Chapter 12- Slow & Steady Progress
It was around 10:30 by the time Dr. Samuels made it to ICU to check on Ryan.
"Well good morning Ryan. I see you partially listened to my instructions from last night and that you had no more funny business trying to be an earthquake, however, it seems you didn't avoid all complications with your breathing."
"Sorry…" Ryan mumbled out.
"No worries. Things happen and sometimes in life we paddle upstream against the current."
"You have weird proverbs." Ryan muttered again recalling the docs lame jokes and proverbs from the night before.
"Blame it on my dad he was the one who instilled them in me."
"Sounds like a good man to me." Sandy interjected.
"it would." Ryan groaned out wishing he could roll his eyes without pain.
"Well enough of the chit chat let me update you'll. We will draw some more blood in a minute to check on the infection, but so far so good. Ryan's last temperature readings showed a decrease which is good and implies the antibiotics are doing their job. His cranial pressure is ok according to last night's CT though we will rerun that later today as well. We will obviously keep monitoring his breathing, but for now his numbers are holding pretty steady so we will just continue with the breathing treatments in four hour cycles though if need be and you start feeling worse let your nurse know and we can do them every two hours instead. Otherwise it is mostly a waiting game. Rest as much as possible. We will stay on top of your pain meds to help with that too, but really rest is the best medicine."
"Thought that was laughter?" Sandy remarked.
"No, but it is a close second though Ryan might appreciate a brief respite from too much of it at the moment since I imagine it might irritate his head some."
"Duly noted."
"Alright folks well that is it from me for now. Any questions?"
The Cohen's and Ryan had none so Dr. Samuels took his leave.
"Alright well Ryan I think I am gonna leave you to Kirsten for a bit I need to check in with the office and then pick your brother up from school because you know he will want to see you. Rest up!"
"K- thanks for staying with me."
"Of course kid wouldn't be anywhere else." Before leaving Sandy leaned down and kissed Ryan on the forehead causing the boy to blush both in embarrassment but also in secret joy.
After Sandy left it didn't take long for Ryan to drift off to sleep. Kirsten pulled out a book and continued the silent vigil by his side.
Around 11:30 the nurse came to draw blood and after words Ryan pushed himself up a bit not quite ready to go back to sleep.
"What you reading?" He asked Kirsten.
"Oh this- it's a devotional book a friend gave me called Jesus Callings. It is pretty cool. The author basically writes short passages and you are supposed to imagine it is Jesus talking directly to you as you read them."
"Sounds cool."
"Yeah I like them. Today's says "I am with you, watching over you constantly. My presence enfolds you in radiant love…" As Kirsten continued reading the devotion Ryan's eyes slowly drifted shut once more his mind filling with images of the kind of love described in her book. He had never known that all-encompassing love before. As a kid he wasn't sure what he felt about God considering all the grief and pain he had faced, but her in the room with Kirsten he thought maybe such a perfect and unconditional love was real after all the Cohen' sure seemed to demonstrate it well to him. With that thought Ryan once again entered into a healing sleep.
Devotional reading isn't mine it is taken from the book Jesus Calling: Seeking Peace In His Presence by Sarah Young