Murr's fingers punched busily at his phone, his mind never really taking in what he was looking at, but it was making the time go by.
Sal had found a puzzle on a table, somebody had almost finished it and he was mindlessly trying to find some pieces.
Q was reading a book, he knew he would never remember what he had read, and he wouldn't be able to promise himself he could tell anyone right at that moment what the book was about. His mind kept going to Joe. It took the other three guys some time to convince him that the feeding tube was necassary. He promised them he would start eating. He didn't want another tube in him. Q most definitely understood this, but he also understood that even if Joe did manage to start eating, it wouldn't help because he would just throw it back up again. He need the feeding tube. Q knew it, Sal and Murr knew it, and he was sure that Joe knew it too. Needing and wanting are two different things though, and Joe surely did not want it.
None of the other guys could sign the necassary papers for the surgery because Joe was concious and able to voice his own decision. So, the four friends spent an hour talking. Finally, they convinced their friend that this was the best thing to do.
Less than two hours later the Dr came out and shook hands with all three men.
"Everything went fine. He should be coming out from the Aneshesia soon and them moved back to his room."
"No complications then?" Q had been worried about this, even though it was a relatively minor procedure. Joe was presently very weak and had no immune system to speak of.
"No sir. None at all. Everything went smoothly. We will keep him on an antibiotic drip overnight just to be safe."
Q nodded and set down in the chair behind him.
"When will you teach us how to do it.". Sal could not put into words the question he had, but was happy that the Dr seemed to immediately understand.
"Tomorrow morning, I will have someone come in and help you. We'll have each of you run through with a small test bag, make sure everyone has no issues before releasing him. But if all goes well, he will be released tomorrow afternoon.".
He smiled as he watched the three men nod, the worry and exhaustion present in three sets of eyes.
"Are you gentlemen absolutely sure you can go on with this. There is no shame of putting him into a rehab home, just until the last chemo is finished."
All three men immediately started to speak at once, Murr jumping up from his chair.
"Absolutely not. That is not an option."
The Dr looked at the smaller man with admiration, then at this two friends, who were also ready to chime in.
"I understand, fellas. I just wanted to make sure you all knew it was still possible. I know it is hard. Heartbreaking, backbreaking, and just hard. So I wanted to mention it again. Mr Gatto is a very lucky man to have friends like you in his life."
Q ran one hand through his hair.
"Joe would do the same thing for any of us. We would never leave him. Hell, I would never leave any of these guys and I think it's safe to assume they would all do the same for me. That's what friends do. Well, family really. These guys are my brothers."
Sal chuckled quietly.
"Straight up. And Joey. Joey is the brother who will tease you mercelessly, pick on you all day. But he would never let anyone from the outside do it, and when it comes down to it, I am sure he would give his life for any of us. I know with no doubt that he would give any of us the shirt off his own back if we needed it. He is generous and loyal to a fault, and we would never turn out back on him. Putting him in one of those places would take the fight right out of him. I know that. It's not an option at all."
The Dr nodded.
"You are all incredible friends and incredible people."
The next day Murr stood over Joe's bed. Q and Sal set along the side of the wall on the couch.
"Okay, what do I do?".
He was nervous but tried not to show it, as he had volunteered to go first. He held the syringe of thick liquid in his hands, waiting for instruction.
Joe lay still, looking at Sal and Q on the couch, not wanting to see what was happening.
The nurse, young and kind, patted Murr on the back lightly.
"Just put the syringe where I showed you and slowly release."
Minutes later, Murr was finished and Q and Sal had taken their turns.
Cleaning the port and other materials was next.
This was also rather uncomplicated, and within an hour the nurse was gone and another one came in with release papers.
Joe was headed to Murr's house for the week.