Recovery
Part 21
A/N: Anything in bold italic is being spoken in Italian
It's implied that Jing-Mei is using an English/Italian dictionary to understand Rusty, so she's not speaking as fast as it appears.
Lydia: Where did you see him before?
Jing-Mei: I'm not sure whether I did or not. It's just that he seems so familiar. Well, I guess I must have seen him in here when he came in a few days ago. Anyway, I have to get back to him. Lydia, could you find me an EKG machine and let me know when Cleo is done examining Rusty?
Lydia: Sure. I'll go find that EKG machine and bring it over to exam 2.
Antonio starts to cry so Mrs. Peterson tries to calm him by giving him his pacifier. He refuses it.
Jing-Mei: Look Mrs. Peterson, why don't you take Antonio home.
Mrs. Peterson: What about Rusty?
Jing-Mei: I'll bring Rusty home with me.
Mrs. Peterson carried the crying baby out of the ER and headed back to the house.
Jing-Mei reentered exam 2 to find her patient lying on the gurney with his arms folded behind his head and serving as a pillow.
Jing-Mei: As soon as the EKG machine gets here, I'll run one on you. I want to make sure your heart is okay and that's not the problem.
Jing-Mei pushed over a portable chest x-ray machine that was sitting beyond the curtain in exam 3. She called down to radiology and almost instantly the sent up a technician to take the pictures.
Jing-Mei: Take them down and tell the radiologist that I need them back ASAP.
The technician left exam 2, just about running into Lydia with the EKG machine. Jing-Mei hooked her patient up to it and started the test.
Jing-Mei: This will only take a few minutes but I'm sure you know that since they ran one the other day when you were here and it came back normal.
Vincent: So are you married, uh Dr. Chen?
Jing-Mei: What?
Vincent: I noticed that you are wearing a wedding ring. Who's the lucky guy?
Jing-Mei: My husband passed away earlier this year.
Vincent: Really. Must be tough with two little children.
Jing-Mei: They're doing ok....Wait a minute, how did you know I had two children?
Vincent: I, uh, overheard that other nurse tell you that your boys and their sitter were here to see you. Your little boy sick?
Jing-Mei: Just a summer cold...nothing serious. Now please, Mr. Malta you have to remain quiet while I run this test to get an accurate reading.
After the EKG was done, Jing-Mei unhooked the wires from Vincent.
Jing-Mei: You can put your shirt back on now while I look over your EKG.
Jing-Mei examined the EKG reading and then the technician ran the x-rays into her. She looked them both over and was ready to give a diagnosis.
Jing-Mei: Well Mr. Malta, your EKG looks alright and your x-rays came back clear. I'd say that you are suffering from GERD.
Vincent: What is GERD?
Jing-Mei: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease---it's chronic heartburn and is usually treatable with meds such as Prevacid, which is why I can't understand why it's not helping you.
Vincent: Is it serious?
Jing-Mei: Could be if gone untreated. I'm going to take some blood gases and that should confirm my diagnosis but in the meantime I will increase your Prevacid to one capsule two times a day instead of once and make sure you see your own physician.
Vincent: And if this medicine doesn't help?
Jing-Mei: You could have damage to your lower esophageal sphincter, which means you may need surgery. Let's just see what the blood gases tell us.
Jing-Mei sees Cleo in the hall waiting patiently outside the curtain and finishes with her patient.
Jing-Mei: Wait right here and I'll send a nurse in to draw your blood.
Jing-Mei leaves exam 2 and joins Cleo in the hall.
Jing-Mei: Well, are you finished examining my big guy?
Cleo: Yes and he's going to be fine. He just needs his tonsils and adenoids out.
Jing-Mei: You can't just give him some medicine, they really have to come out? I thought that wasn't necessary anymore.
Cleo: Usually it isn't. Unless the tonsils are really inflamed---which Rusty's are. They've swollen and are starting to obstruct his airway.
Jing-Mei: I guess we should have it done right away then.
Cleo: I'll call upstairs to pediatrics and see about getting a bed for him.
Jing-Mei: Thanks Cleo. Now, for the hard part---to tell Rusty about his operation.
Jing-Mei entered exam 1and saw Rusty sitting on the gurney looking at the equipment on the tray in front of him. She pulled a chair up and sat before her son.
Jing-Mei: How are you feeling, sweetheart?
Rusty: It hurts Mama Jing. I can't swallow.
Jing-Mei: I know baby. Listen, I'm going to make you all better soon but I can't do it by myself. Rusty, you need to stay here in the hospital for a few days.
Rusty(shaking his head): No Mama Jing. I don't want to.
Jing-Mei tries to calm the upset boy down but with no luck. Rusty starts to cry.
Jing-Mei: Rusty, you have to stay here. You need to have an operation. Do you know what that is?
Rusty: Someone's going to cut me open.
Jing-Mei: That's right...
Rusty: No, no...I don't want to.
Jing-Mei: Calm down Rusty. Listen to me sweetheart. You have a bad infection in your throat that's why it hurts so much and the surgeons have to go in and remove the infection. It's a simple operation. Lots of kids have their tonsils out.
Rusty: Scared, Mama Jing. Don't leave me.
Jing-Mei: I won't leave you. I'll be with you the entire time or at least most of the time.
Rusty tries to settle down but as he swallows an unbelievable amount of pain rushes through him and he grabs at his throat.
Rusty: Hurt Mama Jing.
Jing-Mei: I know but it's going to hurt even more if you don't have the operation.
Rusty(sniffing): What are they going to do to me?
Jing-Mei: It's not so bad. The surgeons are going to put you to sleep for a little while and then they are going to take those nasty, bad tonsils out.
Rusty: It's gonna hurt.
Jing-Mei: No, it's not...well, maybe at first when you wake up and for a little time afterward but the doctors are going to give you plenty of medicine so it doesn't hurt so much and make it all better quicker. But I didn't tell you the good part of having the operation.
Rusty: Good part?
Jing-Mei: When you wake up you get to have all the ice cream you want.
Rusty's face immediately lights up. A smile appears across his entire face.
Rusty: Vanilla ice cream.
Jing-Mei: That's your daddy's favorite too. Yes vanilla ice cream and whatever kind you want.
Rusty: Well then, let's go. Want ice cream, NOW!!
Rusty jumped off the gurney and started to pull Jing-Mei by the arm.
Jing-Mei: Alright, slow down guy. Wait for me.
Both Maluccis exit exam 1 and head over to Cleo at the admit desk.
Cleo: I just got off the phone with pediatrics and they said if you want to take Rusty upstairs now and get him admitted then they will find a bed for him.
Jing-Mei: Thanks Cleo for all your help.
Cleo: I just hope he feels better.
Rusty: Come Mama Jing. Ice cream waiting.
Cleo: Looks like he already is. How did he take the news about the operation?
Jing-Mei: Not good at first until I told him about the ice cream.
Cleo(smiling): Oh, well have fun you two.
Rusty continues to pull on Jing-Mei, not paying attention to where he's going when he bumps into Jing-Mei's former patient.
Jing-Mei: Rusty, watch where you're going?
Rusty: Sorry sir.
Rusty looks up at the stranger he bumped into and stares at him, not saying a word. He starts to shake as if a chill just ran down his back.
Vincent: It's alright kid. Dr. Chen, you were right. I have that GERD, just like you said.
Jing-Mei: Well, I'm glad that I was able to help. Make sure you go see your own doctor.
Rusty breaks the constant stare he has on the older man and continues to pull on Jing-Mei.
Rusty: Come Mama Jing.
Jing-Mei: I'll be back down, Kerry. Let me just get him settled in upstairs.
Upstairs, Jing-Mei signs the admit papers while a nurse shows Rusty to his room. He runs in and jumps on the bed. The nurse leaves him to get a gown for him. Rusty bounces up and down on the bed when he glances at his doorway. The man that he bumped into from downstairs is standing there. Rusty panics. The man enters the room and tries to calm the boy so he doesn't draw any unwanted attention to him.
Vincent: Calm down, kid. I'm not going to hurt you---yet.
Rusty was stunned. This man spoke perfect Italian to him.
Vincent: I'm a friend of your mama---Dr. Chen. Didn't you see us talking downstairs?
Rusty remains silent but nods. As Vincent approaches the boy, the nurse walks in with Rusty's gown.
Nurse: Excuse me sir. You can't be in here.
Vincent: Sorry, I'm in the wrong room. I thought it was my grandson's room. (to Rusty)You and I will see each other again, soon.
Vincent walked out and took the back hallway down to the elevator, smiling the entire time. The nurse gives Rusty the gown and starts to undress him when he stops her.
Rusty: I'm a big boy. I can do myself.
The nurse looks at him confused when Jing-Mei walks up behind her.
Jing-Mei: He says that he's a big boy and wants to get changed himself.
The nurse nods and leaves the room, while Jing-Mei remains inside and waits for Rusty to get changed so she can tuck him into bed. Once he's in bed she turns his tv on. She kisses him goodbye and heads back to work.
At the end of Jing-Mei's shift, she decides to sneak up and see Erik and maybe talk to him about his sessions with Dr. Legaspi. She enters his secluded private room on the sixth floor to see him thrashing in his bed. She runs over to him and shakes him awake. As always she isn't able to. He is stuck in the middle of another nightmare. Finally, after several tries she succeeds. He jumps up into a seated position, screaming and covered in sweat, scaring Jing-Mei.
Jing-Mei: Erik! Calm down, it's me Dr. Chin. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you.
Jing-Mei reaches for Erik's stuffed dog and hands it to him. He grabs it in one arm and starts to suck his thumb on his other hand while rocking back and forth. Jing-Mei strokes Erik's sweat-covered forehead as she tries to calm him.
Jing-Mei: Erik, you had another nightmare, huh.
Erik continues to suck his thumb, rock and hold his doll tightly, ignoring Jing-Mei. Frustrated, Jing-Mei pulls his thumb out of his mouth and grabs him by the shoulders to keep him from rocking.
Jing-Mei: Stop that, Erik! Now, do you remember the nightmare?
Erik: Mmmmonster. mmmonster.
Jing-Mei: The same as before?
Erik nods.
Jing-Mei: I don't mean to upset you or rush you but if you can tell me anything about it will help.
Erik remains speechless but as Jing-Mei gets up from the bed and starts to leave, he speaks.
Erik: Chcchildren....ca...caaaged....llloccked....awww...ay.
Jing-Mei: A cage?
Erik: Bbbaars....llllocks....tttrapped.
Jing-Mei: What children?
Erik looked at Jing-Mei with his eyes soaked in tears and started to point at himself when Romano walked in.
Romano: What happened in here?
Jing-Mei: I came in to discuss Erik's sessions with Dr. Legaspi with him and he was having another nightmare.
Romano: Is he okay?
Jing-Mei: I think so. His vitals are normal or at least normal for him.
Romano: Well, did you ask him about his sessions?
Jing-Mei: Didn't get a chance. I don't think now's the time. I'll try again tomorrow.
Romano: I'm glad I ran into you, Dr. Chen. When do you want to get the dogs together?
Jing-Mei: Well, now's as good a time as any. Rusty's going to be here in the hospital for a while so I'll be able to leave Rascal over your place for a while. I could drop Rascal off at your place later on, if that's okay with you?
Romano: That'll be great. I'll be at home around 8: 30 tonight.
Jing-Mei: I'll have enough time to go home and spend some time with my baby and get something to eat then bring Rascal over. Right now, I want to go check and on Rusty before I leave.
Jing-Mei walks over to Erik, who's calmed down now and still holding his toy. She kisses his head and leaves the room. She goes down on the pediatrics floor and heads into Rusty's room to find him sitting up in bed with a nurse holding him. His face is soaked with tears from crying.
Jing-Mei: What happened?
Nurse: The doctor examined him a little while ago and I gave him something to help him sleep. He just woke up screaming. I think he had a bad dream. I came in to try to calm him down but I guess I'm not doing such a good job. He keeps shaking.
Jing-Mei: Let me try.
Nurse: Good luck. I've been trying for the last 20 minutes.
Jing-Mei: 20 minutes? Hmmm.
Jing-Mei walks over to the little boy and takes the nurse's place next to him and holds him. Rusty reaches out and grabs Jing-Mei into a bear hug.
Jing-Mei: It's alright, baby. Did you have a bad dream?
Rusty: Si. Mama Jing. Really bad.
Jing-Mei: Can you tell mama what it was about?
Rusty: Two children locked away behind bars, monster come after them. They keep trying to get away but can't.
Jing-Mei: Why not?
Rusty: They in a cage.
Jing-Mei sits completely emotionless and still on the bed of her elder son. She catches her breath and is able to finally speak again.
Jing-Mei: Rusty, who were the children?
Rusty started to point to himself when they were interrupted by another visitor.
Carter: Hey, how's it going in here?
Carter sees the distress looks on both Jing-Mei and Rusty's face and backs off.
Carter: Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I'll leave you two alone...
Jing-Mei: No wait, John. I want to talk to you in the hall. Give us a couple of minutes.
Carter agrees and waits outside in hall for Jing-Mei to join him. About ten minutes go by, when Jing-Mei approaches him.
Jing-Mei: Thanks for waiting, John. I just needed to calm him down. It took longer than I thought.
Carter: No problem. Is everything alright? You both look upset in there.
Jing-Mei: Rusty just had a bad dream.
Carter: That's normal. He's spending a night in the hospital. He's understandably afraid.
Jing-Mei: He's been in the hospital overnight before when he had his concussion after my car explosion, but I don't think his hospital stay has anything to do with the bad dream. It's something else.
Carter: What makes you think so?
Jing-Mei: I just came from seeing Erik.
Carter: So?
Jing-Mei: He just had another nightmare himself.
Carter: And that surprises you? He's been having those nightmares for a long time now.
Jing-Mei: It just seems weird, is all.
Carter: Why because father and son both had nightmares.
Jing-Mei: No. Because I believe that father and son had the SAME NIGHTMARE.
To be continued. Please read and review.