Recovery
Part 41
Jing-Mei: GOD!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?! I HAVE TO GO IN TO HIM!
Dr. Legaspi: Both Dr. Benton and Dr. Corday are in there with him. I don't think you should go...
Jing-Mei pushes her way past the psychiatrist and into Erik's room, where Peter and Elizabeth are working furiously on Erik, who is bouncing and thrashing violently and uncontrollably in bed. Jing-Mei moves near him. Close enough to see his eyes rolled back in his head.
Jing-Mei; OH GOD!! WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM!!
Elizabeth: Not sure. Dr. Legaspi, take her out of here.
Jing-Mei(crying): NO!! I WANT TO STAY!! HE NEEDS ME!! ERIK, I'M HERE SWEETHEART!!
Peter: You can stay but out of the way.
Jing-Mei and Dr. Legaspi stand in the background and let the surgeons work on calming Erik down. After twenty minutes, the seizure is over. Erik is settled down in bed, obviously exhausted from his latest trouble. Both Peter and Elizabeth take a deep breath, both are just as worn out as Erik. Jing-Mei runs over to him.
Jing-Mei: Erik, can you hear me?
Peter: I don't think so. He'll probably be out for awhile.
Jing-Mei: He's sweating like a pig. He's burning up and he's all red in the face. Is that from the seizure? What happened to him?
Elizabeth: Sorry, but we won't have any answers until we run some tests on him. Are you getting off now?
Jing-Mei: No, just coming on.
Elizabeth: Why don't you go down and start your shift while we run the tests. It'll take a couple of hours at least and we'll page you when we are done.
Jing-Mei looks at Dr. Legaspi and she nods back. Dr. Legaspi escorts Jing-Mei out of the room and back down to the ER, where there are still reporters gathered. Dr. Legaspi takes an upset Jing-Mei into the lounge to avoid the reporters that are now approaching her for a statement. She sits with her while they wait.
An hour passes and then another, Jing-Mei works the best she can down in the ER but can't stop wondering what is wrong with her husband. Every so often she'll call upstairs to see if there's any news about Erik. Her co-workers would ask her when they saw her if she heard anything and her answer would still be no. As the time went by, the reporters got less and less until there was only the occasional one hanging around the admit desk hoping to get a statement out of one of the staff, especially Jing-Mei. The board was almost empty so most of the staff was relaxing in the lounge, when Elizabeth walked in. Jing-Mei did a double take when she saw the grimacing look on the surgeon's face.
Jing-Mei: Elizabeth, do you have a diagnosis for Erik?
Elizabeth plops down in a nearby chair.
Elizabeth: Yes, I'm afraid I do.
Carter: What's wrong with him?
Elizabeth looks at Carter as if to say that it was none of his business. Jing-Mei recognizes that look on Elizabeth.
Jing-Mei: It's okay. Just tell us what's the matter with my husband? What caused his seizure, his fever, that rash?
Elizabeth: It was an allergic reaction.
Mark: To what?
Elizabeth: When Erik developed thrombophlebitis, we put him on Coumadin and because it interacted with his Imuran, we took him off the Imuran and placed him on Neoral which contained cyclosporine which is what Erik is allergic to.
Mark: So, he can't take the Neoral and as long as he's on Coumadin he can't take the Imuran.
Jing-Mei: How much longer is he going to be on the Coumadin?
Elizabeth: Until we are sure he's not going to throw any more clots. His legs are still extremely swollen and pale.
Kerry: What about the pain?
Elizabeth: He's on percocet.
Kerry: So, you just have to find another immunosuppressant drug to put him on, right?
Elizabeth: I'm afraid it's not that easy. Erik's developed AIN.
Jing-Mei: Sorry, I'm not familiar with that term.
Elizabeth: Acute Interstitial Nephritis. It's not very common. In fact we had to do a kidney biopsy on Erik to properly diagnosis it. That's what took so long upstairs.
Jing-Mei: A biopsy? Erik had surgery and you didn't call me.
Elizabeth: It wasn't exactly an operation---just a small procedure. It only took a little over an hour. We also dipped a urine and it came up positive for increased eosinophils which is commonly seen with allergic reactions and there was blood in his urine.
Jing-Mei: So, what are we looking at?
Elizabeth: The AIN has caused complete shutdown of Erik's renal functions. He's on diuretics and some strong antibiotics.
Jing-Mei: The antibiotics will help make him better. That's all he needs then.
Elizabeth: Jing-Mei, I don't think you quite understand what is happening here. Listen to me, Erik is going into kidney failure.
Jing-Mei: Oh Jesus! You're telling me he needs another transplant.
Elizabeth: The next 24-36 hours will be extremely critical for him. As a precaution, I took the liberty of putting Erik's name back on the UNOS list.
Jing-Mei: Thank you Elizabeth. So, what do we do now? Just sit and wait and watch him waste away...
Elizabeth: Let's give the antibiotics a chance to work. After 36 hours if there's no improvement and the antibiotics don't clear up the infection then a transplant is exactly what were looking at. He'll become a STAT 1 and his name will go to the top of transplant list.
Carter: Which means the next kidney that comes available that matches Erik is his.
Elizabeth: Unfortunately, under the same conditions as last time.
Jing-Mei: You mean the donor's family has to know about Erik's other medical problems if they are to give him the kidney.
Elizabeth: I wish I can change the law but I can't.
Kerry: Are you sure that he's going to need the transplant?
Elizabeth: If Erik gets through this crisis, I'm sorry to say he will eventually need a transplant in the future. The kidney is extremely weak and even if he beats the nephritis, sooner or later the kidney will collapse. He's back on dialysis to give the weakened kidney a rest.
Jing-Mei: How was he doing when you left him?
Elizabeth: He's in bad shape. Romano was up there checking his vitals when I left.
Jing-Mei: Can I see him, now?
Elizabeth: Sure, but you have to scrub and gown up first. His immune system is broken down so much that he is very susceptible to any cold or bacteria. The smallest germ that gets near him could kill him. We've even had to turn his room into an isolation unit.
Jing-Mei: Will it be alright, Kerry? I just want to check up on him. I won't be gone for long.
Kerry: We'll page you if we need you.
Jing-Mei: Thank you.
She and Elizabeth head up to the sixth floor.
Jing-Mei finishes scrubbing up and gets into her gown, mask and gloves. She enters Erik's room and sees him lying in bed, thrashing, twisting, turning and moaning. As she gets closer to him, she sees the heavy beads of sweat cascading his forehead and quickly working their way down the sides of his face dripping onto his gown. She picked up his hand and held it. That like the rest of his body was burning up and trembling. She ran her hand across his brow and when she removed it, her glove was soaked. She could see that he was in a great deal of pain. She reached down to the end of his bed and lifted up his chart and looked at his latest vitals that Romano wrote down.
Jing-Mei: Pulse: 72, Respirations: 10 on 100% oxygen, B/P 150/ 112---way too high. Temperature: 106.2 degrees---so is that.
Jing-Mei put the chart down and turned back to her hot, squirming man who was lying in tremendous discomfort.
Jing-Mei: Hey, baby. I know it hurts, but your tough. You are going to come through this. We are going to get you through this. And I have a little incentive to help you along. You know, we haven't had much of a marriage yet so how about we make plans to go away once your better. Maybe we'll go back to Italy. There's some things there you have to see and we'll take the boys with us. That's what we need--a family vacation just us and the kids and we'll take Mrs. Peterson with us so she can watch the children and we can have some time alone. After all, it will be our honeymoon. I know what you are thinking and yes, we can take Rascal too. I don't think either you or Rusty would have it any other way and what's a family getaway with out the family dog. (pause) So, if that doesn't make you want to get better soon, then I don't know what will. Who knows, maybe while we're over there we can start working on a baby brother or sister for Rusty and Antonio. (bursting into tears) Oh god, Erik you can't die on me...you've come way too far for us to lose you now. I love you Erik, I love you!!
Jing-Mei drops her head down and starts crying while still holding Erik's shaking hand, tightly.
Later when Jing-Mei arrives home with Rascal in tow, Rusty meets them at the front door and greets them. Antonio is sitting on the floor playing with his blocks while Mrs. Peterson is fixing dinner. Rusty bends down and gives Rascal a hug.
Rusty: Rascal, have fun with his "girlfriend".
Rusty sticks his tongue out and makes a gross look on his face at the thought of his buddy liking girls.
Jing-Mei: Now Rusty, you don't really hate girls otherwise you wouldn't have stood up for Gina.
Rusty: Well for a girl, she's not THAT bad. I guess she's kind of pretty.
Jing-Mei: That's a start.
Antonio: Mama!
Jing-Mei goes over to Antonio's open and waiting arms. She picks him up and kisses his head. Rusty and Rascal walk over to them.
Rusty: Mama Jing, look at this. Tonio, who this.
Rusty points at Rascal as the energized dog goes between sitting and standing.
Antonio: Woofie! Woofie!
A large smile appears on both Rusty and Jing-Mei's face.
Jing-Mei: Antonio! That's wonderful.
Rusty: I teached Tonio that. Now, if I can get him to use the potty.
Jing-Mei: Give it some time, Rusty. He's still just a baby, not a big guy like you.
Mrs. Peterson comes in, clapping her hands to get their attention.
Mrs. Peterson: Dinner is just about ready.
Jing-Mei: Rusty, go wash up. I need to talk with Mrs. Peterson.
Rusty and Rascal go into the bathroom. Jing-Mei places Antonio in his high chair.
Jing-Mei: Sit down, Mrs. Peterson.
Mrs. Peterson: This sounds serious.
Jing-Mei: Very. And you have a right to know because in a way, it effects you. Erik is very sick.
Mrs. Peterson: You said he had blood clots forming in his legs...
Jing-Mei: Yeah, but I'm afraid it's progressed further. He had a bad reaction to one of his new medications which brought on a horrific seizure and developed into AIN.
Mrs. Peterson starts to panic.
Mrs. Peterson: AIN? What's that?
Jing-Mei: It's a long name for saying that Erik has nephritis--a serious kidney infection.
Mrs. Peterson: What are they doing for him?
Jing-Mei: His renal system is shot. They have him on strong IV antibiotics and dialysis, but he's got this rash covering him and he's sweating uncontrollable and his fever and blood pressure are way too high.
Mrs. Peterson: They are doing everything possible for him, aren't they?
Jing-Mei: Of course, but there is one other thing you should know. Erik's going into kidney failure. He's been put back on the UNOS list. He's probably going to need another transplant.
Mrs. Peterson starts to shake, then gets up from her seat and walks to the other side of the room.
Jing-Mei: Mrs. Peterson, what is it?
Mrs. Peterson: Are they sure, I mean really sure that he needs a new kidney?
Jing-Mei: They said even if he makes it through this catastrophe, and he will, that his kidney is damaged and he'll need another one to extend his life. Does that bother you?
Mrs. Peterson: No, no. I want what's best for Erik, definitely. It's just the thought of a new kidney in him that saddens me. If he does get someone else's kidney than I'll lose my connection with your family.
Jing-Mei: That will never happen. With or without Grant's kidney keeping Erik alive, you are still Antonio's godmother and nanny to both boys. You are family and that's how we think of you.
Mrs. Peterson: I feel the same way about you. I don't know what I would do if I wasn't changing Antonio's diapers, cleaning up after Rusty, letting Rascal in and out of the house and listening to your stories about life in the ER.
The ladies briefly hug and then break apart to settle down for dinner.
Mrs. Peterson: Is Erik going to die?
Jing-Mei: Erik will...
Jing-Mei is interrupted by a loud scream. The ladies turn around to see Rusty standing behind them, crying.
Rusty: Papa dead!! My papa dead!!
The women approach the sobbing boy. Jing-Mei hugs him in an effort to soothe him.
Jing-Mei: No baby, he's not. Your papa is sick but he's going to get better. He has to because we already made plans to go on a family vacation when he's well and out of the hospital.
Rusty: Vacation? Papa come.
Jing-Mei: Sure he will. Him, you, me, Antonio, Mrs. Peterson and even Rascal.
Rusty(trying to control his crying): Where we go?
Jing-Mei: Any ideas?
Rusty: DISNEYWORLD!!!
Jing-Mei: Hmmm! Disney World---why not. We could do that and I was thinking maybe another trip over to Italy.
Rusty starts wiping his tears away.
Rusty: GREAT!! I'll go pack.
As Rusty heads back to his bedroom, he is stopped by the ladies who put their hands on his shoulders to keep him from going anywhere.
Jing-Mei: Yo, big guy! Not so fast. We have to wait until papa is well, remember. So, in the meantime go sit down and have your dinner.
As the trio, heads for the table they spot Rascal coming out from the bathroom with white foam on his feet.
Jing-Mei: Rascal! What did you get into?
Rusty: I wash Rascal paws. Rusty wash up for dinner, Rascal wash up too.
Jing-Mei and Mrs. Peterson laugh at the site of Rascal.
Jing-Mei: What am I going to do with you two?
Mrs. Peterson: I can't imagine ever leaving this family and missing all this.
Several days pass, and Erik's condition has not improved. The staff goes up on their breaks and between their shifts to visit him, but he's still in and out of consciousness. When he is conscious, his fever has made it impossible for him to be responsive to anyone in the room. Jing-Mei sits with him and tells him about all the plans she's making for their future together. She wants him to know that she hasn't given up on him and never will.
Jing-Mei(crying): Erik, if this is too hard for you to handle, anymore then you let go. Don't hang on because you think it's what's best for us---you do what's best for yourself. It's alright to die, we'll love you no matter what decision you make.
Jing-Mei is interrupted by Dr. Romano tapping her on the shoulder.
Jing-Mei: Dr. Romano, is there some news on Erik's condition.
Dr. Romano: Maybe, we'll know more once he's thoroughly examined by a specialist.
Jing-Mei: You're bringing in a specialist for Erik?
Dr. Romano: No, not really. We've just hired a new head of nephrology. He's one of the best in the country and he agreed to come and examine Erik as his first patient here.
Jing-Mei: He's aware of Erik's other medical....
Two nurses assigned to care for Erik, come in and prepare to suction his trachea.
Dr. Romano: Yes, he does. Let's leave these nurses to their work.
As they walk out, Dr. Romano continues to tell Jing-Mei about Erik's upcoming examination.
Romano: He'll be here around 3pm, and he's going to look at Erik under a microscope so he doesn't miss anything.
Jing-Mei: I want to be there while he examines him.
Romano: I don't think that will be necessary. We will page you the minute he's done...
Jing-Mei: Not good enough. I WANT TO BE THERE!
Romano: Alright, I learned along time ago that you never argue with women. I'll see you up here at 3:00 then.
The ER is overrun by patients from a bus accident. It's past 4:30 when Jing-Mei is finally able to get away and realizes she missed Erik's assessment. She runs to the elevator and hurries off on the sixth floor to Erik's room. Not having time to scrub or gown, she stands outside the door and waits. Twenty seven minutes later, Dr. Romano and another doctor come out the door. Both doctors pull down their masks and stare at the nervous Jing-Mei.
Romano: Dr. Jing-Mei Chen, this is our new head of nephrology and Erik's new specialist, Dr. Charles Fallone. (pause) Dr. Charles Fallone, this is Erik's wife, Dr. Jing-Mei Chen. She works down in the ER.
Dr. Fallone(whispering to himself): So it is him.
Jing-Mei: Excuse me?
Dr. Fallone: Oh, uh it's a pleasure to meet you.
Jing-Mei: Same here. Well, did you find out anything new with Erik?
Dr. Fallone: I agree with both Dr. Romano and Dr. Corday's earlier assessment. The kidney is very weak and normally I wouldn't be this concerned but since the patient has only the one and he's got other medical problems to boot, I'm afraid if we don't find a donor soon, he's not going to be able to hang on much longer.
Jing-Mei gulps.
Jing-Mei: The dialysis isn't helping?
Dr. Fallone: It's doing it's job, alright. However, Erik has got a serious infection to fight off. His immune system is compromised. If we can build that up, then we can increase the antibiotics and stop the infection before it totally destroys the kidney, until we can find a suitable donor. I've taken him off the Coumadin and placed him a small dosage of heparin. That combined with the Plavix that I'm putting him on now, should help reduce and stop the clots from forming that's causing his thrombophlebitis. This way we can put him back on the Imuran and prevent any organ rejection. If that happens then we will have to go in and remove the kidney and increase his dialysis. You know from being a doctor, that when a patient is put on a machine to do the work for the part of him that doesn't function on it's own anymore, that their is an increase risk of infection. and complications. We are going to do everything to prevent that from happening.
Dr. Fallone looks at his watch.
Dr. Fallone: If you'll excuse me, I have a call to make. Dr. Chen, if you have any other questions--feel free to ask me.
Jing-Mei: Thank you, Dr. Fallone.
Dr. Fallone leaves and Jing-Mei turns back to Dr. Romano.
Jing-Mei: What about his vitals?
Romano: No change. His sats are still low. I've put him on Zocor to help with his increased blood pressure. That should help, but his fever is still high. He could have another seizure at any time. I'll be working right along side Dr. Fallone and monitoring his condition closely.
Jing-Mei: Can I see him, now?
Romano: As long as you scrub and gown and don't spend too much time in there with him. He's been giving Temazepam, to help him get some rest.
Jing-Mei: I won't. Thanks.
Jing-Mei goes towards the scrub room when Romano calls to her.
Romano: By the way, Henrietta appreciated the visit from your pooch.
Jing-Mei: Good, I'm glad. How's she doing?
Romano: Great, she's getting so big. She'll drop those puppies any day now.
Jing-Mei: Call me when she's ready to deliver. I bet Rusty would love to experience the miracle of birth.
Dr. Fallone sits at his desk in his newly acquired office. He starts to look over Erik's medical file as he waits for his party to enter the phone on the other end. Finally, someone picks up.
Dr. Fallone: Hey, it's me. (pause) That's right.(pause) Sorry, but I've been busy.
He pulls the phone away from his ear because the person on the other end is screaming his head off, obviously upset.
Dr. Fallone: I'll make it up to you in a big way. (pause) With some news. (pause) You will never guess who I ran into today, Vincenzio.
To be continued. Please read and review.