In Sickness and In Health

Chapter Ten

This chapter is being posted early due to Winter Storm Jonas. If the power is on tomorrow night in my area, I will post again but if not I didn't want to miss an update. If the power is out tomorrow, the next update will be Wednesday, 1/27. If it is not out, it will be Sunday, 1/24. R/R

Chapter Ten

Over the next few days, Jamie slept nearly around the clock. It seemed whenever he opened his eyes, Eddie was by his side. He loved her nearly constant presence and how she would always have a smile on her face. That was one of the things she loved most about her.

When their children were young, he admired how she could go to bed after they had all been asleep for hours but be the first one up in the morning making bacon and coffee. If she was nervous or on edge, it never showed. When she was sick, and suffering horrible pain, she endured it all for him and their family. She was his rock.

On the third morning he was hospitalized, he woke up and she wasn't there. In her place was his father. "Hey, Dad," Jamie greeted. "Where's Eddie?"

"Lila made her go to her yearly," Frank replied. "So I volunteered to sit with you."

Jamie smiled, "No offense but this seems a little reversed."

"I was thinking the same thing, but there's a plan, Son. Always a plan, you know that."

Before Jamie could respond the door opened and his neurologist, Dr. O'Shea entered. "Good morning, Commissioner. Where is your lovely wife this morning?"

"At her own doctor's appointment," Jamie told him carefully moving his mouth so his words were clear.

"Your speech is sounding clearer today," Dr. O'Shea observed. "That's excellent news. It tells me your difficulty in that area was primarily due to paralysis of the facial muscles and jaw and is not related to your brain."

Jamie smiled, "That is good news. I'd like you to meet my, Dad."

Frank shook the doctor's hand, "Good to meet you."

Dr. O'Shea took Frank's hand, "Likewise. If you don't mind stepping back, I'm going to examine the Commissioner.

Frank stood off to the side as Dr. O'Shea put Jamie through a series of moves, requesting him to press against his hand with his face, repeat a string of complicated tongue twisters, try to keep his left arm level when the doctor lifted it, and finally sip water from a cup and swallow. Jamie completed the first task well enough, struggled through the second, outright failed the third, and battled with the last. He managed to extract the water well enough though a fair amount dripped out of his mouth and down his chin. What he managed to keep in his mouth he swallowed with only slight difficulty.

Jamie coughed on the liquid and blushed with embarrassment when Frank wiped his chin, but in spite of that he realized what he had just done.

Dr. O'Shea was smiling too. "That is a very good sign, Commissioner. In time you will more than likely regain all of your swallowing and speaking capabilities. For a stroke like yours, this is a terrific outcome."

Frank and Jamie exchanged looks then said in unison, "But..."

Dr. O'Shea sighed, "But the hemiplegia appears to be severe. You have retained some control over your fingers and your hand, but have none over your arm and your leg. You also have very high blood pressure, and while we are treating that with medication it will complicate your ability to regain use of your paralyzed limbs."

"What about my therapy?" Jamie asked. "I will work hard. I will work very hard..." As Jamie's voice rose so did the numbers on his BP monitor. Dr. O'Shea rushed to order medication while Frank moved to Jamie's side and spoke clearly and gently to his son while stroking his back, "Slow, Jamie. Breathe very deep and slow. Calm down now. I'm here...It's all okay, Focus, think, and breathe, that's the way."