In Sickness and In Health

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Over the next week, Jamie's physical therapy intensified. Callie had him moving himself about in the bed, he was becoming expert and getting himself into the sitting position to be transferred to the hospital chair. So far, Callie had been doing the transferring him from the bed to the chair, but the last day or two had been training Eddie to do it for him. Eddie had begun her medication regimen the day after her appointment, and was really feeling the fatigue, still he did her best to mask that from Jamie and worked with him and his therapist, her goal, getting her husband home.

The doctor set the date of Jamie's discharge for the following Tuesday. His blood pressure was under control and his heart was producing properly. Medically, it was safe for him to leave the hospital.

The day before Jamie was set to leave, Callie arrived a little early for his therapy. He was still sleeping so she nudged him. "Rise and shine, Commissioner. Today is a big day." She smiled as she pulled a wheelchair up next to his bed. "Meet your new legs, for the time being. And trying to power the chair will help your arm too when you get more control. For now, Eddie will have to push you."

Jamie sighed, "Eddie might not have the strength for that," Jamie sighed. "She's started her preventative chemo and we'll find out soon if there's been any change. I have to be up and on my feet if she has to go back through hard core treatment. She nearly died the last time around, she was so sick somedays. I remember our kids and I, we all go the flu and she was tireless. On chemo, on radiation, and she nursed all of us."

"Your wife is a wonderful woman, I see how she is with you, a little too permissive when you say you can't do something but it's from love."

Jamie sighed, "It is. I never thought I would ever love anyone as much as my first fiancée and when she left, my heart broke. Then I met Eddie and it was like I knew that's why all of that happened, you know?"

Callie smiled, "Keep talking about your wife, it's good for you."

Jamie sighed, "Let me tell you...she's a tough cookie, my Eddie. She caught that horrible flu with her immune system being so depleted. I remember that like yesterday."

"Hang on baby," Jamie whispered to Eddie as he carried her into the ER. He didn't go to St. Victor's, she was having so much distress he took her to the nearest hospital. "Hang on..." She was burning up with fever, but it was the gasps that scared him.

"I need help," Jamie said hurrying up to the nurses' station. "My wife has breast cancer and she...She's caught the flu. She can't breathe."

The nurse called for a doctor and a gurney. Jamie laid Eddie on the white sheets and held her hand as she was wheeled to an examination area. "Temp 103," the doctor said. "Ralls bilaterally, get a chest film..." All of Jamie's fears were coming true.

He paced the waiting room with Danny, Frank was taking care of the children. "I should have sent her away, Danny. When Lila got sick, I should have insisted that she leave her to me and Spence."

"Jamie, you can't stop a mother from nursing their sick baby any more than I can stop you from worrying about your sick wife, now sit down and wait for the doctor."

Eddie was admitted into the hospital with viral pneumonia. When she was in her bed Jamie was allowed to see her. She was on the heated aerosol oxygen with two IVs running into already scarred veins. Jamie didn't hesitate, he went to hold her hand. "Hey sweetie." Her eyes were open and focused on him directly.

"Jamie." The mask muffled her words so Jamie could barely hear her weak voice.

"I'm here sweetheart, it's going to be all right my love..." Jamie sat on her bed and stroked her hair. "I'm so sorry baby. I'm so so sorry."