I woke up super early in the morning, partly because I slept a lot yesterday during the car ride, and when we got home too. I got up from my warm bed and made my way to the family room. Damon is still passed out, since it's only six am anyways. I turned on the tv to Tom and Jerry on cartoon network, and made myself some tea. Three hours went by until somebody finally woke up, I am so hungry and since I'm still to young to use the stove alone, I have to wait for somebody to make me breakfast, or at least be with me to supervise. My family is strict in stuff like that, says they don't want me to burn myself or the house. Sam was always the early bird in the family, "Hey there munchkin. Why are you up so early? What time did you wake up?" I get up to put my empty cup into the dish washer, "At six am. I slept a lot yesterday, brother." Sam nods his head and goes straight for the coffee maker. After pouring himself some coffee, he grabs his laptop and sits on the dinning room table, I guess to do some research. Dean and him are doing some kind of investigation that lead them downtown and now he told me that all they can do is research more about whatever their mission is. They aren't aloud to talk about it to nobody. I go back to watching my cartoons and a half hour later Dean emerges from his room. He grabs his cup of coffee and sits down with Sam to talk about their mission. I am so bored, I go to Cody's room and see he is still sleeping. I tried to wake him up, but he only pushes away my hand. I make my way to my bedroom and change into my bathing suit, then sneak out before anyone can notice. The pool is nice, big and warm, the waterfall is small, but its still beautiful. The pool is indoors, so its open all year long. I find the perfect bench and set my things on the chair, take off my bathing suit cover and slip off my shoes before dipping into the pool. I do a few laps, warming up my muscles and since I have the whole pool to myself, I start to do some back flips while doing some basic swim exercises. After an hour of lap swimming, I go into the hot tub and relax for twenty minutes. 11:30am, if I don't make my way upstairs now, they will probably find out I left! I know I haven't been caught yet since nobody came down looking for me. They would call the front desk first to see if anyone saw me walk out. I grab my towel, dry myself, and head to the elevator. The music is super nice, a soft orchestra song is playing. The elevator stops on the 20th floor, and I make my way to my suite, hearing some loud talking from just outside the door. I gulp as I slowly turn the nob on the door, maybe I can somehow sneak in?
Well, I managed to get into the room without being noticed, or so I thought. Before I could make my way to my room, Dean grabbed my bathing suit by the straps, stopping me in my tracks. Everyone was having their own conversation, Dean with Sam about their mission, William with Cody about how he can't have junk food for breakfast, and Damon was watching my cartoons eating fruit. Dean stopped Sam from further argument and turned to me, "Where were you?" I look up at him, I suddenly feel so small. "Uhmm... I went for a swim in the new pool." Dean gives me a hard look and before he lets me go, says, "Your grounded, remember? You cannot be alone. That's part of your punishment. William and I have discussed your punishment for the stunt you pulled the other night. All of your electronics will be confiscated until further notice. School work will be monitored by one of us. Go shower and change, we need to do a few errands today." Dean turns back to Sam and takes his laptop, allowing Sam to tell him what he found out about their 'mission', while William gave Cody a carrot and smacked his bottom all the way to the family room where he sat watching some cartoon with Damon. I go to shower, the hot water relaxing my aching muscles, and then changed into some jeans with a plain purple shirt, grabbing my pink flowered scarf and pink converse. I walk into the family room and hand Damon my hair brush, sit on the floor in between his legs so he can put my hair into pig tails. William had finished making eggs with sausage, bacon, and waffles for breakfast, calling us over to eat. I was shoving spoon fulls of egg into my mouth as William stops me, handing me my medication and a glass of orange juice. He sits down next to me and starts talking, "Today we will go to Costco and Winco for grocery shopping. Then we need to stop by the pharmacy for Vi's medication, we are running low and the doctor gave me a new prescription before we left the farm. Does that sound good to everyone? Tonight we can go swimming." Everyone agrees with William and after breakfast we climb into the car and make our way to Costco.
I love shopping at Costco, it's such a big building and they give out a ton of free samples! Cody and I love to run around and eat as much as we can before we eventually get caught. William aloud me to go with Cody since I am not alone and Cody had gotten strict rules to watch me. We went to stand after stand, repeating twice before an old lady giving out juices stopped us from taking a third cup. Cody eventually took my hand and lead me back to the boys. Sam and Dean were looking at Costco's men shirts, obviously not planning on buying it, when Sam sees a cute yellow dress and holds it up in front of my body to see how it fits. I shove it away and with a disgusted face say, "NO! I do not buy clothes at Costco, Sam. Come on now, who do you think we are?" Sam starts to laugh at my reaction and puts the dress away. After convincing William to get croissants, goldfish, and some other snacks he didn't want to buy, we made our way to the food court to eat lunch. "I want a chicken bake, please." "No. You will not eat it all, I will only be throwing away my money. Why don't you get a hot dog or a slice of pizza?" answered Dean. "I always eat hot dog and I don't want pizza! I want a chicken bake!" I raise my voice a little to try to get my point across. "Fine! but if you do not eat it all, Vi, I will never buy you anything every again!" I squeal in excitement as I finally get what I was asking for. I grab my cup from Dean and fill it up with lemonade, then sit down in the table Sam chose for us. Dean comes over with everyone's order and I eat two thirds of the chicken bake before I become full. I wrap it up and give it to Dean who raises his eyebrow, and gives me a special look that makes me quickly look away. "I knew you wouldn't eat all of this! This is you dinner. At least part of it. Got it?" I nod my head and slowly sip my lemonade as I wait for everyone else to finish eating.
At Winco, we get the smaller supplies we need like chips and salsa, cheese, cereal, vegetables and fruits. Its four thirty pm, and all I want to do is go back to the suite to go to the hot tub. "William, please? Quiero ir a la casa! Estoy cansada caminando todo el dia! (I want to go home, I am tired of walking all day long!)" "Ya, Viviana. Necesitamos tu medicina. No te quejes. (We need you medicine. Do not complain)" William picks me up and carries me to our car, driving to the pharmacy to get my medications. I run to the laundry section and start sniffing all the laundry detergent out of boredom, then I go to the hair supplies and start to put on different hair clips on, well next to my head to see if I would look nice with it actually on me. I grab the nicest ones and run up to William, who was grabbing my medication from the lady at the desk, "Can I have this William? It's only 99 cents." William takes the hair clips from my hand and quickly pays for them, then hands them back to me. I can now put them ON my hair! I play with my long wavy hair, trying new styles and ways to put the clips on as William carries me back to the car. We got back to the hotel and everyone headed to the suite, I stayed behind and slowly made my way through the main living area for everyone living in the building to enjoy. Cody saw me sitting down in one of the sofa's and after informing Dean he sat down next to me, picking up a board game for us to play with. I can't believe everything is changing so fast, my boyfriend dumbs me, we move to a place I don't recognize anymore and I am so far away from my friends. I have no one, I'm all alone. I start to tear up as Cody finally speaks up, "I know how you feel, Vi. I miss home too. I already talked to Chris about what he did to you and he feels terrible. He wants to stay friends with you." I wipe away my tears and shake my head. "Whatever. Go, it's your turn." Cody stares at me for a few seconds before finally moving his piece.
I was playing chess with my twin, yet my head was not in the game. I was too deep in thought about that boy I met in the restaurant. I read somewhere that a woman does not need a man to make her happy or keep her happy. She needs to learn to be happy with herself, and that is when she will find her place in this big world we all share. I do miss him, I miss holding hands and kissing, but I do not miss him as a man. A noise interrupted my deep thoughts, it sounded as if a group of kids were all screaming or talking. I look out the window and see a group of kids surrounding something. I grab Cody's hand and we make our way to the group; trying to peer past them, I ask a random person what was going on. "A girl's dog is stuck in a hole in the ground. Nobody can get the dog out since it won't stop wiggling!" I pushed past everyone, trying to get to where the dog is at. I can hear Cody yell out, "Vi! Vivi! STOP! NO!" I ignore him and continue pushing my way past the other kids, Cody hot on my tail. "Someone help! Call 911!" yelled the girl. I made my way to her and placed my hand on her shoulder, "No worries, I'm here to help you. I know how to handle these situations. I just need some space please. The crowding is making the dog nervous." She looks at me and replies,"Why should I trust you? Who are you anyways? I need an adult!" I look at her, "Do you want your dog to get unstuck? If so, let me help. I am studying to be a Veterinary." She quickly got up from her place next to her white poodle and demanded that the rest of the kids backed up. I am actually quite supersized by her actions, she was swatting her hands and pushing the kids back, it looked as if they are all scared of her. I turned my attention to the dog and started to pet her, quietly soothing her with my voice. The dog was shaking, but with the tone of my soft, sing-song voice, and the calming messages I was giving her on her back, she relaxed quickly. It looked as if her back paw is stuck in the hole wedged tightly in between a rock and the tree branch pocking up from the ground. I started digging around the rock and branch and after the third pull, the dog was free. I picked her up and handed her to the girl, she was so ecstatic that she pulled me into a hug. "Thank you so much! You are a miracle worker! I had been trying for the past twenty minutes but her paw wouldn't budge! How did you do it?" My face started turning red with embarrassment as all the kids had their full attention on me. "I.. uh, well... it's simple really..." Cody stepped beside me and gave me a reassuring squeeze in the arm. "The dog was shaking and whimpering, looking around at the group of kids, obvious sign that she was nervous. You can never help a dog who is scared, your actions will only scare her more. Her paw was stuck on the tree branch and with some digging, her paw pulled free. It's no miracle really, I only read her body language." The kids were all impressed with what I had just said, they were asking questions on their pets, wanting to know if Iguana's sleeping upside down is healthy or even why a pet cat won't play anymore with her string toy.
I was sitting around a camp fire my new friends had made in the quad of our building, telling them the time when my horse saved me from a coyote when Cody quickly grabs my arm and whispers to me, "We have to go swimming now." I nod my head and after saying goodbye, we make our way to the swimming pool. "Vi, Cody, here are your swim suites, go change in the bathroom." Sam handed us our things and we went to change quickly. I went into the bathroom and into the stall to change, but when I was almost into my one piece swim suite, I spotted a spider in the corner of the wall. I screamed and ran out of the stall, well more like tripped since I dropped my swim suite and it is now around my ankles. I grabbed my bottoms and quickly pulled it up, running out of the bathroom as quick as I can. Damon grabs my arm to stop me from running and says, "Do not run." "...but there was a spider in the bathroom!" Damon shakes his head and leads me to the table my brothers had chosen for us. I set my things down and grab my goggles from Sam, then jump into the pool cannonball style, Cody hot on my tail. The rest of the night was fun, we played the game 'chicken' where one person is on the shoulders of another and they try to throw the other one off. Then we had a few competitions and then we played water volleyball! Around nine o'clock, we headed back to our suite to take showers and change into our pj's. I thought about everything that happened today, realizing that William is right, God has a plan for each of us and everything happens for a reason. I received a text from my new friend Catherine, 'Hey girl, hit me up whenever your bored. I am home schooled, so I do not have that much stuff to do. Night!' I quickly sent a reply and left me phone on my nightstand, heading to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. I enter the kitchen and Dean touches my back gently, handing me my medications. I thank him, take the pills from him and swallow them. Out of nowhere, my legs collapse from under me, but before my body hits the ground, Dean has already grabbed me now carrying me to my bed. He sets me under my covers and then climbs in after me, moving my body so I am cuddling with him. Dean starts to massage my lower leg muscles, softly humming a song. The sound of his voice quickly had me falling asleep.
I don't know what was happening to me, I was in severe pain in my chest, my lungs were on fire and I couldn't breath at all. I sat up on my bed and tried to yell out for Dean, but instead I ended up grabbing my throat with tears streaming down my face. I shook Dean, but he just turned the other side. I am so desperate that I start to shake him and hit him on his arm. Dean sits up and looks at me, it took him probably a few seconds to realize I was in need of help. He stands up, picks me up by my armpits and places me on his hip, the entire time I was crying even harder, heaving and panicking since I could only breath short breaths. Dean ran into the kitchen and placed me on the counter, yelling out to William, "CODE RED! WILLIAM! NOW!" Dean grabs a hold of my head and tilts it back, taking a hold of my chin and when my mouth falls open, he places my inhaler into it and pushes down on the metal canister. My lungs quickly open up enough for me to take a few deep breaths but with my crying and anxiety attack, it didn't last that long. William jumped from his bed, grabbed the emergency backpack where he had packed the essentials for a Code Red, and blew the horn he had on his bedside table to wake the rest of the family up. Everyone already knows that in a Code Red I am having an attack or something is going on with my body that I need to be taken to the hospital, well not just me, anyone in the family really. We have the Code Red horn blown at night or whenever we need to get the family's attention and everyone has their special part to play. Somebody grabs the backpack, my medications and breathing tubes, Cody insists on always grabbing food, and another person grabs the car. We are already speeding down the road to the emergency room, and I am still hyperventilating. Dean was holding me tightly bridle-style, my head was resting against his elbow, and my legs were on Sam's lap. Sam was rubbing my legs while Dean was massaging my stomach, whispering soft nothings to me, "Shhh, everything will be okay, sweetie. Just stay strong for me, princess. Take a deep breath for me, please?" I tried to, I really did, but it wasn't working. I couldn't breath. I started to close my eyes, wanting to sleep a little bit. I feel so tired. "No! No, Vi, please keep your eyes awake. Don't close them, don't go to sleep." I look up at Dean and whispered, "I'm sleepy, brother." And with that I close my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~ Third person point-of-view ~~~~~~~
Dean was trying to shake Vi awake when William stopped the car, and everyone pilled out of the van, running into the front doors. Dean is carrying Vi bridle style, hugging her close to his chest as if his life, or her life, depended on it. William slams his hands on the counter of the front desk and quickly says, "I need help! Now! My sister, she's... she can't breath!" The nurse looks at the state Viviana is in and quickly calls out, "Doctor! Code white!" Nurses ran into the room wheeling in a bed, they grabbed Vi from Dean's arms and placed her in the bed, then rolled her into the nearest room to examine her. Dean yelled out, "NO! No don't take her, please! Help her!" William takes the paperwork from the woman at the front desk and starts to fill it out as Sam comforts Dean and Damon tries to explain what is happening to Cody who is crying out for his twin. The doctors take Vi to do some exams and after an hour, they conclude her P.O.T.S. as getting worse. The doctor assigned to Vi received all the information from her personal doctor, talking to him over the phone to discuss what is happening to Viviana.
"Mr. Reyes?" called out the doctor. Everyone stood up and surrounded the doctor as he looked taken back for a moment, "Okay. Well, I have received Viviana's test results back, I had a conference over the phone with her personal doctor, Dr. Smith, and we discussed her situation. She is, unfortunately, not getting better. We set her up on the breathing machines right now, and she seems to be breathing fine with them. POTS, as you probably know by now, can either be 'primary' or 'secondary.' 'Primary' refers to POTS with no other identifiable medical condition, also known as 'idiopathic' POTS. 'Secondary' refers to POTS with the presence of another medical condition known to cause or contribute towards POTS symptoms.'High flow' and 'low flow' POTS is based upon the flow of blood in the patients lower limbs. Viviana has secondary, low flow POTS." William was the only one from his brothers who was calm and thinking straight. He quieted Dean quickly when he was about to comment something rudely toward the doctor, instead he asked, "Is there anything we can do to help her? Is there some kind of medication or shot we can give her to help with this disease? I know there is no cure." "Well, Mr. Reyes, there is something we can do. She will need to increase fluid intake to 2-3 liters per day; increase salt consumption to 3,000 mg to 10,000 mg per day; raising the head of the bed, to conserve blood volume; reclined exercises such as rowing, recumbent bicycling and swimming; keep a healthy diet; avoid substances and situations that worsen orthostatic symptoms; and finally, the addition of medications meant to improve symptoms." Dean was upset, he couldn't understand why his little sister was getting worse, she was taking all these medications and doing these extra activities for her disease, yet none of it was working. "Why can't any of you doctors just come up with the correct diagnosis?! First she only had a blood disease, ammonia, then she had P.O.T.S, and know you tell me she is only getting worse?!" William took hold of Dean's arm and squeezed tightly, indicating for him to shut up. The doctor noticed and quickly said, "No, it's okay, it's completely understandable. Mr. Reyes, some patients have fairly mild symptoms and can continue with normal work, school, social and recreational activities. For others, symptoms may be so severe that normal life activities, such as bathing, housework, eating, sitting upright, walking or standing can be significantly limited. Viviana's body is suffering a lot, but she is still fighting. She can walk, eat, and do homework, but I am afraid that if she keeps pushing herself she will become more fragile. She cannot breath properly, I am giving her a prescription of a new inhaler that will be a little bit more stronger then the last one. I am also asking that you keep her hooked up every night to her breathing machines. Dr. Smith informed me that you do carry one and also a smaller breathing machine for walking around. I need her to use that as well for at least two weeks. She is not aloud to take baths alone, if she cannot breath properly by herself, I will not take the risk or her bathing alone. Don't worry Mr. Reyes, your 12 year old sister will be fine. She is a fighter." William thanked him and shook his hand, then they all made their way to Vi's room.
~~~~~~~ Vi's point-of-view ~~~~~~~~~
I woke up slowly, but I kept my eyes shut. I have no idea what time it is, or where I'm at. I feel tubes going into my nose and I can hear my brother's talking. "I went to get her prescriptions, the doctor told me to keep a sharp eye on her. Dean, you need to calm down man. Your going to make yourself sick and that is not what Vi needs right now." I hear Dean start to take deep breaths and reply, "I am not believing this! I cannot believe this! Dammit, I can't talk! How can you be so damn calm, William? Our little sister is getting worse. Look at her, she's pale, loosing her color. We came here to get her better, not to see her in the hospital all over again!" I slowly open my eyes and whimper, trying to sit up. Sam is quick to run by my side and assist me, moving my bed position up more so I can sit up and still lay against my pillow. Dean is escorted out of my room by William, who looked upset with him. "Did I make Dean into trouble?" Sam chuckles at my choice of words and says, "No sweetie. Dean needs to calm down is all." I nod my head and start to close my eyes again. I am not sleeping, but I feel like I need to rest my eyes, I am all numb and weak. The doctor walks in, taking my temperature and asking me questions on how I feel and how my breathing is. "She seems to be okay today, I do want to keep her another day to see how she recuperates though. You are welcome to stay the night. Only two people though." With okay's and thank you's from my brothers, the doctor leaves after giving me some medications to take. I turn to Dean, who had walked in with William during the doctor's arrival and said, "I won't die, Dean. I promise. Please, don't be upset because of me." I start to tear up. Dean lays down next to me, bringing my body into his. I lay my head on his chest and start to calm down as Dean rubs my back and hearing his heart beat and breathing really helps me to breath along with him or try to, since my breathing is slower then his. "I will never be upset because I think you will die. Do you understand? I am upset because I do not want to see you suffer, knowing I cannot do anything to help you." I look up at him, "...but brother, you are helping me. By giving me my medications, giving me baths, monitoring me during the night, and more importantly, by not leaving my side." Now its Dean's turn to start tearing up. He gently lowers my head against his chest, massages my back and kisses my head. I quickly fall back to sleep, listening to the hum of the machines attached to me and the tv that the rest of my brothers are watching.