December 27, 2017
After Bill, Ben and Mike visited Richie on Christmas, he was given his medicine and has been in and out of it since. He was mainly out of it, being somewhat awake when there was a visitor. Everyone took turns visiting him, and they eventually had to go back down to two, because his blood pressure would go up a little too much for the doctors and nurses liking.
But what they were happy with, and everyone else, Richie's vitals were improving so much quicker than they had expected, and last night they lowered the dosage for one medicine- the one that made him sleep so much, which he wasn't particularly happy about.
He still had a tube in his nose and the drainage tube going into his chest, but when the Toziers, Eddie and Bev walked into Richie's room at exactly ten o'clock sharp, Richie was no longer hooked up to the ventilator- the tube was out already and he was happily sipping on a cup of water, a nurse holding it for him, hugging a pillow. He still looked exhausted, the bruises were darker and more prominent, but he was getting better all the same.
"Holy shit." Went said. Richie had a small, dopey grin on his face as he and the nurse turned towards them.
"I didn't know they'd be taking it out today!" Maggie said, rushing over to her son and placing her hands on his cheeks.
"Yeah, the last day or so we turned off the ventilator for a little bit at a time to see if he could breathe on his own, and we tried overnight and everything went great! Dr. Alleyne took it out about fifteen minutes ago." Richie just nodded in agreement. "As for the tube in his nose, we'll probably take it out around eleven thirty or twelve, and then he can eat something." Richie nodded again, not really paying attention. He coughed a little, hugging the pillow tighter.
"Edsssss!" Richie croaked, pointing at him. "Bevsssss!"
"Oh God, he's on drug drugs, isn't he?" Bev asked as she and Eddie walked over to Richie, who grinned at them.
"Yeah." The nurse laughed. "Morphine is a powerful drug. We'll lower the dose every few doses, before prescribing pain medicine for him to go home with."
"When do you think he'll be able to go home?" Went asked.
"He's doing so much better than we thought he would be. Everything's healing fine, very quickly. Honestly, I'm thinking around New Years, or a few days after if he keeps it up."
"I've missed your voice." Maggie whispered to her son.
"I missed you too, mama." he smiled at her sweetly.
"Dr. Alleyne is correct, Richie is a strong, fighting young man. He won't go down without a fight. I've never seen anything like this."
"You hear that, you shithead?" Eddie asked Richie, poking his forehead. Richie looked up at him. "You're strong, and a fighter. You better be home by New Years, got it?"
"Sir yes sir." Richie saluted him with a dopey grin. Eddie chuckled. Bev snapped a picture of them and happily sent it to the group chat.
(10:13 AM) Mammy Bev- (Picture of Reddie)
(10:13) Mammy Bev- Guysssss look who is breathing on his own!
(10:13) Mammy Bev- I'm a proud big sister.
(10:15) Billy Bill- holy actual shit when did they take him off the ventilator?
(10:15) Stan the man- omfg
(10:16) Pappy Ben- holy siht
(10:17) Mammy Bev- they took it out right before we got here. A nurse was helping him drink some water and i've never seen him look happier.
(10:18) Dickard- (Selfie of him sticking his tongue out and a peace sign, the tube in his nose making him slightly sillier than he usually would have)
(10:18) Dickard- wssup fuckrs i drank the water for first time 2day
(10:19) Dickard- y yall not tell me it was so AGGOD
(10:19) Spagheds- he's also on morphine so he's fucked up rn
(10:19) Spagheds- also- "the water"
Spagheds changed Richie Tozier's name to "The Water"
(10:20) The Water- woah wtf tat was cool edsss
(10:21) Spagheds- thank
(11:37) Mikey (Our Fav)- HOLY SHIT HOW DID I MISS THIS IM SORRY I'M SO FUCKING HAPPY
(11:38) The Water- goddammit mike you scared the shit outta me
(11:28) The Water- why you screm
(11:30_ Mikey (Our Fav)- cause i'm HAPPY. I will be there in fifteen minutes prepare for a kiss on the mouth.
(11:31) The Water- yeS PLEAsE i'd rather eddie tho, no offence.
(11:31) The Water- oh fuck i'm too drugged for this PLEASE ignore that last message.
"I'm the biggest idiot." Richie said as the nurse gently took his phone from his hand and put it at the end of the bed.
"Why?" Bev asked.
"Look at the group chat." As the medicine wore off, he slowly sobered up, but he definitely blamed the morphine for that text. Maggie and Eddie had gone to do whatever they had to do, he wasn't sure, so it was just Bev in the room with him.
"I wouldn't say it's gonna hurt, but it's not gonna feel good." Martha said. Good ole Martha was back and taking care of Richie. He thought each nurse had their own section of the hospital but maybe not. She gently took the tape from around his nose and started to pull the tube out of his nose. He tried to be still as possible but good God it was not a good feeling. Ever had a nose swab for a sinus infection at the doctor's office? Imagine that, but a million times worse. "Almost done, Sweetie." he let out the weirdest noise when she was done and Bev couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"You are cruel, cruel people." Richie said, sniffing and wiping at his nose. Martha chuckled.
"Only to help you. The only other thing we'll be taking out is the chest tube. That's what's gonna hurt."
"Wow, that makes me feel so much better." Richie deadpanned.
"You can't put him to sleep for that?" Bev asked. Martha shook her head.
"No, not unless we can't get it out. If we can't get it out, we'd have to cut him again, but that's rare. Or in cases where the patient can not handle the pain."
"I'm a tough cookie, I can handle it." Richie said. "When are you doing it, 'cause I want my mom when you do." Bev chuckled at that.
Richie started coughing pretty hard, hugging the pillow. After a few seconds he made grabby hands for the now empty cup. Bev handed it to him and he spit into it, making a face.
"Why is it red? I thought the tube would get rid of all the blood." Bev asked.
"It's normal with this type of thing. He'll be coughing up a good bit of stuff for a is why he has the pillow because it helps to not pull at the staples and kind of distract him from pain."
"It sucks." Richie croaked.
"I know, I'm sorry Sweetie." Martha told him, patting his good shoulder.
"We're taking his chest tube out today too. I'm still amazed by how fast he's healing and getting better." Martha told Maggie.
"Oh, okay. When will you be doing it?"
"Dr. Alleyne will be in shortly, and we'll take it out." Martha said. "It shouldn't be too long, she's just down the hall."
"Okay, thank you." Martha left the room and Richie looked at Bev.
"Did you read the chat?" he asked.
"I did." she replied, nodding. "I spammed them with pictures of you as she was taking the tube out so they wouldn't see it. You make some very interesting faces." he rolled his eyes but said,
"Thank you."
"What happened?" Maggie asked.
"Richie outed himself in the chat." Eddie said, walking in. "Mike told him to prepare for a kiss on the mouth and Richie was like he'd rather kiss me and then said something about being too drugged to function or some shit."
"Do you think he's really gonna kiss me cause like… I haven't brushed my teeth. For longer than you might think."
"I doubt it. I have never seen Mike kiss anyone before." Bev said. "So don't worry about it."
Mike didn't kiss him on the lips, but he kissed his cheeks and forehead until Richie cried.
"Hey, I didn't hurt you did I?" Mike asked, backing away from him. Richie shook his head. "I'm just really happy you're getting better."
"I'm fine." Richie sniffed. "Happy."
"Awe." Bev cooed.
'Good afternoon! There are only supposed to be two people here." Dr. Alleyne sing-songed as she walked in. "How's everyone doing today- you okay, Richie?" Richie nodded, wiping his eyes with the backs of his hands.
"Yeah." he sniffed. "I'm not about to be though, am I?" he raised an eyebrow at her.
"I'm afraid not. But hey, at least you have some cheerleaders to cheer you on!"
Richie just shrugged one shoulder and smiled a little.
"Mother fucking fuck I hate you people." Richie hissed, the second he knew the tube was out. "Fuck all y'all."
"I know, I know, I hate us too." Dr. Alleyne said. "I'm sorry sweetie, at least the worst part's over with!" Richie glared at her.
"If I could move my arms or legs right now, and if you were a man, I'd hit you."
"Richie!" Maggie scolded.
"That shit hurt !" he shrieked.
"It's okay, Mrs. Tozier." Dr. Alleyne assured her. "Believe me, that was probably the softest threat I've gotten when dealing with patients like this."
"Richie's a softie don't let those eyebrows fool you." Bev said. Richie glared at her as Martha stitched the hole in his side where the tube had been. Maggie and Eddie were holding Richie's hands as he squeezed them, and Bev and Mike were pretty much laying on his legs. It was just a precaution with the legs, he hadn't actually tried to kick anyone.
"Can I get up and walk some or am I gonna be stuck here for another thousand days?" Richie asked Dr. Alleyne once Martha was done and he was back on his back, sitting somewhat comfortably.
"Well, do you feel like getting up and trying to walk some?"
"Yeah, my ass is getting flatter than it already is with every second I'm sitting. Plus it hurts like a bitch and I've gotta pee."
"Wanna use this-" Dr. Alleyne held up one of those pee jug things. "Or try and walk to the bathroom?"
"Bathroom." Richie replied. Martha nodded and untangled him from everything, unplugging the box his IV was connected to and rolled it out of his way so he could get up. She threw the covers up over his knees and undid the compressions on his legs. After she moved the pillows from under his legs, he stretched them out a bit as she put the railing down on one side of the bed.
"I'm going to help him sit up, will you boys help him stand?" she asked. Mike and Eddie nodded. Maggie and Bev stood near the head of the bed as Martha helped Richie sit up and scoot to the edge of the bed, all while keeping his goodies hidden. His words. Mike stood on Richie's good side because he was scared he'd hurt him, and Eddie on the other. They pulled him up easily and let him stand for a few minutes.
Bev took a picture of them and sent it to the group chat.
(12:45 pm) Mammy Bev- look at our boy taking his first steps!
(12:46) Pappy Ben- omg I'm so proud
"Okay.. I'm ready to… go. Gonna piss...myself." Richie panted.
"You sure?" Eddie asked. Richie nodded. The two holding him up looked at each other and nodded, and the three slowly made their way to the bathroom down the hall.
