Chapter 29:
This chapter, as well as the previous, and next, are focused around physio/hydro therapy. I do my best to write medically as realistically and accurately as I can, but I feel that one of my weaker areas is about rehabilitation. I find the concept of memory very interesting generally, which is why I focus Ethan's recovery heavily in that area. If you have any specific feedback about the medical aspects or accuracies of the story, I'd love to hear them!
(Side note: Mikael, Jenna, Syzmon and other side characters, including Mr Albion, are specific to this story, and as far as I know, aren't names used in Holby/Casualty. If they are, this is a coincidence! I don't own any characters from Casualty or Holby City).
'Excellent. Well done, you!' cheered Mikael. Ethan nodded, panting. His palms felt sweaty, and he tried to lurch forwards again.
'Hey, hey. Remember. Stop, slow down. Make sure you've lined your feet up first. Pointing forwards. Head nice and straight. Look where we're going. There we go.'
Ethan refocused, stepping forwards. He could feel the muscles in his back stretching and being pulled in ways that he barely remembered. Mikael's hands helped steady him.
His left hand still felt weaker, so that was the one he took off first. He still gripped at the other bar with his right hand, but his left side hand hovered above the bar. Summoning as much strength as he could, he took a step, and then another.
Without the bar to guide him, it was exhausting. He managed a total of five steps before he had to try to cling on with his left hand to hold himself up, and Mikael stepped in to catch him. He gasped, his knees buckling. 'It's alright, Ethan. I've got you, let go so you don't strain,' Mikael said. Ethan let himself relax, and Mikael lowered him carefully down onto the mat.
Mikael gave Ethan a good few seconds to get his breath back. 'You did brilliantly. Well done, Ethan. How did that feel?'
'Strange.' Ethan panted. He gestured to Mikael, who moved out of the way, so that Ethan could roll over to get up.
'Ethan. Wait a second, go back to lying on your back.' Mikael said. He dropped to his knees, looking at Ethan closely. 'Right. Now, try and push yourself up. No, don't roll over. Put your hands behind you and push yourself up. Hey, hey, it's alright. Look, I'll move your arms for you. There. Now try.'
Squeezing his eyes shut and pushing as hard as he could into the mat, Ethan tried to sit up, but couldn't. Again, he panted. 'I can't,' he said. He felt a slight sting in his biceps from the effort.
Bicep.
Tricep.
He'd suddenly remembered an image of a poster he'd spent hours staring at, learning every muscle. 'Lumbar triangle.'
'Exactly.' Mikael didn't seem to realise the revelation.
'Remembering.' Ethan was staring into the distance.
'Ethan? You alright, mate? You're not feeling…'
'No. Remembering,' Ethan insisted. He shook his head slightly. 'Can't remember. How. Sitting up.'
His stammering had improved significantly, to his pleasure, unless he was tired. However, Cal was less pleased. Ethan spoke in far shorter sentences to prevent stammering.
'You can't remember sitting up?' Mikael scratched his nose. 'Or how?' He'd clearly had a chat with Jenna.
'How.' Ethan thought, holding his right hand up to signal that he wanted a moment to think. 'Can you. H-help me to. Then. Might remember.'
'I can do, yes. We'll go nice and slowly.'
Mikael thought for a few seconds, and then carefully moved Ethan up into a sitting position. Ethan groaned, as his back stretched in a way he was far from used to, but it didn't feel too hideous. He took a deep breath, but then, almost like magic, felt his feet slide back towards his bottom. Before he knew it, he'd stood up. Mikael jumped immediately, staggering up to his own feet to support Ethan's weight.
'Goodness! You did it!'
Ethan felt slightly stung by that. Of course he could do it. His brain just didn't remember how he'd done it. He pushed past it, though. His head was spinning slightly from standing up so quickly. 'You're OK. Put your weight on me,' said Mikael. 'Well done!'
He helped lower Ethan to the ground. 'Dizzy?'
Ethan nodded slightly. He'd had dizzy spells an awful lot as a teenager, and remembered what to do. He put his head between his knees, taking slow, deep breaths. 'You're OK? No seizure?'
'No seizure,' Ethan repeated. 'Give mi-minute.'
Mikael sat back, and gave Ethan's back a sympathetic pat. 'Just let me know.'
It took about two minutes, and then Ethan was ready to try again. He managed to get from sitting to standing six more times before the session was up. 'How are you feeling?' Cal asked. He'd come down to pick Ethan up and move him back before he went home. He'd been on call for 18 hours without any chance for sleep.
'Sh-sh-shattered,' Ethan yawned. He could feel the lactic acid already starting to burn a little. 'S-sat up.' His stammer was a clear indicator for Caleb as to just how tired his brother was.
'I'm the same. You look done in. We'll get you back up for a kip before hydro. Cheers, Mikael.'
Ethan was dozing on the way back. He wasn't fully asleep, but he wasn't awake, either. He was half-convinced he was still in the physio suite, Mikael standing in front of him. Mikael had spent the start of each session encouraging Ethan to get out of his chair and up onto his feet. He could manage getting off his bed, and transitioning into the wheelchair, but he had no idea how to get up out of his wheelchair. It was made harder by the fact there was no memory to fall back on, either.
Yet, he thought he knew. He could imagine it, fairly clearly. Right leg forward. Left leg forward. Use the arms to move forward. Feet on the floor. Bend knees. Stand.
'Whoa! Whoa, Ethan!' Cal's hands were under Ethan's armpits, He'd jumped to catch his brother, and the wheelchair moved forward, knocking into the back of Ethan's legs and causing him to sit back down. 'God, Eth, I thought you were asleep. What was that about?'
Ethan just shrugged. He shut his eyes again. He felt absolutely exhausted.
