Hypoglycaemic Minghao

Falling

Minghao was used to being surrounded by lots of people, and having a big group was a huge relief and help to someone with a condition like his that could worsen at any given time with or without triggering.

Unfortunately, even with lots of people around him things still happened.

Minghao's least favourite thing about the HYBE building was the stairs. They were everywhere in the building, and usually, the elevators were being used by staff members, leaving the idols to use the stairs.

SEVENTEEN had just finished one of their whole group practices late at night when Minghao's condition struck again.

Once again, all the elevators were being used, leaving SEVENTEEN to use the stairs.

Minghao was absolutely exhausted from their practice, and all his muscles were aching, protesting against his using the stairs, but he just wanted to get down to the car.

Minghao was walking down the staircase on the fourth floor when he suddenly felt dizzy, only a few seconds before his body suddenly went limp and he started to fall down the stairs.

He vaguely saw both Junhui and Soonyoung try to grab him as he fell, hitting the floor barely a few seconds later.

The last thing Minghao felt was a sharp pain in his head before his vision went dark and his eyes rolled back.

———————

Wonwoo gasped as he saw Minghao fall, his body going completely lax before he started to fall, rolling down almost twenty steps before he hit his head on the floor at the bottom.

A few people ran down the remaining steps, including Wonwoo, Mingyu, Soonyoung, Seungcheol and Junhui. Wonwoo knelt down next to Minghao's unconscious form, moving his bag out of the way while grabbing a few things from the bag to help Minghao.

Seungcheol was holding Minghao's head still, not wanting him to move in case he'd broken his back or started to seize. Jeonghan was standing nearby, on the phone to what Wonwoo hoped was the emergency services to get Minghao help as soon as possible. Mingyu was checking Minghao over, finding a few dark patches starting to form on Minghao's skin alongside some nasty bruises.

While they were frantically checking Minghao over, Soonyoung closely checked over Minghao's head, spotting the blood dripping from around Seungcheol's hands.

"Oh God, this is bad," Junhui muttered in Chinese, tears flowing down his cheeks as he helped Wonwoo get all the kit out.

Seungcheol took the towel, getting Soonyoung to hold it to the bleeding wound on Minghao's head.

Wonwoo started to panic as he saw Minghao's body starting to tremble, a seizure beginning to take his brain.

Minghao's Addison's disease always left him susceptible to seizures, and he'd had so many that his body wasn't so good at preventing them. All the seizures he had been through had weakened his brain, and Wonwoo knew that any head injury could leave Minghao thrashing around on the floor.

"Hold him still," Seungcheol commanded. "I know it goes against everything we normally say but I'd rather he dislocates something than ends up paralysed and I'm sure he would too."

The few members left all helped to restrain Minghao against the floor, focusing on stopping his back from moving as much as possible.

Wonwoo was the one holding his arm, and about a minute into the seizure Minghao's shoulder made a nasty popping noise and stopped moving as much.

It was mere seconds after the seizure ended that the paramedics arrived, running from the nearby elevator.

They got everyone but Seungcheol to move away, securing Minghao's neck in a collar and getting him on the board to get him down to the ambulance. While they were preparing to move him onto the plastic board, one of the medics, started bandaging his head to keep some pressure on the wound until they reached the hospital.

Minghao started to wake up as he was moved onto the board, groaning in his dazed confusion. The first thing he tried to do was reach out to the nearest person, Junhui. He stopped with a cry of pain when he reached out too far.

"Shoulder dislocation." Wonwoo vaguely heard one of the medics say as they lifted the board and placed it down on the gurney to take Minghao downstairs.

Minghao looked so freaked out, barely even able to open his eyes yet still scared.

"Hao, I'm right here," Junhui said, voice teary and shaky but desperate to help.

Minghao stopped trying to move at the sound of Junhui's voice near him, clearly feeling dizzy and disoriented.

"Hao, you fell down the stairs. The medics are going to take you to the hospital so they can make sure you haven't broken your back or hurt your head too bad."

Minghao whimpered as Junhui brushed back his hair, being gentle with the bandages around his head.

"I'll come with you, okay love? I'll be in the ambulance with you." Junhui assured him, following the gurney as the paramedics headed for the elevator.

All the way down to the ambulance, Junhui stayed by Minghao's side, whispering sweet reassurances and keeping him calm.

Minghao passed out in the ambulance as a medic put an IV into his arm, but still Junhui stayed beside him, holding his hand and not moving his eyes off his sleeping boyfriend.

———————

Minghao spent almost five days in the hospital, getting various tests and scans.

The cause of his fainting episode had been an Addisonian crisis that had developed over practice and somehow went unnoticed.

When they got to the hospital, Junhui was left to sit in the waiting room while Minghao got a CT and MRI done to ensure his back and head were okay. After that, he had to get an X-ray to check his shoulder.

What Junhui was told after the scans by Minghao's doctor was that Minghao had a grade 3 concussion and that his back was luckily not broken, only badly bruised to put him off activities for at least a month or two. On top of all that, Minghao had dislocated his shoulder and the doctors had to sedate him while they reset it in place.

Junhui was just thankful that Minghao wasn't dead and that he'd recover sooner or later.

Once all the scans and tests were finished and Minghao was put on some IVs to get his blood sugar and adrenal levels back up, Junhui was allowed to see him, sitting beside the bed and talking quietly to Minghao to keep him calm and help him sleep. It was uncomfortable with his arm in a big black sling, but having Junhui with him really calmed him down.

Over the next few days in the hospital, Minghao had some physical therapy for his shoulder and was taught how to be careful with his back so he couldn't hurt it anymore, and his concussion was evaluated to make sure he wouldn't worsen.

Five days after he was admitted, Minghao was discharged and sent home with Junhui and their manager.

Minghao headed out to the car in a wheelchair, being pushed along by Junhui.

Seungcheol and their manager met them at the car, Seungcheol helping Minghao in with a big hug and some whispered words of gratefulness and relief that Minghao was alright.

"You gave us a real scare, Hao. God, I thought you'd be paralysed." Seungcheol sighed, taking a seat in the front beside the manager.

Minghao stayed quiet during the short drive, keeping his head on Junhui's shoulder and listening to the quiet music on the radio.

When they got back to the dorms, Seungcheol and Junhui helped Minghao back into the collapsible wheelchair and into the building, taking the elevator up to the eighth floor.

Once they reached Junhui and Minghao's room, Seungcheol left the two alone while Junhui helped Minghao get changed and into bed.

Minghao fell asleep that night much quicker than he had in the hospital, comfortable and calm in Junhui's arms to the sound of Junhui's soft, sweet voice humming an old Chinese melody.