House Calls
Part 5
Mary gets some toast and coffee. "Do you think Elizabeth will be ready
to play football against the Maxwell's in a couple of weeks?"
"Not if I have anything to say about it."
"But what if she's better?"
"She had brain surgery, I'm not going to put her at risk."
"Good plan."
"Now if we can just keep Nancy from the field."
"Dad she'll be fully recovered in one week, and the game is in two weeks."
"Uh huh." not listening and being the overprotective Father.
"You know if she really wants to play you won't be able to stop her."
Tom sighs. "I know, but how much more can her body take if she gets hurt?"
"She won't get hurt."
"I just don't know.....I'll talk to Max and ask him."
"Ok."
Tommy enters his bedroom after getting ready. "Hey Nicholas,are you about
ready to go?"
"Ok."
Tommy and Nicholas goes downstairs to leave . Tommy sees his Dad and goes
over to him, hoping that Abby talked to him about Tommy taking drivers ed.
" Morning Dad, Nicholas and I are leaving for our fun day together. I was
wondering if I could borrow five dollars for lunch."
Tom hands him the five. "Have fun you two."
" Thanks Dad." Tommy says as him and leave the house to go to the putt
putt golf course. They play their 18 holes and leave to go get lunch.
"I cant believe you kicked my butt like that. Who been giving you lessons?"
Tommy says .
"Dad.'
" He taught you too well. Where do you want to go for lunch Mr. Putt Putt
King?"
Meanwhile Elizabeth quietly taps lightly on Abby's door, just in case she's
still sleeping."
Abby groans. ~So much for spending the day in bed.~ "Come in."
Elizabeth walks in and sees that Abby's still in bed. "Oh, I'm sorry.I'll
come back later." she turns to leave.
"No, it's OK," Abby says and pats the bed next to her. "Come talk to me."
Elizabeth sits on the bed. "How are you feeling?"
"OK. How are you?"
She shrugs. "I wouldn't suppose later or tomorrow, you'd be willing to come
with me to get my glasses?"
"We can go later today." ~Strike while the iron's willing.~ "Do you know
what time they open?"
"One."
"So let's leave here about a quarter to, OK?"
"You sure? I don't mind waiting for a few days."
~I'm sure you don't.~ "No, it's fine. I didn't have anything planned for
today, anyway."
"OK." she says."I'll let you get some rest."
"Thanks."
Elizabeth leaves.
Abby burrows back under the covers.
Tommy sees Liz leaves the bedroom, so he knocks on the door.
Nancy awakens after napping on the couch for a couple of hours with her mouth
dry and stomach growling. "Not again." She groans. ~My pot smoking
days were over with a long time ago. What the heck.~ She ventures
into the kitchen and finds pizza that Tom had ordered out for. She
checks the fridge and grabs a soda. Then sits down with both. After
she finishes, she heads upstairs and knocks on her parent's door.
~That does it. I'm checking into a hotel for a couple of days~ Abby thinks.
She gets out of bed and tells whoever it is to come in.
She walks in. "Hi, sorry to disturb you, but I...." She sighs in frustration.
"Can't remember why I came up here."
"Sit down for a little. Maybe it'll come to you."
"Ok," she sits down. "Taking a breather?" Nancy asks glad to see Abby resting.
"A short one."
"I guess that's better than none at all. Oh now I remember, there's
pizza downstairs if you want me to bring you up some."
"That sounds great. But I can go down with you."
"Ok," They go downstairs to the kitchen.
Abby goes to the fridge to get something to wash the pizza down with. "No
soda?"
"It's in the cabinet, Dad bought some more today, I guess he didn't finish
putting it all in the fridge."
Abby looks in the cabinet and gets a soda. "Want one?"
"Please." She says wondering why the first one didn't keep her thirst quenched
longer.
Abby brings her a soda. "Pizza?" she asks, pushing the box towards Nancy.
"Thanks." She goes to pick the slice up but it slips out of her hands
and back into the box. The tingling in her hand goes away almost as quickly
as it had come. "That was wierd." She says not realising she's
thinking out loud.
"What was weird?"
"My hand got numb."
"Maybe you overdid it today?"
"Could be, or I could've slept on it during my nap."
"We could ask Dr. Max to look at it."
"If it happens again I guess we can call him."
"OK."
She finishes her soda and after awhile needs another but doesn't want to
hog it again. So gets a glass of water instead.
"Could you bring me a glass, too>" Abby asks.
"Sure," she brings her a glass of water and sits down.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." She finishes the water and eating and starts to tire
again. "I think I'll go back to bed, see you in the morning Abby."
"Good night."
After she goes up to bed. Mary walks in. "You look worried, what's
up?" She asks Abby.
"Hmm? Oh, nothing really. I'm sure it'll be all right."
"Want to talk about it?"
"No, not yet."
"Ok." Mary says.
"But thanks for offering."
"Hey anytime."
"How are you doing? Did what Dr. Max give you help?"
"Yes it did, I'm sorry if I was mean to you."
"It's OK. I guess it was one of the side effects of what you were using."
"Yeah, I never should have been idiotic enough to use them in the first place."
"You were under a lot of pressure."
"It's still no excuse."
"Maybe you ought to do some thinking about why you were under such pressure."
"Good idea, so where is everyone else tonight?"
"The boys aren't back yet, Joannie's at some play, Nancy and Elizabeth are
upstairs, and I'm not sure where Susan or your father are."
"Oh, how old is the pizza?"
Abby touches the box. "An hour or two, I'd say."
"That's just right." Mary grabs a slice.
"There's some soda in the cabinet."
"Good," Mary gets one. "Hopefully Nancy won't drink most of these also."
"She drank most of the rest?" Abby asks.
Mary nods. "Yep."
"That's not like her."
"Maybe her thirst will go back to normal when she's all better."
"Maybe..."
Mary glances at her. "You don't think it will?"
"Max never said thirst would be a side effect of anything."
Mary considers this and thinks it over. "Did he say anything about
her sleeping a lot?"
"No. Maybe that's just boredom?"
Mary laughs. "Yeah maybe, well I have some studying to do, goodnight." She
goes upstairs.
Tommy and Nicholas walks into the kitchen." Hey Abby."
"Hi, boys."
" Nicholas kicked my butt in putt putt today." Tommy says as he looked at
a grinning Nicholas.
"Was there any question he would?"
" How was your day ladies? Did Liz get her glasses today?" Tommy asked.
"Why don't you go upstairs and ask for a fashion show?" Abby suggests.
" Ok." Tommy leaves Nicholas to brag about his victory over Tommy and
goes upstairs. When he get to Elizabeths room ,He knocks on the door.
"Go away." she says staring in the mirror. ~Hello Four eyes.~
"Liz,please let me in." Tommy asked.
Elizabeth opens the door.
"Liz, the glasses look real good on you." Tommy says in a sincere voice.
Nancy's so tired she's sleeping through all of this.
"Come on Tommy, have you ever dated a girl who wears glasses?"
"Not yet,but don't forget I have had only a couple of dates since I stop
chasing Wendy Springer. There is a new girl in my class who wears glasses
who I like to ask out as soon as I get my license."
"Really?"
"Yes really. Some lucky guy will want Elizabeth Bradford ,glasses or no glasses
because they what you are inside and not just outside appearance. It took
me a little while to find out that Wendy Springer is just about outside appearance
but has nothing to offer inside. I wont make that mistake again."
"Thanks Tommy."
"No problem. What else is a brother for besides being a pain in the
neck once in a while." Tommie smiles.
"True."
"Better go before Sleeping Beauty wakes up." Tommy grins.
"Good idea,see ya."
"Goodnight." Tommy goes to his bedroom and gets ready for bed.
The next morning, Nancy goes downstairs intent on getting breakfast but never
quite makes it to the kitchen. She starts getting jittery and confused.
Soon she's hit with dizziness so she reaches out for the nearest chair and
sits down in it.
Mary finds her like this. "Hey are you ok?" She comes to check her
over.
"Leave me alone." She says irritably.
"Nancy what's going on?" Mary asks getting more worried.
"Leave me alone." She says again.
"Joannie go get Dad and Abby." Mary says.
Joannie rushes upstairs and pounds on her parents' door.
"What the hell?" Tom says. Tom opens the door."yes?"
Meanwhile downstairs. Nancy grabs on to Mary when the room starts spinning.
~Come on guys hurry up.~ Mary thinks while trying to remember what to do
and to try to figure out what's going on. "It's all right I got you."
She says trying to calm Nancy down.
"Ok," Nancy says before she faints in Mary's arms.
"Damn it." Mary lowers her to the ground and grabs the phone to call Max.
"What's wrong Mary?" He asks when he finally answers the phone.
"It's Nancy she wasn't looking good and didn't look like she even knew where
she was, and she fainted."
"How long has she been out?"
"I don't know."
"I'm on my way, if she doesn't come around in two minutes, call the paramedics."
He tells her before hanging up and heading over there.
Mary hangs up the phone and tries to bring Nancy around. At that point
Tom, Abby, and Joannie are downstairs.
"I don't know what's wrong." Mary tells them.
"You're only a medical student, Mary," Abby reminds her. "You can't know
everything. The pros will tells us when they know."
"But I feel so helpless Abby."
"We all do," Abby says, and hugs her.
Mary hugs her back.
Meanwhile Tommy comes downstairs,not knowing what happened. When he get downstairs
, he sees Mary and Abby upset. " What is wrong?" Tommy asked .
"We don't know." Mary says. "She got disoriented and shaky and she
fainted." She decides then to call the paramedics.
Tommy has a worried look on his face and turns to Abby. " I thought there
was something wrong with her,damn it I should had said something to you or
Dad."
"Tommy, would you stop trying to take responsibility for everything that
happens in this house? You're way too hard on yourself," Abby tells him.
" Your right. Do you want me to ask Liz to stay and watch Nicholas?"
"Yes, please."
Tommy goes running up to Elizabeths and Nancys room and knocks on the door
loudly.
"Good grief, what?" she snaps as she opens the door.
Tommy tells her what happened to Nancy. "Can you stay and watch Nicholas?"
Elizabeth goes somber."Of course."
"I or someone will give you a call to let you know whats going on."
"OK."
Tommy gives Liz a hug before going back downstairs. "Liz will watch Nicholas."He
tells Abby.
"Thanks. We'll make sure to call and let her know what's going on."
Tommy just nods with a somber look on his face.
The paramedics get there before Max does and begin asking questions.
"Did she hit her head?"
"No." Mary says.
"Any drugs or alcohol in her system?"
"No, now is she going to be ok or what?"
They don't answer they just keep working on Nancy.
"Is she diabetic or does she suffer from Hypoglycemia?"
"No, is there a point to these questions?" Mary gets frustrated.
"The questions are to help us help her." He says firmly but gently. "From
what I can tell so far she is dehydrated."
"She's not coming around." The other paramedic says. "We'd better bring her
in."
He nods and gets on with dispatch. At that point Dr. Max shows up.
A little while later at the hospital.
Meanwhile, Noah sneaks into where they have Nancy and waits for the nurses
and doctor there to leave for a second so he can see her.
While he's waiting. "How long is it going to take for the blood work results
to be back from the lab?" The doctor asks whoever he's on the phone with.
"And the MRI results?" He goes on to ask about several other tests.
"Thank you." He says and soon hangs up with whoever he was talking to.
"Doctor they're ready for her in ICU." One of the nurses says.
At that point Noah panics and heads in there. "What's wrong with her?" He
demands.
"Son you have to get out of here." The doctor says.
"I'm not your son." He tries to go to Nancy's side but the nurses won't let
him.
"You're going to have to leave now." The doctor says and gets a couple of
orderlies to escort him out.
On his way out he overhears other nurses discussing Nancy's case. They don't
know anyone is listening in.
"Do they know what's causing the coma yet?"
"Just speculation." The other says.
Noah shoves the orderlies off of him and runs back to where Nancy is.
They finally get security to escort him to the waiting room. He's about
to lash out at them but sees the Bradford's are in there so he gets his temper
in check.
"That's wise." The security guard whispers to him. "I guess I don't have
to tell you that you'll only make matters worse than they already are if
you don't calm down."
Noah doesn't say anything he just sits down and nods his thoughts on his
girlfriend.
"Do you need anything? Want me to call your parents? Coffee?"
He shakes his head.
"You'll stay put if I go back to my rounds?"
"Yeah, go ahead, I'm cool now." Noah says to him.
The security guard leaves and Noah stays there and waits.
Tommy sees Noah and goes up to him.
Noah looks up at Tommy. "Hey." He then looks away again.
"She is going to allright, she has to be." Tommy says while starting
to choke up.
~Then why don't they know what's wrong with her yet?~ "Of course she
is."
"Noah,would you like to come and join us in the waiting room?" Tommy asked
Noah shakes his head. "I'd really like to wait alone."
" Ok, but if you change your mind there be a seat for you. Oh by the way,
I am glad that your back with us. You have been so for Nancy." Tommy says
before he starts choking up.
"Thanks man." Noah says.
" No problem. I am going to get something to drink,would you like something?"
He shakes his head.
" Ok."
While Nancy is being treated, Max decides to go and talk with the family.
"I need to ask you a few questions, and just in case, I'll ask all of you."
The family waits to hear his questions.
"Has she been thirsty a lot lately? Any tingling in her arms, hands,
legs, feet?"
"Last night--she had some tingling in her hand. She thought she slept on
it funny. And she's been guzzling soda like it was going out of style."
He jots that down. "Has she been tired a lot? Especially after eating
or drinking something with sugar in it?"
"Yes." Mary says. "Dr. Max what's going on?"
He jots that down and sighs. "I don't want to really say till we know
for sure."
"Best guess," Abby presses him.
"We might be looking at diabetes. If we are, I don't know what type
it is yet. We'll know more when we get the blood test results back."
Mary goes over in her head the questions they answered for him and is hit
with guilt. ~What is wrong with me? I should have recognised
the signs. We've already gone over it in class. If this would've
been detected sooner.~
"That's good news, right?" Abby says. "Diabetes is treatable. Watch what
she eats, insulin maybe--but she'll be fine. Right?"
He sighs. "She'll be fine if it's that if we get the insulin to her
in time to get her blood sugars back to a manageable level to combat the
coma."
"Why wouldn't you be able to?"
"It's a matter of getting it to her in time, if we go ahead and give her
insulin now and it's not diabetes it will make matters worse."
"But you're already running the tests, right?"
He nods.
"When will you have results?"
"Very soon, normally it takes a few days but we've put a rush on it.
They're moving her to ICU right now."
"Can we see her?"
He nods. "Of course, but only two at a time."
"Dr.Max,could you allow three people for just one time so Dad,Abby,and Noah
can see her first?"Tommy says.
"Just this once." He concedes.
"Thanks, but one of her siblings should go instead." Noah says.
"Noah, you should go. And Mary should, too. I'll wait," Abby offers.
"Are you sure?" He asks.
Abby nods. "She needs you."
"Thanks Abby." He, Mary, and Tom leave with Dr. Max.
David glances over at Joannie to check to see if she's ok with not being
asked.
Joannie shrugs. ~Didn't expect her to, anyway.~
He goes over to her. "I don't know about you but I can use some fresh
air, want to join me?"
"Sure, why not."
They take a walk outside. "A penny for your thoughts."
"I just hope Nancy's OK," Joannie says.
"Yeah me too." He says. "And I have a feeling she's going to be."
"OK. I'll take your word for it."
"Good, because you should listen to your big brother when it comes to things
like this."
"OK, I will."
"I'm concerned about Tommy, he's taking this very hard and he's usually calm
during emergencies."
"Maybe it's one emergency too many for him."
"Yeah maybe."
"One of these days her luck is going to run out."
"Joannie don't say that." David says having been thinking the same
thing.
"Why not? It's true."
"No it's not, I refuse to accept that."
"Oh, come on. Think of everything that's happened to her these past two years.
It's a wonder she's made it this far."
"She's not the only in this family who's been getting sick or hurt, does
that mean we're all doomed?"
"She's certainly been hurt more than the rest of us," Joannie says gloomily.
"I know." He finally concedes. "I'd lock her in her bedroom, but if I did
that she'd probably wind up slipping on something in there."
Joannie laughs. "Good old Nancy."
He laughs too but soon sobers. "I'm worried about what her reaction
will be if it is diabetes. I mean she knows most of what is involved
already since she had that friend in high school, but it's not the same as
having it yourself."
"The next time she's in the hospital she can refuse her insulin along with
her other meds."
"She won't do that."
"Of course she will."
"I think I want to go back inside now." He says.
"Fine."
They go back inside.
When they get to ICU. Mary hangs back still feeling very guilty. Noah
kisses Nancy and whispers to her.
"You're going to get through this, so if you're scared don't be. I
love you." He soon goes to stand with Mary to give Tom time with
his daughter.
Tom takes her hand and kisses it, with tears falling. "You are going to be
OK sweetheart."
Mary considers going over there and hugging her Dad but doesn't want to interrupt.
"What's wrong?" He asks Mary.
"I should have caught this sooner." She finally says and explains why.
"Mary that's silly, this isn't anyone's fault." He says.
He finally convinces her and she goes over to Nancy and talks to her for
awhile.
Tom rushes out of the ICU before breaking down.
Mary starts to go after him, but Noah stops her. "Let me." He says.
She nods, and he goes after Tom.
"Sorry Noah." Tom states.
Noah pats his back. "For what? You're her Dad."
"And not a very good one."
"That's not what she says."
Tom chuckles. 'Yeah right."
"It's the truth Mr. Bradford."
"Thanks Noah."
"No problem." He says. "And I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have
told you about her thirst."
"I'm going to get some coffee, want anything?"
~He does blame me.~ "No that's ok." He walks away.
Tom goes off to the cafeteria.
Tommy leaves to go find a soda machine. He spots one and goes to it. As he
stares at it, something in him snaps, and he punches the machine. Tommy does
not see a family member close bye.
"Tommy you're going to hurt your hand." David says.
Tommy stares at David and breaks down crying.
David hugs him and tries to calm him.
"Why does bad things happen to Nancy? I rather take those bad things for
her for a change."
"I don't think she would go for that little brother."
"I know. David,I am scared to death that she might make it this time." Tommy
says breaking down again.
"She'll make it, they'll find out what's causing the coma and be able to
combat it."
Tommy calms downs before speaking again. "I promise to never complain about
her taken so much time in the bathroom and you can even tell that when she
wakes up."
David laughs. "You might eat those words one day."
"But it be worth it." Tommy says with a worried look on his face.
"Yeah, hey let's get back to the others. Maybe there's been word?"
" Ok." Tommy and David leave to go back to the waiting room. Tommy sees his
Dad. "Any word on Nancy yet?" Tommy asked.
A little while after Tom, Noah, and Mary return to the waiting room. Dr.
Max comes out again and approaches the family.
"So?" Abby asks.
"It's definetly diabetes, we've already started her on insulin, and we'll
know soon if we got it to her in time."
Tommy has a stunned look on his face when he hears the diagnosis. " When
can I go see her?" Tommy asked.
"Tommy I think it would be better if only adults were in there till we know
for sure if we got the insulin to her in time."
"Ok."
He then turns to Tom and Abby. "For right now it should only be two
at a time."
"If that's what you think is best..." Abby says.
He nods, "And there's another matter, we don't know how she got this. Since
there's no known family history of it. So I'd like to get blood work
on all of you just in case."
"Abby doesn't have to be tested does she?" Tom asks.
"Of course I don't."
"Not unless she wants to be."
"We might as well get everyone checked." Tom says. "Their is one person
you'll have trouble with."
"And who is that?"
"Me, you know how I am around needles," he whispers.
He smiles, "yes I know, but how will you be strong for her when she's told
what she has if you're unwilling to get tested yourself? How will you
be strong for Nicholas when it comes time for him to be tested?"
"In other words, Grow up right?" he sighs. "OK but you better have a mattress
handy in case I pass out."
"Yes but no, you're twice a child, once an adult." He kids him. "And
I'll have that mattress handy."
"Thanks."
"Not a problem Tom." He says.
"Can you do it now?" Abby asks. "Most of the family's here, after all."
"Of course."
"So," she turns to the family, "two of you can go to see Nancy and the rest
of you need to get tested."
"Who's coming with me to see her?" David asks.
"Tommy, why don't you go?" Joannie suggests.
~Yeah why would Joannie want to go in?~ David tries to keep his temper
in check.
~I sure don't want to go anywhere with David~ Joannie thinks.
"Dr. MAX wants only adults to go in for right now." Tommy says with
a bitter tone in his voice.
"Maybe he'll change his mind."
"Go ahead." Max concedes with Tommy not wanting to deal with an angry Bradford.
Joannie shoots Tommy a look of 'see? I told you so.'
" Dr Max, Can we talk alone for a minute?"
"Sure."
Tommy and Dr.Max go somewhere private to talk.
" I am sorry for being showing anger . I am just scared for Nancy."
"I know, it's ok."
" Thanks for understanding." Tommy and Dr. Max return to the waiting room.
Tommy goes up to Joannie. " You can go with David if you want too. I can
wait my turn."
"I'm not going anywhere with David."
Tommy sees the tension between Joannie and David. " Guys, this not the right
place or the right time for a fight. Our sister is sick,and Dad and Abby
does not need to referee a fight." Tommy says calmly.
"Stay out of it, Tommy," Joannie snaps.
"Joannie, Your not the only scared, I am scared to death that her luck might
end sooner or later." Tommy says while he start to choke up. " Can't you
see this fighting is not to help Nancy." Tommy walks away before he breaks
in front of everyone.
David glares at Joannie before he and Tommy go in. Thinking she's not
going to be there for their sister.
Joannie glares back at him, thinking he won't be much help if he can't be
honest about the way things are.
"I guess it wouldn't be a crisis without people getting upset with each other
would it?" Mary mutters as she goes to get tested, upset with both David
and Joannie for shooting each other mean looks at a time like this.
"It wouldn't be the Bradfords," Abby whispers to Tom.
Tom sighs. "Yeah." he whispers back.
After seeing Nancy, David tracks down Joannie. "Go ahead, hit me, I
deserve it." He says realising he shouldn't have been tempermental.
"Bradfords don't hit Bradfords, remember?"
"Joannie I'm sorry it's just...."
"Just what?"
"I don't think I'm strong enough right now to handle the grim facts."
"Well, Nancy's going to need us strong."
He motions her somewhere more private. "I get your point." He sighs.
"So what made you say that outside? What has happened?" He asks
not knowing about the time Nancy refused to take her meds.
Joannie tells him what happened when Nancy was in the hospital earlier that
month.
"Oh great," there's a silence. "Maybe she meant it when she said it
wouldn't happen again."
"Yeah, right."
"Joannie she'll feel like we're ganging up on her if we don't give her a
chance."
"If I gave her a chance last time, she might not be in the hospital now--she
might not be anywhere. Maybe we give her too many chances."
"Well what are you suggesting we do then?"
"Maybe it's time for a little of that tough love."
"Joannie you're making a big mistake she needs our support not meaness.
If she has diabetes it's not her fault."
"I know that. But she has to know that blowing off her illnesses is not an
option."
"You don't have to be hard on her to do that. If you are it might very
well backfire."
"Like anything we've tried so far has helped? Diabetes may not be her fault,
but blowing off her symptoms sure is."
"Maybe you should talk to a diabetes expert before you assume that Nancy
blew off her symptoms."
"Maybe you ought to try living with Nancy before you tell me what to do."
"Ok fine, do what you want, but don't say I didn't warn you." He says.
"If I forget, I'm sure you'll remind me."
"Sometimes you're really impossible." He says and walks away.
Tom finds Abby in the cafeteria. "What's a nice girl like you doing
in a joint like this?" he jokes.
"Scoping out the men," Abby says, as if it were obvious.
"Find anything you like?"
"Well, that guy over there is cute," Abby says, waving off in some vague
direction.
"Mind if I join you?"
~Actually...~ "Sure," Abby sighs. "Have a seat."
"Are you upset with me?" noticing her tone.
"No, not really."
"Not really?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"It's not important."
"Of course its important, tell me."
"No, Nancy's what's important right now."
"Yes, and shes being taken care of." Tom states. "What is it?"
"I'm just being selfish, I know. I was thinking about how I was supposed
to rest this weekend, not take Elizabeth for glasses or sit in a hospital
waiting room."
Tom nods."You are not being selfish."
"I can always try to rest next weekend--if no crisis erupts then."
"There won't be a crisis, because I am flying you down to Pasadena."
"I can't just leave you with all this mess."
"Look, theres always going to be one crisis or another. You and I aren’t
going to be around forever, these kids are going to have to learn to solve
some of their own problems."
"You're not just saying that to make me feel better?"
"No, I just have one small request."
"What?"
"Miss me, just a bit?"
"I'll try."
"Thanks." he sighs."I'll go call the airline." he goes off in search
of a phone.
Abby stays where she is, thinking things over.
An hour or so later: "She should be coming out of it soon." Max tells the
family.
"How soon is soon?" Joannie asks.
"Within the hour."
"Good." Tom sighs in relief
"Did you two want to be there with her when she does awaken?" He asks Tom
and Abby.
Tom nods taking Abby's hand.
Max waits for Abby's answer.
"Sure," Abby says, a little slower than Tom.
He takes them to ICU.
Some time later Nancy awakens and glances around the room. "What the heck
am I doing here again?" She groans.
Tom tells her.
"No I don't. Dad that's nothing to joke about."
"It's no joke honey."
"It's no joke, Nancy," Abby says.
"Get out and leave me alone." She says to all of them.
"Nancy Bradford, I will not allow you to talk to me that way." Tom says angrily.
"You almost died Nancy...again."
"So you're going to get mad at me, you try being told that you have diabetes."
She starts crying. "I'm sorry if I'm not reacting the way you want
me to."
"Nancy, getting angry won't change anything."
She calms down a little.
"You got mad at us and told us to leave." Tom states.
"I'm not mad at you." She starts crying harder.
"I Love you Nancy, but you just don't understand. I'll be back later
when I've calmed down." he then leaves.
"You're going to leave when I need you the most." The tears fall faster.
"I'll be back."
She doesn't answer feeling very abandoned, thinking for once she could react
to something and not be judged.
~Typical. Leave me to clean up the mess. I'm not up to this~ Abby thinks.
"Your father's scared for you. We all are," Abby continues. "But Dr. Max
says that if you watch yourself, you'll be fine."
"Will I have to do the needles?"
"You'll have to ask Dr. Max about that."
Max nods, "we didn't catch it soon enough for you to go on the pills."
"I hear you get used to the needles," Abby says, trying to be cheerful.
"I can't believe this is happening."
"Maybe not, but it is, and you just have to deal with that and figure out
where to go from here," Abby insists.
"I know."
"And we're here to help you." ~At least I am, like always. Until I go back
home, that is.~
"I didn't mean to tell you all to leave." She says still crying feeling like
her father will never forgive her.
"Nancy, it's OK," Abby soothes her. "Your dad knows that. He'll be back."
"Thanks Abby."
Abby pats the hand that's not hooked up to an IV and smiles at Nancy.
~He hates me, for now on I'll just keep everything locked up inside so no
one gets mad at me.~ She calms down a little. Nancy smiles back, closes
her eyes, and tries to take all of what they told her in. While Max
goes looking for Tom.
Abby stays with Nancy, closing her own eyes and trying to rest a little.
Nancy opens her eyes, sees that Abby is trying to rest, so she stays quiet.
Meanwhile,after Tommy and Joannie had words, Tommy decides to go see Nancy.
He puts on his sunglasses so Nancy would not see that his eyes were red from
crying. " Hi there." Tommy says when he enters the room.
"Shh," Nancy motions that Abby is resting.
Tommy sees that Abby is resting. so he moves closer and speak in a tone where
only Nancy can hear. " I just wanted to come to see my sister who I love
dearly."
~Ok, he ignores me most of the time since I'm not a girl from school. Maybe
he should be in the hospital too.~ "I love you too."
" You don't mind if I pull up a chair and stay around until one of
your many siblings comes and kicks me out.?"
The nurse enters. "I'm sorry but you have to go now." She tells Tommy.
"We need to prep her for going home."
" I guess I see you when you get home." Tommy leaves to go back
to the waiting room where a family member was waiting for him.
Greg finds Tom in the hospital:
"Tom she was scared." Max says to him. "Sometimes patients react that
way, but they don't mean it. Deep down inside they want their loved
ones to stay."
Max finds Tom in the waiting room. "No lectures Max, I know I blew it."
"Then go hug her before she starts blowing it out of proportion."
"In a minute, I'll go back in there."
"Ok," Max says wondering if he really will but keeping it out of his tone.
~Come on Tom, You can't fall apart now.~ he takes a couple of deep breaths
and returns to the room.
"Honey, I'm sorry."
"It's ok." She says although it's not, feeling like she can never be herself
with him again.
"No, its not OK, I was an idiot, but that doesn't mean I don't love you."
"I love you too." She says.
Tom kisses her on the forehead.
Noah walks in. "Is this a bad time?"
"No." Tom says. "Noah, I'm sorry about earlier."
"It's cool." He smiles but then goes serious. "How's her mental state?"
"Not good, I blew my top earlier."
"In other words you had a human moment." He smiles and goes over to Nancy
and gently hugs her. "I love you."
"I love you too." They kiss, wanting to do more but can't since Tom and Abby
are there and also because she's not up to it yet.
Mary comes to the room and hugs her. "I'm sorry this happened."
"Thanks Mary, but it's just something I'll have to deal with. Just
never make me go to the grocery store again." She says not wanting
to see sweets if she can't eat them.
"No problem."
Joannie walks in.
"I'll go see if Dad and Abby are done with the paperwork yet." Mary says
and leaves the room.
"Dr. Max said I'll still be able to come see you be a clown next Saturday."
Nancy says to her.
"Only if you behave yourself."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"That you'd better do everything Dr. Max tells you to."
"I will."
"And I'll be there to make sure you do."
"You don't trust me?"
"You don't want your big sister watching out for you?"
"Well I do need someone to remind me at what times to take the insulin if
I forget." She says having been worried about that. "And a hand to squeeze
if the needles hurt." She says a little quieter.
"Then I'm your girl."
Nancy hugs her.
"You promise to take care of yourself no matter what?"
"Oh no, Joannie what if I have an episode again and..." She worries.
"That's why I'm going to watch out for you."
She sighs in relief. "I heard the rest of you had to get tested.
I hope none of you wind up having it."
"We probably don't. You're one of a kind."
"Yeah, I do promise to take care of myself."
"Good. I'd better let you get ready to come home."
"I'm already ready, just waiting for Dad and Abby." She says looking over
a diabetes pamphlet.
"Speak of the devils," Joannie mutters as the door opens.
Nancy shakes her head at Joannie's comment and waits for their parents to
enter.
"You ready?" Tom asks.
"Yep." Nancy says in an emotionless tone.
Tom hugs her. "If I lost you....." he begins to say.
She relaxes and hugs him back. "You didn't, but I'm really going to
need you Dad."
"I know honey and I will be."
She smiles at them and on the way home. Nancy fills them in on what
Max and the nurses had told her. To eat when she's hungry, and after
having insulin. That they'll have her start checking her own blood
sugar levels in a month or so. That one sweet once a week is all she
can have. Going over the practicalities so she can get her mind set
on getting it under control. And what to do if she starts feeling funny.
After awhile. "If I'm boring you I'll shut up."
"No, this is stuff your dad needs to know," Abby tells her.
"No, we need to know this." Tom states. "I need to talk to everyone
when we
get home."
She nods and continues.
Tom gets everyone home. "Let's all go in the living room."
Nancy, Mary, and David go to sit in the living room.
"What's up, Dad? We all heard Nancy already." Joannie says.
"Yeah, Nicholas and Elizabeth are the only ones who don't know yet." Mary
says.
"We are going to Hawaii." Liz jokes.
Tom rolls his eyes. "Hardly."
"We're getting a pool," Joannie guesses.
"Funny."
"Or downstairs bathroom?" Nancy hopes.
Tom shakes his head.
They wait for him to say what he's going to say.
Tom begins. "First of all you all know that we love you very much." Tom points
to Himself and Abby.
"But Abby and I aren't going to be around forever. You all need to try and
depend on yourself and each other too. Now I am not saying we aren't here
for you because we are...Oh gosh this isn't coming out right......So I'll
just say it. "Abby is going to Pasadena for a few days to get some
rest and to get better."
~I guess he isn't going to tell Nicholas and Elizabeth yet.~ Mary thinks
since they were the only ones that weren't in the car to hear Nancy.
"It's about time." Nancy says. "No Abby I don't want to get rid of
you, just want you to rest."
"You're not going to be upset? Or think I don't care about you?" Abby double
checks.
"I'll miss you, but I won't be upset and think you don't care."
~Guess that leaves me out.~ Elizabeth says. "No, you need your rest."
"You can always call me if you want to talk."
"I'll do that." Nancy says.
"Good. And the same goes for any of you."
"Thanks Abby." Mary says.
Joannie says aloud what Elizabeth doesn't. "Abby's taking Elizabeth with
her like they planned, right?"
"Joannie..." Liz admonishes her.
"What?"
"Leave it be....Abby doesn't need me tagging along, she needs to get rest."
"And you need to get out of town for a while."
Elizabeth shrugs.
"This whole thing sucks," Joannie says.
David opens his mouth to say something but closes it. ~Naah there's
already tension between us.~
"Joannie." Mary says.
"What? It's the truth."
"Its Ok Joannie." Elizabeth says.
"She needs to rest, and she hasn't been able to do that here," Mary says.
"Well, she promised to take Elizabeth."
"Yes, to me she did. Its my concern Joannie, not yours ok? Just drop
it." Elizabeth says.
"Fine."
"Thanks." she says and goes upstairs.
"Things were different then," Mary adds.
"They always are."
Tom sighs. ~What do i do now?~
Abby almost blurts out "I'll take her with me," but realizes that she'd never
rest that way, and then she'd be no good to anyone.
"Ok, conference is over."
Tommy gets up from his chair and goes up to Tom. "Dad,can we talk?"
"Sure, lets go to my study."
Tommy and Tom go to the study. "Dad,I got a couple things on my mind. FiRst
thing is if you need any extra help around the house until Nancy gets
use to her new routine and till Abby gets back,just let me know what I can
do to help out."
"Thanks Tommy, anything else?" Tom says as he goes thru his mail.
"Yes there is." As you know that my birthday is coming up and I be
turning 16." Tommy pulls out the paper for driver ed sign up and hands it
to Tom.
Tom sighs. "Couldn't you ride your bicycle another year?"
"If that is what you want,I guess I can wait another year." Tommy says with
a defeated look on his face.
"Tommy. I'm joking. Whats with you anyway?' he says as he signs the consent
form.
"I guess almost losing a sister can do things to someone."
"I guess."
"How are you doing Dad? It has not easy for you or Abby either."
Tom shrugs. "Pretty rough,but we'll make it through.'
Tommy goes to Tom and hugs him. "Thanks for signing the permission slip."
"Just don't get into any accidents OK?"
"Ok." Tommy leaves the study.
~Strange boy.~ Tom thinks and then goes upstairs.
Nicholas gives Nancy a candy bar. "I'm glad you are home."
"Um thank you Nicky." Nancy says. "But I can't have this, why don't you eat
it for me."
"But why?" Nicholas asks.
~How do I put this without scaring him?~ "Nicholas you know that there
are some things that you know are bad to do if they're going to hurt you
right?"
He nods. "Like playing with matches and stuff?"
She nods. "Yes like that, you see I found out today that I have diabetes,
do you know what that is?"
"No."
"It's when you're body can't handle sugar as well as it should." She further
explains in the simplest and less scariest terms she can. "I can still
have candy but not as much as I used to."
"That sucks." Nicholas says.
Nancy smiles at him. "It sure does, but it'll be all right."
"Good."
Elizabeth overhears this. "Nancy, I'm sorry."
"Thank you." Nancy says to her.
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