The B-Pap mask machine had helped Clay breathe better...but only when he was deeply asleep. When Trent arrived, Clay was asleep and seemed to be breathing better. Sonny and Trent went to grab some food, taking advantage of Clay being settled. Sonny seemed shaken. As they were walking, Trent sent a quick text to their group letting the rest of the team know that Clay was ok and resting.

"Hey, Sonny he's good, it's just another bump in the road. He's gonna pull through just fine."

"Ah, I don't know Trent. I've never really seen him like that when it's just me and him. I'm not one to enlighten people with my true feelings but he scared the shit outta me. He was struggling so hard he didn't even acknowledge me or the doctor. I can't help but think what else is gonna come up and scare us next. I can't take much more." Sonny said with an exhausted, worn tone to his voice. 

"I know it's hard. Why don't you got take a break and i'll sit with him for a bit." Trent said, knowing Sonny needed to reset. 

"Ah, ok, if you say so. Man i haven't been this worn out in a while. Want me to grab anything?"

"Coffee's fine. Thanks."

Sonny returned about 35 minutes later, coffee just the way Trent liked it in one hand, and a bag of donut holes in the other hand.

"How's it going?" Sonny asked.

"Fine, he's been asleep this whole time. He must be pretty worn out, i don't think he's moved at all."

"Good, thats what he needs."

Hours passed with a few conversations and only a visit from the nurse every hour or so. Clay slept as if nothing else in the world was going on. Jason, Brock, and Ray arrived around dinner, bringing dinner and looked ready to camp out in the room for the evening. They all ate and chatted, with Clay only stirring a few times, but never fully waking.

"Well since you spent some time with him today, why don't you go home for the evening and i'll stay with him. Im sure he'll just sleep the whole time. He seems to think we are boring!" Jason said to the team. 

The night passed mostly without incident. Clay had woken at 11:00pm in some pain and a little confused, but then fell asleep soon after pain meds were administered. Clay did wake in the morning when the nurse came in to check his lines. 

She was flushing some of his lines. Once she got to his chest tube, Clay let out a groan and opened his eyes. He was panicked as he woke up disoriented and with the BiPap mask forcing air into his lungs. He started to move weakly, getting Jason's attention. 

"Shhhh you're ok bud. Don't talk with the mask on. Is he due for pain meds soon?"

"Yep, have them right here." She then injected it into his line, not wanting to let Clay panic any more than he was. 

As soon as she injected the pain meds, Clay settled down and soon went back to sleep. 

"Is his chest really that sore? He's been dead to the world for most of the day, but the second you touched that, he felt it."

"Well unfortunately sometimes with chest tubes, there are nerves that can be affected. My guess is that is what is going on. Hopefully it will resolve soon but it could take a few months. Nerve pain is no joke. Poor guy can't seem to catch a break."

"Hopefully it does. I hate to seen him laid up and in pain."

"He seems to be well loved. He's a lucky guy to have friends who care so much."

"He's a good one. One of the best men i've ever served with." 

"Well he seems to be resting well again. I have other rounds to do, but call me if you need anything."

"Will do, thanks!"

Jason laid back in the cot and fell asleep. The rest of the night was surprisingly peaceful and calm. 

3 days passed, with Clay slowly improving everyday. The BiPap mask had just been removed, so had the chest tube, and Clay had been awake more than he had been any of his stay. 

After 17 days in the hospital, there was talk of a discharge in 2 days, if everything went smoothly from now until with Clay's health, he would be headed home soon. Of course there were a few things that needed done before he was allowed to go, like him taking some steps on his own, peeing on his own, and keeping solid food down. 

All those things sound like easy things to accomplish, but for someone that was in Clay's condition just a few weeks ago, those were some big hurdles to jump. 

When Clay had sat up in the bed for the first time, he was unable to keep himself even slightly upright by himself. Tears had ran down his face as he complained of head pain, nausea, shoulder pain, and just an overall discomfort and embarrassment. 

Trent and Jason had been on the side of the bed as Clay had been lifted, and they had actually hold him upright as he was too weak to do so.

The whole ordeal had sucked the excitement of the thought of Clay going home real quick. Clay had slept the rest of the afternoon, the next task was getting Clay to stand on his own and hopefully take a few steps. 

Later that evening as they sat Clay up, he was slightly better than the last time, but the second he stood up, he barely made it 3 steps before his very small dinner made an appearance and he complained of more discomfort and weakness. The short trek ended in more tears and more puking. 

The team had been so caught up in Clay simply living another day, and really hadn't thought about what challenges would come after, and Sonny had voiced his worry about how to handle Clay in this state when he was released. 

2 Days passed with even more improvement by Clay, although progress was still very small. He was keeping food down mostly, taking a few steps, although he needed a lot of help with that, and all that was left was for him to pee on his own, and then he would be headed home.