"I really don't want to be here," Kurt grumbled, rubbing his eyes. His doctor's appointment was at 10:30, and it was almost eleven and they were still in the waiting room. His dad clapped him on the shoulder and he winced. Everything hurt. He'd woken up the day before with a horrible sore throat and a fever, and Carole determined he had tonsillitis so she made him an appointment with his doctor.
"They'll get you something to help your throat feel better," his dad told him. Kurt yawned and forced himself to keep his eyes open.
"Once we get home then you can rest again," Carole said. "How are you feeling right now?"
"My whole head hurts," he explained. "My head and neck and throat. My stomach still feels funny, too." His stepmother reached over the armrest of the chair and held his hand. Kurt had tried to hide the fact that he felt bad, but she busted him quickly. Once she had him figured out he didn't try to conceal it any longer, so he was open about how he felt.
"You haven't had a lot to eat. Once you take some antibiotics and rest a little then I can make you some food." The thought of eating just didn't sound good to him. He had no appetite whatsoever. He just wanted to go curl up in his bed. The simple task of getting showered and dressed had left him exhausted.
"Kurt Hummel," a nurse said. Kurt stood up and followed her down the hallway, his dad and Carole right behind him. He put his hands in his pockets and tried not to appear nervous, but on the inside he was panicking. He couldn't risk anything, especially with Nationals in just a month.
He sat up on the little exam table and tried to get settled, but he wasn't comfortable at all. Everything about the doctor was unnerving to him. He could only hope he wouldn't need a shot. The nurse jammed her thermometer under his tongue and squeezed his bicep in her blood pressure cuff. Once she was done she then looked in his ears and mouth.
"You have a fever of 101, and your tonsils are definitely inflamed. Your record shows you've had strep throat a few times over the last year. Dr. Lawson will see what he can do about that, especially with you being a singer," she informed him. Kurt nodded and the nurse left. He wanted to lie down on the table, but he told himself he would rest at home.
"If they take my tonsils out will I be able to sing?" Kurt asked Carole. That was the only thing he was worried about. He was a senior, and he wouldn't get another opportunity to compete after Nationals.
"You should be just fine," she assured him. "Your doctor knows what he's doing, so even if you do need a tonsillectomy you'll be better in time for your trip." That helped him feel a little better, knowing he was going to get to sing no matter what, but he was still in pain.
The doctor came in several minutes later. He was short and bald, and sort of resembled an egg. He looked in Kurt's throat and decided he had to do a test on him to make sure he didn't have strep throat, even though they already knew what was wrong with him. Kurt couldn't help but gag as he swabbed his throat. Carole held his hand to relax him.
"We're just running the test to make sure it's nothing other than tonsillitis. You seem to have a history of throat problems," the doctor explained. Kurt nodded, fully aware of that. He usually never got sick ever, but when he did it was usually strep throat.
Once the doctor left to take his test to the lab Kurt slowly grew anxious again. He wanted to know how to treat it and finally feel better. He pulled out his phone and texted Blaine. The day before he'd come over after school, and Kurt wanted to see him again. He was good at helping him feel better.
The doctor returned fifteen minutes later and said he only had tonsillitis, but it was severe enough for him to be concerned about it. He said since they were so swollen and causing him pain that it would be best to surgically remove them. Kurt panicked on the inside. That was the worst possible news. He didn't even listen to the rest of what he had to say, but he heard him say that it was scheduled for the next Friday. It was Thursday. That would only leave him three weeks to recover before Nationals.
"Will I be able to sing a month from now?" Kurt asked nervously. He couldn't miss out on his last opportunity to compete with the glee club.
"Of course. A couple weeks of rest and you'll be good as new," he told him. "You should be completely free of sore throats." That was a relief, but he still had to have surgery, which was scary enough. His dad and Carole thanked the doctor, signed something, and he left them alone.
"I don't need surgery," Kurt said confidently. "I'll be fine without it. It's not necessary."
"You'll be fine," Carole promised him. "I've taken care of lots of tonsillectomy patients. You don't even have to spend the night at the hospital."
"And you can eat all the ice cream you want," his dad added. Kurt was still discouraged, but he pulled it together before he got upset. He didn't want his parents worrying.
"Can we just go home?" he asked. His dad opened the door and they signed out at the desk down the hall.
"We have to get your prescription medicine," he reminded him. Kurt didn't care. At least they could leave the doctor. Blaine hadn't answered his text, so he sent another and told him what the doctor said. In his mind he knew it was just a simple procedure, but he was still scared. Scared of the anesthesia, the hospital, the painful recovery. He was desperate to put his pajamas on and take a nap. Being sick was exhausting. Kurt leaned his head against the car window and closed his eyes, sighing as the coolness of the glass hit his cheek.
"Kurt, honey, we're home," he heard Carole say softly. He felt her patting his knee and he opened his eyes. He didn't realize he'd dozed off.
"Oh." He walked inside and went upstairs. He didn't want to bother with pajamas anymore, so he just pulled his shoes off and laid down. He heard his door open, and his dad came around the foot of the bed to face him.
"Hey, kiddo. You gotta take this medicine," he told him. The pills he held out were nearly the size of grapes. Kurt just wanted to get it over with so he could take a nap, but he gagged and nearly choked on the medicine. "There you go. It's okay. You don't have to take any more until tonight. Do you need me to get you anything?" Kurt shook his head and heard his dad get up and leave him alone. He felt so exhausted, and all he had done was go to the doctor. He curled up on his side and tried to relax.
When he woke up he wasn't sure how much time had passed. He was hot and felt sweaty and gross. Kurt didn't have the energy to take another shower, so he just put on some cool pajamas.
"Carole?" he called. He actually felt hungry for the first time in two days, and she had promised to make him some food. His dad came into his room instead.
"She had to go to work, bud. How are you feeling?" he asked.
"I'm okay," he mumbled. "I think I'm hungry." He rolled onto his right side and checked his phone. Blaine texted him and told him he would come over after school. It was 2:45 so it would be just thirty minutes. On a normal basis he wouldn't want Blaine to see him when he was sick and gross, but after surprising him yesterday Kurt realized he didn't care.
"I'll heat you up some soup," his dad said. "Unless you want something else."
"No, soup is fine. Thanks, Dad." His dad turned and left, and he was alone again. Kurt turned on his TV, waiting for his boyfriend to come over.
After eating and watching half an episode of Say Yes to the Dress, he heard Blaine and Finn come home. Blaine tapped open his door and smiled when he saw him.
"Hi," Kurt sighed. Blaine crawled up on his bed next to him.
"Hi, honey. How are you doing?" he asked. Kurt didn't feel like sitting up anymore. Blaine helped him rearrange his pillows so he could lie down.
"I'm okay. It still hurts to swallow. I don't want surgery," he said, shaking his head. Blaine ran his fingers through his hair.
"I know, honey. It's really not that bad, though. I'll help take care of you, it'll be returning the favor from my eye surgery," he told him. Kurt tried to smile. Blaine was such a baby when he was hurt or sick, but he enjoyed getting to spend time with him and taking care of him for the first few days after his operation.
"Nationals is so close, though," Kurt worried. "The doctor said I'd be fine to sing, but I'm afraid of something going wrong." Blaine reached under the blanket and took his hand.
"Don't worry about complications. Those surgeons know what they're doing, or else they wouldn't be surgeons. And once you get home you get to eat ice cream for a week," he reassured him. "I promise it'll be okay. It's on a Friday, so I can skip school and go with you if you want." Kurt nodded.
"That'd help."
"Okay, I'll do that. I can bring over all my Twilight DVDs and we can watch them together." Kurt was still nervous, but he felt a little better about the surgery now that Blaine would be with him. He scooted over and put his head in Blaine's lap, tired, but happy to have a boyfriend like him.
Author's Notes:
I didn't really plan on continuing the tonsillitis story but someone prompted it so I did it. I can see why Kurt would be freaked out from surgery in general, especially if it had the potential to affect his singing.
And I really love the show Say Ye to the Dress. I can see Kurt watching it and critiquing everyone.