JANE
To say the last week has been exhausting, would be an understatement.
Ever since you were moved out of ICU it's been a constant stream of blood draws, scans, x-rays, tests, and visits from multiple doctors. But it had all been put on the top of the list due to your worsening condition and need for lungs. There would be a meeting where the transplant doctors would go over all your results and make a decision as to whether or not you are a candidate for lungs.
Tom was a nervous wreck, you could tell he wasn't sleeping.
Today Ben and Sophie were supposed to visit so you were going to try and convince Tom to go home for awhile and rest.
You scooch yourself up a bit and look over to see him reading a book. You reach for his hand and his sleepy blue eyes look over to you with a hint of worry.
"Everything ok, dear?"
You nod. "I'm ok, but you're not. I'm worried about you, Tom. You aren't getting any rest."
"Jane I'm alri-" You interrupt. "No you aren't. Now when Ben and Sophie get here, it would make me very happy if you went to the house and slept. In our nice comfortable bed. Please? For me?"
He sighs and looks at you for a moment before a small smile crosses his face. "Thank you for thinking of me. I'll go home for a few hours and try to nap."
You smile wide. "Thank you." You lean in and he kisses you gently before Ben and Sophie come in.
"Knock knock!" Sophie says gently.
"Hi Ben, hi Sophie. Come on in." Tom says as he stands and offers his chair to our pregnant friend.
She takes the seat with a grin after giving you a hug. Ben comes to the other side of you and gives you a kiss on the head.
"How are you feeling today?" Sophie asks.
"I'm kind of tired. But my appetite is a bit better, I managed a bowl of chicken noodle soup."
"That's great!" Ben says with a grin.
Tom speaks up now. "Jane has asked that I go home and rest for awhile while you both are here to watch out for her. Is that ok with you?"
"YES!" Ben and Sophie say in unison.
You giggle and smirk at Tom to prove your point that he needed rest.
"Alright alright I'll go. Thank you both. Call me if you need anything ok?" He comes inbetween you and Sophie for a quick kiss.
"I will. Now go and get some sleep." You say and he leaves the room.
Ben and Sophie brought some movies to watch. You decide on "10 Things I Hate About You".
You're fast asleep only minutes after it starts.
~ 7 days later~
TOM
Jane was sleeping, and you were pacing.
Dr. S said that he would be by shortly with the news of the transplant teams decision on whether or not Jane would be put on the list for lungs.
This decision literally meant life or death. As it is even if she's on the list, there's no guarantee she will get the call on time. But without it there is no chance for her. Her time was running out and running out fast.
You look over at her sleeping, she was struggling a bit. Her breaths nothing but shallow little rasps, her skin pale, her figure so thin. The woman you loved was fading away.
You turn to pace again and Dr. S was standing in the doorway.
"What did they say?" You say to him rather urgently.
A smile spreads across his face and he pulls a pager out of his pocket. "They said yes! This is her pager. When this goes off, that means there are lungs available."
You felt as though you were going to collapse with relief. "Oh my gosh... I can't believe it."
"That's not my only good news.. Not only is she on the list, she is number one for her blood type."
"I cannot thank you enough. Will you thank the team for me? Do I wake her up for this? What happens next? We just wait?" Suddenly your mind was going a thousand miles an hour. Dr. S chuckled.
"I think this news warrants waking her up. You can thank the team when they come up to talk to you about what will go on once the pager goes off. It is just a waiting game from here on out. If she doesn't get a call while she's still here, then you will just wait at home. She will still be here for awhile though, so she may just get the call here. Also, I've noticed her struggling while she sleeps so I am ordering for her to be on bipap overnight."
"I noticed that too, so I think that's a good idea. Thank you so much."
He just smiles and gives your hand a shake. "I'm so happy this worked out. I'll leave you alone to tell her."
Dr. S leaves and you turn to your sleeping wife. You go and sit at the edge of her bed and rub her shoulder. "Jane? Can you wake up for a moment?"
She stirs and turns to you, sleep still heavy in her features. "Mmmm?"
"The team made their decision." Her eyes go wide. "What did they say?"
You hold up the pager. "You're at the top of the list for your blood type."
She swings her arms around you and begins to cry. You squeeze her tightly and let a few tears fall aswell. " I can't believe it. Oh Tom, this might happen. I might be ok. I might get a second chance!"
You pull back and look into her eyes. "I love you so much, Jane."
"I love you, too."
A little while later you call Ben and Sophie and are greeted by screams from Sophie and quite a few hoorays from Ben.
That night you sleep beside Jane, her bipap attached and her breathing no longer a struggle, the monitors beeping and buzzing, and for the first time in over two weeks, you fall asleep with some hope.