Rick had to take a few minutes to answer and tell Jessie what really scared him because he never had a nightmare to that kind of extent when it came to Lesley
" I know you wanted me to get some sleep last night Jessie and I tried... But something kept telling me to stay up incase Lesley needed something or if something was wrong... I never thought I would have a nightmare like what I just had nevermind about my wife..." Rick started to tell Jessie about the nightmare.
" Take your time Rick, it's okay and Lesley is alright.." Jessie sat beside Rick in the waiting area.
" I had finally got the kids off to school... I went back upstairs to help Lesley get up and ready but she wasn't waking up and I guess I started freaking out. I called you and... I called for an ambulance... I think that's when I probably tried again to wake her up and I felt that she was cold to the touch... You woke me up after that... God I don't think I could get through it if I were to lose Lesley..."
" Rick you won't lose her and neither am I. Lesley has made it this far and I believe she'll continue to get better... You Rick have to believe that too." Jessie replied just as Lesley finally came out from radiology..
" I'm okay... Once the scans and all of that come back Dr Richards will be in to see us about where we stand... Rick, have you been crying.. what's wrong?" Lesley looked between Rick and Jessie..
" Oh it was nothing sweetheart, how are you feeling..." Rick attempted to change the subject
" Rick I'm okay... and I know when you are trying to change the subject... Now what made you so upset...?"
" I'm gonna give you some time to talk... You remember what I said." Jessie said and looked towards Rick
Jessie stepped away while there was a chance for Rick and Lesley to talk before Dr Richards got all of her tests and scans back " Rick please don't do that, don't turn slightly from me... Please talk to me and tell me what got you upset... and don't tell me it was nothing because you were upset enough that it had you in tears so talk to me… does it have something to do with me again?" Lesley insisted on Rick opening up to her about his nightmare
" I stayed up all night last night... I tried to get a couple hours of sleep but I wasn't able to.. so I stayed up and just watched you sleep... While you were having your usual testings I had fallen asleep..."
" You had another nightmare... Didn't you... About me?" Lesley sat back alittle bit."
" Lesley I really don't want to think about it because the thought abt it becoming a reality is gonna be the worst that will happen."
" Don't do that to me Rick don't shut down on me now… Talk to me and tell me what's wrong" Lesley insisted
Rick started to open up little by little about his nightmare and what it all was while Lesley and him were waiting to see Dr Richards on her progress.
" Rick I'm gonna be okay I really believe that... I haven't felt better than I do right now... And I mean that I really do feel good right now. Please don't be so frightened." Lesley reached for Rick's hands
" I love you Lesley... Nothing's ever gonna change that..." Rick gave Lesley a kiss just as Dr Richards was ready with her medical reports.
" I ran these twice just to be sure that they were definitive and accurate..." Dr Richards started and Lesley gripped on Rick's hand for support.. " How to explain this, I wouldn't have a clue because just a few weeks ago your tests and everything else was an indication that you were not gonna survive this As your body started shutting down. I don't know what to think of your recovery and the remarkable improvement with the treatment that you have been on from Day 1."
" Are you saying that I really am gonna be okay..." Lesley asked
" Lesley you are heading into complete remission... All your tests and scans came back good just as we could've assumed they would based from your blood work.. however, that does not mean that you are free from the chances of it coming back or changing to where it gets worse again. So what I would like to do is keep you on your current treatment for right now and within the next 2 months I will hope to take you off of the Chemotherapy and put you on a chemical inhibitor for the next few years and every couple of months we will continue with the pet scans with a spinal tap ." Dr Richards suggested and explained
" If that is what you feel would be best then I think it's what we should do..." Lesley agreed and smiled back at Rick
" Jerry I don't quite know how to thank you enough..." Rick said with pleasure and left with Lesley shortly after to take her home
Jessie waited in the waiting area hoping that things were gonna turn out for the better and stood up after she saw Rick and Lesley coming down the hall
" Rick... I would like to tell her... Of course I would like to have you by my side.. "
" Of course sweetheart and tonight depending on a call I'm waiting for, I may take you out tonight to celebrate." Rick crouched beside Lesley so she could give him a hug
" I see smiles, does that mean it's good news...?" Jessie asked straight up
" Sweetheart, would you like to do the honors?" Rick looked down with a smile
" Dr Richards was beyond surprised and astonished when the scans came back but he was thrilled and I even think he was alittle bit confused... Jessie... I'm heading into complete remission.. I am gonna be cancer free." Lesley told Jessie with pride.
" Lesley, that is wonderful... Now you can finally start to get back into a normal life setting..." Jessie replied
" Well not exactly, at least not right away." Lesley spoke up
" But you just told me you are almost in complete remission... How could you not get your life back now.?" Jessie asked with a confused look
" Jerry wants to continue with the Chemotherapy for at least another couple of months to be on the safe side… Then after that obviously I'm gonna have to go back to physical therapy to regain full mobility. And he's gonna put me on a few medications but he was pleased and I also think he was alittle confused about how I made a complete turn around with this treatment."
" Well I think it's the best thing to do so you don't have anything to come back…. Why do you think he was alittle confused?" Jessie replied
" Well because he said as of a few weeks ago I wasn't expected to survive as from what he said that my body was starting to shut down and the treatment wasn't working."
" Well I think it's time to get Lesley home and alittle later I have something to take care of..." Rick said with a smile and walked with Lesley and Jessie out to the car.
~~~
" Thank you Steve, you won't regret it... And Lesley is gonna be ecstatic when I have Jessie bring her later I'm gonna be there shortly to work out final details with you then I'll just stick around.. I have a few patients to see also." Rick said while on the phone with Jessie waiting nearby.
" Up to tricks again... I happened to have heard my name come up.." Jessie gave Rick a little look when asking about his scheme
" Well long story short Jess but I have to be back to the hospital in alittle bit. I have a patient but when I call in to check on Lesley... Would you bring Lesley down over there... Let's just say... I'll have a surprise waiting when you bring her in." Rick whispered, aware that Lesley wasn't too far away from the living-room.
" Richard Webber, what are you plotting now..." Lesley came in just before Jessie could reply to his answer.
" Nothing Les, I have to go back to the hospital for an emergency... I will be sure to check in on you... Will you promise to get some rest while I'm there?" Rick asked
" Rick, I'll be fine... You stay out of trouble, you hear me?" Lesley answered and pointed a finger at Rick
" Oh come on, you know I'm no troublemaker... Bye I love you Les." Rick kissed Lesley and left to get over to General
" I don't know Jessie there's something fishy going on and I got the feeling that Rick is planning something..." Lesley moved over to try to slide onto the couch without falling onto the floor.
" Lesley Rick and I are just very happy and thankful... You are a survivor... I've never seen Rick more scared in his life as I've known him than when he was scared that you weren't gonna make it through all of this and came close quite a few times... And the girls were afraid too... I'm just thankful that it's all over and you have gotten better." Jessie helped Lesley first and then sat next to Lesley on the couch.
" Jessie I owe alot to you and to Rick... I really couldn't have gotten through this without either of you... And now I just feel like I can finally start my life again with you and Rick... And of course my kids... Jessie, thank you... I know that for awhile I made it alittle difficult before Rick knew about this... I can't tell you what it meant that you were there for me..." Lesley got out.
" I could say the same thing about you... You were there when I was going through a very difficult time... Sure Steve was there with support but you didn't let me push it away...you kept pushing rather if I wanted it or not and I will always love you for that..."
" That's what friends are to be for..." Lesley said slightly through a yawn... " I'm sorry"
" Don't be let's just get you up to rest and later in about a couple hours we're gonna go meet Rick at the Floating Rib."
Jessie helped Lesley to go lay down for a few hours and then waited for the kids to get home from school.
" Hi Aunt Jessie..." Jesslyn called out
" Hi... Where's your sister?" Jessie asked
" Genesis decided that she was gonna blow off coming home today. I don't know where she went to... I told her I wasn't gonna cover and lie for her... How's mom... Any better today? Jesslyn explained and asked about Lesley
" Your mother is upstairs resting but she's hanging in there... In fact later we have to take her down to General Hospital for some testing and we're gonna meet your Dad afterwards for dinner do me a favor and find out where your sister is and tell her if she doesn't get home like she's supposed to than it can be arranged for her to come live with me for alittle while and she'll see which place is nicer... I want to go and check on your mom.." Jessie replied and stood up to go upstairs
Jesslyn went to stand but Jessie stopped her to talk to her about things for alittle bit.
" Jesslyn, everything is okay with your mother. She's getting alot better." Jessie insisted
" I know you're right, but it's just…. It scares me that she won't be."
" I know it does… It scared me for awhile too… but for a change we got some good results and things are turning out for the better. Do you have home homework?" Jessie asked
" Always do, and I always get it finished before time. I'm gonna go get my chores done first before we have to leave to meet up with dad…" Jesslyn replied and moved to get started with her responsibilities around the house and to get her homework done.
Jessie knocked lightly to check on Lesley and to see if she needed anything
" Lesley... I just want to check on you and see if you need anything..." Jessie peeked her head through the door while gradually opening the bedroom door
" It's alright Jessie I'm not asleep not yet anyway… what's up?" Lesley smiled
" You're in high spirits this afternoon… how are you feeling?"
" I'm just…. I'm just feelin' alot better than how I was a month ago… I'm so glad that the cancer is gonna be gone and I can start to rebuild the time that I had to spend between being in and out of the hospital and then going back and forth for Chemo… Jessie I don't think I could thank you enough or how much it means to me that you were with me by my side."
" I remember when you were there for me when I was going through a difficult time I wouldn't be anywhere else but right here to help you Lesley remember that." Jessie gave Lesley a hug
" Did Rick say when he was gonna be calling from the hospital?" Lesley asked after Jessie moved back from the side chair.
" He said he was gonna call as soon as he could and to tell you that he loves you and he will see you soon when I bring you up there." Jessie replied with a smile.
Lesley at first didn't know what to think about Jessie's response she definitely thought it was weird though because " why would I need to be taken back to the hospital when I'm alot better?" Lesley thought to herself. " Momma is this a bad time?" Jesslyn asked
" No it's alright Snoopi what's up?" Lesley returned a smile.
" Nothing too much… I thought maybe we could talk or maybe just spend some time."
" Course we can… come and sit with us." Lesley gestured with her hand for Jesslyn to join her and Jessie.
" Aunt Jessie mentioned something before about good news but before she wouldn't really go into it and tell me.. Mom tell me you're alright and you're getting better where you can finally go back to doing things with us again." Jesslyn asked and had reached for Lesley's hand
" Snoopi I'm gonna be just fine and before you know it me and your dad are gonna take you and your brother and your sister for a small getaway maybe before the thanksgiving holidays come up."
" I hope we get to it's always nice when we're able to take a family trip for alittle bit."
" Jesslyn honey i'm gonna be okay we just have to wait alittle bit before we do anything because Dr. Richards wants to make sure that nothing comes back or starts to get worse. Hey there's nothing to be afraid of anymore everything is okay." Lesley hugged Jesslyn hoping to ease her fears that were still lingering.
~~~
Over the following couple of weeks, Lesley was continuing to get better while occasionally still having difficulty with the nausea and vomiting but she was pleased that she started to gain the weight back that she lost before. On one particular morning though while Jessie was on her way and Rick had already left for the hospital, Lesley was hoping to take it easy but with it being one of her bad days with her treatment, she attempted to try to head for the bathroom but started to feel dizzy and had felt lightheaded where she had taken a fall hitting her head along the side of the railing to the bed and had split open the side of her head where she had alot of bleeding. Thankfully Jessie wasn't too long with arriving for the usual day to help Lesley with whatever she may need help with.
" Lesley…. It's Jessie, are you awake?" Jessie slightly knocked on the door and waited a couple of minutes.
Concerned with Lesley not answering, Jessie knocked again and called out just as she started to open the door. " Lesley… it's Jessie…"
