Just follow me (Tom Daley Fanfic)

Chapter sixteen - The recovery

We are now in January. The beginning of this year is really exciting because they year of the Olympic Games is finally here, but at the same time, we are all a little bit on the edge because it's also time for me to undergo my brain surgery. 

Tom has some panic attacks from time to time. He has the feeling he's reliving all what he got through with his Dad, who passed away only 7 months prior. He was so scared to lose me too. He was so nervous and worried, sometimes even in a really bad mood, angry at everything, everyone. For me it was different, I was obviously scared, but my headaches were so painful, I was almost looking forward to get that surgery to feel better. 

The day before my surgery, I go to the hospital. All of our friends and family came to say goodbye and good luck before going to the surgical unit. I tell them that if something goes wrong, I don't want to live like a vegetable, and if they need too, I'd rather be let go. Tom yells at me for thinking like that and that I'd better wake up after the surgery! Then he starts crying, and obviously, that makes me cry as well. For the first time, I see him cry and be so worry... and that makes me even more nervous. 

But the surgery went as planned. When I woke up, I was in a lot of pain, but didn't complain. I only started crying when I realize they had to shave the side of my head. Of course, I acted like that because of the drugs, and everyone smiled because I was so upset for my hair!

I recovered really quickly and was home a few days after the surgery. The following week, Tom had to leave for Leeds for a competition. I wasn't allowed to travel with him, so I stayed in Plymouth with Debbie. We watched him compete with Pete during the synchro event. But the day before his individual competition, Debbie called Tom because I was rushed back to the hospital. She found me, lying on the bedroom floor, unconscious. I had to undergo another surgery because of a brain hemorrhage.

"She is in the OR right now. And it's bad, Tom. It's a lot more serious than last time. She might not wake up this time." Debbie told Tom over the phone.

"She WHAT? Please, tell me it's not true! Please, Mum, I can't lose her too!"

"I'm sorry sweetheart"

"I'm coming home"

He withdraw from the competition and jumped in the first train for Plymouth. I was in a coma for 2 weeks and Tom stayed at my bedside. Doctors gave me a minimal percentage of chance to get through this and worried that I won't wake up. They told Tom and my family that they had to prepare themselves to the idea of unplugging me. But I slowly started to get some reflexes back. I managed to open my eyes from time to time, for only a second or 2 at first, but always a little longer the next times, until I woke up completely. Tom was crying tears of joy. I had no memory at all. I passed out at home and I woke up in the hospital with Tom by my side, thinking that he was in Leeds. The recovery was a lot harder than for the 1st surgery. 

I came back home. Hopefully, I didn't keep any strong after-effects even if sometimes I had some motion issues, like when I had to grab an object, but the worst was definitely the migraines and my balance. I didn't always dare to walk by myself because I was falling constantly. Debbie suggested to set a bed up in the living room, but there was no way Tom would accept that. He'd prefer to carry me up and down the stairs 50 times a day if he had to. 

One night, we are invited at Sam's with Nikita and Sophie for super. Tom keep on telling me that if I'm too tired, or if I don't feel good, we can go home. During the entire night, I was taking pain killers, and I could see he was looking at me from the corner of his eyes. 

"How do you feel?" He asks

"Kind of OK." I was never the kind of girl who likes to complain all the time.