More Than Just a Broken Arm Chapter 30/?
Title: More Than Just a Broken Arm 30/?
Author: softballchic34
Characters: Steve McGarrett, Danny Williams
Spoilers: Season 1 episode 20
Rated PG-13 for language.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters, nor do I make any profit from this.
Summary: A broken arm is the least of Steve's problems.
Chapter 30
Tuesday, both Steve and Catherine are up early, Steve is up to take Bo outside and give him breakfast while Cath is up getting ready for her first day in her new position at Pearl Harbor. Steve is finding that having a puppy in the house is cutting into his sleep schedule; he has to get up every night about two am to take Bo outside and Bo starts barking and whining to go out again every morning between 5:30 and 6:30. For now, Bo is sleeping in crate at night until he is completely house broken.
Steve is a little bummed that Catherine's leave is over already. Having her home with him all day for the last week has been a nice distraction from everything that has happened. After eating breakfast together, Steve made omelettes for the two of them, Steve kisses Cath goodbye and tells her to have a good day. He is left alone with Bo since Mary is still asleep upstairs. Steve takes Bo out to the backyard for a training session. He spends about ten minutes every couple hours working with Bo on the basic commands like sit, come, and down. Bo is picking up everything really quickly and is always excited to learn something as long as there are treats for him.
It is close to nine when Steve gets a call from Kekipi asking if it would be alright if she drops Bo's papers off today, she had some trouble locating them over the weekend but finally found the folder with all his information last night.
An hour later Kekipi rings the doorbell. "Thanks for bringing these by." Steve says. Kekipi is knelt down petting Bo who followed Steve to the door.
"It's no problem. I'm sorry it took me so long to find them, Nate wasn't very organized. It is going to be a nightmare going through everything since I'm his Power of Attorney. I'm so glad to see Bo is in a good home and not in a shelter somewhere. He seems very happy here." Kekipi comments as she stands.
"I'm happy to have him. I can't thank you enough for letting me keep him."
"You're very welcome, dear. I also have the food, bed, and toys that Nate had for him. They are all brand new but I figured since you have Bo now you should have his things."
"Are you sure? You don't want to return them?"
"They certainly aren't going to get used by me." Kekipi says with a smile. "As Bo's new owner you are entitled to them."
"If you insist. Can I at least pay you for them?"
Kekipi shakes her head, "You giving Bo a good home is payment enough. Although I wouldn't be opposed to you stopping by every so often when you are walking him if you happen to pass my house since I'm only two streets over."
"I'm sure we can manage that as soon as his leg is healed up." Steve grins.
Kekipi shakes his hand, "It's a deal then."
"I'll grab my sister from the backyard to help unload your car. I can't lift anything heavy so I need her to get the bag of dog food." Steve motions uncomfortably towards the neck brace.
"No need to disturb your sister. I can bring it in for you if you grab the dog bed and toys. I put it in the car myself, I can certainly get it out; I'm not that old yet that I can't lift a bag of dog food." She laughs before getting more sincere, "I hope you are recovering well from whatever ails you."
"Thank you, I should be out of the brace in a few more weeks." Steve is uncomfortable talking about his injuries with someone he doesn't even know. Steve waits patiently as Kekipi pops her trunk and comes around to help him take things inside. Bo followed him outside and is now sniffing the hedges in front of the house. He is trying to pull a small branch off the bottom of one but it isn't going anywhere. "Bo, No." Steve commands in a stern voice. He has to repeat it a couple times before Bo stops pulling at the branch. But eventually he does stop and goes back to exploring the yard.
After Kekipi leaves, Steve picks Bo up and heads back inside. He plays with him on the living room floor for a while until Bo gets tired out and retreats to his crate for a nap. Steve leaves the crate door open during the day so Bo can go in there if he wants to. He padded the bottom of it with a few old towels and blankets so Bo has a nice comfortable place to sleep. Bo seems to like being in his crate for naps though, Steve thinks maybe it is because he was crated at the vet clinic whenever he wasn't out playing with the technicians so he is used to being in it and feels safe there. He doesn't cry too much when he closes the door at night either, a few cries when Steve walks upstairs but it only lasts five or ten minutes and he is quiet until he needs to go outside again.
Steve does some of the exercises he would do in physical therapy to pass the time. He is glad that he no longer has to go to rehab three days a week but he also isn't sure what to do with the extra time he has now and feels lazy now that he isn't going to rehab every other day and getting the exercise from it. He still isn't allowed to do anything strenuous or lift anything that weighs more than twenty pounds because of his healing vertebra. The day he gets the neck brace off can't come soon enough for him.
Steve spends the rest of the day watching Grace play with Bo in the backyard. He has to remind Grace a few times to settle down with Bo because of his healing leg and sutures. Dr. Adams assured Steve that a little bit of running is fine because Bo still needs exercise but it needs to be restricted so he doesn't do any damage to the healing hind leg. As long as his leg heals properly, Bo won't have any long term problems with it.
Danny picks Grace up a few minutes before Catherine gets home. Right now, things are pretty slow for Five-0 so he was able to leave work early to spend time with his daughter. Cath picked up Japanese food for supper on her way home from base for her and Steve since Mary is meeting an old friend for supper. After they eat they spend some time in the backyard playing with Bo again. Cath watches as Steve patiently works with him on sit, stay, come, and lie down.
She takes some pictures of them with her phone. Although she may be the one with experience when it comes to having a dog, Steve is no doubt doing a great job with the puppy. She is really happy he decided to keep Bo and that Kekipi didn't take him away. Bo gives Steve something to do during the day and keeps him occupied. She has noticed an improvement in his mood since Bo came home Saturday.
It is obvious after about ten minutes of training Bo starts to lose focus and get bored with it so Steve stops to play with him using the rope tug. Bo has the knotted end in his mouth and is pulling and shaking his head with all his might trying to get it out of Steve's grasp.
Steve gives him a chew bone to enjoy and gets up to sit with Cath on the lanai. Bo follows him and lies by his feet as he chews.
"It looks like he's getting the basic commands down really well." Cath comments as she takes Steve's hand in her own.
"Yeah he's been catching on quick. He's a smart little guy."
They sit there holding hands and talking for a while longer until Bo starts whining. Steve figures maybe it is because he has finished the chew stick already and he just wants some attention. Steve leans over to pet him; he picks Bo up and settles him in the space between him and Cath on the porch swing. Bo is more than happy to get attention from his two humans. They sit there for a while longer; Bo lets out a whine every now and then but is otherwise content to lie between his people.
"Shit." Steve suddenly swears and starts to get up.
"What's wrong?" Cath asks in concern. She sets Bo on the ground and stands.
"Having an aura." Steve starts making his way inside, he is already losing coordination. He makes it to the living room and realizes he doesn't have time go any further so he just lies down on the floor in the open area between his recliner and the stairs. Cath is right behind him and is kneeling next to him only seconds later. Bo is whining and looking distressed, he is standing by Steve's head and licks his face, trying to make Steve feel better.
Steve's eyes roll back right before he starts to seize. Cath gently picks Bo up to make sure he doesn't get hit by a flailing limb. This is the first time either of them has seen Steve seize and Bo is clearly distressed by it. Cath is trying to remain calm. She has been timing the seizure since it first started but she feels so helpless since there is nothing she can do to help Steve until he stops seizing.
Cath just watches the clock and holds Bo close, petting him and whispering, trying to comfort the distressed puppy. Two and a half minutes later the convulsions stop and Steve's muscles slowly start to relax. He is breathing heavily, and there is blood tinged saliva from biting his tongue running down the side of his face.
Catherine puts Bo back on the floor and grabs a tissue from the box on the side table. She gently wipes the bloody saliva from his face as she speaks soothingly to him.
Bo goes back to his spot by Steve's head, nudging him with his nose and licking his face. When he doesn't get a reaction he lets out a whine and lies down next to Steve so he is pressing up against his chest with his head tucked in close to the neck brace.
Cath is worried about Steve, she knows this is the longest seizure Steve has had since he left the hospital; Steve told her that all his seizures since leaving the hospital have been less than two minutes, usually around a minute and a half. It has been twenty minutes and he still hasn't started to wake up yet. She realizes though that since it was a longer seizure it may take longer for him to come around.
Cath runs to the laundry room and grabs a fresh pair of Steve's boxers and wets a wash cloth to clean him up a bit. Just as she is about to get him out of his soiled pants he starts showing signs of waking.
She moves closer to his head and gently grabs his hand. "Steve, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you're awake." Steve's eyes flicker open and he starts to shift restlessly. Bo stands from his spot against Steve's chest and starts nudging and licking Steve's face, letting out the occasional whine. After a few minutes Steve starts to come around more. He reaches with his free hand for Bo who promptly sits to be petted, his tail wagging.
"Steve can you hear me?"
"Yeah."
"How are you feeling?" Cath asks as his eyes start to droop, "Hey, Steve. I know you need to sleep but can you help me get you to the guest room? You'll be more comfortable."
" 'kay." Steve clumsily starts to get up. He's unsteady and uncoordinated. Cath slings his arm over her shoulder and helps him into a standing position. Slowly, they make their way to the downstairs guest room. Steve is doing his best to help Cath but she is carrying most of his weight. Bo is following along behind them.
They get to the bedroom and before Steve can collapse on the bed Cath swiftly gets his pants and underwear down. She helps him clean up and get into his sleep clothes that she snagged from the laundry room.
Steve is asleep before his head even hits the pillow. Cath watches him sleep for a few minutes to make sure he is comfortable before picking up his dirty clothes and heading towards the laundry room again. "Come on Bo." She calls as she starts to turn toward the door. Bo lets out a whine and looks at up Steve on the bed before looking back at Cath. "He's ok, Buddy. Come." She calls again Bo just looks at her and lies down on the floor next to the bed, refusing to leave Steve's side.
"Alright, you stay here and watch out for him. I'll be right back." She says to the puppy, smiling at his loyalty to Steve already. Bo has only been home for four days and he is already extremely attached to Steve.
Cath starts the washing machine before she goes to the living room to grab Bo's dog bed. She figures if he is going to spend the night camped out by Steve's side he may as well have his bed. Neither Steve nor Bo have moved from their positions. Catherine puts the dog bed on the floor; she pats the bed and tells Bo to come. Bo slowly gets up and hobbles onto his dog bed. "Good boy Bo." Cath says as she pets him.
She checks on Steve to make sure he is doing ok before she heads to the living room to read for a while since it is barely 9 pm.
"Hey Cath," Mary greets her a while later when she walks in the door, "where's Steve?"
"Hi. He had a seizure about an hour ago. He's sleeping in the guest room right now."
"How long?"
"Two and a half minutes. We were out on the lanai when the aura started. He came inside and had to lay down on the living room floor because he didn't have time to make it to the guest room. After he woke up I managed to get him to the bed but it was a challenge. He's been sleeping ever since. Bo is on his dog bed next to Steve. He didn't want to leave his side."
Mary sinks into the recliner and sighs, "Steve hasn't had a seizure that long since he was in the hospital. I don't think the meds are working as well as they were hoping. The last medication change was a week and a half ago; I don't think it has done much for him. I'm afraid of what's going to happen to him if the meds don't work."
Cath is of course concerned about Steve and how this will impact him if the meds don't work. Steve opened up to her late one night a few days ago. He told her about his suicidal thoughts and how he doesn't think he could go through with it. Steve's admissions scared her but she knows in her heart he could never commit suicide. He's not that selfish. Steve would rather suffer endlessly for others than take an out for himself. It's just how he is. "He'll be ok, Mary. We just have to be there for him."
"I hope you're right." Mary says.
"I'm going to let Bo out and go to bed." Cath says, marking the page in her book before getting up. She manages to get Bo to go outside but as soon as he is done with his business he is back inside at Steve's side. She has to wake Steve up to take his next dose of meds. She gently shakes his shoulder, "Steve?"
"Hmm?" Steve says still half asleep.
"You need to wake up to take your meds."
Steve groans and rolls over onto his back. A minute later he is sitting up and accepting his pills and a glass of water from Cath. After swallowing both pills and half the water he starts to stand. "I need to take Bo out."
"I just had him outside. He's fine. Aside from when I took him out, he hasn't left your side since the seizure. He's a loyal little guy."
Steve bends over so he can pet Bo who is happy to see that his master is ok again. After a few minutes Steve tells Bo to lie down before lying down himself and falling asleep again.
-H50-
Wednesday Steve has his appointment with Dr. Freeman at nine and then is supposed to meet with Dr. Tyson at eleven. Steve is sent for a head CT and x-rays before Dr. Freeman even sees him. As soon as the scan is done Steve is waiting impatiently in Dr. Freeman's office to be seen. Steve doesn't have the patience for waiting today; he has a splitting headache and he is still tired. He can tell he isn't fully recovered from the seizure last night. It takes about five minutes but Dr. Freeman arrives with a large envelope with the results from the CT scan.
"How have things been going for you Steve?"
"Ok I guess. I had another seizure last night; it was two and a half minutes long. And the aura was shorter than usual. I was outside and didn't have time to make it to my bed so I had to lie down on the floor."
"You're still taking the medications?" Dr. Freeman asks as he checks Steve' pupils. Steve winces as the bright light aggravates his headache.
"Yeah, I have been taking it as scheduled and haven't missed a dose yet."
"Ok, I think it's time to try a different medication again. I'm going to switch you to a different medication that you will take three times a day with the Carbamazepine."
Freeman moves to grab the envelope and hangs the films on the light box on the wall. Steve watches as the doctor inspects the two images. He is pretty sure the second image is a comparison image from one of his previous scans but he can't be sure.
"The skull fracture looks to be entirely healed up, everything in your scan looks normal. How are the headaches?"
"I still get them but not as frequently as I was, maybe every couple days and they aren't as severe as they used to be. Reading doesn't bother me unless I do it for an extended period of time."
"That's good to hear. Everything is looking good so far, Steve. You are healing remarkably well. I think now we just need to figure out the right medications to control the seizures."
"Do you really think we'll find a medication combo that will work?"
It takes him a few moments before he answers Steve's question. "Honestly, Steve, I think we have a pretty good chance. It just might take some time. The Carbamazepine has already reduced the frequency of the seizures by quite a lot. We just need to figure out which medication will work with the Carbamazepine to completely prevent them. It will take some time, Steve; but I'm not going to give up on it."
"You said previously though that PTE has a tendency to not respond to medications."
"A lot of times it doesn't but Steve, what you don't realize is that you are not the typical PTE patient. Aside from the seizures you haven't displayed any of the things that normally go along with PTE. The majority of patients with PTE take a lot longer to recover from the brain injury. I know you don't think so, but your two month recovery from the injury is nothing short of amazing. Most patients in your shoes would take upwards of four or six months to recover as much as you have. You also haven't had any cognitive effects from your injury and your motor skills are back to one hundred percent. If you were displaying more of the typical PTE characteristics I wouldn't be as optimistic but I think you have a lot working in your favor."
Steve mulls over everything Dr. Freeman just told him. He read about all that stuff but he didn't really realize how atypical his case is.
"Any questions?"
"No, I guess not."
"Ok then, now on to your return to work. I'm going to clear you for desk duty. Starting Monday you are free to go back to work. I want you to start with working half days for the first week or two then if you feel up to it you can go for full days."
"Ok. What about my neck?"
"Looking at today's x-rays I'd say four more weeks in the brace and then a few more of physical therapy and you'll be as good as new. Any other questions?" Dr. Freeman asks as he scribbles Steve's new prescription on his pad before ripping it off and handing it to Steve.
"I don't think so."
"Alright, I will see you in two weeks then."
Steve slides off the table and bids goodbye to Dr. Freeman. He then heads upstairs for his appointment with Dr. Tyson.
"How are you doing today, Steve?" Dr. Tyson greets him upon entering his office.
"Pretty good, I guess."
"That's good to hear. I apologize for having to cancel or our last appointment. My wife had to have emergency gallbladder surgery on Friday."
"I hope she's doing better." Steve replies.
"She's feeling much better, thanks. How have things been going for you Steve? It has been a week since we last talked."
"Well Friday Stacy released me from rehab until the neck brace comes off and Dr. Freeman cleared me for desk duty today."
"That's all good news. How are things at home?"
"Good, Cath's been staying with me since she's been back. And I got a dog."
"Really? A seizure dog or just a companion?"
"Just a companion dog." Steve proceeds to tell his therapist the story of how he came to be a dog owner.
"I think you made a good decision Steve. Dogs can provide some of the best therapy there is whether they are trained for it or not. I can tell you are in a better frame of mind today than you have been for the last few weeks."
"Mary and Danny have said the same thing. I think having Catherine here has really helped too. I didn't realize how much it was really bothering me keeping all this from her. "
"I would agree with that. How do you feel about going back to work?"
Steve just shrugs, "I don't know, part of me wants to go back because I'm sick of being home all day and not doing anything but another part of me is dreading it."
"Why are you dreading it?"
"Because I hate doing paperwork and I hate being stuck behind a desk. I don't know what I'm going to do when my team is out in the field and I'm stuck in the office. Or what will happen if I find out I'm going to be riding a desk forever."
"Steve, you can't think about that right now. You need to concentrate on the present and not worry about the future right now. One day at a time. As for the paperwork, I know that's no fun but it's still an important part of your job. You can still be a part of the action you will just have to do it from behind a computer screen. It won't be an easy adjustment but it's one you will make with the help of your team."
Steve sighs, "I guess."
"Alright Steve, our time is up for today. I'll see you again on Friday."
Once home the first thing Steve does is take Bo out of his crate to let him out in the yard to take care of business and plays with him for a bit. Mary makes salads for lunch and as soon as they are done eating, Steve swallows a couple more Advil for his headache and crashes on the couch. He hasn't felt this tired in the afternoon for a couple weeks now.
TBC
Author: softballchic34
Characters: Steve McGarrett, Danny Williams
Spoilers: Season 1 episode 20
Rated PG-13 for language.
Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters, nor do I make any profit from this.
Summary: A broken arm is the least of Steve's problems.
Chapter 30
Tuesday, both Steve and Catherine are up early, Steve is up to take Bo outside and give him breakfast while Cath is up getting ready for her first day in her new position at Pearl Harbor. Steve is finding that having a puppy in the house is cutting into his sleep schedule; he has to get up every night about two am to take Bo outside and Bo starts barking and whining to go out again every morning between 5:30 and 6:30. For now, Bo is sleeping in crate at night until he is completely house broken.
Steve is a little bummed that Catherine's leave is over already. Having her home with him all day for the last week has been a nice distraction from everything that has happened. After eating breakfast together, Steve made omelettes for the two of them, Steve kisses Cath goodbye and tells her to have a good day. He is left alone with Bo since Mary is still asleep upstairs. Steve takes Bo out to the backyard for a training session. He spends about ten minutes every couple hours working with Bo on the basic commands like sit, come, and down. Bo is picking up everything really quickly and is always excited to learn something as long as there are treats for him.
It is close to nine when Steve gets a call from Kekipi asking if it would be alright if she drops Bo's papers off today, she had some trouble locating them over the weekend but finally found the folder with all his information last night.
An hour later Kekipi rings the doorbell. "Thanks for bringing these by." Steve says. Kekipi is knelt down petting Bo who followed Steve to the door.
"It's no problem. I'm sorry it took me so long to find them, Nate wasn't very organized. It is going to be a nightmare going through everything since I'm his Power of Attorney. I'm so glad to see Bo is in a good home and not in a shelter somewhere. He seems very happy here." Kekipi comments as she stands.
"I'm happy to have him. I can't thank you enough for letting me keep him."
"You're very welcome, dear. I also have the food, bed, and toys that Nate had for him. They are all brand new but I figured since you have Bo now you should have his things."
"Are you sure? You don't want to return them?"
"They certainly aren't going to get used by me." Kekipi says with a smile. "As Bo's new owner you are entitled to them."
"If you insist. Can I at least pay you for them?"
Kekipi shakes her head, "You giving Bo a good home is payment enough. Although I wouldn't be opposed to you stopping by every so often when you are walking him if you happen to pass my house since I'm only two streets over."
"I'm sure we can manage that as soon as his leg is healed up." Steve grins.
Kekipi shakes his hand, "It's a deal then."
"I'll grab my sister from the backyard to help unload your car. I can't lift anything heavy so I need her to get the bag of dog food." Steve motions uncomfortably towards the neck brace.
"No need to disturb your sister. I can bring it in for you if you grab the dog bed and toys. I put it in the car myself, I can certainly get it out; I'm not that old yet that I can't lift a bag of dog food." She laughs before getting more sincere, "I hope you are recovering well from whatever ails you."
"Thank you, I should be out of the brace in a few more weeks." Steve is uncomfortable talking about his injuries with someone he doesn't even know. Steve waits patiently as Kekipi pops her trunk and comes around to help him take things inside. Bo followed him outside and is now sniffing the hedges in front of the house. He is trying to pull a small branch off the bottom of one but it isn't going anywhere. "Bo, No." Steve commands in a stern voice. He has to repeat it a couple times before Bo stops pulling at the branch. But eventually he does stop and goes back to exploring the yard.
After Kekipi leaves, Steve picks Bo up and heads back inside. He plays with him on the living room floor for a while until Bo gets tired out and retreats to his crate for a nap. Steve leaves the crate door open during the day so Bo can go in there if he wants to. He padded the bottom of it with a few old towels and blankets so Bo has a nice comfortable place to sleep. Bo seems to like being in his crate for naps though, Steve thinks maybe it is because he was crated at the vet clinic whenever he wasn't out playing with the technicians so he is used to being in it and feels safe there. He doesn't cry too much when he closes the door at night either, a few cries when Steve walks upstairs but it only lasts five or ten minutes and he is quiet until he needs to go outside again.
Steve does some of the exercises he would do in physical therapy to pass the time. He is glad that he no longer has to go to rehab three days a week but he also isn't sure what to do with the extra time he has now and feels lazy now that he isn't going to rehab every other day and getting the exercise from it. He still isn't allowed to do anything strenuous or lift anything that weighs more than twenty pounds because of his healing vertebra. The day he gets the neck brace off can't come soon enough for him.
Steve spends the rest of the day watching Grace play with Bo in the backyard. He has to remind Grace a few times to settle down with Bo because of his healing leg and sutures. Dr. Adams assured Steve that a little bit of running is fine because Bo still needs exercise but it needs to be restricted so he doesn't do any damage to the healing hind leg. As long as his leg heals properly, Bo won't have any long term problems with it.
Danny picks Grace up a few minutes before Catherine gets home. Right now, things are pretty slow for Five-0 so he was able to leave work early to spend time with his daughter. Cath picked up Japanese food for supper on her way home from base for her and Steve since Mary is meeting an old friend for supper. After they eat they spend some time in the backyard playing with Bo again. Cath watches as Steve patiently works with him on sit, stay, come, and lie down.
She takes some pictures of them with her phone. Although she may be the one with experience when it comes to having a dog, Steve is no doubt doing a great job with the puppy. She is really happy he decided to keep Bo and that Kekipi didn't take him away. Bo gives Steve something to do during the day and keeps him occupied. She has noticed an improvement in his mood since Bo came home Saturday.
It is obvious after about ten minutes of training Bo starts to lose focus and get bored with it so Steve stops to play with him using the rope tug. Bo has the knotted end in his mouth and is pulling and shaking his head with all his might trying to get it out of Steve's grasp.
Steve gives him a chew bone to enjoy and gets up to sit with Cath on the lanai. Bo follows him and lies by his feet as he chews.
"It looks like he's getting the basic commands down really well." Cath comments as she takes Steve's hand in her own.
"Yeah he's been catching on quick. He's a smart little guy."
They sit there holding hands and talking for a while longer until Bo starts whining. Steve figures maybe it is because he has finished the chew stick already and he just wants some attention. Steve leans over to pet him; he picks Bo up and settles him in the space between him and Cath on the porch swing. Bo is more than happy to get attention from his two humans. They sit there for a while longer; Bo lets out a whine every now and then but is otherwise content to lie between his people.
"Shit." Steve suddenly swears and starts to get up.
"What's wrong?" Cath asks in concern. She sets Bo on the ground and stands.
"Having an aura." Steve starts making his way inside, he is already losing coordination. He makes it to the living room and realizes he doesn't have time go any further so he just lies down on the floor in the open area between his recliner and the stairs. Cath is right behind him and is kneeling next to him only seconds later. Bo is whining and looking distressed, he is standing by Steve's head and licks his face, trying to make Steve feel better.
Steve's eyes roll back right before he starts to seize. Cath gently picks Bo up to make sure he doesn't get hit by a flailing limb. This is the first time either of them has seen Steve seize and Bo is clearly distressed by it. Cath is trying to remain calm. She has been timing the seizure since it first started but she feels so helpless since there is nothing she can do to help Steve until he stops seizing.
Cath just watches the clock and holds Bo close, petting him and whispering, trying to comfort the distressed puppy. Two and a half minutes later the convulsions stop and Steve's muscles slowly start to relax. He is breathing heavily, and there is blood tinged saliva from biting his tongue running down the side of his face.
Catherine puts Bo back on the floor and grabs a tissue from the box on the side table. She gently wipes the bloody saliva from his face as she speaks soothingly to him.
Bo goes back to his spot by Steve's head, nudging him with his nose and licking his face. When he doesn't get a reaction he lets out a whine and lies down next to Steve so he is pressing up against his chest with his head tucked in close to the neck brace.
Cath is worried about Steve, she knows this is the longest seizure Steve has had since he left the hospital; Steve told her that all his seizures since leaving the hospital have been less than two minutes, usually around a minute and a half. It has been twenty minutes and he still hasn't started to wake up yet. She realizes though that since it was a longer seizure it may take longer for him to come around.
Cath runs to the laundry room and grabs a fresh pair of Steve's boxers and wets a wash cloth to clean him up a bit. Just as she is about to get him out of his soiled pants he starts showing signs of waking.
She moves closer to his head and gently grabs his hand. "Steve, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you're awake." Steve's eyes flicker open and he starts to shift restlessly. Bo stands from his spot against Steve's chest and starts nudging and licking Steve's face, letting out the occasional whine. After a few minutes Steve starts to come around more. He reaches with his free hand for Bo who promptly sits to be petted, his tail wagging.
"Steve can you hear me?"
"Yeah."
"How are you feeling?" Cath asks as his eyes start to droop, "Hey, Steve. I know you need to sleep but can you help me get you to the guest room? You'll be more comfortable."
" 'kay." Steve clumsily starts to get up. He's unsteady and uncoordinated. Cath slings his arm over her shoulder and helps him into a standing position. Slowly, they make their way to the downstairs guest room. Steve is doing his best to help Cath but she is carrying most of his weight. Bo is following along behind them.
They get to the bedroom and before Steve can collapse on the bed Cath swiftly gets his pants and underwear down. She helps him clean up and get into his sleep clothes that she snagged from the laundry room.
Steve is asleep before his head even hits the pillow. Cath watches him sleep for a few minutes to make sure he is comfortable before picking up his dirty clothes and heading towards the laundry room again. "Come on Bo." She calls as she starts to turn toward the door. Bo lets out a whine and looks at up Steve on the bed before looking back at Cath. "He's ok, Buddy. Come." She calls again Bo just looks at her and lies down on the floor next to the bed, refusing to leave Steve's side.
"Alright, you stay here and watch out for him. I'll be right back." She says to the puppy, smiling at his loyalty to Steve already. Bo has only been home for four days and he is already extremely attached to Steve.
Cath starts the washing machine before she goes to the living room to grab Bo's dog bed. She figures if he is going to spend the night camped out by Steve's side he may as well have his bed. Neither Steve nor Bo have moved from their positions. Catherine puts the dog bed on the floor; she pats the bed and tells Bo to come. Bo slowly gets up and hobbles onto his dog bed. "Good boy Bo." Cath says as she pets him.
She checks on Steve to make sure he is doing ok before she heads to the living room to read for a while since it is barely 9 pm.
"Hey Cath," Mary greets her a while later when she walks in the door, "where's Steve?"
"Hi. He had a seizure about an hour ago. He's sleeping in the guest room right now."
"How long?"
"Two and a half minutes. We were out on the lanai when the aura started. He came inside and had to lay down on the living room floor because he didn't have time to make it to the guest room. After he woke up I managed to get him to the bed but it was a challenge. He's been sleeping ever since. Bo is on his dog bed next to Steve. He didn't want to leave his side."
Mary sinks into the recliner and sighs, "Steve hasn't had a seizure that long since he was in the hospital. I don't think the meds are working as well as they were hoping. The last medication change was a week and a half ago; I don't think it has done much for him. I'm afraid of what's going to happen to him if the meds don't work."
Cath is of course concerned about Steve and how this will impact him if the meds don't work. Steve opened up to her late one night a few days ago. He told her about his suicidal thoughts and how he doesn't think he could go through with it. Steve's admissions scared her but she knows in her heart he could never commit suicide. He's not that selfish. Steve would rather suffer endlessly for others than take an out for himself. It's just how he is. "He'll be ok, Mary. We just have to be there for him."
"I hope you're right." Mary says.
"I'm going to let Bo out and go to bed." Cath says, marking the page in her book before getting up. She manages to get Bo to go outside but as soon as he is done with his business he is back inside at Steve's side. She has to wake Steve up to take his next dose of meds. She gently shakes his shoulder, "Steve?"
"Hmm?" Steve says still half asleep.
"You need to wake up to take your meds."
Steve groans and rolls over onto his back. A minute later he is sitting up and accepting his pills and a glass of water from Cath. After swallowing both pills and half the water he starts to stand. "I need to take Bo out."
"I just had him outside. He's fine. Aside from when I took him out, he hasn't left your side since the seizure. He's a loyal little guy."
Steve bends over so he can pet Bo who is happy to see that his master is ok again. After a few minutes Steve tells Bo to lie down before lying down himself and falling asleep again.
-H50-
Wednesday Steve has his appointment with Dr. Freeman at nine and then is supposed to meet with Dr. Tyson at eleven. Steve is sent for a head CT and x-rays before Dr. Freeman even sees him. As soon as the scan is done Steve is waiting impatiently in Dr. Freeman's office to be seen. Steve doesn't have the patience for waiting today; he has a splitting headache and he is still tired. He can tell he isn't fully recovered from the seizure last night. It takes about five minutes but Dr. Freeman arrives with a large envelope with the results from the CT scan.
"How have things been going for you Steve?"
"Ok I guess. I had another seizure last night; it was two and a half minutes long. And the aura was shorter than usual. I was outside and didn't have time to make it to my bed so I had to lie down on the floor."
"You're still taking the medications?" Dr. Freeman asks as he checks Steve' pupils. Steve winces as the bright light aggravates his headache.
"Yeah, I have been taking it as scheduled and haven't missed a dose yet."
"Ok, I think it's time to try a different medication again. I'm going to switch you to a different medication that you will take three times a day with the Carbamazepine."
Freeman moves to grab the envelope and hangs the films on the light box on the wall. Steve watches as the doctor inspects the two images. He is pretty sure the second image is a comparison image from one of his previous scans but he can't be sure.
"The skull fracture looks to be entirely healed up, everything in your scan looks normal. How are the headaches?"
"I still get them but not as frequently as I was, maybe every couple days and they aren't as severe as they used to be. Reading doesn't bother me unless I do it for an extended period of time."
"That's good to hear. Everything is looking good so far, Steve. You are healing remarkably well. I think now we just need to figure out the right medications to control the seizures."
"Do you really think we'll find a medication combo that will work?"
It takes him a few moments before he answers Steve's question. "Honestly, Steve, I think we have a pretty good chance. It just might take some time. The Carbamazepine has already reduced the frequency of the seizures by quite a lot. We just need to figure out which medication will work with the Carbamazepine to completely prevent them. It will take some time, Steve; but I'm not going to give up on it."
"You said previously though that PTE has a tendency to not respond to medications."
"A lot of times it doesn't but Steve, what you don't realize is that you are not the typical PTE patient. Aside from the seizures you haven't displayed any of the things that normally go along with PTE. The majority of patients with PTE take a lot longer to recover from the brain injury. I know you don't think so, but your two month recovery from the injury is nothing short of amazing. Most patients in your shoes would take upwards of four or six months to recover as much as you have. You also haven't had any cognitive effects from your injury and your motor skills are back to one hundred percent. If you were displaying more of the typical PTE characteristics I wouldn't be as optimistic but I think you have a lot working in your favor."
Steve mulls over everything Dr. Freeman just told him. He read about all that stuff but he didn't really realize how atypical his case is.
"Any questions?"
"No, I guess not."
"Ok then, now on to your return to work. I'm going to clear you for desk duty. Starting Monday you are free to go back to work. I want you to start with working half days for the first week or two then if you feel up to it you can go for full days."
"Ok. What about my neck?"
"Looking at today's x-rays I'd say four more weeks in the brace and then a few more of physical therapy and you'll be as good as new. Any other questions?" Dr. Freeman asks as he scribbles Steve's new prescription on his pad before ripping it off and handing it to Steve.
"I don't think so."
"Alright, I will see you in two weeks then."
Steve slides off the table and bids goodbye to Dr. Freeman. He then heads upstairs for his appointment with Dr. Tyson.
"How are you doing today, Steve?" Dr. Tyson greets him upon entering his office.
"Pretty good, I guess."
"That's good to hear. I apologize for having to cancel or our last appointment. My wife had to have emergency gallbladder surgery on Friday."
"I hope she's doing better." Steve replies.
"She's feeling much better, thanks. How have things been going for you Steve? It has been a week since we last talked."
"Well Friday Stacy released me from rehab until the neck brace comes off and Dr. Freeman cleared me for desk duty today."
"That's all good news. How are things at home?"
"Good, Cath's been staying with me since she's been back. And I got a dog."
"Really? A seizure dog or just a companion?"
"Just a companion dog." Steve proceeds to tell his therapist the story of how he came to be a dog owner.
"I think you made a good decision Steve. Dogs can provide some of the best therapy there is whether they are trained for it or not. I can tell you are in a better frame of mind today than you have been for the last few weeks."
"Mary and Danny have said the same thing. I think having Catherine here has really helped too. I didn't realize how much it was really bothering me keeping all this from her. "
"I would agree with that. How do you feel about going back to work?"
Steve just shrugs, "I don't know, part of me wants to go back because I'm sick of being home all day and not doing anything but another part of me is dreading it."
"Why are you dreading it?"
"Because I hate doing paperwork and I hate being stuck behind a desk. I don't know what I'm going to do when my team is out in the field and I'm stuck in the office. Or what will happen if I find out I'm going to be riding a desk forever."
"Steve, you can't think about that right now. You need to concentrate on the present and not worry about the future right now. One day at a time. As for the paperwork, I know that's no fun but it's still an important part of your job. You can still be a part of the action you will just have to do it from behind a computer screen. It won't be an easy adjustment but it's one you will make with the help of your team."
Steve sighs, "I guess."
"Alright Steve, our time is up for today. I'll see you again on Friday."
Once home the first thing Steve does is take Bo out of his crate to let him out in the yard to take care of business and plays with him for a bit. Mary makes salads for lunch and as soon as they are done eating, Steve swallows a couple more Advil for his headache and crashes on the couch. He hasn't felt this tired in the afternoon for a couple weeks now.
TBC