Fighting For Love

Chapter | 10

"No I don't want to watch that!" Matthew whined from the chair next to my hospital bed.

It was Friday afternoon and the doctor had just finished setting up my blood transfusion, so we were now trying to find something to watch on Netflix that would help us pass the time.

"Why not? Outer Banks is a great show." I defended while starting the first episode of season 2 on my laptop.

"Because we've literally watched it like 10 times. Can't we watch something else?"

I laughed. He sounded like a 5 year old who had just gotten their iPad taken away.

"How about we watch an episode of Outer Banks and then an episode of whatever show you want to watch. Deal?"

He contemplated this for a second before finally agreeing, "Deal."

He held his out hand so we could shake on it. I extend my own hand out to him and he griped it tightly as we shook on it. I  took a deep breath and leaned back against the pillows as I tried to relax.

There were so many things that could go wrong, which is why Nicole was so worried. I didn't blame her. I'd had multiple blood transfusions, but I still got anxious about them every time. I  said a quick prayer before focusing my attention back on the show, trying to distract myself.

It worked for a little while, but eventually my mind started wandering back to all the negatives and unfortunate outcomes.

*******

The first hour was fine, but as the second hour came around I could feel the side effects starting to kick in. I shut my eyes for a few seconds, the dizziness making the room seem like it was spinning.

"Do you think you could get me a wet washcloth?" I mumbled to Matthew as my head started pounding and the dizziness increased.

He looked over at me, his eyes widening, a worried expression appearing on his face.
"Uh yeah of course. I'm going to go get the doctor too." He said, quickly standing up.

"Why? What's wrong?" I asked, his frantic behavior making me feel slightly uneasy.

"Nothing you're just a little pale and uh— never mind I'll be right back." He quickly rushed out of the room, and a unsettling feeling formed in the pit of my stomach.

I leaned back closing my eyes to try and repress the dizziness, but it didn't help. Actually, I started to feel even worse. My hands felt like they had turned to icicles, yet I could feel a thin layer of perspiration forming on my forehead, and I was suddenly out of breath as a burning sensation formed between by lungs and rib cage making it hard to breath.

By the time Matthew came back with the doctor I was on the verge of a panic attack. I tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like the air kept getting stuck in my throat as the burning sensation intensified.

As soon as Dr. Monroe saw me an expression similar to the one Mathew had worn earlier overtook her features. She rushed over to me and immediately started checking my vitals while calling for backup, and that's when I knew that whatever was happening to me was bad. Very bad.

"Hey, Nolan I need you to stay with me okay?" Dr. Monroe said, shoving a breathing mask on my face.

I nodded weakly as more of the medical staff rushed in. There was lots of yelling as I was poked with things and hooked up to machines. All I wanted to do was close my eyes and let the darkness overtake me, but every time my eyes started to slip shut I remembered how I told Nicole that I would be okay. I had to be okay for her. I just had to be.