Chapter two
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue, please be gentle. Thanks to jZzRgRl13 for her story idea and for all reviews. Canadian spelling rules apply.
January 1, 2004.
11am
Time used to pass incredibly quickly during the busy lives of Kirsten and Sandy Cohen. 12 hour days were considered the norm for a real estate developer and an attorney. Now they both understood too well what the phrase "time stood still" meant.
It had been nearly 10 hours since they received the first phone call from the Onstar representative and 9 hours since Ryan was rushed into surgery. The last update on his condition was 2 hours ago when a nurse came to see them in Seth's room and informed them that Ryan was still in surgery and he seemed to be holding his own. No other information would be forthcoming until the surgery was completed.
Seth had been drifting in and out of consciousness for the last few hours, calling out for his parents and Ryan.
Sandy and Kirsten sat quietly, each to numb to move, except to comfort Seth during his brief times of lucidity.
Seth opened eyes again, this time they were clear and alert.
"Hey Sweetie" Kirsten said softly "How are you feeling?"
Seth swallowed and blinked. "Where's Ryan..Is he okay?"
Sandy leaned over and gently ran his hand through Seth's hair.
"Dad.what is it.what aren't you and Mom telling me?"
Before Sandy could speak, Kirsten quickly explained that Ryan was still in surgery.
"What time is it?.....How long has he been in surgery?...What's taking so long?.."
Seth's words tumbled out, his mind racing, his head pounding.
"Seth, buddy.please calm down." Sandy said, forcing himself to stay calm, trying to reassure his son. "We should know something soon..c'mon, lie back and relax."
Seth lay back down, dizziness washing over him as he fought the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him.
Kirsten spoke to Seth in hushed tones, trying to calm her son.
"Everything will be okay Seth, it's all okay..everything's good..Ryan'll be okay..we'll hear something soon."
This became Kirsten's mantra, repeating it over and over until Seth had fallen back asleep.
A nurse came in and smiled at Kirsten and Sandy.
"I'm here to check on Seth; to make sure he's doing okay."
After saying that, the nurse quickly checked Seth's pulse and blood pressure and frowned.
"Your sons' blood pressure is slightly elevated" the nurse stated as she gently lifted Seth's eyelids one at a time and shone a light in them. "But everything else looks good" The nurse looked at Kirsten and Sandy. "The doctor will come in and check him again before he releases Seth."
A mix of relief and concern are etched on to the Cohen's faces.
"Is there any word on our other son Ryan?" Sandy asks quietly.
The nurse hesitates before answering.
"I don't really have any information but I do know that Ryan is almost out of surgery and his doctor will be here to see you soon. I wish I had more news for you, but that's all I can tell you right now."
Sandy nodded and after an awkward moment the nurse left.
Kirsten stood up and started pacing in the small room. She looked exhausted. Sandy was running on fumes and they were both walking an emotional tightrope. Just then a doctor entered the room.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cohen, I'm Dr. Michaels. I was one of the surgeons that worked on Ryan."
"How is he?...We need to see him." Kirsten said, the fear and panic escalating in her voice.
Sandy moved to Kirsten's side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
Dr. Michaels continued.
"Ryan sustained a fractured skull as well as broken ribs and a punctured lung. We also had to repair a laceration on his liver. That was one of the reasons surgery took so long. We had to put a shunt in his skull to drain excess fluid from around his brain and to keep the swelling down."
Dr Michaels took a quick breath before speaking again.
"Ryan's in the Critical Care Unit right now. We had to put him in a drug induced coma. Hopefully that will help his body heal. You will be able to see him in about 15 minutes. I'm going to check on him now and I'll explain his treatment and care further when you get to the unit."
Sandy and Kirsten stood there in stunned silence.
Dr. Michaels turned to go, but before he did he offered the Cohen's a little reassurance.
"Ryan made it through surgery without any major complications. He's a strong kid. If he gets through the next 48 hours, he should make a complete recovery."
With that said, Dr. Michaels quietly left the room.
A sob caught in Kirsten's throat as Sandy held her tight, fighting to keep his own tears back.
"Ryan will be okay..Ryan will be okay...Ryan will be okay..."
It had been nearly 36 hours since either Sandy or Kirsten had any sleep. The promise of a new year had been shattered and the fragments of hope lay in a bed in the CCU. After a brief visit by the two of them, Kirsten returned to Seth's room to stay with him until he woke up again. Sandy sat in a chair beside Ryan's bed watching the monitors and listening to the repetitive beeping of the heart monitor. The whooshing sound of the ventilator and the gurgling of the vacuum pump purging Ryan's chest cavity of air leaking from his punctured lung sounded like a maudlin chorus. Ryan's eyes had been taped shut. Sandy thought that step was unnecessary because Ryan's eyes were dark and swollen and Sandy doubted the boy would even be able to open them if he were to wake up at that moment. Sandy gently held Ryan's hand and let himself drift off to sleep.
Seth had woken up again, this time he was determined to stay awake and get some answers. Kirsten told him what Dr. Michaels had told them. Seth of course, wanted to see Ryan for himself.
"Seth, honey, the doctor just has to check you over and then he'll sign your release. You're going to need to stay in bed for a few days and most of all stay calm." Kirsten put her hands on her son's shoulders.
"Mom, I need to see Ryan..I need to be there for him.Mom.please."
Seth's voice sounded tired, yet resolute.
Kirsten allowed herself a small smile.
"Honey, as soon as you're released I'll take you down to see him for a few minutes, but then I'll take you home. You need to get your strength back if you're going to be there for Ryan."
Seth matched his mother's small smile with one of his own.
"Okay, you're the boss until Ryan and I can stage a coup and regain our power over you and Dad."
This time, Kirsten's smile was genuine as she realized that Seth was not only out of danger, but well on his way to recovery.
Kirsten wheeled Seth down to the CCU. After conferring with the nurses she opened the door to the unit and steered Seth over to Ryan's bed. Sandy was still asleep in the chair and a nurse was writing information down on Ryan's chart. She smiled at Kirsten.
"Your son is holding his own. His vitals are stable and we have a strong heartbeat. Your husband on the other hand seems down for the count. It's been a long night for the both of you."
Kirsten nodded in agreement.
"Seth and I needed to see Ryan before I take Seth home and put him in his bed. Is Ryan really doing okay?....He looks so..so.."
Kirsten is unable to finish her sentence, her eyes locked on Ryan's battered body, lying still and pale in the bed. He looked so small and so much younger than his 17 years. Kirsten felt her heart breaking but kept her emotions in check for the sake of her other son. Since Ryan had entered their lives the thought of having 2 sons just seemed so natural. She may not have given birth to Ryan or seen his first steps or any other milestones, but he was her son just as Seth was. Kirsten put her hands on Seth's shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.
"He'll be okay Seth.Ryan will get better."
Kirsten choked back a sob, determined to stay strong for her family. She walked over to Sandy and gave him a gently kiss on the cheek. She wanted to do the same for Ryan but was afraid of hurting him. His face was so bruised and swollen it was unrecognizable. Seth looked at his best friend, his brother, his partner in crime. Tears welled up in his eyes as he struggled to believe his mother's words.
"He'll be okay Seth.Ryan will get better."
When Sandy woke up it was nearly 10 pm. His body ached from the awkward sleeping position. The sounds of medical machinery reminded him that events of the last day and a half wasn't a dream. It was all too real. As his eyes focused, Sandy realized that Dr. Michaels was in the room checking on Ryan.
"I didn't mean to wake you. I'm making my rounds. Ryan's stable. If he stays that way we can start weaning him off the meds keeping him in the coma."
Sandy was now fully awake as he absorbed what Dr. Michaels said to him.
"We released Seth earlier and he went home with your wife. Maybe you should go home too and get some rest. We'll let you know if there's any change in Ryan's condition."
Sandy shook his head.
"Thanks doctor, but I'm not leaving Ryan alone. He needs us to be here. I'll go home tomorrow morning when my wife comes. Kirsten won't want Ryan to be left alone either."
Doctor Michaels nodded and quietly left the room. Sandy stood up and stretched. He leaned in closer to Ryan. He gently touched Ryan's hand.
"It's okay Ryan, I'm here with you.you're not alone. Kirsten will be here soon, and so will Seth. He's okay and needs you to wake up. We won't leave you..We're here for you.
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue, please be gentle. Thanks to jZzRgRl13 for her story idea and for all reviews. Canadian spelling rules apply.
January 1, 2004.
11am
Time used to pass incredibly quickly during the busy lives of Kirsten and Sandy Cohen. 12 hour days were considered the norm for a real estate developer and an attorney. Now they both understood too well what the phrase "time stood still" meant.
It had been nearly 10 hours since they received the first phone call from the Onstar representative and 9 hours since Ryan was rushed into surgery. The last update on his condition was 2 hours ago when a nurse came to see them in Seth's room and informed them that Ryan was still in surgery and he seemed to be holding his own. No other information would be forthcoming until the surgery was completed.
Seth had been drifting in and out of consciousness for the last few hours, calling out for his parents and Ryan.
Sandy and Kirsten sat quietly, each to numb to move, except to comfort Seth during his brief times of lucidity.
Seth opened eyes again, this time they were clear and alert.
"Hey Sweetie" Kirsten said softly "How are you feeling?"
Seth swallowed and blinked. "Where's Ryan..Is he okay?"
Sandy leaned over and gently ran his hand through Seth's hair.
"Dad.what is it.what aren't you and Mom telling me?"
Before Sandy could speak, Kirsten quickly explained that Ryan was still in surgery.
"What time is it?.....How long has he been in surgery?...What's taking so long?.."
Seth's words tumbled out, his mind racing, his head pounding.
"Seth, buddy.please calm down." Sandy said, forcing himself to stay calm, trying to reassure his son. "We should know something soon..c'mon, lie back and relax."
Seth lay back down, dizziness washing over him as he fought the nausea that threatened to overwhelm him.
Kirsten spoke to Seth in hushed tones, trying to calm her son.
"Everything will be okay Seth, it's all okay..everything's good..Ryan'll be okay..we'll hear something soon."
This became Kirsten's mantra, repeating it over and over until Seth had fallen back asleep.
A nurse came in and smiled at Kirsten and Sandy.
"I'm here to check on Seth; to make sure he's doing okay."
After saying that, the nurse quickly checked Seth's pulse and blood pressure and frowned.
"Your sons' blood pressure is slightly elevated" the nurse stated as she gently lifted Seth's eyelids one at a time and shone a light in them. "But everything else looks good" The nurse looked at Kirsten and Sandy. "The doctor will come in and check him again before he releases Seth."
A mix of relief and concern are etched on to the Cohen's faces.
"Is there any word on our other son Ryan?" Sandy asks quietly.
The nurse hesitates before answering.
"I don't really have any information but I do know that Ryan is almost out of surgery and his doctor will be here to see you soon. I wish I had more news for you, but that's all I can tell you right now."
Sandy nodded and after an awkward moment the nurse left.
Kirsten stood up and started pacing in the small room. She looked exhausted. Sandy was running on fumes and they were both walking an emotional tightrope. Just then a doctor entered the room.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cohen, I'm Dr. Michaels. I was one of the surgeons that worked on Ryan."
"How is he?...We need to see him." Kirsten said, the fear and panic escalating in her voice.
Sandy moved to Kirsten's side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
Dr. Michaels continued.
"Ryan sustained a fractured skull as well as broken ribs and a punctured lung. We also had to repair a laceration on his liver. That was one of the reasons surgery took so long. We had to put a shunt in his skull to drain excess fluid from around his brain and to keep the swelling down."
Dr Michaels took a quick breath before speaking again.
"Ryan's in the Critical Care Unit right now. We had to put him in a drug induced coma. Hopefully that will help his body heal. You will be able to see him in about 15 minutes. I'm going to check on him now and I'll explain his treatment and care further when you get to the unit."
Sandy and Kirsten stood there in stunned silence.
Dr. Michaels turned to go, but before he did he offered the Cohen's a little reassurance.
"Ryan made it through surgery without any major complications. He's a strong kid. If he gets through the next 48 hours, he should make a complete recovery."
With that said, Dr. Michaels quietly left the room.
A sob caught in Kirsten's throat as Sandy held her tight, fighting to keep his own tears back.
"Ryan will be okay..Ryan will be okay...Ryan will be okay..."
It had been nearly 36 hours since either Sandy or Kirsten had any sleep. The promise of a new year had been shattered and the fragments of hope lay in a bed in the CCU. After a brief visit by the two of them, Kirsten returned to Seth's room to stay with him until he woke up again. Sandy sat in a chair beside Ryan's bed watching the monitors and listening to the repetitive beeping of the heart monitor. The whooshing sound of the ventilator and the gurgling of the vacuum pump purging Ryan's chest cavity of air leaking from his punctured lung sounded like a maudlin chorus. Ryan's eyes had been taped shut. Sandy thought that step was unnecessary because Ryan's eyes were dark and swollen and Sandy doubted the boy would even be able to open them if he were to wake up at that moment. Sandy gently held Ryan's hand and let himself drift off to sleep.
Seth had woken up again, this time he was determined to stay awake and get some answers. Kirsten told him what Dr. Michaels had told them. Seth of course, wanted to see Ryan for himself.
"Seth, honey, the doctor just has to check you over and then he'll sign your release. You're going to need to stay in bed for a few days and most of all stay calm." Kirsten put her hands on her son's shoulders.
"Mom, I need to see Ryan..I need to be there for him.Mom.please."
Seth's voice sounded tired, yet resolute.
Kirsten allowed herself a small smile.
"Honey, as soon as you're released I'll take you down to see him for a few minutes, but then I'll take you home. You need to get your strength back if you're going to be there for Ryan."
Seth matched his mother's small smile with one of his own.
"Okay, you're the boss until Ryan and I can stage a coup and regain our power over you and Dad."
This time, Kirsten's smile was genuine as she realized that Seth was not only out of danger, but well on his way to recovery.
Kirsten wheeled Seth down to the CCU. After conferring with the nurses she opened the door to the unit and steered Seth over to Ryan's bed. Sandy was still asleep in the chair and a nurse was writing information down on Ryan's chart. She smiled at Kirsten.
"Your son is holding his own. His vitals are stable and we have a strong heartbeat. Your husband on the other hand seems down for the count. It's been a long night for the both of you."
Kirsten nodded in agreement.
"Seth and I needed to see Ryan before I take Seth home and put him in his bed. Is Ryan really doing okay?....He looks so..so.."
Kirsten is unable to finish her sentence, her eyes locked on Ryan's battered body, lying still and pale in the bed. He looked so small and so much younger than his 17 years. Kirsten felt her heart breaking but kept her emotions in check for the sake of her other son. Since Ryan had entered their lives the thought of having 2 sons just seemed so natural. She may not have given birth to Ryan or seen his first steps or any other milestones, but he was her son just as Seth was. Kirsten put her hands on Seth's shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.
"He'll be okay Seth.Ryan will get better."
Kirsten choked back a sob, determined to stay strong for her family. She walked over to Sandy and gave him a gently kiss on the cheek. She wanted to do the same for Ryan but was afraid of hurting him. His face was so bruised and swollen it was unrecognizable. Seth looked at his best friend, his brother, his partner in crime. Tears welled up in his eyes as he struggled to believe his mother's words.
"He'll be okay Seth.Ryan will get better."
When Sandy woke up it was nearly 10 pm. His body ached from the awkward sleeping position. The sounds of medical machinery reminded him that events of the last day and a half wasn't a dream. It was all too real. As his eyes focused, Sandy realized that Dr. Michaels was in the room checking on Ryan.
"I didn't mean to wake you. I'm making my rounds. Ryan's stable. If he stays that way we can start weaning him off the meds keeping him in the coma."
Sandy was now fully awake as he absorbed what Dr. Michaels said to him.
"We released Seth earlier and he went home with your wife. Maybe you should go home too and get some rest. We'll let you know if there's any change in Ryan's condition."
Sandy shook his head.
"Thanks doctor, but I'm not leaving Ryan alone. He needs us to be here. I'll go home tomorrow morning when my wife comes. Kirsten won't want Ryan to be left alone either."
Doctor Michaels nodded and quietly left the room. Sandy stood up and stretched. He leaned in closer to Ryan. He gently touched Ryan's hand.
"It's okay Ryan, I'm here with you.you're not alone. Kirsten will be here soon, and so will Seth. He's okay and needs you to wake up. We won't leave you..We're here for you.