ll be right there.” She said and hung up. “Brett, thanks for listening, I just hated to tell Nick this since I know he’s scared too.” “Anytime Sarah.” He replied standing to go with her to the door.
Once she left Dr. Johnson’s office, she took the elevator one floor down to Dr. Patterson’s office and the Dr. closed the door.
“The results are positive.” She said as Sarah’s eyes flooded with tears, “Really.” The doctor nodded, “Now I know what you and Nick are dealing with so you need to take care of yourself as much as him. I already set the next appointment around what you said Nick’s regular appointments are.” She replied passing her an appointment card.
“Thanks,” she answered taking the vitamins that the doctor handed her. “I’ll see you soon.” She said over her shoulder as she walked out of the office and headed home.
Going back to the door Ted barely dodged a magazine that was flying at him and landed at his feet.
“Leave me alone ole man!” Nick yelled.
“You know that’s not an option right now.” His dad stated as he stood at the end of the bed. “I’ll put the warm towels on your legs while we are doing this and maybe that will help. Ted placed the warm, damp, towels over both his legs from the top of the leg to the ankle. He saw when Nick bucked, arching his back off the bed.
“Owww!!! Owww!!! This hurts like hell.” Nick remarked watching his dad
“Hurt bad? Or hurt good?”
“Both.” Nick said on shaky laugh. “Did you take anything before I came over?” his dad wondered.
Nick nodded, “Yeah I took an Advil.” He saw that his dad was puzzled so he continued, “Dr. Johnson said I could alternate between the Tylenol for the not so bad days and Advil which is an anti-inflammatory for the bad days.” His dad nodded in understanding.
After a little longer with the towels on his legs Nick nodded and Ted took them off and slowly began the exercises. When his leg was bent Nick grimaced, “just breathe son” he replied as he took Nick’s hand but kept stretching and bending his left leg.
“Daddy?”
Nick looked over at the door as he tried to bite back the pain, “Yeah Billy?” “Can you help me with my math homework?” He nodded and the little boy walked in and over to the bed.
“Okay little man, pull a chair over and we’ll get to work while Granddad works on me.” Ted chuckled. “You’re still adding numbers right?” Billy nodded “up to 2 and 0.” He smiled and Billy handed him the paper so his dad could check the problems he’d already done.
“Third problem is wrong Billy, it’s not 8, here watch.” Nick replied holding five fingers up on one hand and four on the other, “now count my fingers.” Nick asked as he moved them so the little boy could count them. “It is nine daddy.” “There ya go.” He said as he watched Billy erase the answer and put in the right one. “What’s the next problem?”
“Eight plus four daddy.” “Okay we have 8 here.” Nick replied holding up eight fingers—“then you add four more.” He said holding four fingers up so the little boy could count his fingers, “9, 10, 11, and 12.” Billy smiled as he wrote the answer. They worked like that for another thirty minutes while Ted continued to stretch and bend his legs.
A little later, Jason walked in, Hi daddy, I drew you a picture.” “You did?” Nick asked reaching to take the picture and look at it. “That’s great buddy. I love it. I’ll see if Granddad can hang it for me in a few minutes.” Ted looked over at Jason and nodded. The boys stayed with Nick while he finished the exercises and Granddad put the warm towels back on his legs.
“Owww, owww.” Nick said as he ran his hands over his face trying to mentally block out the pain.
“Sill hurt really bad?” his dad asked. He nodded, “More than you realize.”
Granddad squatted down in front of the boys, “Okay guys daddy’s tired from the exercises why don’t we scoot out and let him take a nap for awhile.” Their grandfather replied. They nodded as they stood and went to the bed. Ted lifted Billy on the bed,“Daddy, I’m sorry you’re hurtin’” he replied hugging him. “I’m sorry you heard me yelling at Granddad. But you know I love you right?” Nick wondered. The boys nodded as Billy hugged him again then Jason did.
“Head up to your room and I’ll be up in a minute.” Ted told the boys as they ran out.
Taking the towels from his legs his dad folded them then looked at him, “Do you want the light sheet to cover up with?” Nodding he placed it over Nick. “Okay, try and get some rest and yell if you need something.” Ted remarked after covering his son with a sheet
“Daddy, I’m really sorry I yelled and threw something at you.” Nick replied seriously. “Its okay, no damage done, and I’ll shout back.” he said smiling. “Try to sleep, Sarah should be back soon.”
“Has she called?” Nick wondered. Shaking his head Ted answered, “Haven’t talked to her since she left why?”
“Because she hasn’t been feeling good lately and I’m worried about her.” Nick responded. “Oh okay, try and rest son.” Ted replied as he watched his son close his eyes then he quietly closed the door a little bit.
At Dr. Johnson’s Office…
“Brett, I’m scared, how do I help him.” Sarah said as the tears slid silently down her cheeks. “I don’t know how much more I can watch him go through this… the worse the pain gets the more the paralysis is the there. I can’t take away his pain and when he’s in that much pain I freeze; I’m afraid to touch him because I’m afraid I’ll hurt him more.
“Watching him day after day is hurting me—because I see the man I love but not seeing him active like he was hurts my heart. I see myself loosing him to this disease. I’ve woken up at night on more then one occasion just to watch him. I can’t lose him.”
“Does he know how scared you are?” Dr. Johnson wondered. “He does know I’m scared but not to what extent.” “Talk to him Sarah. I, as the doctor, can only reassure both of you medically and be a listening ear. When I saw you both yesterday for his exam I gave it to you straight the paralysis is at waist level now and still moving. Seeing him yesterday—he needs you as much as you need him. Nick is one of a few patients that will fight GBS endlessly and not let it take him. He does because he won’t leave the life he loves and the people he loves and Sarah that love is you plain and simple. He won’t leave you, believe that.” Brett said.
Just then her phone rang, “Excuse me.” She replied and he nodded. “Okay I’ll be right there.” She said and hung up. “Brett, thanks for listening, I just hated to tell Nick this since I know he’s scared too.” “Anytime Sarah.” He replied standing to go with her to the door.
Once she left Dr. Johnson’s office, she took the elevator one floor down to Dr. Patterson’s office and the Dr. closed the door.
“The results are positive.” She said as Sarah’s eyes flooded with tears, “Really.” The doctor nodded, “Now I know what you and Nick are dealing with so you need to take care of yourself as much as him. I already set the next appointment around what you said Nick’s regular appointments are.” She replied passing her an appointment card.
“Thanks,” she answered taking the vitamins that the doctor handed her. “I’ll see you soon.” She said over her shoulder as she walked out of the office and headed home.