Chapter Twenty-Two

'Alright, sweetheart,' Zoe shone a bright light into her patient's eyes, and examined his mouth. He'd bitten the side of his cheek. 'How much fluid did you say he's had?'

'Litre and a half of saline,' Dixie said, panting, still. The transfer into the ED had been incredibly difficult with the icy ground. Connie had been snatched by Alicia as soon as she'd set foot through the door. 'He's been post-ictal for about forty-five minutes. He was only seizing for three minutes. The traffic is hideous. Connie said he'd down downhill rapidly, she thinks he's got a chest infection.'

'I'm in agreement. Still, Connie will want an EEG, just in case it's related to his head inury.'

Ethan started to move, feeling the all-too-familiar acid burn in the back of his throat. 'Turn him!' Dixie said, quickly, and Zoe put down her torch abruptly. He choked as he was sick, his eyes streaming. His body was completely exhausted from the force of the seizure, his head feeling dull and stone-like. He didn't even protest as Louise snaked the suction tube into his mouth and cleared his airway.

'Are we clear to roll back?'

'Looks like it. Alright, alright! Come on, sweetheart, I've got to check you're alright. Nearly done, there we go.' Ethan flinched and tried to arch his back, as Zoe's stethoscope ran over his chest. 'I don't think he's got pneumonia again, this time. It was asphyxiation last time, though. Picked something up on the ward, I expect. Robyn's off, she thinks she got it from Lofty. Ethan's not strong enough to fight it off at the moment.'

Ethan groaned, miserably. His mouth tasted disgusting, and his head was foggy. He coughed, feeling mucus in his chest and lungs, and Louise pushed the suction into his mouth. He wanted to bite the tube and break it.

'Is the side room empty?' Zoe asked Charlie, putting her stethoscope around her neck again. 'I don't want to send him back up tonight, in case he goes downhill, and AAU are rammed. There's no chance of a bed on respiratory tonight, either.'

'I can go and get it ready,' Charlie said, peering at Ethan. 'Do you want me to find Connie and check with her?'

'No, we're already a consultant down tonight. He's in safe hands. I'm going to keep him in here for another hour or two, RESUS 1 is coping well. Can you grab Dr Munroe to finish checking him over, and make him comfortable?'

He didn't want to see Alicia, or anyone. He wanted to sleep, and was fed up of the bright lights burning into his eyes, even when they were closed. 'I'm fine,' he argued, grabbing at the blanket and trying to pull it over his head.

'Careful, you've got saline going in,' Alicia carefully moved the blanket away from him, and he felt like growling at her. She ran her stethoscope over his chest, and he scowled.

'Just need to sleep it off,' he said. 'Feel better.'

'Let's get you sorted out. You'll be able to sleep properly then,' Alicia's voice was kind, and he didn't fight her. She managed to get him comfortable, and then he felt himself falling into sleep again, with the warm water and his familiar, soft pyjamas on his skin feeling good after the car interior and cave walls. He was still warm to touch, but his fever had broken. Zoe had pumped a good quantity of antibiotics into his system, and his breathing felt easier already. He'd always had problems with his chest. Caleb had gone through life almost wholly experiencing pain or illness only as a result of his own indulgences, while Ethan was much more unlucky with his health. Once again, Ethan thought, shocked by his own spite, felt a stab of envy towards Caleb. He'd maybe never run again, possibly feel the effects of the head injury he'd suffered for the rest of his life- all while Cal pissed his good health away down the pub.

A second seizure came at around 3 in the morning, when he'd been moved to his old room. Zoe had heard the monitor, and run in, finding him fallen from the bed and writhing on the floor, his eyes rolled back and his lips blue. 'Get Connie!' she'd barked, at David, the new nurse, who was stood in the doorway. Ethan's cannula had slipped from his nose, and she fumbled for it, turning the dial up as fast as she could. 'Can I get some help in here, please!' Zoe bellowed, panic rising in her chest. Ethan's skin was almost grey, his eyes dull.

'I need the trolley,' Zoe pushed her hair from her face, and began compressions. 'Connie! He's stopped breathing.'

The next few minutes were a blur, as Connie's hands went on autopilot. She was surprised by how competent she was, and how confident she felt in her abilities. Finally, she was able to say the words.

'He's stable,' Connie panted, kneeling next to Ethan. She felt herself going weak with relief. 'I want an urgent MRI now he's intubated. Something's seriously wrong here.'

'Bleed?'

'I don't know,' she felt like a child, stubborn and whiny. 'He's not had a seizure for weeks. Even if we can attribute the first to the fever, he's completely stabilised temperature-wise, now.'

'It could be stress-related,' Zoe mused. 'Years ago, when I was a student, one of my housemates had seizures when they were very stressed. He's had a day that I don't think I could have dealt with well, and I've not been in hospital with a head injury for weeks.'

Connie exhaled, sitting on her heels. 'It's possible. Physically, he's several steps back from where he was before we left yesterday morning. Mentally, who knows?'

Zoe sighed, and got up. 'I'll ring for the scan.' She paused, tapping her heels. 'Do you want me to be the one to tell Cal?'