Rick got up alittle bit earlier in the morning to head for the hospital while he had a few early calls and later had to meet Steve and Gail to set up a surprise party for Lesley which to Rick's luck, Lesley knew nothing about it or never suspected anything that he was up to or least she wasn't suspicious yet but he knew for sure she would be later.
" Mom, we have to get going for the bus but we'll see you later this afternoon…." Genesis called out while Lesley was up checking on Riley again
" Remember girls that later today no one's gonna be home so your father and I want you both to come straight to the hospital this afternoon."
" We will love you…. Bye"
Lesley waited for another half an hour before she checked Riley's temperature again and was relieved when his fever started to stabilize before she got ready for work.
" I know little guy…. I know you're not feeling good… that's why you're gonna be with me today and Daddy's gonna help you feel better." Lesley picked up Riley to take him out to the car.
The drive wasn't too long or far as Lesley always took the service ways to have a few minutes of time before she would start her rounds which was perfect before she had extra time to have Alan look at Riley about his cold.
" Alan thanks for taking the time in your busy schedule to fit Riley in…his fever was at 101.4 this morning and was 103.5 last night when Rick put him to bed.."
" It's no problem Lesley, a temperature that high is never good for his age. Was he sick recently?"
" No and that's what concerns me… he was running round the park the day before and was having alot of fun with Jessie and the girls..."
" Has Jessie maybe been sick, do you know?" Alan asked
" I don't think so…. I know a month ago she had the flu and had pneumonia and I had to admit her to ICU for a couple weeks…. Alan tell me Riley isn't catching something like that." Lesley started to worry that Riley wasn't okay
" Lesley don't start to think that way…. I will help your son."
Lesley waited with Riley until the lab work and cultures had come back and paged Rick over to peds.
" Lesley… has anything come back yet." Rick said first thing
" No and that's what has me scared Rick..."
" Hey he's gonna be fine…. He's a strong, determined and stubborn little boy…"
" Yeah he is…. Just like his Daddy is.. I just hope it isn't something too serious." Lesley wrapped around Rick while waiting for Riley's tests to come back.
After about an hour Alan finally got Riley's results in that he was waiting for only he had to brace himself because he knew Lesley was gonna have a harder time dealing with the results than Rick.
" Alan it's fine I can take it please just tell me what's going on with him..." Lesley gripped onto Rick's hand
" Your son has a mild form to pneumonia… because of his age, what I want to do is place him under a medical induced coma to clear his infection and hopefully prevent sepsis from setting in."
" Alan, you do everything you can to help our son…." Rick gave the clear Alan needed to go ahead with treatment while Rick stayed at Lesley side hoping she wasn't gonna start getting scared that something was gonna go wrong
" Rick, we can't lose him… I can't lose another child, it'll kill me..."
" Lesley I need you to get a grip and hold on to it…. Our son is a stubborn fighter. He proved that from the night he was born…. We are not gonna lose him." Rick tried to assure Lesley that Riley was gonna be okay.
" He's gotta be so scared with either of us, not with him… I'm gonna go in there and be with him." Lesley went to stand up but Rick stopped her. " Richard, what are you…."
" Let Alan work on him and take a moment to yourself before you go in… Riley is not gonna want to see you upset like this and it wouldn't do you or him any good."
" He always hated when he'd see me mad or upset especially if it were at you… and you're right it wouldn't help him.." Lesley slightly smiled with a sniffle
" Take a few minutes and then come in when you're ready but don't go in there pretending to be okay… come with the notion that like you always had, he will make it through the day and through the night and he will get better."
" I love you Rick… I love you very much." Lesley hugged alittle tighter before letting go of Rick.
Georgia had just come on duty but saw Lesley sitting in the Peds lounge trying to keep herself together but wasn't very successful. " Lesley are you okay?"
" No and I'm scared that I'm gonna lose him.. and I don't know what I'm going to do if I do..."
" Rick is okay isn't he?" Georgia asked, hoping she wasn't prying too much into the situation.
" Georgia it's Riley…. He caught Jessie's cold from a few days ago and Alan had to put him out to help him… he's critical..."
" Are you sure it was from Jessie, and not from somewhere else… I remember you admitted Jessie and treated her over 4 and a half weeks ago..."
" I don't think it was directly from Jessie…. But I don't know where it could've come from. He's always been pretty good up until now."
" I remember when you and him were brought in after he was born. He comes from a long line of fighters. He'll pull through." Georgia pointed out and gave Lesley a hug before going back to the desk.
Lesley stayed up by Riley's side in the PICU while Rick finished rounds and was hoping to talk Lesley into getting something to eat.
" Les…. Sweetheart, why don't you come and take a break and get something to eat.?" Rick asked gently
" I don't think I could leave him alone Rick…"
" Lesley I know you don't want to leave his side…. I didn't want to either and I'm not going to. But you have to eat something even if it's something small. Please Lesley come and get something to eat and then we'll both come back and see where Riley stands with his treatment." Rick insisted and tried to make it alittle easy for Lesley.
" I guess you're right… I should get something to eat… I have to take my meds anyway. I was so concerned about our little guy that I didn't pay attention to what I have to do for myself."
" It is not your fault…. Like me, you're doing the best you can. C'mon I'll get your meds and meet you in the cafeteria… just take an easy okay..."
After a few long hours Alan looked in on Riley and how he was responding and was later pleased that he was responding to the broad spectrum antibiotics that Alan put him on and had started to bring him out of the medical induced coma but held off on removing the ventilator until he was sure that the infection was cleared as Riley still had a high fever.
" He's really okay..." Lesley asked after Alan stepped out
" So far he's improving and the infection is starting to clear from his system… In a few more hours I hope that I can take him off the ventilator and place him on the nasal cannula." Alan explained and assured Lesley that Riley was gonna be fine.
" Alan, I don't know how to thank you… I'm just so grateful that you helped him and saved my son."
" There's no need to thank me, Lesley. I did my job and helped one of my special friends that's all I needed to do. You just take care of you and that's the thank you that I'll accept."
" I don't think you'll have to worry about that when Rick is always watching for anything and sometimes becomes a worry wart…."
~~~
A few weeks after Riley was discharged from peds, Rick and Lesley decided to take him out for pizza and later took him home.
" He's one determined little boy." Lesley commented
" I wonder where he got it from." Rick said with a small grin
" He got it from his charming and stubborn Daddy… that's where he got it from" Lesley turned around as she looked up towards Rick.
" All the time I had with making sure Riley was okay I neglected my main obligation… how are you feeling… Any trouble with anything."
Lesley looked at him for alittle bit hoping she could be convincing for him. " I'm hanging in there… I'm alittle rundown and tired, but I've also had been up more than I should've been with Riley in the hospital."
" I want to take your vitals and make sure you're alright." Rick insisted
" Rick I'm okay I'm just tired from everything." Lesley tried again but Rick wasn't falling for it and still wanted to check everything
" I don't mean to look worried or like a jerk sweetheart but I love you and I have a job that I have to take seriously and that job means providing and taking care of my family… but most especially my beautiful little bug."
Lesley saw the slight shot of fear that peaked through his eyes as fast as it left. " Rick, you are not a jerk… at least not all the time… I could never complain or get upset when you do this Rick because I love you for it and it shows that you're that same man that I fell in love with… I'm the luckiest woman in the world that I have someone who makes sure that I'm okay."
" Your blood pressure is in normal range… not at the desired level I'd like to see but is still normal…. Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Rick asked again.
" Yeah I'm okay, just tired from everything… I think I'm gonna go and lay down for alittle bit and just rest."
" Well here take your medication… I'll come check on you in alittle while." Rick kissed Lesley again and made sure she took her meds before she went to lay down.
Rick wasn't trying to worry about Lesley but to him something didn't seem right and to take a chance that to him would be negligent on his part. Making a phone call, Rick didn't take long when talking to Steve and later fed the kids before going upstairs to check on Lesley and hopefully she was gonna have something to eat.
" Les…. Sweetheart I know you don't feel good but how about you come and get something to eat..." Rick sat beside Lesley on her side of the bed.
" I just… I just wa-want to sleep..." Lesley said barely loud enough.
" I know Sweetheart but you've got to try..." Rick reached for the thermometer hoping that she wasn't developing a temperature or an infection.
" Sweetheart, I need you to stay awake." Rick quickly tried to help Lesley when her signs continued to go down…
Rick quickly went to put the kids to bed but told the girls to listen out for Riley just incase while he had to leave.
" Is Mom gonna be okay?" Genesis asked right away
" Of course she will be… You just have to keep that in your mind. Later as soon as I can I will call here at the house to let you know how she's doing okay."
Rick wasted no time when he took Lesley into emergency when her fever spiked past 104.1
" Steve, she was fine all day up until this afternoon and evening. I don't understand why she suddenly isn't doing well."
" Rick we're gonna figure it out in the meantime try not to jump at any wrong conclusions." Steve replied as he was about to page Monica and Dr Richards
Waiting to hear what's going on started to drive Rick crazy and started to make think that something was really wrong. Thankfully it wasn't much longer when Steve, Monica and Dr Richards came out to finally talk to him about her condition.
" Her blood work is normal and her heart is fine. There's no signs of organ rejection or any cardio infection..." Monica started to explain where Lesley stood on her end.
" So Lesley will be alright.?" Rick asked
" None of her symptoms or anything in her work up suggest that she has relapsed and her pet scan is negative as I suspected it was gonna be however..."
" Her lung function and respiration is compromised… She may have contacted what Riley had this last week when he was admitted." Steve finished with what he ran.
" You mean to tell me that Riley passed what he had on to her?" Rick reacted
" He might have… He might not have.. that's not something that we can answer. The important thing is it was caught in time and it's not severe."
" We were careful. I was making sure she was." Rick sat down
" Go and sit with her Rick. She hasn't woken up yet but she will once she senses you with her."
Rick spent the night by Lesley's side and asked Steve to go and pick up the kids so they weren't home alone the whole night and as soon as the morning came, he was gonna give them a call to let them know what's going on
" How bad is it?" Jesslyn asked while sitting at the desk
" Steve is positive that she most likely caught it from when your brother had it. But the good news is there's no signs of the cancer returning or anything that has to do with her heart. How are you, Genesis and your brother?" Rick answered about Lesley's condition.
" We're doing okay…. We're just alittle worried about momma is all."
" Your mother's gonna be fine and as soon as we can get her better she and I will be home and I'll be over there to pick you guys up."
" Well don't rush… Momma needs to get better. Um I better get going Riley I think wants my attention and he will keep at it until I pay attention to him. Tell momma we love her and we hope she feels and gets better soon."
" I will sweetheart… I'll call and update you when I can." Rick replied and shortly after got off the phone to sit with Lesley while he had a chance before he had a few patients he had to see.
Over the next couple hours, everything seemed to go smoothly while Lesley's vitals were continuing to improve and her respiratory function seemed to improve until she seized and became tachycardic before Steve could determine that she was able to breathe without the help of the vent.
" Georgia page Rick to ICU stat and page Dr. Mark Dante as well." Steve requested as he and Monica were still attending and assessing Lesley's condition.
" Push 2mg of Ativan and set up for reintubation." Steve and Monica request simultaneously while trying to get Lesley to stabilize.
Hearing the emergency page, Rick had an uneasy feeling it was gonna have something to do with Lesley and immediately went straight to the intensive care unit to find out what happened
" Steve what happened…. She was stable when I went on my rounds and then I had a few patients to see."
" Lesley is in respiratory failure and she seized upon evaluation follow-up before we were gonna transfer to the ICU floor."
" She doesn't want to be kept alive through the ventilator…. But I don't think I could let her go either..."
" She'll get through all of this Rick… She always has before. We changed her antibiotics to a stronger regimen and hopefully we have avoided sepsis." Steve replied hoping that he wasn't gonna have to try to convince Rick not to lose faith.
~~~
Sitting on the bench Lesley continued to watch and look around until Laura came through going to knock some sense into her head.
" It's not too late to go home and wake up, you know… you can do it, mother."
" I rather stay awhile just to think and take time for myself… because I don't know that I can wake up again. I'm just so tired"
" Mom I miss you too…. I miss you just as much as I love you. But you know that I couldn't let you stay not when Dad and everybody else needs you more than I do."
" Baby I love you very much and I miss you just the same…. I sometimes still feel that it's not real and you'll come over to see your sisters and your brother."
" Well in a way I'm with them everyday. And I have Lyle and Lorelei with me and they're okay. We want you to fight like hell mom do it for Dad."
~~~
Rick stayed at Lesley's side as there was no present change in her condition and the thought that she wasn't gonna make it scared him more than anything. Waiting for tests to come back Jessie stopped by after her shift ended.
" How's Lesley?"
" She's stable but there hasn't been any changes… She's still unconscious." Rick sat near the window for a moment.
" Rick, things will improve. She's been on this road before. Lesley is not going to leave the kids just as she isn't going to leave you; she loves you too much to do that."
" I know Jessie I just… it scares me. It scares me because she's had so much happen to her over the last few years especially after the accident. And since Monica had to put her on the transplant list and she did the transplant, Lesley has had a rough few years." Rick stood up from the window
" We both know that Rick… and we can't even begin to understand how she's felt with all of it and going through it all…. But we can make sure that when she does wake up again she sees that we're here and that also means Rick that you have to also take care of yourself and get some rest." Jessie pointed out.
As Jessie pointed out and was talking to Rick, neither one of them saw that Lesley started to come out of acoma and started to open her eyes but was aware she was in the hospital again while listening to how upset Rick was.
" I'm gonna head to go home. I have a few things that I have to get done. You think about what I've said to you. Because while you're afraid, that girl loves you and nothing's ever gonna change that, not even death."
After Jessie left Rick turned to look out the window for alittle while more while Lesley was watching him and hoping he was gonna turn to see her awake. After turning to sit back at her side, Lesley thought to pretend to still be unconscious until she was gonna squeeze his hand and after doing so, Rick started to smile the moment Lesley woke up again after he called her name
" I'm right here bug…. And everything's gonna be okay." Rick kissed Lesley on the forehead before going to have Steve page
Removing the ventilator, Lesley was able to finally get something to drink and later was resting with Rick still at her side.
" R…Rick what are yo…you staring at.." Lesley asked while she was still awake later in the evening after a short while of being off the ventilator and being placed on a nasal cannula
" You want the truth?" Rick stopped and continued when she raised her brow " I am staring at my beautiful wife. That's what I'm looking at… Lesley I don't care about anything else right now… I only care about you."
" I love you Rick… I want you to know that."
" Hey now don't start thinking of leaving me… you will get better."
" I know I will… but I'm saying it's anyway because I want to… Richard I love you so much… You are all I need to get through it and when my time goes next, you're all that I need to have with me."
" Lesley honey I don't know that I can promise that I would be able to just let you go. You know, I need you and I don't know how to make it without you." Rick admitted while briefly looking away
" Rick I'm always gonna be wherever you are and wherever you go… Even if I had passed away. I could never truly leave you. Not ever." Lesley gripped and reached for Rick's hand.
~~~
After another couple of weeks Rick took Lesley home and they had the whole summer to look forward to was the school year started to come to an end and now the girls were starting middle school and Riley was about to go into pre K at his new school everything seemed to look up as also Lesley's birthday was coming up and soon Rick had a surprise waiting for her which as usual Lesley had no idea what Rick was up to and he made sure only Jessie was to know about it because it someone or other people were to know then Lesley would find out for sure and then his plans would be ruined and then he'd have to cancel the cruise he had lined up just for the two of them.
" Rick, don't go getting funny ideas. And you know what I'm talking about too because that's why you're grinning like that." Lesley pointed a finger
" Lesley I know how to behave and you know I'm always on my best behavior besides…. I don't really know what you're talking about." Rick challenged and laughed when Lesley gave him the look.
" Rick, you do too know what I'm talking about…. This week and a couple of days after I just want to spend time with you and the kids and relax… alot had happened over the last couple of weeks and months and just want things to be easy."
" And they will be because when I'm around, things are always gonna be okay…. Now I want you to come and get something to eat so you and I can go relax for the rest of the day." Rick barked but refused to let Lesley go when he first wrapped his arms around her waist.
" We're gonna be late for work…." Lesley turned to look at Rick.
" Oh I um….. I talked to Steve and he gave us the rest of this week off… so I can just hold you for as long as I want to, just as I can spend the whole day today just looking at my beautiful little bug."
" I have the feeling that you're up to something Richard… but I love you."
