One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 13 Choking

Ratchet's P.O.V.
I believe Jamie is ready for the next step three days later, but this is a challenging step. Breathing while the trach is capped and trying to get Jamie to talk to ensure her oxygen level stays up as she talks. I also want to get Jamie to eat more than a few bites while she still has the trach in. I've already been using a small piece called an artificial node in case Jamie's stomach can't tolerate the small amount of juice or small bites she's been getting.

Both Crosshairs and Drift are concerned as I tell them about the next step in Jamie's recovery. I know they're worried about Jamie choking and throwing up, and it's hard to know how long to do each step. Starting with increasing the food Jamie gets but sticking to food that's easy to swallow without chewing. There's no way I can avoid Jamie choking or throwing up.

This has to be an unusual lunch; tuna prepared as if someone is making a sandwich, but no bread and applesauce. Jamie doesn't seem bothered that she's eating tuna with a fork. The other problem is Jamie doesn't want the others to see her. Jamie will let Crosshairs and Drift take her for walks, so she might be becoming less afraid and feels she's safe here. For now, Jamie is still in the medbay the majority of the time. I see Jamie's tight hold on Drift when they leave the medbay, even if she agrees to go for walks. This is going to be a challenge. 
Jamie is full after the tuna. I'll see what she eats for dinner before tube feeding her. 
I take care of the trach before Crosshairs and Drift take Jamie for a walk. It sucks they need a few other bots to go with them if they're going for a walk to the park, but we're not sure if Jamie is still Megatron's target. Mirage and Sunstreaker go with them. I know they'll try to interact with her, and I warned them to be careful.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
Sunstreaker asked Drift and me if he could try to do a sketch with Jamie. Sunstreaker knows we don't know how Jamie will be, but we let him do a sketch with her if she wants.
Jamie sits between Sunstreaker's legs as the two sketch the ducks. It's amazing how well the two work on one sketch together. We told him our goal was to get Jamie talking again, and the way Jamie says 'yes' and 'no' for now. Sunstreaker is trying to get her to talk. It's hard to know if she needs to learn to talk with the trach, but she doesn't want to talk. It's not good if she's simply refusing to talk. This is a way to know how bad her mental state is. 
Drift sits next to Sunstreaker to monitor Jamie's oxygen level. Mirage is on guard while sitting with me on a bench.

Drift's P.O.V.
I'm watching Jamie closely. Her oxygen level is fine while the speaking valve is on the trach. It's hard to believe this is Sunstreaker, sitting with Jamie while she's not talking. He'd normally hate when people gesture to answer him. He's trying to get her to talk, but not mad she's still using other ways to answer him. Ratchet checked if there was damage he missed. I don't know if I should be happy there's nothing or not since this means Jamie is refusing to talk. I think we'd rather she make noises than stay completely silent.
What the frag did they do to you, Jamie?

It's a hot summer day. With Ratchet's approval, we take an ice cream break. Unfortunately, Ratchet told us Jamie can't have her favorite; cookie dough.
I hope she'll be able to before the ice cream shop closes.
"I can't believe this, as if she wasn't struggling to begin with. What if this is permeant?" Sunstreaker frets.
"It's hard to know," I tell him.

Jamie still gets tired by mid-afternoon, and Sunstreaker carries her back to the medbay and puts her to bed.
I take the valve off, inflate the cuff, and put Jamie on oxygen.
"She needs to eat more, Ratchet," Sunstreaker insists.
"I know she's way too skinny, but her stomach can't take much either. I need to do this slowly," Ratchet explains.
"You know the canned tuna she likes to make sandwiches with? We gave her the tuna without bread, and she was full after eating just that," Crosshairs explains.