General Hospital Nathan and Maxie (Naxie) Story
The Shot: True Love Comes Once in a Lifetime
Chapter 7: The Shot: Coming around or is he? Pt 2
Darkness_ stillness_
A short time later, Dr. Lenney come out of the room thinking, "Dammit, I hate it when I have to tell a family that there are more complications that has been added to the already long lists of injuries and telling loved ones that he might not make it through the night." Finishing his thought, he heads to the vistors lounge.
As he enters he asks, "Mr. Scorpio?"
"I'm he. What's wrong with my daughter's boyfriend?" Mac asked.
"I was told you were here. I was told that you could tell me where might I find your daughter so I can give her an update on her fiance?"
Mac tried not to look surprised that he called Maxie, Nathan's fiancee but he went on to say, "Her mother took her home because she has been so worried about him that she has not slept in over 12 hours since he got shot. If you don't mind skipping the rules, my heart hurts for her as she goes through this and so I would appreciate if you can tell me the other bad news. I want to prepare her before you tell her what I can see printed on your face.
Dr. Ethan weighted in and came to the realization that this father was looking out for his daughter like any father would so he decides to tell him, "All right. I'll give you a rundown. He has oxygen hypoxia, which mean that his brain went without oxygen for a long period of time. He had two surgeries, internal bleeding and we are closely monitoring his brain because of the fact he was deprived of oxygen getting to his brain.
He can't breathe on his own so he is hooked up to a ventilator and as a result of that it caused him to come down with pneumonia. It's not usually life threatening but in his case, it as become dangerous serious for him. We have started giving him penicillin but if that doesn't work, we will have to find an antibiotic that will.
Usually we would take the patient off the ventilator after 24 hours to prevent this from happening but in Nathan's case the machine is the only thing that is keeping him alive.
"Not liking the sound of that. Is there more?" Mac pipes in and asks.
"His heart is very weak and his rate of surviving is still at 20 percent..."
"Okay"
"I added limits on the visitors, so in the best interest of my patient, a nurse will stay with him for the next 48 to 72 hours to monitor him and the visits will be limited to 15 minutes every hour on the hour. Any and all visitors will have to wash their hands and put on protection gear so that he won't be applicable in catching something that they might be carrying that would make his condition more serious than pneumonia and could put his recover further back than what it already is.
A worried Mac asks, "So if the antibiotics get the pneumonia under control and his blood pressure returns to normal, he could wake up?"
The skeptical doc replies, "Yes, he could but I have to warn you, if or when he wakes up, he will be very weak and unable to communicate. He will have to relearn the basic things and it will be a very long recovery time and he might be unable to return to police work."
Mac stumbled back when he hears that. "What do you mean he might not be able to return to being a detective."
"Didn't anyone tell you that?" The confused doc asks. "He could be paralyzed from the waist down."
"WHAT?" Mac was stunned. He paused for a minute before adding, "I... I was so worried about my daughter that it could have gone in one ear and out the other."
The doctor clarifies, "the bullet did lot of damage to his heart and pretty much bounced around in his chest and then hitting and stopping at the spinal cord. I'm telling you what I told your daughter, there is a slight chance that he won't be paralyzed from the waist down but we just don't know for sure until we can run more tests. My opinion is even if the x-rays show that the swelling is decreasing it still doesn't look like he will ever walk again at least without aid.
I can tell you this, just between you and me, is that nothing is set in stone. I've have seen people that the odds were against them but have bewilder their doctors by walking. I'm a doctor that focus on facts and not one who believes in miracles and I don't like to give my patients hope when there is none. But I have to say from watching him fight, he just might surprise this unbeliever.
"What I have seen and heard from the police commissioner, he is stubborn and a fighter. I'm not ruling him out just yet, plus he has my daughter who is probably more stubborn than he is and she will not let him feel sorry for himself if she has anything to say about it." the also stubborn bartender acknowledges.
Just then Ethan's pager goes off. "Well, I have another patient that just came into the ER. I'll check back with Nathan after I finish with this new patient and hopefully after I get some sleep." Dr. Lenney hurries away.
Mac looks on Nathan through the glass window as he gets out his phone from his back pocket to call and check on his wife and daughter.
Felicia doesn't answer, so he leaves a message on her phone. He goes and finds a nurse to help him put on the protection gear. In advance, he told the nurse that if his phone rings to answer it and come and get him. He had left a quick message to his wife, the mayor, updating her on Nathan's status.
He needed to make sure his future "son-in-law" knew that if he hurts his little girl by dying, there will be hell to paid. He is not going to stand by and watch his girl get hurt again and he will make damn sure it won't happen.
It might have been an hour since he had been in with Nathan when he turns and sees a nurse motioning him to come out of the cubicle. "Mac, sorry to bother you but your phone was ringing so I answered it. It's Felicia. She wanted you to know that they along with Lulu, I think thats who she said was with them, would be coming around after they had lunch and girly time. It was the only way for her to keep Maxie from rushing back here so soon after just leaving."
Lulu had said that she got here shortly after they brought Nathan in and Dante followed after he left you at the pier. They were driving home when we got the call to that Maxie needed her parents because Nathan had been shot while transferring Faison to Pentonville." the ex-police commissioner- bartender paused. "There have been more complications besides the bullet bouncing around. I was also told by Nathan's doctor that there is a very high chance of him being paralyzed from the waist down due to where the bullet is located at.
He hasn't shown any positive signs that he's coming out of the coma and the longer he is in there, less likely of him ever being a cop again.
It was not anything the police commissioner wanted to know. She didn't want to lose one of her best detectives since she once again put on the badge for become the Port Charles head police officer. She regrettably felt sad for Dante who had lost three partners since transferring from New York police department and now be losing his forth partner to a bullet.
Anna was shocked. She couldn't find words to describe how she felt about the news about her detective and what do about it. She looks around for her best friend and when she doesn't see her, she asks, ""Okay. Does my wife want me to call her back?"
"No, but she did say that Anna would be checking on her detective, too." Replies the nurse.
He just nods.
Shortly thereafter, Anna shows up as Mac was getting more coffee.
"Hi, Mac. How is my detective doing?" Inquired the police commissioner.
"He's not getting worse but not getting better. He has pneumonia and they are fighting that with antibiotics and in addition to that, they are having a hard time getting his blood pressure up. Once the drug kicks in for his pneumonia, they are hopefully that he will turn the corner but thats still up in the air so to speak." the former not too hopeful police commissioner answers.
"Has the Falconeris been up to see him since he has been here?" Asked Anna
"Yea, Where is Maxie and Felicia?"
"She took our daughter home this morning for much needed sleep. She just called and they are having some girl time before coming here. They should be here within the hour if not sooner." reply Mac the Flowing Rib owner.
They do small talk until Anna sees the party coming off the elevator.
"Mac, Is Nathan awake, yet?" Maxie questioned.
"No honey, he isn't. I have something to tell you before you visit with Nat." Mac says as he guides her to a chair
"While you were gone...
Mac tries to get her to Maxie yells at her dad. "You promised me that you would call me. Why didn't you?" Yelled Maxie
Mac tries to calm her down to explain his reasons. "You haven't slept in over 12 hours, you were about to collapse for the second time, and you look like death was knocking on your door."
"I don't care because I specify asked you to call me no what! What if he had died and I wasn't here? Did you ever think of that?" Maxie sharply asked
"I'm sorry but I'm your dad and I wanted to shield you from the pain. I promise that never again will I not call or come and get you if the need ever rises."
"Okay. Sorry that I yelled at you. I'm so worried that I'll miss something and won't be here if he dies."
"Now that's settle, do you want me to continue explaining what went on while you were getting much deserve sleep?" Inquired Mac
"Yes"
"He had a seizure due to a number of things including lack of oxygen during the ride here, from the surgeries and being hypotension. He developed pneumonia due to having the ventilator and have him on IV antibiotics for it. You with me so far?" Maxie slowly nods.
"They changed the rules for visiting. A nurse will be in the room for the next 48 to 72 hours or until Dr. Lenney is satisfied that Nathan is clear of pneumonia. Visitors will have to wash their hands and put on a gown before they are to enter his room and we can only visit for the first 15 minutes every hour."
Maxie leans back and signs. He was fighting so hard but wasn't catching any breaks. He would be good for awhile and then alarms go off. It felt like they were on a roller coaster, up then down, up again, down again. When would this end and how much more can his body take? She prayed that there would be no more complications and that he would turn the corner.
Maxie walked over to her boyfriend's room and saw Liz with full protection gown writing down notes and checking the machines and his IV. When she was done, Liz walks out of the cubilcle and says, "Do you need any help putting on the gown? If not, once you have it on you can go in and visit him. I'll even break the rules just this once and let you visit for 30 minutes but after that, you will have to leave. Okay?"
"Thanks, Liz."
Maxie reached over and kissed her fiance's forehead before sitting down. I specifically recall telling you that under no circumstances were you to scare me ever again and what's the first thing you do as soon as I leave? You scared me. Do you know what this means? Well, I'll tell you what it means, I'm going to be here in day and day out until you open those gorgeous beautiful blue-green eyes of yours and looking back at me. I'm going to talk to you until I'm blue in the face. If you think that I'm going to let you give up without a fight than you don't know me the good. I love you too much to let this tear us apart and nothing and no one will stop us from being together and making a life of our own.
I have losted too many guys to count and I won't give you permission to leave me so you fight until all your strength is depleted and I will pick up and carry you through the hardest time. We are in this together.
Right here, right now is my solemn vow to you.
I, Maxie Jones, do solemn swear to love, cherish, and honor you. I will stand and fight for you in sickness and in health, in richer or for poorer, in good times and in harder times, sweat and tears, in defeats and in accomplishments as long as we both shall live. I will comfort you when you need comforting, I will care and encourage you when you have lost your way, and I will love you for all eternity. This is my bonding vow to you and to you alone.
Beeeep_
A/N: I don't know what color of Ryan's(Nathan) eyes are because everytime I see them they are either blue, brown, or green. I don't know if its the light's reflection that makes his eyes change color or what it is? If someone does know the color of his eyes, please let me know when you PM me. Thanks.
Chapter 8 is being written as soon as I finish typing this sentence.
