Disclaimer: The OC and its characters belong to someone with much more
money than me.
Author's note: This story takes place sometime after the Rescue because Sandy has changed jobs. Can it get any more melodramatic? Yes, I think it can. Hope everyone has eaten enough fiber today. Thanks for the beta L, you are one patient person.
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Thursday Afternoon
Chapter Five
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Kirsten paces outside the emergency room treatment area. 30 minutes before, outside the entrance, a male nurse responded to her request for help. The man joked nonchalantly with Seth as he assisted the teenager from the Range Rover to the ER. Kirsten tried to follow them into the curtained off treatment area but the nurse gently held her back, gave her thumbs up and a slight squeeze on the shoulder, and assured her someone would be right out to see her. A nurse had emerged eventually, asked permission for a cursory exam, requested that Kristen sign a quick permission to treat.
Now alone, Kirsten peeks around the corner, trying to get a glimpse of her son. No luck. She gives up and flops into an uncomfortable chair.
A young woman in bright blue scrubs comes from the ER and Kirsten jumps up on impulse.
Spying a distraught woman she suspects is the mother of the teenager she is treating, Doctor Holbrith walks up and asks, "Are you Kirsten Cohen? We seem to have found something that belongs to you."
Kirsten is taken aback by the woman's casual attitude. Her son is sick and it's scaring the hell out of her. She wants answers, not jokes.
Possibly sensing Kirsten's cold response, the woman gets down to business. Introducing herself as Doctor Holbrith, she informs Kirsten that Doctor Demsky has already been in contact with HOAG. All the paperwork has been faxed from his office, most of the red tape already processed. Kirsten nods. She doesn't give a damn about paperwork. She glances nervously at the emergency room entrance. Where the hell is Sandy?
"So, Seth tells us that he woke up this morning not feeling well," the doctor states. "When do you recall the fever starting?"
Kirsten pulls her attention away from the door and back to the doctor. "Um, I guess he woke up with it. He came downstairs complaining, looking flushed. I took his temperature right away, but it was fairly low, 100.7. I gave him some Motrin. I was a little bit surprised when I checked it at noon. It was up to 102 something but I assumed that the Motrin was just wearing off. I gave him some more. When I checked again at three o'clock, and it was still going up, then I knew we had a problem and I took him to Doctor Demsky's office. He's started vomiting now too, did he tell you that?"
Doctor Holbrith nods, "Yes, Demsky mentioned that also. Mrs. Cohen, Seth is showing signs of moderate dehydration and the fever is still up, 104.1 a few minutes ago. We started him on an intravenous drip to restore some fluids although I'm somewhat restricting fluid intake until I rule out a few things."
The doctor hesitates and then adds, "Mrs. Cohen, the odds are that we are most likely dealing with something relatively harmless, but the fever is a concern. Plus, Seth is complaining of a severe headache, vomiting, he's light sensitive. Even though we are engaging him in conversation, he keeps dozing off."
Kirsten nods, "He's been asleep most of the day."
Doctor Demsky takes in Kirsten's remark then continues, "So, as I was saying, it might just be a nasty case of the flu. But unfortunately quite a few of Seth's symptoms are consistent with meningitis."
Kirsten loses her breath. People die from meningitis. Seth's words in the car come back to haunt her.
'Everyone is overreacting.'
"Are you familiar with meningitis Mrs. Cohen?" Doctor Holbrith asks Kirsten. The doctor suspects that the woman is indeed familiar with the germ. Mrs. Cohen has lost all the color in her face.
"Yes," Kirsten responds quietly.
The doctor marches on. "I hate to put Seth through a lumbar puncture, which is the most expedient test for meningitis, but given that time is of the essence, its imparative that we do so. Early detection, even by a matter of a few hours can make all the difference in the world. He's not complaining about neck soreness, which is a huge point in our favor, nor does he have a rash, which often accompanies meningitis. The neck soreness can sometimes be difficult to determine, especially with the severity of Seth's headache. He's not moving his head voluntarily. The headache could be masking neck pain."
"He woke up sore," Kirsten confirms. She tries to concentrate on this morning. Was Seth complaining about his neck or everywhere?
Doctor Holbrith listens to Kirsten's input then finishes with, "I'll be honest with you, Doctor Demsky doesn't think it's meningitis. He's more concerned with dehydration. But I'm not comfortable with waiting it out. Your son is presenting too many risk factors associated with meningitis."
Kirsten lowers her head. "I understand. I agree with you."
Doctor Holbrith inquires as to whether or not Kirsten would like any more information on the lumbar puncture procedure and meningitis. Kirsten accepts. Educating herself is the only way at this point that she's going to feel even a medium of control. An admittance nurse approaches with a clipboard and Doctor Holbrith whispers something to her. Taking the clipboard into her hands, the doctor suggests to Kirsten that they have a seat in the more comfortable waiting room area. She explains the lumbar puncture to Kirsten, informs her of several other tests they will perform, including a nasal and throat swab, and requests several signatures. Kirsten complies.
Having completed the paperwork, the doctor inquires if Kirsten has any more questions.
Shaking her head no, Kirsten tentatively requests, "Can I be with him? Can I stay with Seth during the procedures?"
Doctor Holbrith calls the admittance nurse back over and relinquishes the clipboard to her. "Of course," she responds. "We're moving Seth to a more isolated treatment area. You'll have to wear a gown, mask, and gloves."
Things are moving too fast for Kirsten. Her head is spinning. She wants to go home, listen to Seth ramble about anything.
Slowly, Kirsten starts to switch gears, from frantic mother to businesswoman. She can do this. She can robot her way through whatever Seth needs her to do.
Stopping off at the registration desk, Kirsten asks the nurse to keep an eye out for her husband and then follows Dr. Holbrith down the hall.
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Ryan is growing desperate. Kirsten should have called by now. Sandy still hasn't called yet. He leans his head against the wall of the house and then slams his hand several times into it.
Shit!
Why hasn't anyone called him?
He reaches for the phone and punches in Sandy's cell number.
His foster father answers on the first ring.
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Sandy is stuck in traffic, edging his way to HOAG one quarter of a mile at a time. Kirsten hasn't called him back, only adding to his uneasiness. When the cell phone rings, he snatches it up. Recognizing his home number, not Kirsten's cell, Sandy has no doubt who the caller is.
What in the hell is he going to say to Ryan?
He opts for hello.
"Sandy!" Ryan voice is punctuated by a hint of panic. "Do you know what's going on? Have you talked to Kirsten? Her and Seth left here hours ago; she was supposed to call me. Did she get a hold of you? Seth is sick, she took him to the doctor's but something's not right. She should have called me by now."
'Jesus', Sandy thinks to himself. The mystery to Ryan's constant introverted demeanor is solved. Give the boy a medical emergency and he is suddenly the great inquisitor.
"Ryan, slow down," Sandy urges the kid. "Yes, I spoke to Kirsten. No, I'm not really sure what's going on. Yes, she should have called you. No, she probably didn't have time."
Ryan is silent, perhaps taking in Sandy's answers. Carefully, Sandy measures his next words; "Seth's doctor was a bit concerned over his temperature so he suggested that Kirsten take him to HOAG. I'm on my way there now to meet them. I'm sorry, I don't have time to swing by and pick you up. Why don't we wait and see what's going on before all of us rush over. It's probably nothing."
"Ok," Ryan says quietly. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried about Seth."
Sandy pulls up to HOAG and assures Ryan one last time that he will call as soon as he has any information on Seth. As he hangs up the phone and searches for a parking spot, Sandy is nauseous. How many more times is he going to speak to Ryan today before he tells him about Ed Carden? How many times before Ryan can't forgive him for not mentioning it sooner?
Sandy finds a parking spot and clambers from the car. Ryan is mature. He's smart. He's just as worried about Seth as Kirsten and Sandy are. When the dust clears, he'll be rational about Sandy's waiting to tell him. He won't run off, or burn a house down, or thumb his way back to Chino. Ryan will understand.
Sandy bursts through the emergency entrance and scans the room. Finding the registration desk, he inquires as to where Kirsten and his son are. The nurse responds with a guarded, "Oh Mr. Cohen. Why don't you follow me please?"
She leads Sandy to a small corridor marked Isolation. The nurse buzzes a door and Sandy is escorted in. There's a small waiting room to the left and a row of private rooms lining the hallway.
A tearful Kirsten sits in the waiting room, staring into space. She spots Sandy and stands up.
The whole time he had been driving to HOAG, Sandy told himself that Doctor Demsky was only being precautious, Kirsten overprotective. But this is an emergency room isolation area, Kirsten is in tears and Seth is nowhere in sight. His wife walks up to him, her shoulders shaking, and lays her head into his shoulder, crying in earnest now.
For the second time this afternoon, Sandy Cohen's nervous system freezes up. Once again, he takes a quick breath. Gets control. Proceeds.
"Kirsten, honey, where's Seth, what's wrong?"
Kirsten rubs her face into his shirt. He tries again.
"Kirsten. You're scaring me. Where's Seth. What's going on?"
A woman in bright blue scrubs walks up to them and introduces herself. "Mr. Cohen, I'm Doctor Holbrith. I'm treating your son Seth. Why don't we sit down and talk."
Sandy nods silently and takes Kirsten hand. The two of them follow the doctor into the waiting room.
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At home, Ryan sits in a lounge chair, looking out at the ocean. Eighteen minutes have passed since he phoned Sandy. His hand hurts from hitting it against the wall. His stomach is still growling.
Ryan's not really a part of this family. He knows the Cohen's care about him. He knows that Sandy would do anything for him. He knows that Seth worships him and that Kirsten is learning to appreciate him but deep down, he knows that if he were really a part of this family...somebody would have called.
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To Be Continued
Author's note: This story takes place sometime after the Rescue because Sandy has changed jobs. Can it get any more melodramatic? Yes, I think it can. Hope everyone has eaten enough fiber today. Thanks for the beta L, you are one patient person.
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Thursday Afternoon
Chapter Five
--------------------------------------------
Kirsten paces outside the emergency room treatment area. 30 minutes before, outside the entrance, a male nurse responded to her request for help. The man joked nonchalantly with Seth as he assisted the teenager from the Range Rover to the ER. Kirsten tried to follow them into the curtained off treatment area but the nurse gently held her back, gave her thumbs up and a slight squeeze on the shoulder, and assured her someone would be right out to see her. A nurse had emerged eventually, asked permission for a cursory exam, requested that Kristen sign a quick permission to treat.
Now alone, Kirsten peeks around the corner, trying to get a glimpse of her son. No luck. She gives up and flops into an uncomfortable chair.
A young woman in bright blue scrubs comes from the ER and Kirsten jumps up on impulse.
Spying a distraught woman she suspects is the mother of the teenager she is treating, Doctor Holbrith walks up and asks, "Are you Kirsten Cohen? We seem to have found something that belongs to you."
Kirsten is taken aback by the woman's casual attitude. Her son is sick and it's scaring the hell out of her. She wants answers, not jokes.
Possibly sensing Kirsten's cold response, the woman gets down to business. Introducing herself as Doctor Holbrith, she informs Kirsten that Doctor Demsky has already been in contact with HOAG. All the paperwork has been faxed from his office, most of the red tape already processed. Kirsten nods. She doesn't give a damn about paperwork. She glances nervously at the emergency room entrance. Where the hell is Sandy?
"So, Seth tells us that he woke up this morning not feeling well," the doctor states. "When do you recall the fever starting?"
Kirsten pulls her attention away from the door and back to the doctor. "Um, I guess he woke up with it. He came downstairs complaining, looking flushed. I took his temperature right away, but it was fairly low, 100.7. I gave him some Motrin. I was a little bit surprised when I checked it at noon. It was up to 102 something but I assumed that the Motrin was just wearing off. I gave him some more. When I checked again at three o'clock, and it was still going up, then I knew we had a problem and I took him to Doctor Demsky's office. He's started vomiting now too, did he tell you that?"
Doctor Holbrith nods, "Yes, Demsky mentioned that also. Mrs. Cohen, Seth is showing signs of moderate dehydration and the fever is still up, 104.1 a few minutes ago. We started him on an intravenous drip to restore some fluids although I'm somewhat restricting fluid intake until I rule out a few things."
The doctor hesitates and then adds, "Mrs. Cohen, the odds are that we are most likely dealing with something relatively harmless, but the fever is a concern. Plus, Seth is complaining of a severe headache, vomiting, he's light sensitive. Even though we are engaging him in conversation, he keeps dozing off."
Kirsten nods, "He's been asleep most of the day."
Doctor Demsky takes in Kirsten's remark then continues, "So, as I was saying, it might just be a nasty case of the flu. But unfortunately quite a few of Seth's symptoms are consistent with meningitis."
Kirsten loses her breath. People die from meningitis. Seth's words in the car come back to haunt her.
'Everyone is overreacting.'
"Are you familiar with meningitis Mrs. Cohen?" Doctor Holbrith asks Kirsten. The doctor suspects that the woman is indeed familiar with the germ. Mrs. Cohen has lost all the color in her face.
"Yes," Kirsten responds quietly.
The doctor marches on. "I hate to put Seth through a lumbar puncture, which is the most expedient test for meningitis, but given that time is of the essence, its imparative that we do so. Early detection, even by a matter of a few hours can make all the difference in the world. He's not complaining about neck soreness, which is a huge point in our favor, nor does he have a rash, which often accompanies meningitis. The neck soreness can sometimes be difficult to determine, especially with the severity of Seth's headache. He's not moving his head voluntarily. The headache could be masking neck pain."
"He woke up sore," Kirsten confirms. She tries to concentrate on this morning. Was Seth complaining about his neck or everywhere?
Doctor Holbrith listens to Kirsten's input then finishes with, "I'll be honest with you, Doctor Demsky doesn't think it's meningitis. He's more concerned with dehydration. But I'm not comfortable with waiting it out. Your son is presenting too many risk factors associated with meningitis."
Kirsten lowers her head. "I understand. I agree with you."
Doctor Holbrith inquires as to whether or not Kirsten would like any more information on the lumbar puncture procedure and meningitis. Kirsten accepts. Educating herself is the only way at this point that she's going to feel even a medium of control. An admittance nurse approaches with a clipboard and Doctor Holbrith whispers something to her. Taking the clipboard into her hands, the doctor suggests to Kirsten that they have a seat in the more comfortable waiting room area. She explains the lumbar puncture to Kirsten, informs her of several other tests they will perform, including a nasal and throat swab, and requests several signatures. Kirsten complies.
Having completed the paperwork, the doctor inquires if Kirsten has any more questions.
Shaking her head no, Kirsten tentatively requests, "Can I be with him? Can I stay with Seth during the procedures?"
Doctor Holbrith calls the admittance nurse back over and relinquishes the clipboard to her. "Of course," she responds. "We're moving Seth to a more isolated treatment area. You'll have to wear a gown, mask, and gloves."
Things are moving too fast for Kirsten. Her head is spinning. She wants to go home, listen to Seth ramble about anything.
Slowly, Kirsten starts to switch gears, from frantic mother to businesswoman. She can do this. She can robot her way through whatever Seth needs her to do.
Stopping off at the registration desk, Kirsten asks the nurse to keep an eye out for her husband and then follows Dr. Holbrith down the hall.
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Ryan is growing desperate. Kirsten should have called by now. Sandy still hasn't called yet. He leans his head against the wall of the house and then slams his hand several times into it.
Shit!
Why hasn't anyone called him?
He reaches for the phone and punches in Sandy's cell number.
His foster father answers on the first ring.
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Sandy is stuck in traffic, edging his way to HOAG one quarter of a mile at a time. Kirsten hasn't called him back, only adding to his uneasiness. When the cell phone rings, he snatches it up. Recognizing his home number, not Kirsten's cell, Sandy has no doubt who the caller is.
What in the hell is he going to say to Ryan?
He opts for hello.
"Sandy!" Ryan voice is punctuated by a hint of panic. "Do you know what's going on? Have you talked to Kirsten? Her and Seth left here hours ago; she was supposed to call me. Did she get a hold of you? Seth is sick, she took him to the doctor's but something's not right. She should have called me by now."
'Jesus', Sandy thinks to himself. The mystery to Ryan's constant introverted demeanor is solved. Give the boy a medical emergency and he is suddenly the great inquisitor.
"Ryan, slow down," Sandy urges the kid. "Yes, I spoke to Kirsten. No, I'm not really sure what's going on. Yes, she should have called you. No, she probably didn't have time."
Ryan is silent, perhaps taking in Sandy's answers. Carefully, Sandy measures his next words; "Seth's doctor was a bit concerned over his temperature so he suggested that Kirsten take him to HOAG. I'm on my way there now to meet them. I'm sorry, I don't have time to swing by and pick you up. Why don't we wait and see what's going on before all of us rush over. It's probably nothing."
"Ok," Ryan says quietly. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried about Seth."
Sandy pulls up to HOAG and assures Ryan one last time that he will call as soon as he has any information on Seth. As he hangs up the phone and searches for a parking spot, Sandy is nauseous. How many more times is he going to speak to Ryan today before he tells him about Ed Carden? How many times before Ryan can't forgive him for not mentioning it sooner?
Sandy finds a parking spot and clambers from the car. Ryan is mature. He's smart. He's just as worried about Seth as Kirsten and Sandy are. When the dust clears, he'll be rational about Sandy's waiting to tell him. He won't run off, or burn a house down, or thumb his way back to Chino. Ryan will understand.
Sandy bursts through the emergency entrance and scans the room. Finding the registration desk, he inquires as to where Kirsten and his son are. The nurse responds with a guarded, "Oh Mr. Cohen. Why don't you follow me please?"
She leads Sandy to a small corridor marked Isolation. The nurse buzzes a door and Sandy is escorted in. There's a small waiting room to the left and a row of private rooms lining the hallway.
A tearful Kirsten sits in the waiting room, staring into space. She spots Sandy and stands up.
The whole time he had been driving to HOAG, Sandy told himself that Doctor Demsky was only being precautious, Kirsten overprotective. But this is an emergency room isolation area, Kirsten is in tears and Seth is nowhere in sight. His wife walks up to him, her shoulders shaking, and lays her head into his shoulder, crying in earnest now.
For the second time this afternoon, Sandy Cohen's nervous system freezes up. Once again, he takes a quick breath. Gets control. Proceeds.
"Kirsten, honey, where's Seth, what's wrong?"
Kirsten rubs her face into his shirt. He tries again.
"Kirsten. You're scaring me. Where's Seth. What's going on?"
A woman in bright blue scrubs walks up to them and introduces herself. "Mr. Cohen, I'm Doctor Holbrith. I'm treating your son Seth. Why don't we sit down and talk."
Sandy nods silently and takes Kirsten hand. The two of them follow the doctor into the waiting room.
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At home, Ryan sits in a lounge chair, looking out at the ocean. Eighteen minutes have passed since he phoned Sandy. His hand hurts from hitting it against the wall. His stomach is still growling.
Ryan's not really a part of this family. He knows the Cohen's care about him. He knows that Sandy would do anything for him. He knows that Seth worships him and that Kirsten is learning to appreciate him but deep down, he knows that if he were really a part of this family...somebody would have called.
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To Be Continued