Chapter Thirty
Happy thirtieth chapter!
'All set?'
Ethan gave Dylan a thumbs-up, and automatically scooted over to the edge of the bed, so that Dylan could help him with the transfer into his chair. Cal had filled his water bottle up with very cool water in an effort to wake him up. Ethan had slept solidly for an hour over lunchtime, and was less than pleased at having to be woken up for hydrotherapy. Since he'd learned that if he had to, he could swim himself back to the side, he'd become much less anxious and reluctant. Each session, Jenna started by getting him comfortable in the water. He'd been able to put his face in for a couple of seconds for the last two sessions.
'I hear you did excellently this morning again. Well done.'
'Thank you.'
'I've got all of this to get through today,' Dylan indicated a fairly fat manilla folder, 'Do you know what, Dr Hardy, I'm convinced someone's mistakenly listed the ED as a tourist destination on TripAdvisor, as we're having a vast number of visitors through the doors this week, most of whom have no real reason to visit at all.'
Ethan chuckled at that. 'Cal t-told me about. Lady yest-day. Nails?'
'Yesterday. Yes, she'd made the sensational decision to attach false nails to her toenails. She waddled in, demanding we removed them.'
'Did you?'
'Eventually. Unfortunately I was called away several times, meaning she had one heck of a wait.'
Ethan laughed again. 'Will be you there? Outside.'
'Will you be there. Yes, I won't leave the department. I'll help you get ready to go back up, if you want me to?'
Ethan was a fairly private person at the best of time, and even when he'd been at his most unwell, had hated how exposed he'd felt and how much help he'd needed with getting changed, using the toilet and having his operation site checked by other medical staff. Cal was the best option, although that was still far from ideal. He currently couldn't decide what was the more unpleasant post-therapy support- Jenna, whom he hardly knew (and still didn't entirely trust), or Dylan, his colleague, but who had pretty much seen everything at this point.
Ethan was in a fairly good routine with the hydrotherapy, now. He had moved to be in the group pool, as opposed to the smaller, single pool. There was space for four therapists and a patient each, but at that time, there was only one other physio and his patient besides Jenna and Ethan.
'And… we're in!' Jenna said, brightly. Ethan glanced over and recognised John, the physio he'd had prior to Mikael, helping his patient out of the pool. He hadn't been a good patient at all. 'Ethan? You OK?'
'Good,' he said. He followed Jenna's example and gripped the bar.
'You're going to kick up from the floor, nice and gentle, then you'll be on your stomach. Head up at first.'
He was finding it difficult to concentrate fully. Whether it was because he was still getting used to the environment of the group pool, the distraction of John and the other patient, or because he was worn out from the morning, he had to think hard to follow Jenna's instructions, and get her to repeat himself.
'I caught up with Mikael earlier. Said you've made great progress this morning with standing from sitting on the floor. How's your back feeling?'
'Tight. Can I float on my back for a minute?'
'Yes, absolutely.' Jenna was still delighted that Ethan was even willing to enter the pool after such a challenge at the start of treatment. It was the first time he'd shown any sign of real interest or independence with her when it came to his recovery.
In reality, Ethan's main reasoning for wanting to go onto his back was strangely to take comfort in one of the aspects of hydrotherapy he'd hated at the start. He moved onto his back, letting the water fill his ears and block everything else out. His head was beginning to hurt.
Jenna watched him carefully for a few seconds, but without too much concern. It was rare for her to have patients who weren't willing or eager to have hydrotherapy. It always had a long waiting list. Typically, neurology patients didn't tend to crop up often, with those who had spinal cord injuries having it as part of a separate rehabilitation. Reluctant patients could include paediatric ones, but the Otter ward had its own team of specialists. She hadn't ever had a patient like Ethan before, although she'd worked with some who were similar in terms of anxious or confused as a student. She enjoyed it, though. Ethan was very rewarding to work with.
The bang of the doors as John and his patient left startled Jenna. 'Shall we get back to it. I've got a good stretch on the bar.' She realised he couldn't hear her and touched his shoulder to get his attention. He jerked his head up.
'Mh-h-mm,' Ethan said, blearily. He had his eyes shut. She shook his shoulder again. Perhaps he'd drifted off. The water was warm, and he'd had an active day. Perhaps they were best ending the session on a good note.
She moved over to be closer to his head. His eyes startled her. As she watched, they rolled back into his head.
Within three seconds, he'd gone from being calm and looking completely peaceful, to… this.
Jenna shouted out in panic as Ethan's body began to writhe in the water. Choking sounds were made worse as his head twisted uncontrollably in and out of the water. Jenna was fairly strong, and Ethan was light, even more so than usual thanks to the pool, but she couldn't keep hold of him as his body seemed to fight against the water. It was all she could do to keep his mouth and nose from slipping under. 'Help!' she shouted. She took a split second and glanced frantically at the doors in front of her. She knew Dr Keogh was outside. Jenna bellowed again. She waited, her eyes never leaving Ethan's rapidly paling face. When ten seconds passed, and then made her mind up.
She calculated. Five seconds to get to the panic button connected to the changing rooms where Dylan was working. Two seconds back.
The door burst open eight seconds later, and Dylan raced in. 'Seizure?'
Jenna nodded.
Dylan leapt swiftly into the water and helped Jenna support Ethan's head. 'I can't get him out on my own,' she gasped. 'He's been seizing for about thirty seconds. He's gone under a few times.'
'Keep hold of him. I don't feel safe with the risk of moving him, he could hit his head on the edge. I've got him, get out quickly and get help. Alert reception, get more people in here and get them to call down Ms Beauchamp from the ED.'
'Alright. Alright, Ethan,' Dylan said. His mind was racing. Ethan's face went under for a split second, and Dylan hauled him up more raising his head out of the water as much as he possibly could. It wasn't one of Ethan's more violent seizures, but it absolutely was one of the more frightening. The force of his muscles jerking was exacerbated by the water, and Dylan felt even more helpless than he usually did. Cal would have known what to do. He'd have been able to get Ethan to the poolside, he was much stronger than Dylan.
Jenna sprinted back in, climbing down into the water as fast as she could. 'Crash trolley on the way. My colleague's just coming. They've called the ED and Mrs Beaumont is on her way.'
Dylan didn't bother correcting her. 'It's slowing,' he said, suddenly. 'Go and grab his towel, I'll need it for under his head. I think I can get him out if you're ready.'
Thinking more quickly than he'd needed to for months, Dylan managed to steer Ethan towards the steps, his hands under the younger man's body. The seizure was certainly stopping, but he could feel the muscles twitching. Ethan's breathing sounded slurred.
His own wet clothing weighing him down, Dylan somehow managed to find the strength to lift Ethan and get him onto the tiling surrounding the pool. He choked, taking a deep breath. 'Move him away from the edge,' Dylan barked, coughing. 'Alright, Ethan. Alright.' He heard the rush of the crash cart coming. 'You'll be alright.'
