A Bitter Pill to Swallow- chapter 5
Samantha was able to call Hank and had him pack a bag for her as both Mona and Samantha agreed leaving Tony and Angela right now with everything going on plus Michael getting in later today was not a good idea. Mona had the foresight to pack extra clothes and belongings, knowing this was probably going to take a few days. When they got back to the hotel, they saw there was a message from Michael. His flight was due in by 3:00pm and he would be meeting them at the hospital after he landed. Both Samantha and Mona decided to lie down for a while as neither of them got a good night's sleep.
Meanwhile in the ER, Angela and Tony were in the waiting room. Tony filled out some paperwork and was just waiting to be called back to be triaged.
"Can I get you anything Tony?" asked Angela as she tried to make him as comfortable in the hospital waiting room chairs as possible.
"No I'm fine Angela. I really don't think we need to be here… I'm fine…" said Tony.
"Tony… lift your arm up over your head. You can do that, we will leave" she said. Tony didn't even bother trying as he knew he wouldn't be able to do that so he just kept quiet.
"That's what I thought. Hopefully it's nothing too serious and we will be out of here soon" she said.
"Mr. Micelli? Please come this way" said one of the nurses as she led them down the hallway to an open curtain. A doctor came in to examine him.
"So what seems to be the trouble Mr. Micelli?" asked the doctor.
"I… I fell when my son was giving me a hug and fell on my bad shoulder. Many years ago I tore up my shoulder playing baseball. I can't really move it too much" said Tony.
"Kids right? My son is six years old and he's come close to knocking me over a few times!" laughed the doctor as he jotted down some notes.
"Our son is a sophomore in college and currently upstairs in the inpatient psychiatric unit. He's in a manic state right now and accidentally knocked Tony over when he was trying to calm him down…" she said.
"Oh… I see. I'm sorry to hear that… alright let's take a look at that shoulder" he said as he conducted a physical examination of Tony. Tony winced in pain on more than one occasion as he finished up his exam.
"Okay I think it's just a severe sprain but I want to get an MRI done since you've had an injury in the past. I will put in the order and hopefully they will take you up shortly. I'll give you a prescription for a pain killer" he said as he walked out of the room.
"See Angela… just a sprain! I'll go for that MRI and then we can get out of here!" said Tony.
"We'll see… when you do go for the MRI I'm going to call over to the hotel and see if Michael left a message. I'm hoping Mother and Sam are on their way home" said Angela.
"I know that's what you said Angela but I doubt they are leaving right now, especially after this morning. I could be wrong…" said Tony. Just then, an orderly came with a wheelchair to take him up for an MRI. Angela kissed Tony and walked him to the main doors. Once in the main area, Angela found the pay phones and called over to the hotel.
"Mother! I thought you two would be heading home by now. Is Hank on his way… oh… you guys don't have to do that… I know, I know… okay thank you Mother…yes he's okay. He's getting an MRI right now. They think it is just a bad sprain. Did Michael call yet… okay good… we will probably just stay here then… okay come over then… and Mother… thank you…" said Angela as she hung up the phone.
Angela went to the vending machine and grabbed some snacks for the two of them. She stopped off at the nursing desk and asked for an update on Jonathan. He was resting in his room after being given another sedative after his outburst in the room. She thanked the nurse for the update and headed back to wait for Tony. After about a half an hour, Tony was wheeled back into the room. The orderly helped him onto the gurney.
"How are you feeling sweetheart?" asked Angela as she offered him a snack.
"I've been better. Those MRI machines are so tight! If I wasn't claustrophobic before then… I am now!" chuckled Tony.
"Michael should be coming in this afternoon and he's meeting us on the floor. I just don't have a good feeling about this…" said Angela.
"Let's try and give him the benefit of the doubt. He can't argue with the doctors… one look at him and he will know he's where he belongs" said Tony.
"I hope so. He's been an absent parent most of his life. If he makes this worse, he can stay an absent parent. We have raised him together since he was six, almost seven years old! He's our son Tony and we know what's right for him" said Angela.
"You're right Angela. He's our son just like Samantha is our daughter. Let's though try and give him a chance of maybe doing the right thing, give him the benefit of the doubt. He's an ass to us or to him, I'll be the first one to throw him right out of here… well as much as this shoulder can do…" he said with a chuckle. Just then the doctor returned into the room.
"Well unfortunately it's not just a sprain. It looks like a small tear in the ligament. I don't think you need surgery but you are going to need to keep that shoulder immobilized for at least six to eight weeks and need to follow up with an orthopedist as soon as possible. I will prescribe you some pain killers and we will get you fitted for a sling. The nurse should be in soon with everything you need and then you can head home" said the doctor as he walked out.
"Oh Tony…" she said as she started to cry. He motioned to Angela to come close to her; he wrapped his good arm around her and pulled her to him.
"Shh it's okay Angela! I'll be fine! It's just a small tear…" he said as he rubbed her back, trying to soothe her as she cried.
"It's… it's just not fair! He never meant to hurt you and when he comes down from… from this manic episode, he's going to be inconsolable that he hurt you!" cried Angela.
"I know he didn't mean for it to happen and we will just have to remind him of that until he believes it. I love that kid with all my heart no matter what he does…" said Tony as he wiped away his own tears.
"And he loves you too Tony. I love you Tony… so much…" she said as she curled into him as much as was possible with his shoulder.
After about a half an hour, a nurse came in and wrapped Tony's arm. Angela signed the discharge paperwork and they headed out the ER door. They walked around the hospital, opting to get some fresh air and sat outside the main entrance waiting for Michael. They didn't have to wait too long as a taxi cab pulled up and Michael got out of the cab.
"Hi Michael… thank you for coming" said Angela as they walked over to Michael.
"Of course Angela. He's my son… our son. Hi Tony… what happened to your shoulder?" asked Michael as they walked into the main entrance of the hospital.
"Jonathan got upset when he was told by the doctor he had to stay there and… he tried to get away from the aide when he ended up falling into Tony. They both ended up on the ground and Tony tore a ligament in his shoulder. He's going to be okay but he needs to keep his shoulder immobilized" said Angela.
"What? That doesn't sound like Jonathan! Did someone upset him?" asked Michael as he gave Tony a sideways glance. Tony stiffened up and was about to say something when Angela interjected.
"No one did anything aside from talk to him Michael! Tony was trying to help them get Jonathan under control. He knows him Michael… he's been here for him for the past twelve, almost thirteen years and I won't stand for you or anyone else blaming Tony for this or anything else! Do I make myself clear?" said Angela, no longer able to keep her anger in check.
"Look Michael… he's not the same person you remember right now. It's going to be upsetting seeing him like this but his doctors are very good and think he's got a very good chance of recovering. It's important that all of us are on the same page… all of us" said Tony as he looked at both Michael and Angela.
"Once we get up there, I'm going to sit outside in the waiting area. It's important he sees you two together…" said Tony.
"Tony no… you are just as much of his parent as we are and you need to be there too…" said Angela.
"Angela, listen to Tony. He will stay out here while we go in" said Michael. They all headed to the elevator and headed up to the floor, the silence deafening among the three. They all signed in and waited to be let onto the unit. After a few minutes, a nurse came to get them. Angela kissed Tony as she and Michael walked onto the unit.
Michael looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he looked around at the other patients. He stopped walking as a patient in the far corner started to scream at the closed window. Angela had to gently push him to keep walking to the visitor's room. They took a seat at a table and waited for Jonathan. After a few minutes, Jonathan was escorted by two male aides into the room, followed by the doctor.
"Mom! Dad? Dad! What are you doing here? Is Heather here too? How's California? Are you here to take me home? I really need to get back to school! I have a big test next week and three papers overdue I really need to start working on…" he started, the pressured, rapid speech from earlier still present.
"Hey little tiger! Take it easy! Slow it down! What's going on here?" asked Michael.
"Hello Mr. Bower. My name is Dr. Friedman and I am Jonathan's treating physician. Jonathan appears to be in the early onset stages of Bipolar disorder and in a manic stage. We have deemed him a danger to himself and to others so we are keeping him here on the unit while we start some new medications to try and stabilize his mood. However, Jonathan is currently refusing to take the medication…" started the doctor as Jonathan interrupted.
"Its poison Dad! How do I know what's in it? I've never had to take medication my entire life unless I was sick! I don't need to start now because I'm fine!" said Jonathan.
"Jonathan sweetheart you're not fine. You hurt yourself last night. You haven't slept much for over two days. Please take the medicine the doctor is giving you!" she pleaded as Angela tried her best to hold back the tears in her eyes.
"If he doesn't want to take the medication then don't force him Angela. He's an adult and can make up his own mind…" said Michael.
"Yeah that's right Dad I don't have to take it! You understand! You love me! Take me home Dad! I want to go home! Don't make me stay here!" shouted Jonathan.
"Jonathan I need you to calm down a bit. I think we all need to talk about this and have a better understanding of what we are dealing with here. You can't leave right now, it's not safe. Something could happen to you or to someone else like it did this morning. Listen to us Jonathan. We are here to help you" said the doctor.
"Wait… where's Tony? Sam and Grandma? Did they leave? They left me here! How could they! I hate them! I hate all of you! Go to hell!" he screamed as the aides put their arms on his shoulders to calm him down.
"Jonathan, Sam and Grandma are back at the hotel. Tony is waiting outside in the waiting room. He thought it was better for your Dad and I to meet with you now, that's all. Everyone loves you very much and no one has left you" said Angela.
"I don't believe you! Tony! Tony! Tony!" he screamed as he pushed himself away from the table and left the room, banging on the locked doors. The aides were able to get a hold of him and pulled him back.
"Jonathan if you calm down we will get Tony, alright? said the doctor. Jonathan nodded and started to calm down as the doors were buzzed open and Tony came onto the unit, hearing the commotion from the other side.
"Tony! Tony? What happened? Are you hurt? What's wrong?" asked Jonathan.
"You don't remember this morning Jonathan?" asked Michael, not processing how he could have no idea what happened just a few short hours ago.
"I'm fine I promise. Just a small tear in the ligament. I'll be good as new in a few weeks. Why don't we head back into the room and talk" said Tony.
"But I don't get it. You were fine this morning! Did you fall? Did someone hurt you? Because I'll hurt them back! Where are they? No one hurts you Tony!" he shouted as the aides tried to calm him down.
"Jonathan it's okay! No one hurt me. I fell that's all. I'm fine. Please Jonathan let's just head into the room…" he said as he motioned for Jonathan to come into the room. Angela followed, wiping away tears, while Michael just stood there, not believing what he was seeing.
"Okay Jonathan, let's try and discuss this calmly. Everyone in this room is here to support you. They all care about you and want the best for you. The medication is going to help keep you safe. I can answer any questions you or your family may have about the medications but we really do believe they will help you" said the doctor.
"I don't need any medication! I can keep myself safe! I don't understand what's going on! I just want to go home! Dad do something!" yelled Jonathan.
"Jonathan I know you think you are safe but you're not. You really hurt your arm and I'm very worried you are going to hurt yourself again or someone else. Please listen to the doctor and try this. If it doesn't work then we can all figure something else out. The sooner you start the medication, the sooner you can come home" pleaded Angela.
"But I want to come home now! Dad? Dad! Do something! Take me home with you please!" cried Jonathan as he started to cry.
"I… I don't… I can't…" he started as Michael looked around the room and abruptly stood up. He quickly made his way out of the room and was buzzed out of the unit, leaving everyone in the room shocked and silent.