CHAPTER 4- SANDY & DOCTOR CALLS
It was about 6pm when Sandy arrived home with Dinner and Ryan's meds.
"Any one home?" He called out as he walked in the front door.
"In the living room." Seth called out to his dad.
"So what is this party doing?" Sandy asked.
"Not much. I'm reading my comics and mom is looking at some work stuff. We're trying to keep it down so as not to disturb Ryan. Though I keep telling her not to worry even healthy Ryan can sleep through a hurricane. Since he's sick now I bet he can sleep even deeper." Seth added.
"You're probably right. Well I brought dinner so how about you two get the table ready and I'll go wake sick boy."
"Good luck you might want to take a mask with you or at least cover your face when entering contaminated zones." Seth teased back.
"Health recommendations duly noted?" Sandy said with a grin as he climbed the stairs.
Upon reaching the guest room he knocked lightly and waited a moment. Upon receiving no immediate answer he walked in. His eyes immediately fell on his foster son. The boy had the comforter pulled almost completely over himself and was curled into a tight ball. Only his face showed through and even at that only just enough that he wasn't suffocating himself with the blanket. The boy's face was pale except for two rosy cheeks signaling the high fever he still battled. He looked much younger than his 15 years. Sandy's heart tugged at the image filled with two warring emotions- pity for the illness the child was fighting and love so strong words couldn't describe it. He was so thankful to God that they had been able to take Ryan in. Sandy hadn't had an easy childhood but it was nothing compared to Ryan's and yet he felt so blessed to have a chance to give back and help this boy. He also felt blessed simply for the fact that he was able to have Ryan in his life. He sometimes felt the boy taught him more about life than he ever taught him. He reigned his thoughts back in after another minute and kneeled down by Ryan gently tugging the blankets away and speaking softly to the boy.
"Ryan, come on son. It's time for dinner. We need to get some food in you so we can't fill you up with some more meds and get you feeling better as soon as possible."
As he spoke he watched as Ryan's eyes slowly fluttered open and looked at him.
"Sandy?" He croaked clearly not quite alert.
"The one and only kiddo. What do you think- do you want dinner downstairs or up here?"
"Not hungry." Ryan whispered again.
"I know, but that's not an option you need your medications and that means you need to eat. Let me help you sit up a little and then I'll have Kristen bring you something up."
"Already did that." Kristen spoke up from behind him.
"Here you go Ryan. It's chicken noodle from Jason's Deli. It shouldn't be too hard on your throat or your stomach."
Weakly Ryan grasped for the spoon that had been set on the tray table by him. He spooned a couple sips slowly. The process was painful and he was so tired that the last thing he wanted was to eat.
"I know it's hard, but here's your antibiotic. Take this and then try and eat a little more than you can rest." Kristen continued urging.
Reluctantly Ryan did as she asked and took the pill. He managed another 10 bites or so after but that was all he can handle. Setting the spoon down he whispered "No more please."
"Alright son we won't push any more now, but we will be back to push fluids with a fever that high you need to keep hydrated. We don't want to end up in the hospital." Sandy gently reminded him.
"Okay" Ryan replied sleepily as his body sunk back into the pillows.
"We'll wake you in another hour or so to take your next dose of Motrin. Sleep well." Kristen added as her and Sandy slowly walked out the door.
Upon arriving at the kitchen table Seth inquired on Ryan. "How is he?"
"Pretty miserable, poor kid. The fever is definitely still burning at it hurts to eat. We got a little in him. I just hope it's enough." Sandy responded.
"Yeah me too. I need my bro back at school. It's not quite the same without him."
The next few minutes passed in companionable chatter as the Cohen's caught up on each other's day. When they finished eating trash was thrown out and left overs put away. Then they gathered back in the living room to watch some television.
"What's that?" Sandy remarked pointing to a monitor on the table.
"Come on dad. Can't you tell? This is mom the worrier we're talking about. She brought out the big guns. She's making up for the fact that she didn't get to have Ryan as a baby now by bring out the baby monitor."
"Oh hush Seth. I do it for you too when you're really sick. It's just that his fever is so high and we don't really know how he handles sickness. That and you know you can't rely on Ryan to admit how he is really feeling."
"I understand Kristen. You don't have to defend yourself. I like it. I guess it has just been so long since anyone in the house has been really sick that I forgot you did that." Sandy reassured his wife as he hugged her.
The next few minutes seemed to be going well in the Cohen household. Laughter filled the living room as the evening sitcoms played out on the screen in front of them and Ryan seemed to be sleeping peacefully or so they thought until the sound of something fairly large hitting the ground sounded from upstairs immediately followed by the sound of someone being sick over the monitor.
"So much for the antibiotic." Sandy remarked. "I guess we should give Doc Peter's a call and ask for suggestions on something to settle his stomach if we are going to keep at this."
"Probably, but maybe we should check his temperature first." Kristen remarked even as the two quickly made their way upstairs.
Upon reaching the guest room they found Ryan on his hands and knees retching violently. It looked like he had tried to get to the bathroom on his own but the combination of tangled bed sheets and overall weakness had hindered his efforts.
"I'm sorry" Ryan managed to choke out between spells of sickness tears rolling down his cheeks both from pain and embarrassment.
"Oh Ryan there is nothing to apologize for. Everyone gets sick you can't help that." Kristen immediately assured the sick teen.
"Let's get you cleaned up son." Sandy said when it seemed Ryan was done emptying his stomach. He pulled the boy gently to his feet and held him close for a second in a one armed hug assuring him they weren't mad. Then together they made their way to the bathroom. Kristen walked in and laid some new clothes down on the sink along with the thermometer and then stepped back out leaving Sandy to care for the sick boy.
Sandy helped Ryan to undress and started the bath water setting it to luke warm so as not to overheat him. Then he gently tilted Ryan's head and put the thermometer in his ear to get a reading. He shook his head sadly when the numbers came back 103.8.
"Wrong direction kiddo. I'm going to chill this water a little more we need to get this fever under control."
Ryan groaned in response not looking forward to colder water when he was already freezing even though he knew it was a smart move. Right about when Sandy was going to move the teen from his seated position on the toilet to the tub, Ryan suddenly grew paler, something Sandy had thought impossible, and clutched his stomach. Knowing what was coming Sandy quickly helped the teen reposition himself so he was leaning over the toilet. Another bout of sickness took over the trembling teen leaving him once more in tears by the end.
"Oh Ryan. I'm so sorry you feel this awful. Kristen's calling the doctor now to see what else we can do. Hang in there kid we'll get you through this."
Soon Sandy had Ryan in the bath cooling down. He stayed beside him helping to hold him up as he shivered in the water. After ten minutes Sandy decided he'd had enough and drew the teen out of the water and helped him get dressed. Next he led him back to bed and tucked him in. Kristen walked in to the room right as sandy finished tucking him in. The phone was at her ear.
"Doctor Peters wants to know what his temperature is now that he's had a cool bath."
In response Sandy grabbed the thermometer and placed it in Ryan's ear. When it beeped it read 103.3.
"Well it's down half a degree. It was 103.8 earlier." Sandy replied and Kristen relayed this to the doctor.
After a few minutes of Kristen saying things back and forth on the phone she hung up.
"He's going to call in two prescriptions. One is a stronger pain relieve to fight the fever- no codeine. The other is something to give Ryan to settle his stomach so he can take the antibiotics. That one comes in two forms oral and suppository he wrote a script for both."
"No way." Ryan muttered pitifully.
"Ryan if that's what it takes that's what we'll do but don't worry we'll try the oral version first." Kristen assured.
"The doctor said if his fever doesn't come down after this next medication or it jumps dangerously high to take him to Children's Hospital. He hopes we won't need that. He said he'd stop by the house in the morning if there are no complications and check up on him then."
"You get house visits?" Ryan croaked. He though that only happened in the movies.
"Well he's a friend of Sandy's. Believe it or not they used to be on a bowling league together."
"Hey don't knock my skills I was team captain and the Doc wasn't half bad either."
"I'd roll my eyes but it hurts too much." Ryan mumbled.
"Then don't hurt yourself kid. Get some rest I'm off to get you the better meds."
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it. That's what you do when you love someone."
With those comforting words ringing in his head Ryan drifted back into a restless slumber.