Chapter 2:
EDITED AND REVISED
I'm glad you guys liked the last chapter.
Now, on with the story.
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And Doogie stuck to his promise. He was with Vinnie through his first chemo treatment and he promised he would be there whenever Vinnie needed him to be. Doogie explained to Vinnie again, that the chemo would be given to him in cycles. Vinnie looked as if he was listening and would nod every now and then, but Doogie knew that he wasn't completely absorbing all the information. There would be four to six cycles of chemo given and it would be given by vein...meaning, Vinnie would be given a shot.
Vinnie sat up in his bed, holding his mother's hand as Doogie gave Vinnie his dose of chemo. Vinnie's doctor, Dr. Rochester, gave Doogie permission to do this, knowing about their friendship and using it as an advantage to help Vinnie recover. Supportive friends and family, Dr. Rochester found, proved a successful recovery.
Vinnie gave a little gasp when he was pricked with the needle, and then chuckled, mumbling something about it being funny that he wasn't man enough to take a needle. Mrs. Delpino laughed along with him, but patted his hand, reassuring him that it wasn't at all true.
Doogie waited with them for a while, but left the room to get going with his rounds after he was sure the two Delpinos were secure, safe, and comfortable. Vinnie had urged him not to take the day off just because he had cancer. Doogie went through his daily routine, trying as hard as he could not to think about Vinnie. Dr. Rochester told the Delpino family that he wanted Vinnie to stay in for the day and that Mrs. Delpino should go home. Mrs. Delpino, of course, refused. It wasn't until about 3:00. When Mr. Delpino took off from work, urging Mrs. Delpino to go home and rest. After much convincing, Mrs. Delpino finally left. Doogie was surprised at this. He didn't think she would ever leave.
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Wanda came, half an hour later, to see how Vinnie was doing.
"I honestly don't know, Wanda. I haven't been up there in hours. He didn't want me to cancel work just to stay with him, so, I just postponed it for a few hours. I haven't seen him since this morning," explained Doogie, a little defensively. Wanda just smiled and hugged him.
"It must be so hard for you."
"Yeah..."
"Lets go up there together, Doogie," suggested Wanda. Doogie smiled. I knew I loved this girl!
They took the elevator up the oncology wing and walked toward Vinnie's room. 403. On there way there, they ran into Dr. Rochester.
"I wouldn't go in there, Dr. Howser. Not with her," he said.
"Why not?"
"His side effects...they're quite severe. Its normal, but it might be too much for her to handle. Vinnie's small body...the–ah–well, the dosage took quite a tole on him. I want him to stay overnight. He can go home in the morning," explained the doctor. Wanda looked at Doogie and knew, immediately, that he wanted to see his friend.
"Why don't you go in, Doogie. I'll wait out here," she said.
"No, I—"began the doctor, but he was interrupted by Wanda.
"Couldn't he go in? As a doctor?"
The doctor's expression softened, "I suppose that would be alright."
Doogie opened the door and went in, ahead of the doctor. What he saw caused memories to come flooding back to him. He remembered exactly how it felt to be lying in a strange hospital bed and feel so weak, you could hardly move.
Carmine Delpino held Vinnie's hand. Vinnie's eyes were closed, but his face was scrunched up. Doogie wasn't sure if this expression was because of the pain, or just of discomfort. Doogie edged in closer to Vinnie's bedside. Mr. Delpino looked up from Vinnie's hand, into Doogie's eyes.
"He keeps on vomiting. He sweats like he's been on a five mile sprint. He says he can't move. Is this normal?" asked the concerned father of a very sick son.
"Yes. We warned you this might happen, Mr. Delpino," answered Doogie.
"He's just so...lively, and strong. Vivacious is the best word to describe him. He was always such a vivacious kid. I've never seen him this sick. I never thought he could get this sick. It scares the crap out of me," said Mr. Delpino, softly. Doogie supposed that this was so Vinnie wouldn't hear. For some reason, Doogie was disheartened by what Vinnie's dad said. He didn't know why. He guessed that it was because if an adult seemed so helpless he felt that way, too.
Doogie looked at Vinnie. He wasn't handling the chemo too well–worse than Doogie thought he would. However, Doogie knew that this must mean the chemo was in control. It had to mean that.
"Mr. Delpino? Mr. Delpino, I'll watch Vinnie for a while. You go to the cafeteria and get something to eat. It will do you some good," suggested Doogie. Mr. Delpino just nodded and, as if in a trance, strode out of the room, down the hall, toward the cafeteria. Doogie went to the door to close it, but, then, remembered Wanda. He poked his head outside the door and spotted her leaning against the wall.
"How is he?" she asked.
"Sick. Go home, Wanda," replied Doogie.
"If there's anything I can do to help..."
"There isn't. Just go home...we can visit Vinnie at his house tomorrow. Okay?"
"Okay. Goodbye, Doogie."
"Bye, Wanda."
Doogie didn't stay to watch her walk down the long hall to the elevator. He went right back into the room. He was just in time to see Vinnie writhing on the bed. Doogie took out a bucket from under the bed and put it under Vinnie's chin and held the back of his head as Vinnie vomited into it. Vinnie seemed to throw up all the contents in his entire body. Finally, Vinnie sank back into the pillow. Doogie put the bucket back down and moved over to the right side of the bed and sat in the chair that Vinnie's father had been sitting in. Vinnie opened his eyes ever so slightly and saw Doogie. He took hold of Doogie's hand. His grip was so week.
But Vinnie chuckled and said, "Just when ya think there's nothin' left, right?"
Doogie smiled at this comment. It was just like Vinnie to crack a joke during the darkest of times.
"Doog...do I get any better, or does it stay like this 'till its all over?"
"You'll be a little better by tomorrow and you will get increasingly better throughout the week. Then next week, you will get another dose and it starts all over," explained Doogie. Vinnie just nodded. Then, Vinnie looked straight into Doogie's eyes with his big brown ones and said,
"But you'll be there, right?"
"Right."
"I feel like I'm dyin', Doog. I feel so..."
"Weak?"
"You could call it that," Vinnie sighed. Doogie thought he had prepared himself for this sight, but just never saw Vinnie this way. He never expected to see him this way. Doogie knew what he was going through, but that's what made it all the more painful. That he knew almost exactly how Vinnie felt. Vinnie was so tired that his eyes were like slits. His olive skin was now completely white. Vinnie was afraid to eat, so, when his mom came in with dinner a few hours later, he flat out refused. Something Doogie never expected from Vinnie.
When Doogie left later that night, he discovered, not surprisingly, that the Delpinos were staying over night. Doogie, himself, was not so keen on leaving his friend in the hospital, but he knew he had to get home somehow.
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By the time Doogie got home, his dinner was cold. He decided to skip dinner anyway, being he had no appetite. Doogie decided to pull out some home movies. He put one on and it was Vinnie, age six, his head all shaved. Doogie was by his side. He was bald, too, because of his chemo. They were playing freeze tag. Later on in the movie, it showed the two of them in the sandbox.
"Hey Vin, guess what..."
"What?"
" I'm going to be a doctor when I grow up!" shouted Doogie. Vinnie just shrugged.
"Okay, den you'se has to get some practice in. I'll be your patient," said Vinnie. Then, he laid in the sand box and piled some sand on top of him. He pointed to the sand on his stomach and said, "These are my guts. Now, you'se have to do a operation, okay? Make me all better Doctah Howsah!...AH! I'm in pain! Help me! For Pete's sake, Help me! Holy Moses, this hurts!"
Little Doogie just smiled and picked up the plastic rake and shovel and yelled, "Hold on, sir, hold on! I'll help you!"
"Hurry! I'm gonna die! Hurry!" yelled Vinnie.
"Hold on, Vinnerino!" yelled Doogie, and with that, brushed away the sand on Vinnie's stomach with the small sand rake and shovel. "All better! Look, Daddy! I fixed Vinnie!"
And David Howser, who was filming, said, "Very well done, son. You make a good patient, Vincent."
Vinnie stood up and took a bow. Then the screen blurred into static and the tape was over. Doogie chuckled to himself. They were so young. But his thoughts went back to the sickVinnie he saw at the hospital. "Hold on, Vinnerino. I'll save you. Just hang in there."
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Hope you guys and gals liked it! Please review and give me your opinion!
Thank you to Melbo18 and Gamble7 for suggesting that I write a story. I hope I didn't disappoint you guys with my choice of storyline.
Sorry this chapter was so short. The next one will be longer!