Well I've managed to get an update out for you guys. Sorry about the wait and I really do apologize if this doesn't make any sense. All errors are my own and I hope you can overlook them as my brain is mush!
Thank you to all the wellwishers and to my dear lurkingwhump. The last few weeks have been awful.. though there is an end in sight!
I hope you enjoy this chapter, even though it is incredibly rough!
An orderly had come to collect Jane to take her to get her ultrasound. Kurt had had to stay behind in the ER cubicle waiting for her. He hated the separation as much as she did. As promised, he hadn't left her side once since she had been admitted, but he could admit that it was as much for his benefit as it was hers.
She had managed to have a nap after her last round of pain medication, but Kurt could tell she was still on edge and in pain, even in sleep.
The double doors opened and Kurt looked up to see the orderly pushing Jane back into the ER. She was being returned to him a little worse for wear, one arm wrapped tightly around her belly, and the other holding onto an emesis bowl for dear life.
She looked up at him with pained, sad eyes and he moved forward to help her back into bed. He guided her the three steps into her cubicle, a little worried at how weak she had become.
She lay back down with a whimper and a grunt, before squeezing her eyes shut and breathing heavily through the pain and nausea.
"Didn't go so well, huh?" Kurt asked quietly.
Jane shook her head, groaning slightly as a fresh wave of sickness assaulted her. She reached out for the bowl, pulling it towards her in case of an emergency.
Kurt rubbed her back gently, willing the pain and nausea away.
"It was the ultrasound probe." Jane ground out, not moving from her huddled position on the bed.
Kurt nodded in understanding. He moved across to the sink and wet a washcloth, placing it on the back of her neck.
"Did they say what was going on?" he asked, once he was settled back in the chair.
Jane shook her head again.
"No, just that a doctor would be along shortly to discuss the results."
Kurt nodded in reply, stroking her hair off her forehead.
Jane whimpered again, breathing through her nose to try and quell her nausea. She had been sick again while the technician had been performing the ultrasound, the pressure of the probe proving to be too much. That had been mostly painful dry heaves, and she really didn't want to go through that again. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to force the world out for just a moment.
All she wanted was one small moment of reprieve, just enough to get her strength back so she could keep fighting.
It didn't take long for the doctor to return with her ultrasound results. He walked into the cubicle, to find Jane hunched on her side in the fetal position, clearly in a lot of pain and discomfort.
"Not doing so good, hmm?" the doctor asked sympathetically, moving closer towards Jane's bed.
Jane didn't even open her eyes to answer, she just shook her head, riding out whatever her body was throwing at her. She wasn't due painkillers or antiemetics for another hour.
"I have your test results here." The doctor said, opening her chart. "It looks like you've had a gallbladder stone attack, that has since blocked the ducts in your pancreas."
Jane's eyes opened at that.
"That doesn't sound good." she whispered, eyeing Kurt.
"So what happens from here?" Kurt asked, taking Jane's hand and squeezing tightly.
"You will need surgery to remove the stone." the doctor said. "I've spoken to the surgical team and they have decided the best course of action would be to remove your gallbladder while they're in there, to prevent future attacks."
"Ok… W-what?" Jane stammered. "How is that going to affect me?" she asked, fear evident on her face. She had barely made it through the ZIP poisoning with no lasting effects, so naturally, she was worried that this was going to change her future.
The doctor smiled softly.
"You will be ok." he reassured. "Once you've recovered from your surgery, you will be able to continue with your normal lifestyle."
Jane blew out a lungful of air in relief.
"I'm going to organize getting you transferred up to surgical." the doctor said. "If you have any more questions, they will be able to answer them before you go into theatre."
Jane nodded, another wave of sickness washing over her, though she wasn't overly sure if it was from the illness or her nerves at this point.
The doctor left the cubicle, closing the curtains behind him.
She closed her eyes again, breathing heavily through her nose. She felt Kurt's hand on her shoulder, and was comforted by the fact that he was still there.
"Some stomach bug huh?" he chuckled, though there was no humor in his voice.
Jane smiled weakly, too overcome with her nausea to trust opening her mouth to reply.
"At least there will be no lasting effects." Kurt said, kissing the back of her hand. "They're gonna get you fixed up, and then I can take you home, where I can keep an eye on you for a while."
That one caused Jane to smile properly. What she wouldn't give to be in her own bed, wrapped up in the safety of her husband's arms.
Jane was transferred up to surgical fairly quickly. The doctors were worried at her level of pain and she had been bumped up the surgical list for that day. She would be going into surgery later that evening.
She was incredibly nervous, but also relieved that she was going in so soon. It would have been hell if she had had to have waited until the next day. She was glad that it was going to be over and done with, both because of her anxiety, but also because she just needed a little relief.
She had been transferred into a single room - which she was quite thankful for. She was starting to get a little embarrassed about vomiting in front of people.
She was due her pain medication any moment, and she couldn't help but moan against the torment in her belly.
Kurt had made himself comfortable in the armchair beside her bed, wanting to be as close to her as possible, but also knowing she was in too much discomfort to get on the bed with her at that point.
Her stomach chose that moment to cramp painfully, before lurching forcefully. She whimpered as she retched over the emesis bowl, bile and acid spilling out of her in burning heaves.
Kurt moved, sitting beside her on the bed. His hand found the spot between her shoulder blades, rubbing circles to try and alleviate some of the sickness that was coming off her in waves.
Jane cried out, clutching her stomach with one hand, the other holding the basin so tight her knuckles has started to turn white.
Kurt frowned at the distress on his wife's face. Deciding enough was enough, he reached over for her call buzzer, pressing it once, before turning back to Jane, whispering soft nothings in her ear to try and calm her down a little.
A young nurse entered the room, taking in the scene in front of her. She opened Jane's chart, before looking at her wrist watch.
"I'll go and get you some more medication." she said sympathetically, rubbing Jane on the shoulder.
"Thank you." Kurt said, and the nurse nodded before leaving the room.
Jane was down to dry heaves, tears leaking down her face as her body tortured her within.
"Kurt." she whimpered between spasms, reaching for his hand.
"Sshh." he whispered, at a loss on how to help her. He continued to rub soothing circles on her back with one hand, his other squeezing hers in return.
The nurse returned and medication was administered, but Jane continued to writhe in pain. The antiemetic seemed to be working, as Jane had stopped vomiting, but the pain didn't seem to be lessening at all.
"I'm going to page the doctor." the nurse said, worried that the pain medication wasn't having any effect.
She left the room and Kurt turned back to his wife. Jane had stopped moving, breathing heavily through her clenched jaw. She was lying rigidly in the fetal position, her eyes squeezed shut, her face pinched in pain. Tears had managed to leak out of the corner of her eyes, trailing down into her hairline.
Kurt knew she was trying to her best to regain control of her body, but could see she was failing miserably.
"Oh baby." he whispered, wiping the tears from her face. He didn't expect an answer, and he didn't receive one. He kept vigil by her side, squeezing her hand to try and offer some comfort, or to at least remind her that he was there.
The doctor arrived some fifteen minutes later, to find Jane in the same position, still silent and still rigidly trying to breathe through the pain.
"I'm Doctor Southon." he said introducing himself. "I'll be performing your surgery this evening."
Jane didn't answer, so Kurt stood and shook his hand.
"I understand that your pain is no longer lessening with your pain medication."
Jane managed to shake her head, before groaning. Any movement she made sent tendrils of white hot pain snaking through her abdomen.
"Do you mind if I examine you?" he asked moving closer to the bed.
Jane cringed internally. The pain was already severe enough without him poking and prodding her. But she knew it was necessary. She nodded her confirmation, and Kurt helped her raise her gown so the doctor had access to her stomach.
"Do you need her on her back?" Kurt asked.
"No she's ok on her side." Doctor Southon replied, sanitizing his hands.
He gently palpated Jane's upper abdomen, noting the swelling was a lot worse than what had been described in her notes. Jane cried out in pain at the contact, screwing up her face, before returning to panting through her locked jaw.
The doctor put his stethoscope in his ears, listening to her belly. He frown, before removing the chest piece.
"I'm not overly happy with what I'm seeing." The doctor admitted. "Your swelling is worse and you have little to no bowel sounds." He made a note on her chart. "I'm going to bump you up the list." He decided. "I'll get someone along to prep you shortly. You'll be on the table within the hour."
Jane managed to nod in acknowledgment, her anxiety having left as she just wanted respite from her pain. She actually felt relieved that she would be going up sooner rather than later.
"Do you have any questions?" Doctor Southon asked, and again was met with silence from Jane.
He looked at Kurt questioningly.
Kurt shook his head, knowing that anything he wasn't sure about would be answered when she woke up.
He shook Kurt's hand again, before leaving the room.
Things moved fairly quickly after that. A nurse came in to prep her for surgery, and within fifteen minutes after, an orderly came in to take her up to surgical.
Kurt leant over, kissing his wife on the forehead.
"I'll be waiting here for you when you wake up." he murmured.
Jane managed to open her eyes and give him a small reassuring smile.
"I love you." she whispered in a pained voice.
"I love you too." he said, squeezing her hand. He watched as she was wheeled away from him, his heart leaving the room with her. He very nearly lost his resolve once she was out of sight, but took a deep breath, schooling his features.
She needed him to be strong. The next few hours were going to be torture, but he needed to keep his emotions impassive so he could be there for her when she woke up.
He sighed, taking a seat, staring at her empty bed.
Everything would be ok. It had to be.