CHAPTER 7 STEP-DOWN

The next time someone entered Ryan's room it was the doctor.

"Hello again Ryan. I'm Doctor Jackson the one who removed the tube earlier. I figured it might be good to reintroduce myself since sometimes patients are a bit confused when they first come off the vent."

Ryan nodded in return.

"I mentioned before we were planning on stepping you down to a regular room. Because your numbers are still a little low we aren't going to be doing that quite as quick."

"But…" Ryan started to interrupt.

Doctor Jackson raised his hand up immediately hushing the worried teen. "Hold up I didn't say we weren't moving you at all. Were just going to move you down to the progressive care unit or PCU as the staff say instead of a regular bed in general med. I want to still monitor you closely for one more night. The nice thing though is that PCU doesn't limit visitors like ICU does so more of your family and friends can drop in and say hi. We are probably still on schedule for a discharge in two days but I don't want to rush anything and have you end up right back in here okay?"

"Like I have a choice." Ryan muttered.

"Ryan," Kristen gently scolded, "he's only doing his job."

"Your right I'm sorry I just want to leave. Hospitals don't hold my favorite memories." Ryan replied with a modified tone.

"I understand. So with that said we will be moving you to PCU now and it should take about an hour. I suggest your mom here gets something to eat or take a walk because while they are transferring you there isn't much she can do. We are moving you to PCU bed 5."

"Alright, I'll go get a coffee from the Starbucks downstairs and be back in an hour then." Kristen said.

Ryan watched as she walked out and then shifted his eyes back to the doctor and the staff who entered his room to prepare him for transfer.

The doctor's prediction had been correct in the timing and an hour later Ryan was once more settled in another room. He was still attached to all sorts of monitors but there were more chairs in this room alluding to the fact that visitors were welcome. Ryan was only alone for a minute before the voices of the Cohen's filled the hallway. It seemed Kristen had taken to heart the visitor policy also and brought along reinforcements. Soon the glass door slid open to admit them.

"Yo bro. I see you got new digs."

"Please Seth drop the gangster talk you so don't pull it off." Sandy chided with a grin. Ryan rolled his eyes at their antics.

"Hate to tell you son but they don't look all that different from your last place." Sandy remarked.

"Tell me about it." Ryan responded in his typical dry tone.

"Oh stop all of you. It's not so bad at least we can all be together again." Kristen interjected.

"True so true, let's get this party started then." Seth said as he plopped himself down on one of the waiting chairs.

"And what party might that be son?" Sandy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No clue- entertainment was your job."

"How about cards? I think I have some in my purse." Kristen added.

"Yes mom. I say poker."

"I'm game." Sandy said.

"Ryan?" Kristen asked.

"Why not nothing else to do."

It was to this scene that the next visitor walked in on thirty minutes later.

"Man Ryan. I thought you didn't like the party scene. Why wasn't I invited?"

"Luke." Ryan said with a smile happy to see his friend.

"The one and only. Geez Ryan if you wanted some attention there had to be better ways to do this."

"Tell me about it- not exactly my choice of vacation locale."

"So how long do you have to be here?"

"Probably another two days though the doctor seems to be overly cautious so I guess we will have to wait and see."

"Too bad. Well might as well make the most of it. We'll miss you at the game though. The team sends their regards. I'll try to kick a goal for you or something."

"You do that."

"Deal me in I guess."

"Okay."

For the next hour everyone played an interesting game of poker using miscellaneous medical equipment as betting chips. By the last few hands it was clear that Ryan was getting tired. The boy was normally a genius at Poker considering he had the face down to an art with his brooding and silent give away no secrets nature. When he lost three hands in a row Kristen knew it was time to call it quits. That and the fact that his breathing seemed a little more forced.

"Alright gang I think it's time to wrap things up." She said.

"Ahh come on mom I'm finally winning." Seth whined.

"That in itself should tell you something, Seth." Sandy spoke up.

"Yeah man you never beat Chino."

Before Seth could defend himself a sudden coughing fit from Ryan interrupted the argument.

"Okay maybe your right. Why don't you get some rest Ryan?"

"Okay thanks for coming." Ryan managed to get out between coughs.

A nurse chose that moment to walk in.

"High Ryan, My name is Amy and I am your nurse for this shift. I noticed your oxygen stats are dropping a bit. I think it's time to rest some. I am going to switch your nasal cannula back to an oxygen mask for a while. I believe Respiratory is on their way with another breathing treatment also."

"Thanks for letting us know. We were just wrapping thins up anyway. My husband Sandy will be staying but the rest of us are going home till tomorrow."

"You can go home to Sandy. I'm sure you have work to do." Ryan said suddenly feeling guilty keeping the Cohen's from their regular life duties.

"Nonsense. My son is in the hospital I'm not going anywhere."

Ryan's smile at the son comment was something Sandy wouldn't soon forget. It was amazing how the simplest of things could be so treasured by this amazing young man.

"Alright-thanks." Ryan said shyly.

Sandy merely rubbed Ryan's head with a grin in response.

"Okay well get better bro see you tomorrow."

"Yeah I'll stop by after the game and let you know how we did."

"We love you get some rest." Kristen left a gentle kiss on his forehead as a parting farewell.

With the goodbyes given soon it was just Sandy, Ryan and the nurse. Within minutes the Respiratory tech was in the room administrating Ryan's next nebulizer treatment. By the time the treatment was done Ryan was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Stop fighting it kid- I've got your back." Sandy assured and with that statement ringing in his ears Ryan soon allowed nature to take its course and he drifted off to sleep confident in the fact that Sandy wouldn't let anything bad happen.