Chapter 159

Alex paced around the room waiting for her husband and daughter to return from radiology. She looked at her phone to see the time, 20:15PM. She tried to figure out what time it would be in India so she can text her grandmother and let her know by the looks of it they might not make it for their trip to her if Phoebe was sick. She decided against it and waited until the doctor gave a diagnosis before she send the text which she is certain would make her worry and call constantly to check up on them. She is worse than Phoebe's grandmother at times Alex thought as she tried to settle in on the lounger when they returned.

Phoebe had one of the complimentary hospital soft toys in her hands that she played with and was much calmer now than when they left the room. "Mama yook!" She smiled showing her mother the fluffy doll she had in her hands. "I see, that's so cool bub." Alex answered walking over to her running a hand through her daughter's curls. She was about to ask Ryan what the doctor had said when the doctor entered the room with the x-rays.

"Sorry for the wait. I gave her something for nausea, because she was vomiting again." The doctor explained as she pulled up the x-rays to explain to the parents what is going on. "She has bacterial pneumonia, just to be sure I want to keep her here overnight. She is a bit dehydrated due to the vomiting, so I'd want to put her on an IV just be sure. And depending on how she is doing in the morning we'll decide if she can go home and if she'll have to stay." The pediatrician explained to the parents.

"Okay. Thank you." Alex said gratefully and the doctor smiled warmly walking over to the bed where her daughter laid playing with the soft toy.

"I do not want to scare you but I'm going to need help from you guys we can get an IV into her arm." The doctor said looking at Alex who looked just as scared as her husband was. They've been at hospital before with their daughter but an IV was never needed, but there is always a first time. Alex looked at Ryan but he shook his head indicating that there is no way he will be able to handle it. Walking over to the bed Alex sat down and placed Phoebe on her lap.

"Okay. Phoebe you are not going to like me after what I'm about to do, but I promise that it'll make you better, alright?" The doctor said and Phoebe looked at her nodding her head as if she understood what was said. "And as a reward I will give you a lollipop for being a good girl, and you can have it right away regardless of what mom and dad will say." The doctor continued as she got the needles and the gauze and tape out on the bed. "Alright mom, can I ask you to keep her on your lap and sort of hug her, so she'll be still to an extent." The doctor asked as Alex got onto the bed and held her daughter in the position that was required, continually kissing the top of Phoebe's curls and whispering in her ear while the doctor prepared to put the IV into a vein on her hand. When the needle appeared Phoebe looked at it and Alex felt her heart ached, because as an adult she hated needles too and she can't even imagine how frightening it would be for her daughter right now.

"Okay Phoebe, this might hurt a bit but it's going to make you feel better okay?" The doctor said as she prepared to insert the needle and Alex tried to restrict Phoebe as much as she possibly could while the toddler cried.

"Maaaammmaaaaaa." Phoebe continued and moved her hand around causing a temporary delay in the process but the doctor continued and wrapped her hand up so she won't be tempted to take the IV out. "I'm sorry bub." Alex apologized when it was all over wiping her daughter's eyes and kissing her nose.

"There you go. I'm sorry for hurting you." The doctor apologized holding out a red lollipop in front of the toddler that she gratefully accepted with little sobs. "We'll give her some fluids to keep her from dehydration since she was vomiting earlier and she might become drowsy but she'll make a full recovery. The nurses will check up on her regularly." The doctor explained before she left the room and the two young parents nodded gratefully.

"Dada up." Phoebe announced when her father came out of hiding where he stood in the corner of the rom while all of this was going on. Wordlessly he walked over to the bed and picked up his daughter, trying to avoid looking at the IV that was covered up on her little chubby hand, while he kissed her forehead and took a seat next to Alex on the bed. Neither of them saying anything Alex laid her head on Ryan's shoulder as they watched Phoebe drift to sleep clutching the red lollipop in her hand.

Long after Phoebe was asleep on the hospital bed in the pediatric ward, Alex and Ryan sat on the couch looking at her. Alex made herself comfortable on the three seated couch as much as she possibly could and laying her head down on her husband's lap. "Are you comfortable?" Ryan asked concerned running his fingers through her hair.

"As comfortable as I can get." She answered nodding her head, positioning the scatter cushion under her head to her level of comfort.

"About what happened earlier, I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that." He apologized again not sure if an apology will ever be enough.

"Water under the bridge." She said looking up at him to make sure he understood that she meant it, and that they have bigger things to worry about right now than a stupid argument. He leaned over kissing the side of her head and laying a hand over her belly until he felt her breathing even out. He stared at his daughter sleeping in the hospital bed until he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore and drifted to sleep himself.

Alex wasn't sure what time it was, but her body was sore from the position she was laying in and she got up trying her best not wake her husband. She stretched and walked over to the side of the bed to be closer to her daughter. Out of habit she straightened the blankets.

"I love you so much Phoebe Grace." She whispered before kissing her little hand just staring at her when a nurse entered, smiling at her warmly.

"Maaaammmaaaaaa." Phoebe started crying when she woke up in the unfamiliar environment, and Ryan woke with a start wiping the sleep from his eyes walking over to the bed.

"It's okay, it's okay Mama's here." Alex said as Phoebe extended her hands up towards her mother and Alex picked her up but her crying continued despite Alex's best efforts to calm her daughter when Barney or her pacifier didn't work anymore. "Pheebs hey it's okay you're gonna be alright." Ryan said trying to get his daughter to calm down but instead her crying persisted. She started gagging again as she started vomiting again. Alex and Ryan looked at each other and pressed the call button next to the bed for help, while they watched their daughter continuing to vomit.

A nurse showed up and walked over to them. "She just started vomiting again." Alex explained and put her back on the bed so the nurse could see what was going on. "She's running a high fever which shouldn't be happening." The nurse thought out loud and paged the doctor right away when Phoebe's little body became rigid and she started seizing.

"Phoebe! What's happening? Wh…why is she getting seizures!? Help her, do something please!" Alex said having no idea what to do when the doctor entered the room and rushed over to attend to the toddler.

"Why is she turning blue?" Ryan asked seeing his daughter's complexion change.

"We'll have to run more tests, as we have to rule out pneumonia because this is not part of the symptoms." The doctor explained. "It's part of the seizure her body's way of getting more oxygen to her vital organs." The doctor said turning Phoebe on her left side keeping her mouth open as the seizure subsided after a few seconds that felt like hours for her parents.

"Please make it stop." Alex said hoarsely as her voice were filled with emotion as the tears ran down her face because she had no idea how to help her daughter. Ryan didn't say anything as he stood against the wall looking at Phoebe, his eyes so far away that it seems like he is not present in the moment.

When it subsided she cried again and Alex walked over to her side holding her in her arms while she sobbed almost as loud as her daughter was right now. The doctor took off Phoebe's pajama top and noticed a red rash on her skin and how cold her hands and feet were even though she was running a fever.

"Dada." Phoebe said softly looking at her father, and he walked over to where she and Alex was , swallowing hard he took her little hand in his and she wrapped her tiny hand around his one finger. "It's okay Pheebs." He said softly while the doctor made notes in her file and walked out of the room to get a second opinion before she made her diagnosis. Alex looked at her daughter who was not as smiley as she usually is and who looked pale at the moment.

"I'm scared." Alex admitted softly not looking at her husband. "I am too." He said, their attention moving to the door when another doctor entered, and the looks on their faces matched the teary and worried expressions of the parent

Hey guys, I don't know anything medical or medication so this is what I've found on the internet. Also I have something planned for pregnant Alex which may involve Phoebe and a vehicle when Ryan is at work (some more drama but nothing too horrific) stay tuned for that. Thank you for reading.

Lovies-S