A/N – Hi everyone! I am so sorry that I'm getting slower in my posts. I feel like I'm sinking in quick sand as work keeps piling up faster around me than I can get it done. Lately, there just aren't enough hours in the day. As I proof this prior to posting, I've been blessed with a sudden abscessed tooth, and am eagerly awaiting a root canal tomorrow morning:) So if some things slipped by – blame it on the pain killers!
I really appreciate everyone who's stuck with this story. As you'll probably be able to tell, it's winding down. Thanks again for all the reviews.
BTW - Is anyone else having any trouble with this site? I am still unable to use the documents manager, and thanks again to baseballfan for figuring out how to get around that:) I'm not sure if it's something in my settings or if it's ff?
Disclaimer: I don't own the Dukes, and no infringements intended.
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BLOOD BROTHERS
CHAPTER 20
THE RESULTS ARE IN
The Dukes held their breath, waiting for word on how much Bo's mishap might have hindered his progress. The preliminary reports were good, but the doctors cautioned that unlike infections, other complications couldn't be detected as early. As promised, it delayed Bo's departure.
As his levels were replenished and he started feeling better, Bo started getting antsy. Prior to his brawl with a metal cart, he'd been allowed to go outside to break up the monotony. Though grateful that his family didn't have to dress in hazmat outfits this time, he was restricted to his room. His doctors didn't want to take any unnecessary risks, and wandering around outside was considered one. His family still brought him dinners from the diner and other little treats, but the atmosphere just wasn't the same. Everyone hoped that his restlessness was a sign that he was feeling and getting better.
Luke and Daisy tried to entertain him as best they could. TV was getting old, and he'd read the magazines they'd brought along several times. Playing cards was a way to pass the time, but even it was getting boring. Bo simply wanted to go home.
The door to his room opened as he and Luke sat on the bed, engaged in a particularly nasty game of gin rummy. Like most contests they engaged in, Luke was usually victorious, but Bo was winning this one. Making sure that Luke really was keeping score honestly, Bo looked over to see what is cousin was scribbling.
Daisy and Jesse were each reading; she had a book, he had a newspaper. Every once in a while, they'd glance up to watch the boys arguing. Grinning, they were glad that something was starting to seem normal.
They all stopped what they were doing when they saw Dr. Frenzi step inside holding Bo's chart. It wasn't his time for a routine visit, and they weren't sure how to read his expression.
"Hey doc," Bo greeted, hoping that he was bringing good news.
"Hello," he replied. "How is everyone this afternoon?"
"Fine doc. Say, you sure I can't go outside?" Bo asked, hoping that his sentence might be lifted.
"No Bo, not yet," came the reply.
Scrunching his face in disappointment, Bo looked down at the cards he was holding.
"Everything ok, doc?" Jesse asked, getting an uneasy feeling.
"Well that might depend on your definition of ok," the doctor replied.
They all looked up, not sure they liked the way that sounded.
"We have the results of your test back, boys. The one you told Dr. Rashib to order."
Bo and Luke looked at each other, knowing that in just a few seconds, their lives might be totally changed forever.
"Well, what does it say?" Luke asked, already knowing in his heart what the answer would be.
Nodding his head, Dr. Frenzi conveyed the results. "It confirms what Dr. Rashib suspected. You two are half brothers, sharing a common father."
"You sure?" Luke asked, though he didn't know why after he vocalized the question.
"No test available today can be one hundred percent certain, but you two come about as close as can be," he replied. "Do you have any questions?"
Silently, the boys shook their heads.
"As far as the bone marrow transplant for Bo, the fact that you are so closely matched really decreases the chances of the graft host rejection later on," Dr. Frenzi offered, hoping that they at least found some comfort in knowing that. Seeing that they needed to deal with the news, he bid them farewell. After promising to see them in the morning, he exited the room.
No one said a word, the silence blanketing the room. Jesse and Daisy were looking from one boy to the next. Luke was staring at something straight ahead. Bo had put his head down as soon as Luke asked the doctor if he was sure about the results, and he still hadn't moved. Since the night Bo had cut up his arm, they hadn't talked about it, none of them. Bo remembered what his cousin had told him, but he still couldn't believe that Luke wouldn't be upset upon learning such shocking news. He was also certain that if he didn't already, he would some day blame him. If he hadn't gotten sick, Luke wouldn't have been tested, and he would have never found out. It might not be in the immediate future, but Bo was sure that it would happen. He just hoped that Luke didn't get so angry at him that he'd never want to see him again.
Luke glanced over at his brother, certain he knew what was going through his mind. "Bo?"
Bo's eyes darted up for just a second before turning downward again. "I'm sorry, Luke. I really am."
"C'mon Daisy. Let's give the boys a minute," Jesse suggested, getting up from his chair, and motioning his niece out of the room.
Scooting next to Bo, Luke put his arm around his shoulder. "Bo, I already told ya this wasn't your fault."
Bo nodded, but didn't say anything.
"Bo?"
"You're gonna hate me someday, Luke. I just know it," Bo cried.
"I could never hate you, Bo. I love you too much. Besides, you're my baby brother."
Something about the way Luke said those words forced Bo to raise his eyes, and he was stunned to see that Luke was smiling.
"I'm not upset by this, Bo. Really, I'm not. All this time with you being sick really made me understand what's important. I admit, I was in shock when they first told us, but since then, I've been holding my breath, praying that we we're brothers."
"Really?" Bo asked doubtfully.
"Yeah. I was scared that he was gonna tell us that the tests showed we weren't. That's why I was hesitant. I just wanted to make sure." What he didn't tell Bo was that he also knew that the transplant had a better chance of success if they were brothers, and that was another reason he wanted them to be more closely related.
"I love ya, Luke."
I love ya too, brother."
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It took Bo a couple of days to really start to relax around Luke again, still doubtful that he was as pleased with the news as he was making it sound. Luke, however, was an expert at handling the younger man, and understanding Bo's fears, he did everything he could to convince him that he really was not upset or mad. Bo's temporary apprehension eased his boredom, but as Luke converted him to believer status, Bo was once again crawling up the walls. There were only so many card games a person could play before they no longer cared who won.
The staff came and went out of Bo's room frequently, bringing meals, taking samples, and giving them reports. They were used to the door opening and closing, but when they looked up and saw Bo's oncologist and hematologist together, they didn't know what to think. The two physicians never made rounds jointly, and even individually, they didn't see them that often in the afternoon. The oncologist hadn't really even been in the picture that much as the blood doctor had the most immediate concerns, and had taken charge of Bo's case.
"What's going on?" Luke asked cautiously, his Bo radar beeping loudly.
"Just had some things we needed to go over with ya," Dr. Frenzi said.
Jesse and Daisy gave up their chairs, opting to stand close to Bo in case the news wasn't what they'd been hoping for.
"Remember all those extra tests we've been running, Bo?" Dr. Frenzi asked, occupying one seat that had been surrendered while the oncologist took the other.
"Yes sir," Bo replied.
"Well, we've got the results back."
The Dukes looked to each other then back to the two men in white coats.
Dr. Frenzi started. "Okay, first of all, Bo, it doesn't look like your little mishap caused any harm. Though still slightly below normal, your blood counts and levels have almost returned to where they were prior to your little fall. Over time, they should continue to increase and to get stronger."
The oncologist went next. "And, as of today, there doesn't seem to be any signs that the leukemia has returned, but remember that I told you the six month and annual marks are the best indicators. Even after that there's no guarantees, but the more time that goes by, the less likely a recurrence is."
"There also is no indication of any other infections, complications, or rejection, but you'll have to be careful. You have a partial immune system back, but it's certainly not fully developed yet."
The Dukes looked at each other, wondering what the catch was. So far, they'd been given nothing but good news.
"So doc, what's all this mean?" Uncle Jesse asked, hoping that there wasn't some bad news that hadn't been brought up yet.
"Well, what it means is, how would you like to go home, Bo?" Dr. Frenzi asked.
"What?" Bo stuttered, unsure that he had heard correctly. "Home? Really?" he asked, looking from the doctors to his family.
"Yep, there's nothing else that you require our services for. Right now, everything points to Bo being able to lead a normal and healthy life " the oncologist told them.
"Luke introduced the good Minnesota doctors to a genuine southern rebel yell. "Yee...haw!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, knowing he'd be getting a lecture from someone dressed in white. He didn't care. He couldn't remember the last time he'd done it, and it felt great.
Three Dukes converged on their youngest, all piling in for a family hug. They were laughing and talking, but they all had tears in their eyes. Bo was somewhat in a state of shock, having wondered if he'd ever go home again.
"Now mind you, there's still going to be a lot of follow-up visits and tests that you're going to have to go to Atlanta for, but I'd be willing to bet in they'll even take your access port out shortly," Dr Frenzi told Bo. He was smiling, almost as much as the Dukes, not being able to always deliver such happy news, and really loving his job when he could.
" Atlanta sounds like heaven," Bo assured everyone. "When can I go?" he asked, and the entire room started laughing at his anxiousness. "Well no, not that I ain't real grateful for everything that you've done, but I just didn't think I'd ever see Hazzard again," Bo said, not realizing what he'd said until he stunned the entire room into silence.
Saving the young patient from any embarassement, the doctors ignored the comment, continuing on as if nothing out of the ordinary had been said. They informed the family that they'd spend the next day going over all the instructions they were going to need once they got home. There were care procedures, medication routines, and just things in general that a transplant patient and their family members needed to know. To date, the staff had been scheduling and coordinating all of those things for them. Once they signed Bo's release papers, the Dukes were on their own. Assuming that everything went well, the doctors didn't see any reason why Bo couldn't be released the day after that.
Bo affirmed that two days would be just fine. He was even more pleased when they told him he was no longer restricted to his room so he could go outside if he wanted, and no one was surprised to hear him say that he wanted to go outside. The family thanked the miracle workers as Bo climbed into his wheel chair. Bo wasn't the only Duke who'd wondered if he'd see Hazzard again.
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Two days later, the Dukes would have liked to have gotten an early start, but once hospitals got their hands on you, they weren't known for speedy releases. A year ago, Bo would have made a flippant comment about the fact that they'd known for two days that he was going home, why couldn't they have had the papers ready? Yet, that was a year ago. They'd all changed in those twelve months, and not a Duke alive would dare bad mouth or criticize the people and institution who had virtually saved Bo's life. So they waited patiently, thinking that if they didn't get a move on soon, they'd be staying in the town's only motel for the night.
Finally presented with his walking papers, Bo was transferred to a wheel chair for what would be his final ride in the Minnesota hospital. They hadn't even pulled the car up to the door yet; each of the Dukes wanted to walk that final trip with Bo. The vehicle was packed and ready to go, and all Luke had to do was go get it once they were outside. However, they'd been there long enough to realize that the nurse pushing the chariot had turned in an opposite direction of the front door.
"Ah miss, aren't we going the wrong way?" Bo asked, hoping that they weren't taking him somewhere only to lock him up longer.
"Just a little detour," she told him. "I have to stop and get something. You don't mind, do you?"
"No," they all replied in unison.
"They're just taking you out the back entrance cause they don't want anyone to see you're ugly mug," Luke joked, clamping his hand over his mouth as soon as he'd said it. It was the first real jibe that he'd given his cousin in several months, and he regretted it immediately. He'd promised God and himself that if Bo survived, he'd never put him down again. "Sorry," he apologized, looking down to Bo, only to be surprised even more by what he saw.
Bo was grinning from ear to ear. "Thanks, Luke," he said, not even able to describe how good it felt to be treated normally again.
Luke nodded and winked at him, but still regretted his comment.
The nurse asked Jesse and Luke to open a set of double doors, since she had her hands full with Bo. As soon as they did, she pushed the patient inside and a roar of 'surprise' engulfed them. Looking around the room, they found most of the staff gathered in it. There were a few balloons, and a streamer hanging from the ceiling. 'Good Luck, Bo. We'll miss you,' was what it said.
The family looked at each other as people started to crowd around them.
"You didn't think we'd let you go without saying goodbye, did ya?" Theresa asked him.
"You were a great patient, Bo," one of his younger nurses told him. "Cute, too." Leaning down, she whispered the next part in his ear so that only he could hear. "With a nice butt." She hadn't been the only nurse who wished he lived a little closer. Even ill, Bo Duke could still attract the ladies.
His family watched, wondering just what she'd said to him to make him turn almost purple.
One by one, they visited with Bo for a little while, presenting him with a cake they were waiting for him to cut. There were a few items sitting on a table that were wrapped, and Bo was invited to open them. In one was a Minnesota sweat shirt, and a card telling him that he'd been made an honorary 'Golden Gopher.'
"I think we're gonna have to be Minnesota fans now, brother," Luke told him.
"Most definitely," Bo agreed.
Several people started telling them about their school and its history and traditions. The Dukes responded by promising that they would, indeed, support and watch the Gophers any chance they got, though they didn't think that their games were carried too often in Hazzard. Besides the sweatshirt, there were other small tokens given to Bo commorating their great state, and which would remind him of his stay with them. The givers doubted they really needed any; all the patient's family had to do was to look at Bo.
Realizing that it was getting late, and they'd want to do a little driving that night, Dr. Frenzi announced that it was time for the guest of honor to be leaving. Thanking everyone again and promising to write, Bo was led to the main entrance. After getting him settled in the back of the car with Daisy, the Dukes took off, watching the town of Fairview grow smaller in the distance. They had just enough driving time left in the day to make it to the Minnesota border.
