So this is a pretty important chapter...
Chapter 55.
Joey was having his own successes as much as Lauren was. His speech was improving each day. There were times he'd struggle and would get tongue-tied over some longer words but he could manage a much larger vocabulary now. Usually Lauren was there and she'd help him get through when he struggled but if she wasn't there it was a fraught experience which meant he just became upset with himself. His manoeuvrability was also getting easier every day and his upper body strength had improved too. In the last couple of days they'd begun to work purely on his legs. It was tiring work and usually left him feeling very irritable. The only thing that cheered him up at the end of those days was Lauren and she'd done so with a smile; never taking offense if he was a bit snappy.
Today was a big day for both of them. Today Lauren was going back to see her consultant and she was going to get her test results. She'd been really nervous the night before but she'd stayed at the hospital with Joey and it had helped to calm her, it had also been the highlight of Joey's day, although they'd done nothing more than sleep in the same bed. Joey had managed to convince his doctor to let him go with Lauren to her appointment and they were both waiting outside the consultant's office. Lauren was sitting on Joey's lap while they waited, she was feeling incredibly nervous about what they were about to find out. Her parents had wanted to be there with her but she'd told them she needed to do this on her own... or rather with Joey. It was really that she wasn't ready to hear what he said with them there. She just needed Joey there to hold her hand. Neither of her parents had been particularly happy but they'd reached a compromise where they would meet them later in Joey's room. The door to the office opened and the consultant beckoned Lauren in. She climbed off his lap and walked into his office. Joey followed behind her, taking her hand once she was seated.
"Hello Lauren." He turned his attention to Joey, "You must be Joey? I've heard a great deal about you from your doctor. It's good to meet you." Joey smiled at the elderly man. He opened a thick file on his desk and then turned his attention to Lauren. "Okay, Lauren. As you know we've done a full range of tests on you over the last few weeks. I've looked through your results. There is good news and there is some not so good news." Lauren bit her lip and Joey squeezed her hand, his thumb brushing across the back of it softly. "Okay, the good news first. There appears to be no damage to your brain, lungs or your central nervous system. You are also not diabetic which can be a possibility for someone with your previous level of intake."
Lauren was tense as she sat in the chair and Joey edged his wheelchair closer so he could put his arms around her. "What have you found then?" she whispered. "What's the bad news?"
"Well, I should start by saying that all the damage we've found is in the very early stages. Your liver is showing slight signs of alcoholic liver disease. This damage can be reversed but it will mean a significant lifestyle change for you. You simply can't drink at all, Lauren. Smoking is also out. You'll need to increase the level of exercise you do. With a calorie controlled diet and some additional vitamins and iron there's a good chance the damage could be reversed completely. If you don't make the lifestyle changes I've suggested the damage will worsen and you could end up with cirrhosis. In most cases this will most likely be fatal." Lauren burst into tears at his words and he fell silent, giving her time to recover from the shock. Once she'd calmed down a little he began to speak again, "I'm sorry to be so blunt about it Lauren, but I've found that in these circumstances there is little point in sugar-coating what I tell you. You need to hear the reality of the situation. It's much more likely to get a positive result."
"Okay..." she whispered, understanding but hating to hear it all the same. Joey's hand brushed through her hair in an effort to give her some comfort.
"Is there any other damage?" Joey asked slowly.
"Yes. There are also slight signs of damage to your pancreas. Again this shouldn't get worse if you cut out the alcohol completely. The biggest concern for me is the damage to your heart. You have the very early signs of alcoholic cardiomyopathy; this is where the heart becomes enlarged and it can lead to heart failure. This is more serious than the other damage but it can be managed with medication. For the next couple of months I'd like to keep a close eye on you and ensure there's no further degradation with any of these issues but that doesn't mean you can't live a healthy productive life, Lauren. Like I said earlier we've diagnosed these all in the early stages, before any major damage has been done." Lauren nodded her head and rested it on Joey's shoulder. "I've booked another appointment for you in three months time, along with some tests to be performed a week earlier so we'll have the results when you come and see me again. I'd also like you to see a dietician who'll be able to give you advice on the foods you need to increase or cut out. I know this is a little overwhelming and if you have any questions, please contact me or my p.a. and I'll try to answer them for you."
"Thank you." She said softly.
"Here's a prescription for the medication you need for your heart. If you have any concerns about how you feel when you start taking them, come directly into A&E. Sometimes finding the correct medication and dosage is an art all of its own. We'll review it in any case at our next appointment." He passed her the piece of paper and Lauren held it in her clenched hand.
*JL*JL*
They made their way back to Joey's room in numb silence. Joey was holding her hand and he could feel the tremors running through her body. "Babe," he whispered, pulling on her hand so she came to a stop. "Come here," he said gently, seeing how close to a complete meltdown she actually was. He pulled on her arm and she walked towards him. He pulled her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her, trying to protect her from any harm. She fell apart once she was sitting with him and he murmured to her softly, trying to calm her.
"I need daddy..." she pleaded with him in a whisper.
"I'll call him." He said, pulling his mobile from his pocket. He dialled the number for his uncle. It was answered on the first ring. "Uncle Max..." he said, his voice very quiet as he tried to control the emotions it held.
"Joey?"
"Lauren needs you." He whispered. "I need you too." He added. Much as he wanted to, he knew he couldn't help Lauren with this on his own. Not right now anyway.
"Where are you?"
"We're on the third floor, near the lifts."
"I'll be with you in a few minutes." Max said and his voice sounded so reassuring to Joey.
Joey ended the call and went back to trying to calm Lauren. She was still crying a great deal and when Max appeared three minutes later nothing had changed. "Daddy..." she whispered when she felt his hand on her back.
Max moved them towards some chairs and took a seat, lifting Lauren off Joey's lap onto his own. As he hugged her tightly Joey quietly told him what the consultant had told them. Max's face paled the more he heard and he felt his own pain increase at hearing what his daughter faced in her future. "We'll get through this, babe. I know we can. We're all going to be helping you with this, darling." He lifted her chin and brushed away her tears, "Let's get you back downstairs." He said, lifting her and putting her back on Joey's lap. Max pushed Joey down the corridors, into and out of the lift and back to his room. Tanya and Lesley were both waiting for them when he pushed them into the room. Max lifted Lauren in his arms and waited for Joey to get out of his chair and back into his bed. Once he was there he carefully passed his daughter to his nephew.
"Max?" Tanya whispered.
"Let's go outside..." he said quietly. They walked out of the room and Max told them everything Joey had told him. Tanya broke down in tears and collapsed into his arms. "Joey said it's all manageable and the damage to her liver can be reversed." He tried to reassure her but it was very difficult to do when he felt so despondent himself.
TBC
A/N: Sorry, I hope you don't hate me... I just didn't think that with the abuse Lauren has put her body through she would get away scot free... Again I've done research but if anything I've said above isn't right, then it's just artistic license. So there you go... just as Joey is recovering his issues, it turns out it's Lauren that's the sick one. How will they cope with this...? If you're lucky, you may get another quick update tonight.
