Josie's Journey

Untitled Part 27

Within an hour, Natalie, Jaimie, and Holland were also in the room. Natalie had set up by Josie and her friends, and they were all lazily chatting together. Alexander had set up in a distant corner, preferring not to be involved, and now taking a nap. Jaimie brought their mattress near the radiator and was sleeping as well, curled under their fluffy heart-printed blanket. Holland was right by the window, chewing on a stimmy chewable necklace while watching the snow fall.

Nurse Kristen came in to let them all know that the doctor was still running tests and looking over results, but that they should all know soon. She'd brought up some dinner too: the stew that Saige had predicted, and she connected up Josie's formula.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Kristen asked. "We have a few here... it's mostly Disney, but we have some other ones!"

Together, the group decided on Harry Potter. They all sat together at one of the rec room tables, eating their dinner and watching the movie.

Josie had taken a few bites of the soup, and even though it was delicious she was quickly feeling nauseous. Her stomach cramped, it felt like someone was grabbing her stomach and squeezing.

"Hey Josie, are you okay?" Natalie asked in a whisper. She was in her wheelchair and had pulled up right next to Josie.

Josie shook her head and stumbled to the bathroom. She leaned over the toilet, gagging and retching. Natalie wheeled after her friend, waiting outside the door. When Josie finished, she started crying quietly. It was so frustrating to be unable to eat...

"You okay in there?" Natalie asked.

Josie groaned. "I'm not sure."

Leo came over to Natalie, concern written all over his face. "Everything okay?" he asked.

Natalie shook her head and sighed. Josie flushed the toilet and rinsed out her mouth at the sink, then came out.

"Hey, sorry about that," she sighed.

"Don't be sorry!" Leo replied. "Hey, I think Alexander is worried about you." He pointed at the boy, who quickly glanced away.

"Thanks for checking in on me," she said to her friends.

Most of the patients were given ibuprofen and benadryl for their symptoms. One of the nurses, who came in wearing a surgical mask, crushed up the pills and flushed them through her NJ tube.

The nurse also connected Josie's feeds to run overnight. She could hear Carter's voice: No! Not again! We don't want this. Do you want to be fat again? Then don't eat. Don't let them fill you with poison.

Josie just tuned out the voice. She and Saige pushed their mattresses together and both girls laid down, talking quietly.

"Hey, come on over," Josie whispered to her other friends. Leo dragged his mattress closer too, then he and Saige helped Natalie bring hers closer too. The four of them laid with their heads all facing the center and stayed up for hours talking and laughing quietly.

When they'd all eventually tired out, the four friends all laid down under their blankets and tried to sleep. Josie, still restless, rolled over to face her roommate Leo. He smiled at her as he nestled into his blankets. Josie noticed he was shivering - her fever and chills had subsided a bit, but he obviously wasn't so lucky. She took one of her blankets and spread it out so that it covered both her and Leo.

"Thanks," he whispered with a faint smile. Leo squeezed one of Josie's hands under the blanket, then rolled over and curled into a ball to go to sleep.

— — —

The next morning, everyone received their shared diagnosis: indigo puffball spore disease.

Because Leo had split open that mushroom, which was called an indigo puffball mushroom, they'd all breathed in some of the toxic spores. This was causing everyone's horrible cough and a rash wherever it came into contact with their skin. The fever, chest pain, and fatigue were all from the body's reaction to the spores in their lungs.

Thankfully, they were all started on antifungal medications, a breathing treatment, and a topical cream for the rashes.

Josie tried to be hopeful... maybe she'd be feeling better soon.