When Sandy and Kirsten walked back into Ryan's room, they saw that he still had his eyes closed, and his jaw clenched. They both knew he was mad and upset and hurt. And they both knew all of those feelings were directed towards Sandy, and that Ryan would never say anything.
"Okay, so this is what's happening," Sandy decided to explain, "Someone should be here shortly to start the preparations. Then the anesthesiologist will be in to ask some questions, get our consent and start an IV. After that they'll come and take you up to surgery. The surgery itself should only take a couple of hours. After that, you'll go to recovery, and you'll stay there for a little while. Then you'll be moved to a room for a little while longer. If all goes well, we'll be home later tonight."
Sandy knew he was talking fast, and doubted Ryan understood everything he just said. So he waited, for Ryan to acknowledge him. Just when he thought Ryan was asleep, or pretending to be asleep, Sandy heard him say, "Okay."
Okay?" Sandy repeated, "No questions? Nothing else you want to know?"
Ryan just sighed and said, "No."
"Ryan." Sandy said, and when he didn't get an answer, Sandy said a little louder, "Ryan."
Ryan still didn't answer, but he did finally open his eyes and look at Sandy.
"I am sorry." Sandy said.
"I know, Sandy. I know. You said that already. More then once." An obviously exasperated Ryan told him, "It was an accident. I know. Don't worry about it."
"I am worried about it. And I'm worried about you." Sandy said, "What's wrong? I mean besides the broken arm. Is it the surgery? How long you'll be in a cast?"
"It's nothing." Ryan answered. "We all know it's not like I haven't broken my arm before."
"No, but it's the first time I've broken your arm." Sandy attempted to joke.
"I wouldn't say that too loudly. God only knows who they may call the next time we attempt a joke." Ryan snidely said.
"Is that what's bothering you?" Sandy asked, "The woman from Social Services? Ryan, I told you, it was nothing. I promise, there is no investigation. There is nothing to worry about. She had some concerns because this isn't your first broken arm. She asked her questions. I answered her questions. She left. End of the story. I promise you, kid, there is nothing else to it."
Ryan just mumbled, "Fine," and closed his eyes again. He didn't feel like talking anymore. Unfortunately, Kirsten and Sandy still felt like talking, like always.
"So what else is it, Ryan?" Kirsten asked him, as she again began brushing his hair out of his face.
"I said it was nothing." Ryan snapped as he jerked his head away from Kirsten's touch. But then quickly opened his eyes when he realized what he had done.
"I'm sorry." He said quickly. "It's just. Really it's nothing. Just tired."
Kirsten could only smile at him before she told him, "Well, I guess you have the right to be tired. And maybe a little worried, and I would definitely say you have every right to be mad."
"I'm not mad." Ryan answered, again very quickly.
"You're not?" Kirsten said, "Well, I am. And I don't mean at Sandy, or at you. But at the circumstances. They're not very fair, are they?"
"No." Ryan said. He didn't know what else to say. They weren't fair, but they never were. Not in his life. Not ever.
Sandy was starting to understand what Kirsten was getting at. Ryan wasn't really mad at him, but at yet another twist of fate, more of that Atwood bad luck Ryan sometimes mentioned. A simple accident ruined all the plans Ryan had for the summer, including his part time job.
"Remind me to call the Crab Shack and tell them you can't start on Monday." Sandy said.
"No, don't. I think I may be able to still work." Ryan said. It wouldn't be easy, but he hoped his boss would be a little understanding, given the circumstances and would at least let him try.
"No, you can't." Kirsten told him, and Sandy asked, "How do you figure on working with a broken arm, Ryan?"
"I still have my left arm. I can carry one dish at a time in the beginning, and then I could probably manage smaller plates with my right arm eventually." Ryan told them.
Kirsten just shook her head as Sandy told him, "I don't think that's a good idea, Ryan. I doubt your boss would go for it. And even if he did, we don't agree with it. You don't need to put that kind of stress on your arm or yourself just for a part time summer job."
"Then what kind of job can I get?" Ryan asked. "I need some kind of job."
"Ryan, you can't work this summer." Kirsten told him, "Not with a broken arm, especially your right arm. This summer is going to be very relaxing for you." Kirsten almost said boring, that his summer was going to be boring, but caught herself before it was too late.
"Yeah," Sandy agreed, "You can go to the movies. Take Marissa to dinner, walk the boardwalk, hang out at the beach. Ok, you can't really go in the water, but you can still hang out. There are a lot of other fun things you can do, even with one arm."
"But without a job, I can't exactly pay for all those other fun things." Ryan mumbled. He really wasn't talking to them, just talking out loud.
"Don't worry about a job, Ryan." Sandy said, "And don't worry about the money. I have your tax return from last year. I know how much you made last August. It's easy enough to cover that, plus whatever you would have made for June and July."
"I can't ask you to do that." Ryan told him, "I can't take your money. I'm sure I can find something."
"Ryan. You can't work this summer. Not with your arm." Sandy said his tone quickly changing from lighthearted to one that told Ryan to stop arguing.
"It's funny. We never seem to have this argument with Seth. He has no problem taking our money." Kirsten said, trying to lighten the mood. She knew from experience that the two of them could both be so stubborn sometimes, and this was quickly becoming one of those times.
Ryan just closed his eyes again as he muttered, "Seth has more of a right to it."
"Actually, I'd say you had more right, what with your arm. Seth could still get a job. He has two good arms. He just chooses not to." Sandy told him.
Ryan just sighed loudly and shook his head. Sometimes he really hated when they played stupid, like they didn't know what he was talking about. He also knew he wasn't going to win the argument. It was pretty much the same argument they had the summer before, when school started and they expected him to quit the Crab Shack. They wouldn't let him work during the school year, and insisted on giving him an allowance. He had never in his life been given an allowance.
"Someone should be here soon. They said the surgery would be within an hour or two, so I don't know what could be taking so long." Kirsten said. She was talking out loud and not to anyone in particular.
They both noticed as Ryan's eyes shot open, and he began to stare blankly at the ceiling.
"Ryan," Kirsten said softly, "It's okay. We're all worried about you having surgery. But it'll be fine. You'll be fine. I know the idea of surgery is scary, especially for the first time, but you'll come through it just fine. I promise."
"It's not the first time." Ryan said, still staring blankly at the ceiling.
At first Kirsten just said, "Oh," but when she went to ask him more about it, she noticed Sandy shake his head and give her his 'we'll talk about it later' look.
Luckily for all of them, Ryan's door opened and the nurse, Annie, walked in.
"Well, I guess this really isn't your day," she said, with a sincere smile. "They just called from upstairs. They'll be ready for Ryan in about forty-five minutes, so we need to get you ready. First we need to get you changed out of your bathing suit and into a hospital gown."
Kirsten and Sandy both just nodded as Annie placed the hospital gown down at the foot of Ryan's bed, and turned to place her other stuff down when she heard Ryan shriek, "What are you doing?"
She turned suddenly, thinking something was wrong and couldn't believe the scene behind her as Mrs. Cohen now had both hands around the waist of Ryan's bathing suit. That coupled with the look of pure panic on Ryan's face made her laugh out loud.
"Ryan, you heard the nurse. You need to take off the bathing suit and put on the hospital gown." Kirsten told him, not letting go of the suit.
"Yes. I need to take off my suit. Not you." Ryan told her, with a voice cracking from both shock and fear.
"You can't do it alone." Kirsten said, but Ryan quickly shot back, "Well, you aren't doing it."
"Mrs. Cohen," Annie finally said after regaining her composure, "I think it would be best if you and Mr. Cohen stepped outside while I help Ryan get ready. I also need to take blood, and I need a urine sample. I don't know too many sixteen year old boys who want their parents watching all of this."
"I can do it myself." Ryan said, to no one in particular, since no one was really listening to him.
"Come on, Kirsten." Sandy said, gently removing her hands from the waistband of Ryan's suit, "We'll be right outside, Ryan."
"Your parents are very interesting." Annie said after the Cohens left.
"You have no idea." Ryan mumbled before saying, "Really, I can do it myself. I don't need help getting dressed or undressed."
Annie just smiled at Ryan's stubborn need for independence. "Actually Ryan," she informed him, "You do need help. And you're going to continue to need help even after you get home. At least for a little while until the pain has subsided and you get used to the cast. It's going to be very awkward for you for a while, and you're going to need to let someone help you."
"Come on," she continued as she held up the hospital gown, "First we'll slide this slowly, carefully over your right arm. There, like that." She continued to talk softly as she helped Ryan into the gown, "Okay. Now the left arm. There. Now lean forward so I can tie the back. Good."
"Okay." She said, as she slipped her hands under the hospital gown and grabbed hold of Ryan's waistband, "Now we can just slip the suit off. Just raise your bottom up a little bit. Good. There. See? No harm, no foul." She quickly removed the suit and placed it at the foot of his bed.
She smiled at Ryan as she continued her pre-op work up, as she called it. He watched as she wrapped a tight elastic band around his left arm and told him to make a fist, but looked away when she stuck the needle in his arm to draw blood.
"Unclench your fist." Annie said after the needle was in his arm. But Ryan apparently didn't hear her as he kept his fist clenched. Actually, Annie noticed he had both fists clenched, his eyes shut tight and he was breathing very heavily. It had to have hurt a lot for Ryan to make a fist with his right hand.
"Hey," Annie said as she rubbed his left arm, "What's up? Are you okay? Come on, Ryan, look at me."
"Yeah." He said, finally relaxing his fists and opening his eyes. "Don't like needles."
"I would say not." Annie said, "Are you sure that's it?" And when Ryan only nodded, she continued, "Okay, well, then why don't we head for the bathroom."
"We?" Ryan asked, raising both eyebrows at her.
"Yes, we." Annie informed him, "I told you Ryan, you're going to need help for a while. So, come on let's go."
Ryan just looked at his nurse for a minute before snidely telling her, "I can pee in a cup by myself."
Annie just shook her head. Stubborn teenage boys were not her favorite patients. "No you can't, but I can get your mother, if you'd rather. I'm sure she'd be able to help you." Annie told him.
Ryan just rolled his eyes and sighed again. Yeah, that's just what he'd need, Kirsten helping him in the bathroom. At least the nurse he'd never have to see again. "Fine." He muttered as he got off the bed and headed for the bathroom, with Nurse Annie following right behind.
After Ryan was back in bed and Annie had all her pre-op stuff done, Kirsten and Sandy came back in, followed by the anesthesiologist.
"Good luck, Ryan." Annie said as she left. Ryan didn't answer her. He no longer thought she was all that cute.
The anesthesiologist asked the basic questions; some of the same questions that they had been answering all day. But then he asked, "Have you ever had surgery before?"
Ryan only nodded. He didn't want to remember it or think about it, and he definitely didn't want to talk about it, not in front of Kirsten and Sandy.
"Any reaction to the anesthesia?" the doctor asked.
Ryan could only shrug and then said, "I don't think so."
"But you don't know for sure? What happened?" the doctor asked.
Ryan opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it again. He then looked down at the floor, and then at the blanket on his bed, the same blanket he was twisting in his hand. He really didn't want to talk about what happened, and was shocked when he heard Sandy say, "There was an accident. Ryan's spleen was ruptured and they had to remove it. After the surgery, they had a hard time waking Ryan up for a few days. But they said the coma was more injury related, and probably not due to anesthesia."
The doctor nodded and made a note in his chart as he explained, "Since this surgery isn't as serious as a splenectomy, Ryan won't be sedated as heavily. Only mild sedation. But I noted his chart, and he will be closely monitored. I just need to start his IV, while you read and sign these papers, and then I believe we'll be all set."
Ryan could only stare at Sandy. He had no idea that Sandy knew anything about what his prior life was like, but Sandy either didn't notice or pretended not to notice Ryan staring at him, as he read the consent forms and other medical information he was handed, and while the anesthesiologist began Ryan's IV.
The prick of the needle into Ryan's hand made him jump. He flinched and tried to pull his hand back as Kirsten started to stroke the top of his head and softly whispered to him, "Almost done. Its okay. You're doing great...."
Once the IV was done, the doctor injected something into it and said, "Ryan, I'm giving you something to help relax you. You should start to feel it shortly."
They all watched as slowly Ryan began to slide down in the bed, close his eyes and smile.
"Good stuff, huh?" the doctor asked, "Kind of gives you a nice mellow feeling, doesn't it."
Ryan could only smile as he told them, "Yeah, good stuff. You got any to go? I got a brother at home who could use something mellow."
"Sorry, buddy. All good stuff has to stay in house. Your brother would have to be a patient first." The doctor told him.
"That's okay." Ryan laughed, "Surfer dude over there can take him out tomorrow, break his arm, and then maybe you guys can give us a two for one deal."
"Thanks, Ryan." Sandy told him, "Appreciate it."
"I'll see you upstairs in a little bit, Ryan." The doctor said as he left.
Ryan only nodded as he slipped just a little further down in the bed and really started to relax.
"Sandy," he said after a minute, "It wasn't an accident. My spleen. It wasn't an accident."
"I know," Sandy told him, "I just didn't think we needed to tell the doctor the whole truth."
Ryan looked at Sandy before telling him, "I didn't know you knew the whole truth. You never said anything."
"Figured if you wanted to talk about it, you would." Sandy said.
Ryan just shook his head slightly and closed his eyes. Sandy and Kirsten both watched as his breathing started to slow down, as he fell asleep.
"Okay, so this is what's happening," Sandy decided to explain, "Someone should be here shortly to start the preparations. Then the anesthesiologist will be in to ask some questions, get our consent and start an IV. After that they'll come and take you up to surgery. The surgery itself should only take a couple of hours. After that, you'll go to recovery, and you'll stay there for a little while. Then you'll be moved to a room for a little while longer. If all goes well, we'll be home later tonight."
Sandy knew he was talking fast, and doubted Ryan understood everything he just said. So he waited, for Ryan to acknowledge him. Just when he thought Ryan was asleep, or pretending to be asleep, Sandy heard him say, "Okay."
Okay?" Sandy repeated, "No questions? Nothing else you want to know?"
Ryan just sighed and said, "No."
"Ryan." Sandy said, and when he didn't get an answer, Sandy said a little louder, "Ryan."
Ryan still didn't answer, but he did finally open his eyes and look at Sandy.
"I am sorry." Sandy said.
"I know, Sandy. I know. You said that already. More then once." An obviously exasperated Ryan told him, "It was an accident. I know. Don't worry about it."
"I am worried about it. And I'm worried about you." Sandy said, "What's wrong? I mean besides the broken arm. Is it the surgery? How long you'll be in a cast?"
"It's nothing." Ryan answered. "We all know it's not like I haven't broken my arm before."
"No, but it's the first time I've broken your arm." Sandy attempted to joke.
"I wouldn't say that too loudly. God only knows who they may call the next time we attempt a joke." Ryan snidely said.
"Is that what's bothering you?" Sandy asked, "The woman from Social Services? Ryan, I told you, it was nothing. I promise, there is no investigation. There is nothing to worry about. She had some concerns because this isn't your first broken arm. She asked her questions. I answered her questions. She left. End of the story. I promise you, kid, there is nothing else to it."
Ryan just mumbled, "Fine," and closed his eyes again. He didn't feel like talking anymore. Unfortunately, Kirsten and Sandy still felt like talking, like always.
"So what else is it, Ryan?" Kirsten asked him, as she again began brushing his hair out of his face.
"I said it was nothing." Ryan snapped as he jerked his head away from Kirsten's touch. But then quickly opened his eyes when he realized what he had done.
"I'm sorry." He said quickly. "It's just. Really it's nothing. Just tired."
Kirsten could only smile at him before she told him, "Well, I guess you have the right to be tired. And maybe a little worried, and I would definitely say you have every right to be mad."
"I'm not mad." Ryan answered, again very quickly.
"You're not?" Kirsten said, "Well, I am. And I don't mean at Sandy, or at you. But at the circumstances. They're not very fair, are they?"
"No." Ryan said. He didn't know what else to say. They weren't fair, but they never were. Not in his life. Not ever.
Sandy was starting to understand what Kirsten was getting at. Ryan wasn't really mad at him, but at yet another twist of fate, more of that Atwood bad luck Ryan sometimes mentioned. A simple accident ruined all the plans Ryan had for the summer, including his part time job.
"Remind me to call the Crab Shack and tell them you can't start on Monday." Sandy said.
"No, don't. I think I may be able to still work." Ryan said. It wouldn't be easy, but he hoped his boss would be a little understanding, given the circumstances and would at least let him try.
"No, you can't." Kirsten told him, and Sandy asked, "How do you figure on working with a broken arm, Ryan?"
"I still have my left arm. I can carry one dish at a time in the beginning, and then I could probably manage smaller plates with my right arm eventually." Ryan told them.
Kirsten just shook her head as Sandy told him, "I don't think that's a good idea, Ryan. I doubt your boss would go for it. And even if he did, we don't agree with it. You don't need to put that kind of stress on your arm or yourself just for a part time summer job."
"Then what kind of job can I get?" Ryan asked. "I need some kind of job."
"Ryan, you can't work this summer." Kirsten told him, "Not with a broken arm, especially your right arm. This summer is going to be very relaxing for you." Kirsten almost said boring, that his summer was going to be boring, but caught herself before it was too late.
"Yeah," Sandy agreed, "You can go to the movies. Take Marissa to dinner, walk the boardwalk, hang out at the beach. Ok, you can't really go in the water, but you can still hang out. There are a lot of other fun things you can do, even with one arm."
"But without a job, I can't exactly pay for all those other fun things." Ryan mumbled. He really wasn't talking to them, just talking out loud.
"Don't worry about a job, Ryan." Sandy said, "And don't worry about the money. I have your tax return from last year. I know how much you made last August. It's easy enough to cover that, plus whatever you would have made for June and July."
"I can't ask you to do that." Ryan told him, "I can't take your money. I'm sure I can find something."
"Ryan. You can't work this summer. Not with your arm." Sandy said his tone quickly changing from lighthearted to one that told Ryan to stop arguing.
"It's funny. We never seem to have this argument with Seth. He has no problem taking our money." Kirsten said, trying to lighten the mood. She knew from experience that the two of them could both be so stubborn sometimes, and this was quickly becoming one of those times.
Ryan just closed his eyes again as he muttered, "Seth has more of a right to it."
"Actually, I'd say you had more right, what with your arm. Seth could still get a job. He has two good arms. He just chooses not to." Sandy told him.
Ryan just sighed loudly and shook his head. Sometimes he really hated when they played stupid, like they didn't know what he was talking about. He also knew he wasn't going to win the argument. It was pretty much the same argument they had the summer before, when school started and they expected him to quit the Crab Shack. They wouldn't let him work during the school year, and insisted on giving him an allowance. He had never in his life been given an allowance.
"Someone should be here soon. They said the surgery would be within an hour or two, so I don't know what could be taking so long." Kirsten said. She was talking out loud and not to anyone in particular.
They both noticed as Ryan's eyes shot open, and he began to stare blankly at the ceiling.
"Ryan," Kirsten said softly, "It's okay. We're all worried about you having surgery. But it'll be fine. You'll be fine. I know the idea of surgery is scary, especially for the first time, but you'll come through it just fine. I promise."
"It's not the first time." Ryan said, still staring blankly at the ceiling.
At first Kirsten just said, "Oh," but when she went to ask him more about it, she noticed Sandy shake his head and give her his 'we'll talk about it later' look.
Luckily for all of them, Ryan's door opened and the nurse, Annie, walked in.
"Well, I guess this really isn't your day," she said, with a sincere smile. "They just called from upstairs. They'll be ready for Ryan in about forty-five minutes, so we need to get you ready. First we need to get you changed out of your bathing suit and into a hospital gown."
Kirsten and Sandy both just nodded as Annie placed the hospital gown down at the foot of Ryan's bed, and turned to place her other stuff down when she heard Ryan shriek, "What are you doing?"
She turned suddenly, thinking something was wrong and couldn't believe the scene behind her as Mrs. Cohen now had both hands around the waist of Ryan's bathing suit. That coupled with the look of pure panic on Ryan's face made her laugh out loud.
"Ryan, you heard the nurse. You need to take off the bathing suit and put on the hospital gown." Kirsten told him, not letting go of the suit.
"Yes. I need to take off my suit. Not you." Ryan told her, with a voice cracking from both shock and fear.
"You can't do it alone." Kirsten said, but Ryan quickly shot back, "Well, you aren't doing it."
"Mrs. Cohen," Annie finally said after regaining her composure, "I think it would be best if you and Mr. Cohen stepped outside while I help Ryan get ready. I also need to take blood, and I need a urine sample. I don't know too many sixteen year old boys who want their parents watching all of this."
"I can do it myself." Ryan said, to no one in particular, since no one was really listening to him.
"Come on, Kirsten." Sandy said, gently removing her hands from the waistband of Ryan's suit, "We'll be right outside, Ryan."
"Your parents are very interesting." Annie said after the Cohens left.
"You have no idea." Ryan mumbled before saying, "Really, I can do it myself. I don't need help getting dressed or undressed."
Annie just smiled at Ryan's stubborn need for independence. "Actually Ryan," she informed him, "You do need help. And you're going to continue to need help even after you get home. At least for a little while until the pain has subsided and you get used to the cast. It's going to be very awkward for you for a while, and you're going to need to let someone help you."
"Come on," she continued as she held up the hospital gown, "First we'll slide this slowly, carefully over your right arm. There, like that." She continued to talk softly as she helped Ryan into the gown, "Okay. Now the left arm. There. Now lean forward so I can tie the back. Good."
"Okay." She said, as she slipped her hands under the hospital gown and grabbed hold of Ryan's waistband, "Now we can just slip the suit off. Just raise your bottom up a little bit. Good. There. See? No harm, no foul." She quickly removed the suit and placed it at the foot of his bed.
She smiled at Ryan as she continued her pre-op work up, as she called it. He watched as she wrapped a tight elastic band around his left arm and told him to make a fist, but looked away when she stuck the needle in his arm to draw blood.
"Unclench your fist." Annie said after the needle was in his arm. But Ryan apparently didn't hear her as he kept his fist clenched. Actually, Annie noticed he had both fists clenched, his eyes shut tight and he was breathing very heavily. It had to have hurt a lot for Ryan to make a fist with his right hand.
"Hey," Annie said as she rubbed his left arm, "What's up? Are you okay? Come on, Ryan, look at me."
"Yeah." He said, finally relaxing his fists and opening his eyes. "Don't like needles."
"I would say not." Annie said, "Are you sure that's it?" And when Ryan only nodded, she continued, "Okay, well, then why don't we head for the bathroom."
"We?" Ryan asked, raising both eyebrows at her.
"Yes, we." Annie informed him, "I told you Ryan, you're going to need help for a while. So, come on let's go."
Ryan just looked at his nurse for a minute before snidely telling her, "I can pee in a cup by myself."
Annie just shook her head. Stubborn teenage boys were not her favorite patients. "No you can't, but I can get your mother, if you'd rather. I'm sure she'd be able to help you." Annie told him.
Ryan just rolled his eyes and sighed again. Yeah, that's just what he'd need, Kirsten helping him in the bathroom. At least the nurse he'd never have to see again. "Fine." He muttered as he got off the bed and headed for the bathroom, with Nurse Annie following right behind.
After Ryan was back in bed and Annie had all her pre-op stuff done, Kirsten and Sandy came back in, followed by the anesthesiologist.
"Good luck, Ryan." Annie said as she left. Ryan didn't answer her. He no longer thought she was all that cute.
The anesthesiologist asked the basic questions; some of the same questions that they had been answering all day. But then he asked, "Have you ever had surgery before?"
Ryan only nodded. He didn't want to remember it or think about it, and he definitely didn't want to talk about it, not in front of Kirsten and Sandy.
"Any reaction to the anesthesia?" the doctor asked.
Ryan could only shrug and then said, "I don't think so."
"But you don't know for sure? What happened?" the doctor asked.
Ryan opened his mouth to answer, but then closed it again. He then looked down at the floor, and then at the blanket on his bed, the same blanket he was twisting in his hand. He really didn't want to talk about what happened, and was shocked when he heard Sandy say, "There was an accident. Ryan's spleen was ruptured and they had to remove it. After the surgery, they had a hard time waking Ryan up for a few days. But they said the coma was more injury related, and probably not due to anesthesia."
The doctor nodded and made a note in his chart as he explained, "Since this surgery isn't as serious as a splenectomy, Ryan won't be sedated as heavily. Only mild sedation. But I noted his chart, and he will be closely monitored. I just need to start his IV, while you read and sign these papers, and then I believe we'll be all set."
Ryan could only stare at Sandy. He had no idea that Sandy knew anything about what his prior life was like, but Sandy either didn't notice or pretended not to notice Ryan staring at him, as he read the consent forms and other medical information he was handed, and while the anesthesiologist began Ryan's IV.
The prick of the needle into Ryan's hand made him jump. He flinched and tried to pull his hand back as Kirsten started to stroke the top of his head and softly whispered to him, "Almost done. Its okay. You're doing great...."
Once the IV was done, the doctor injected something into it and said, "Ryan, I'm giving you something to help relax you. You should start to feel it shortly."
They all watched as slowly Ryan began to slide down in the bed, close his eyes and smile.
"Good stuff, huh?" the doctor asked, "Kind of gives you a nice mellow feeling, doesn't it."
Ryan could only smile as he told them, "Yeah, good stuff. You got any to go? I got a brother at home who could use something mellow."
"Sorry, buddy. All good stuff has to stay in house. Your brother would have to be a patient first." The doctor told him.
"That's okay." Ryan laughed, "Surfer dude over there can take him out tomorrow, break his arm, and then maybe you guys can give us a two for one deal."
"Thanks, Ryan." Sandy told him, "Appreciate it."
"I'll see you upstairs in a little bit, Ryan." The doctor said as he left.
Ryan only nodded as he slipped just a little further down in the bed and really started to relax.
"Sandy," he said after a minute, "It wasn't an accident. My spleen. It wasn't an accident."
"I know," Sandy told him, "I just didn't think we needed to tell the doctor the whole truth."
Ryan looked at Sandy before telling him, "I didn't know you knew the whole truth. You never said anything."
"Figured if you wanted to talk about it, you would." Sandy said.
Ryan just shook his head slightly and closed his eyes. Sandy and Kirsten both watched as his breathing started to slow down, as he fell asleep.