Chapter 15

It had been two days since Abby had first opened her eyes, and everyday showed immense amounts of improvement. She was able to stay awake for longer periods, and could respond to simple questions through squeezing the person's hand. However, she was still intubated, still not strong enough to breathe on her own.

So now, Jake, Kerry and Dubanko stood outside her room debating what to do next.

"We don't know if she's able to yet, Jake, or else we would!"

"She's frustrated, if something happens, we can always re tube her. She would recover a lot faster if she wasn't so stressed"

"Not if she cant breathe!" Dubanko fired back.

"Look, Abby is the love of my life, I know what she wants. Please, I'm begging you, just give her one chance. That's all I'm asking."

"Fine, but listen, as soon as it even looks like its going the wrong way, the tube goes back in, understand?" Dubanko obviously wasn't in the mood to argue any more, he walked into the room, leaving Kerry and Jake standing outside.

"Are you sure you want to do this Jake? She is still very sick." Kerry asked as the two followed Dubanko inside.

"I don't want it, but Abby does," he stated and walked over to her bedside. He grabbed her hand and began to talk to her. "Abby, honey wake up," he waited until her eyes opened and had focused on him. "You want that tube out?" she squeezed his hand. "Okay, we're going to do that" he watched as Dubanko set up next to Abby, Jake's gaze didn't miss the intubation kit right there.

"Hey Lockhart, from what I understand from your boyfriend here, you want that tube out. Alright you know the drill," Dubanko reached over and grabbed the tube, "okay take a deep breath in and when I say three, and blow out hard. One, two, three" Dubanko pulled the tube out as Abby began to cough.

"Its okay Abby, deep breaths," Jake comforted her, as Kerry reached down and placed the nasal canula gently around Abby.

"SATS are 98...96...92, 85" Dubanko rattled off and grabbed the tube, ready to put Abby back on the vent.

"Just hold on!" Jake yelled at him, not ready to give up yet. "Come on Abby, you're doing great," Kerry and Dubanko exchanged nervous glances, they had finally gotten Abby back, the last thing they were going to do was to put her in any more danger. They watched as Abby slowly got control over her breathing. Kerry looked down at her doctor, that three weeks ago, was so sure she had lost.

"Hi, Kerry," her voice was nothing more then a horse whisper, but that didn't matter, Abby had spoken, a voice nobody had heard since that night in the ER.

Kerry patted Abby's hand, "hi there yourself." She said looking at Abby with a true smile on her face, happy to hear her voice and see her eyes bright and open.

"Kerry..." Abby's voice was shaky now, didn't hold the confidence it usually did.

"What's wrong?"

"Why can't I feel my legs?" all three doctors glanced at each other, sure paralysis was a definite risk, but that had been overshadowed with the fact that Abby had finally woken up.

"Abby, it's a result from swelling in the spinal column putting pressure on the nerves, it's probably just temporary." Jake was trying to reassure her, as Kerry lowered the gurney so that she was flat. Abby knew what they were about to do, but was still rather frightened. "Hey, its going to be okay, don't worry," He watched as Dubanko pulled out a small needle and began pressing it against her leg.

"Alright Lockhart, tell me when you feel the pinch okay?" He slowly started to move up her leg waiting for Abby to tell him where she had feeling, slowly he moved up keeping any hint of concern off his face

"Right there," Abby whispered as the needle reached the middle of her knee. Dubanko nodded,

"Alright, we're just going to start you on some Prednisone, and then we'll go from there. Don't worry, everything will be fine," Abby smiled at Durbanko, she completely trusted him, after all her life had literally been in his hands weeks before. As she once again fell asleep, the other three doctors walked back outside her room. It was going to be a long road to recovery, but at least now, they were going to be able to travel down that road.