Chapter 38
Olivia woke up first as usual and got ready for work. She went to wake Amanda, which was pretty hard. Amanda was in a bad mood and dragging. "Can I stay home today Liv?" Olivia felt her forehead, "You can, but do you feel ok? You've never wanted to stay home before?" Amanda turned over, getting back under the covers, "I'm just tired and before you ask, No go to work Liv. I'm not a baby or a kid even though everyone treats me like one." Olivia wasn't sure about leaving. Melinda was at work too, so she couldn't even check her out. "Okay but get up and eat breakfast with me." Amanda whined all the way to the kitchen. This was so unlike her and Olivia didn't know if this was about their conversation or she was really sick. "Liv can I eat this later?" Amanda's appetite had been so good since the doctor visit. She always ate breakfast. Olivia stood up, "That's it! Thermometer now!" Amanda went to get the thermometer from the bathroom. "Liv I'm not hot, I just want to lay down." Olivia turned it on, "If you have a fever, I'm staying and calling the doctor." Amanda shrugged, "Fine! Hah 99.2, it's not a fever unless it's over 100. Even Melinda will agree. Olivia watched her go to bedroom. "Keep your phone close, I'm calling every hour. Make sure you stay here. "Liv I'm not going anywhere, but to bed. I'll see when you get home."
When Olivia got to work, everyone wanted to know where Amanda was. " Gosh guys, I'm doing great, having a good morning. She's not feeling good. She was complaining about being tired, so I let her stay home. I'm gonna call her in a little bit, because she wouldn't eat. Nick was listening, "Hey Olivia, I would call the doctor. Fin picked up my hours because Zara was sick. She had strep throat and was complaining about the same thing. She didn't complain of a sore throat and had no fever, so we thought she just needed to rest over the weekend. Sunday morning her fever spiked out of nowhere and her throat was awful." Cragen stepped forward, "See ya Olivia."
Olivia called Dr. Hendrix's office on the way home and they said to bring in if she wasn't feeling better. She rushed home and into the bedroom "Amanda, wake up baby." Olivia felt her forehead and grabbed the thermometer. "Liv I told you I'm ok and go to work." Olivia took her temperature, "101.4! You are not ok. Does your throat hurt?" Amanda tried to swallow, "A little, but my head and ear really hurt." Olivia helped Amanda get cleaned up, dressed, and to the doctor. Amanda walked in and met the same nurse from before. She smiled and seemed nicer this time. "Hey, sorry you aren't feeling good. Strep is going around. Step on the scale for me." The nurse was happy with her weight gain and showed her to room 2. She took her vitals and everything was good, but her fever was higher. "Ok that temperature is too high. Let me get Dr. Hendrix in here." Amanda looked at Olivia, "Liv I'm scared what's wrong with me?" Olivia stood up, "It's ok, we think it's strep throat. Nick's daughter had it over the weekend. He mentioned she had similar symptoms. You will be ok but you need meds now." Dr. Hendrix walked in, "Hey back so soon. You must have missed me." She pulled out a tongue depressor and a light. "Amanda can you open up and stick out your tongue?" Amanda squinted, "I can but my ear and head hurt worse than my throat." The doctor paused, "Ok let me check your throat 1st ok?" Amanda opened her mouth and when she stuck her tongue out, the doctor pushed it down and she almost gagged. She called the nurse for a throat culture and blood work ASAP. "Okay one of both ears?" Amanda pointed to the right ear, but the doctor checked both. "Okay let me listen to your heart." She warmed the stethoscope before placing on Amanda's chest and back. "Amanda? How long have you had this rash?" Olivia stood up to see what the doctor was talking about. Amanda looked at the rash, "I don't know. I didn't notice it." Dr. Hendrix lifted her shirt and checked her back and stomach. "Okay, you need bloodwork and a throat swab. I'm worried about the rash, because it's not common but could lead to bigger problems, but I think we caught it in time. The blood work wasn't bad, the throat swab was awful and it really made her throat hurt. Amanda was exhausted, "Can I just lay down?"
After what seemed like forever Dr. Hendrix came back. "Okay you have a nasty case of strep throat and you need to start these meds immediately. Take them all, even if you feel better. She turned to Olivia, and pulled out a tongue depressor and throat swab. "She will probably feel worse before she feels better, so keep an eye on her, especially that fever. Now I just need your swab." Olivia was stunned, "I'm fine! I don't have any symptoms that she had." Amanda was enjoying this, finally Liv had to do something. "Well it's extremely contagious and you two live together, so open up, detective." Amanda smiled a wide grin and suddenly felt better. "Fine." Dr. Hendrix came back, "Well you both have strep throat and antibiotics. Amanda's is more advanced, but you both have to take meds 24 hours before you go back to school and work. Amanda may need longer." Amanda started to get off of the table, "Baby, lay down for a minute. I'll be right back." She followed the doctor out, "Is she really gonna be ok? I've never seen her like this." Dr. Hendrix looked at Olivia, "You know I'm not supposed to talk about her with you when she's not present, but she's ok. We've done all the tests. As much as she hates to hear it, she's a kid, barely 19. When kids get sick, sometimes they crash hard. Just watch her carefully and she will bounce back in a few days. Oh and Olivia, when she feels better, make a GYN appointment ASAP."
Olivia dropped off their prescriptions and they headed home. She called Fin since they were both contagious and asked him to pick up their medication, soup, hot tea, and Gatorade for the next few days. He was there within an hour and Liv opened the door and stepped back. "Thanks Fin! Drop it there and go, I don't want you getting sick." Fin smiled "Okay Liv, is Amanda sleep?" Olivia shook her head, "Yeah she has it bad, high fever, double ear infection, and strep. She's on antibiotics, pain, and fever medication, but I need to get this in both of us now. Probably won't see you until Monday." Fin waved, "Call me if you need anything else." Olivia took her medicine and woke Amanda up to give her the antibiotic then she joined her in bed.
