Recovery

Jayme woke and realized the clothing she'd slept in was soaked with sweat. Her throat was sore, and her arm and chest ached.  She entered the shower and then changed into a dry pair of orange scrubs--signifying that she was an inpatient. She tried to eat the breakfast that was waiting when she glanced at the time and was escorted by the security guard at the door to Karissa's office...

Halfway there she had to stop and lean against the wall she'd been coughing so hard she was light-headed and short of breath.  Finally, she was able to continue, rang the buzzer on the door and was ordered to enter.

Karissa looked up and smiled. “Good-day, Jayme,” she said, but she sensed something wasn't quite right. She then motioned to the side table where she had a drink waiting.

Jayme walked over to the side table found her meds waiting and a protein shake. She took the meds with a sip of the shake. She then moved to take the shake over to the couch and have a seat.  There she had another coughing fit.  Karissa stood grabbing her tricorder from the corner of her desk and walked over to sit next to Jayme and was about to begin a scan.

“All right, I don't have to be a Telepath to know something's wrong . . .” she said.

The door buzzed and opened to allow Nathan to enter as he was invited by Karissa to join in this morning’s session.  He took one look at his wife then walked over and rested his hand on her forehead and took the glass of protein shake away before she spilled it and gave her a glass of water to drink instead.

“Welcome, Nathan. I was just about ready to scan your wife . . . I think it's obvious she’s not well,” Karissa replied.

"She's feverish and dehydrated...I'm guessing pneumonia.  Do you want to treat her or call Dr. Hancock in to do the medical management, Karissa ?”  He gave her the option since she was a medical doctor where Karissa had just been a counsellor.

“I’ll treat for now, unless it gets worse,” she replied, running the scan. “You’re right. It’s the beginning stages of pneumonia. It’s not bad yet, but it’s on the verge. You should be resting . . . maybe it would be prudent to put off this session.”

Jayme looked at Karissa and then Nathan and tried to smile and said softly, "I'm fine..." cough, cough, cough.  "I'm not going back to bed...at least until after we have this session--because I don't need her tacking anymore days onto this stay then I've already accumulated."  She said resting back into the couch sipping the cold water.

Nathan frowned, then took a seat on the other side of his wife and let her lean against him, and said, "okay, but understand that if you get too bad—medical treatment will interrupt the mental health stay."

"All right, you want honesty--" She sniffed and then said, looking at both, "I feel like shit! But that's no reason we can't work on both issues.  This is a medical center not just the psych unit right?"  She saw them both nod, and then she continued, "Fine... I'll do whatever Karissa orders, in an hour or two. Then she can come talk to me in my room if that's acceptable ?"

"I’ll accept that,” Karissa replied. “For now, you just rest here. I do want to advice Dr. Hancock of your condition.”

An hour later Nathan picked Jayme up and carried her down the hall to her room being followed by the marine security corporal, who was trying not to snicker Nathan had just tucked her in when Karissa and two nurses entered.  He stood off to the side and watched as they drew blood, started and IV, and hooked her up to a portable continuous monitor.

Karissa moved in to inject several hyposprays of medications when Jayme’s hand shot out and blocked her…and she managed to rasp out..."What is it and do I really need it?"  She looked to Nathan who had moved into range and took both her hands in his as he sat on the edge of her bed.  He looked and nodded at Karissa.

“As a matter of fact, this is definitely necessary,” Karissa replied. “You know the meds, Jayme. How do you treat pneumonia?” She wanted Jayme to assess what she was doing, to know that she was treating her the way Jayme, herself would treat someone with the same illness.

"It’s a broad spectrum antibiotic, something for the fever."  Jayme said with a cough.

Karissa smiled gently and nodded. "Yes," she replied. "And you know it has to be treated."

"Yes, Go ahead."  Jayme dropped her hand and held Nates.  She closed her eyes and relaxed and let Karissa work.

 Karissa quickly injected the medications and handed the hyprosprays to one of the nurses. as soon as the IV was in and the blood was drawn, the nurses disappeared from the room.

"Hopefully that should kick in sooner rather than later," Karissa replied, taking another seat. "Will might come and check on you later, also."

"I want Nathan to stay with me...please?"  Jayme asked her eyes glassy as she glanced at the catheter in her arm.

"He can stay . ." Karissa replied. "I've already made the arrangements. He won't have to leave after visiting hours."

"Thank you," she said, her head falling back to the pillow.  "I'm so thirsty."

"Nathan, why don't you get her some water . . ." she said. "Are you feeling up to talking? If not, that's all right . . . maybe you should just rest today. We can pick things up again tomorrow if you're up to it. Right now, it's more important that you get physically well."

"No, I want to talk  I want out of here and that isn't going to happen unless you're seeing progress."

"And what do you think, Nathan?" Karissa asked. Since they were both there to talk she wanted to acknowledge both of them.

"Its okay...I guess."  Nathan said sitting down on the edge of her bed. 

"Nate, before I was deployed" cough..."Scott Cherrin replaced my BCI...how did this happen..and do you think we should remove them now to keep from losing the baby?"

Karissa looked at Jayme gently. "What do you think you should do?" she asked.

"I want to find out if they failed, and protect the baby."  Jayme said squeezing Nates hand.  "I think they should be removed." Jayme saw that Karissa was trying to get her to be involved.

Karissa smiled and nodded. "And what about you, Nathan ?. What do you think ?"

He looked over at Karissa, and said, "I agree and the sooner the better.  But, not today, not when she's feverish."

"I'll make the arrangements with Will." Karissa replied.

"Thank you."  Jayme said.  "I'm scared of following in my mother’s foot steps--Karissa.  I have no idea about being a mother."

"Sometimes you learn as you go . . ." she said. "I wasn't born to be a mother. In fact, just the opposite. I was never meant to be a mother at all . . . I guess it just goes to show you that life will find away. And the fact, that you know you don't want to be like you mother, will probably keep you from repeating most of her mistakes. In fact, why don't you tell me what kind of mother you'd like to be."

"Non judgmental, understanding, and available."  Jayme said with her eyes closed as she started coughing again.

"But you're afraid of forming this family, isn't it? It's what drove you into the mountains . . . Well, part of it anyway," Karissa said. She was trying to lay the groundwork for Jayme to speak up.

"I wanted time to think...the weather changed abruptly...and I was with Kama both of us were qualified for survival...it just got out of hand.  I was confused and still am I guess about being a mother, my duties as a Marine, and finishing my training."

"Do you believe you're capable of taking on all these roles?" Karissa asked.

"Yes."  Jayme tried to sit up against the head board  and settled for resting her head on her husbands leg.

"Then basically it comes down to setting priorities," Karissa replied. "And what will be your main priority?"

"My health has to be the priority..." 

Nathan nodded, and then, said, I'll help you with your course work and I'm sure Will will help.  We will have to get you an assistant to help with your office management, and I'll come spend time on base when I'm not on duty here at PMC"

"Would you...oh Nate."

Karissa smiled. "So how does it feel to be part of this family?" she asked. "You, Nathan and your baby ?"

"I'm excited about the baby.   But, I don't want to lose Jayme either."

"Jayme ?" she wanted to hear what Jayme had to say. Karissa knew that Nathan had wanted them to have a family for a while. It was Jayme that was fearful of having a family . . She needed to know just how frightening the prospect still was for her

Jayme felt the tears sliding down her face, and after several sniffs she cleared her throat and wiped her eyes and said, "I'm very scared...but with Nathan's help, I can do this."

Karissa smiled. "Everything takes time," she assured her. "But I bet with Nathan's help you will be able to . . . and you'll see that this is your family. Not your mother's. After all, you are not your mother, Jayme. You never were."

"I'm not going to do anything stupid...Karissa.  Can we discuss this later...I want to sleep and I'm so cold."

Knowing that Jayme needed to rest so the medication would work, she nodded. "Definitely," she replied. "I'll be back to check on you later . . . and we'll see if you feel up to another session tomorrow."

"Nathan stay with me, and hold me, I'm so cold."

"I will."  He moved around and adjusted the blankets and then when she rolled onto her side he settled onto the bed behind her on top of the blankets.  "Sleep Jayme."

"I want to go home Nathan." Jayme said as he ran his fingers though her hair.

"Not right now.  You need to sleep.