Note: He he. Don't worry Danny isn't gonna have to fight off sepsis now, but couldn't have him bouncing right back. Only one more chapter to go after this.
Next Ian story is planned, but I'm working on another currently.
Chapter Thirteen
Steve and Grace were finally allowed into Danny's room, so Grace ran straight in to greet her dad, but Steve hung back and collared Dawn as she left. "Chin said he has a fever."
"He does, but its low grade. Dr. Pearce will be here soon to review him. Don't panic, it might just mean a change in antibiotics. His other vitals are strong, and his lung function is holding steady. He feels weak, but on the whole he is doing well. Go sit with him, don't let him eat too many of those sugary delights I just saw Grace run by with. I expect one saved for me." She joked.
"I can do better than one." Steve said holding up the bag he held in his hand. "For all the staff, we do appreciate everything that has been done for Danny, and putting up with us all."
"Thank you. These will go down a treat in the staff room." She replied taking the bag of baked goods.
Steve entered the room and was relieved to see Danny sat up in bed looking not too bad, considering everything, and he was in conversation with Grace. Dawn had done a great job of styling Danny's hair so he looked much more like his normal self. But he was still wearing a horrible hospital gown that fastened at each shoulder, and he was still connected to all the monitors.
Danny gave Steve a nod of acknowledgement but continued to listen to Grace as she told him that they had brought in Malasadas for all the medical team.
"Morning guys," Kono said as she entered the room. "Looks like great minds think alike." She laughed as she held up another bag from the bakery.
"Oh cocoa puffs." Grace exclaimed and dived right in.
"Steven, did you not feed my daughter?" Danny teased.
"Of course I did. But it was a healthy breakfast instead of your usual heart attack foods." Steve teased right back.
"I had yoghurt and fruit." Grace said backing up her Uncle. "But these are too yummy to miss out on."
"She's your daughter, through and through, Danny." Steve exclaimed to which Danny just smiled.
Danny managed one cocoa puff, and two thirds of a Malasada, before his poor appetite won out and he had to admit defeat. Steve watched him with a critical eye, as he could tell Danny was feeling sicker than the night before, and hidden behind the face mask were flushed cheeks.
Dr. Pearce finally arrived at ten am accompanied by Dawn, so Kono took Grace for a walk down to the gift shop to fetch Danny some magazines, while she did her exam. Steve remained by Danny's side with his consent.
"Morning Danny, how are you today?" Dr. Pearce asked as she looked over the latest vitals and blood gas results.
"I've been better." Danny said from behind the mask. "But the pain is under control."
"Well that is good. How about we swap this mask for a nasal cannula now, so we can hear you better? Your gasses look good." She said as she removed the mask and placed the cannula instead.
"I feel better already." Danny sighed.
"Well like I said, your gasses look good. As do most of your vitals, but I'm not happy about this temperature of yours. I want to check under these dressings to see what's going on." Dr. Pearce explained moving to the sink to wash her hands before putting on some gloves.
Steve moved closer to the bed, keen to see how much scaring his partner was likely to have.
Dr. Pearce unclipped Danny's gown and pulled it down, "we'll check Steve's handy work first shall we?" And she started peeling off the dressing that was coving where Steve had cut into Danny's chest and placed the straw.
"Excuse me, your handy work?" Danny asked raising an eyebrow at Steve.
"I had to do something to try and help you. I owe Grace a new curly straw by the way." Steve explained.
"Oh god," Danny groaned. "I don't even want to know what you did with it." He risked a glance down at the now exposed small wound that was neatly stitched.
"Well that one looks fine." Dr. Pearce stated, and Dawn quickly replaced the dressing. "Now let's check the thoracotomy wound, I suspect that is the likely source." Dawn helped Danny roll slightly on to his left side, then pulled Danny's arm forward, so it wasn't in the way, and Steve stepped forward to support his friend. Dr. Pearce removed the dressing to show a long run of tension sutures and staples. The wound looked red, and there was a slight discharge. "Yep, this looks infected, Dawn can I get a swab please?"
Dawn moved over to a trolley that was sat in the corner and returned with the swab. Carefully Dr. Pearce took the sample, then set up a trolley and proceeded to clean the wound and redress it.
"We'll send the swab off, but in the meantime I'm gonna add in another antibiotic, make sure we get on top of this infection before it can take hold. Now I'm sure that has worn you out, so rest, but I'd like you to get out of bed this afternoon. We'll keep checking your gasses until this evening, and if they stay stable, we can get rid of that arterial line, and once you're more mobile we can get rid of that catheter."
"Well that certainly is motivation to get out of bed." Danny smiled.
"Indeed." Dr. Pearce said patting Danny's leg.
"Doc, will this affect his transfer out of here?" Steve asked.
"No, it shouldn't. All being well I will review again tomorrow, and we should be able to move him to a normal room. I'm happy with how the chest tube is draining, and we'll get chest X-Rays tomorrow, we may be able to remove it tomorrow too."
"That's great." Steve smiled and Danny nodded as Dawn popped his gown back up and helped him get into a more comfortable position.
Dawn and Dr. Pearce then left, only for Dawn to pop her head back around the door. "Danny, you have another visitor if you're feeling up to it. It's Grace's mother."
"Yeah, it's fine." Danny replied, reaching for the bed control and raising his head a little.
Rachel entered the room, pulling behind her a small, wheeled, travel case. She had obviously come straight from the airport. She stopped at the foot of the bed and her eyes immediately widened as she took in the sight before her. Eyes started to roam over Danny, lingering on the central line, then the chest drain, her mouth falling open. "Oh god, Daniel," She said raising her hand to her mouth.
"It's good to see you too, Rach." Danny smiled.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Rachel replied, mentally shaking herself. "It's just, God, Danny. All this time I've worried that you were going to get hurt, killed even, through your job, and look what happens. All of this, because you let Grace have a friend round to play?"
"Yeah, I think I need to reassess my opinion on Steve being the trouble magnet." Danny replied causing Steve to bark out a laugh.
"Sit down Rach, Grace should be back soon. Kono took her to the gift shop." Danny said indicating the chair next to Steve.
Rachel sat then asked Steve, "So what have the doctors said? How is he doing?"
"He's doing ok. He has a bit of a fever at the moment, because his wound is infected, but he's on antibiotics for it. He should be moved out of here by the morning, hopefully home a few days after that."
"Oh that is a relief." She smiled.
"How long are you here for?" Danny asked. He knew Grace would be better off with Rachel while he was in hospital and recovering, but he didn't want to lose his precious time with his daughter.
"I can stay until you are discharged, then perhaps a few days more. But I left Charlie with Stanley."
"That's fine, Rach. I just need a few days. Grace has already missed school today. I don't want her missing any more. I do appreciate you flying all this way."
"Of course I was going to come. I do still care about you, Daniel. And our daughter needed me. How's she been coping?"
"Gracie's a trooper." Steve said proudly. "She was upset and is worried over Danny, but she is doing ok."
"I can't thank you enough for taking care of her, Commander." Rachel replied.
"Please, it's Steve. And it was my honour."
"Mom!" A shout came from the door as Grace and Kono returned.
"Sweetheart," Rachel exclaimed turning and catching Grace up in a big hug.
"Danno's getting better now." She informed her mother.
"So I've just been told." Rachel smiled.
Danny smiled too. He loved having his daughter live with him practically full time, but he hated that it meant Grace could go weeks without being able to physically see her mother. He fought a yawn and his eyes grew heavier as he listened to the chatter between mother and daughter. Exhausted from the examination, and the continued fever, Danny couldn't hold out any longer and he slipped off to sleep.
TBC