Chapter 10

"Up and About"

"Good afternoon, P.J." Nurse Emily announced as she entered the room, noting that P.J. was awake.

"Afternoon?'" P.J. asked, rubbing his eyes.

Emily checked the young man's vital signs and his IV line. "Looks like we're going to have you up and about for awhile." She stated, watching P.J.'s reaction.

"Really?" P.J. asked.

Emily nodded. "Yes, really. Just a short trip to the bathroom and back, but none-the-less, you'll be up and out of bed." She made a notation in his chart. "If all goes well, we may even let you sit up for awhile."

P.J. smiled. "That would be great. I'm really tired of lying around."

"It's only been a couple of days, P.J." Nurse Emily reminded him. "You are going to have to take things slow and easy for a while. Give your body time to catch up, OK?"

P. J. nodded. "I know."

Emily smiled and placed the chart on the table near the bed. "Are you ready?"

"I guess."

"OK, here's what you're going to do." She explained exactly what she wanted him to do to now overexert himself, or pop any of his stitches. Soon P.J. was sitting on the edge of the bed. "That's great, P.J.! You're up! Are you lightheaded?"

P.J. shook his head. "No. Can we try the floor?" He asked.

"Slow down. Let's just sit right here for a minute and make sure you're not going to pass out on me." Emily stayed close by and kept a careful watch on her young patient. "OK, let's see if we can get you into this wheelchair." She pulled the chair close by the bed and helped P.J. to his feet.

P.J. grimaced slightly as he feet touched the floor, but then eased himself into the wheelchair.

"Are you alright?" Emily asked as she unlocked the wheels.

P.J. nodded. "I think so."

"Good." She began to push him across the room.

Once P.J. finished in the bathroom, Emily helped him back into the chair. "Do you feel like sitting up, or are you ready to lay down again?"

"I think I'd like to sit up." He answered.

"Good." Emily handed him a magazine. "In case you get bored." She explained. "I have some sick people to take care of, unlike you. If you need me, just call the front desk."

"Thanks, Emily."

Emily had only been out of the room for a few minutes when someone knocked on the door. "Come in." P.J. answered.

Amy and Bob stuck their heads in carefully, eyeing the bed and seeing no one in it. "P.J.?" Amy called out.

"Oh, hey mom, dad." P.J. greeted.

Amy's eyes widened. "You're up? Does Dr. Allen know you're up?"

"Of course. She's the one who suggested it."

Bob smiled and ruffled P.J.'s hair, careful of the bruise on the left side of his head. "How are you doing, sport?"

P.J. nodded slowly. "I'm pretty good. A little sore, but pretty good." He looked around Amy and Bob. "Where's everyone else?"

"Teddy is watching Gabe and Charlie. The hospital isn't letting anyone under 16 in because of infection risks." Bob explained.

"What are you reading?" Amy asked, changing the subject.

"Not much, just mostly looking at the pictures. It makes my head hurt to read." He answered.

Amy squeezed his right arm. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" P.J. asked.

"That you have to go through this." Amy said softly.

"Oh." He paused and offered a crooked smile. "I'll be fine, mom."

Amy smiled. "I know you will, sweetheart."

Dr. Allen knocked on the door. "Oh, I see you have company."

"Hey, Dr. Allen. How's it going?" P.J. said.

Dr. Allen smiled. "I'm good and it looks like you're doing pretty well yourself." She reviewed his charts. "You know, I want one more brain scan, but it looks like you might be going home tomorrow."

P.J.'s eyes widened. "Tomorrow, really?"

"I know I initially said a week to 10 days, but you're recovering nicely and since the concussion wasn't as bad as we originally thought, I'm pretty convinced that you'll be leaving us tomorrow."

P.J. smiled. "Alright!"

"Now, don't get me wrong, you're still going to be on lots of bed rest and none of your usual activities for a while. You'll need to be very careful so you don't pull loose any of my fine sewing work here." She pointed towards his leg and side.

"I get it. Sort of like house arrest." P.J. said glumly.

Dr. Allen smiled. "Well, only if you think of your mom and dad as wardens." She looked at Amy and Bob, Bob stared at Amy.

"Umm. Amy, he will need some space. Don't smother him, but don't let him hurt himself either." Dr. Allen laughed.

"I won't." Amy said defensively.

"P.J., I need to take a look at your leg and your side. Do you want your parents in here or not?" Dr. Allen asked.

"They can stay." P.J. replied.

"OK, I'll get Emily in here, so we can get you back in bed." She pressed the call button.

"Yes."

"This is Dr. Allen, could you send Emily in here, please?"

"Yes, Dr. Allen."

Emily entered the room. "Can you help him back into bed?" Dr. Allen asked. "I'd like to examine his side and leg."

Emily smiled. "Sure. P.J., do you remember how we talked about you using my arms as leverage?"

P.J. nodded and placed his hands on Emily's arms and gently pulled himself to his feet. He turned and Emily helped him lower himself into the bed. He grimaced slightly as his leg touched the bed, but adjusted himself and let Emily help him lay down. "Thanks, Emily."

"You're quite welcome, P.J." She replied.

"Amy, Bob, he may need some help getting up and down for a few days. The cut on his leg is still very tender." Dr. Allen cautioned.

Amy nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem."

"OK, P.J., let's see what this leg looks like under these bandages." Dr. Allen began to cut away the bandages while Emily prepared a solution to gently wash the area.

Amy's eyes were drawn to the ugly, four inch cut on P.J.'s left calf. It was slightly red and swollen. "This looks pretty good. P.J., we're going to clean it up a bit and disinfect it. You might feel a little stinging." She moved back and let Emily poor the solution directly onto the cut. "Amy, I know you've done this a million times before, but doing it for you son might be difficult."

P.J. gritted his teeth as the cut began to sting. "It hurts." He cried out.

Emily placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know, P.J. It'll be over soon. We have to make sure it's clean and disinfected."

Amy made her way to the other side of the bed and took P.J.'s hand. "What do you think, kiddo, can you let me do this?"

P.J. squeezed his eyes tightly and nodded. "I guess." He said between clinched teeth.

Soon the burning eased and Dr. Allen put a soothing salve over the cut and had Emily rebandaged it. "Better?" She asked.

P.J. nodded.

"Are you OK?" She asked.

"Just tired." He replied.

Dr. Allen smiled. "I'm sorry, but we need to do the same thing to your side." She began the process all over again on P.J.'s wounded side. When she was finished, P.J. was asleep.

"Are you sure he's ready to come home? He's exhausted." Bob said softly.

"He needs rest and it's a proven fact, most patients rest better at home, not in the hospital." She looked at Bob and Amy. "P.J. is no exception. He's anxious to see Gabe and Charlie and they aren't allowed to visit here right now. He needs to be at home."

Amy nodded. "I need him to be home." She looked up at Bob.

Bob squeezed her hand from across the bed. "I know you do."

"When will you do the brain scan?" Amy asked as the orderlies came in.

"Right now."

"But he's asleep." Bob said.

"His brain's not." Dr. Allen replied as she watched the orderlies gently lift P.J. to the gurney and take him out of the room. "You can stay right here. We'll have him back in about an hour."

TBC