Just Me and You

Chapter 21

"Alright peanut, you ready to try again?" I ask Pia as the physical therapist, Nina, walks into the room.

"No," she says with her eyes closed, laying in bed. "I don't want to try anymore."

Hearing those words breaks my heart and tears form in my eyes seeing the fragile little 6 year old laying in bed. She was taken off the ventilator yesterday and has been asleep for the most part since, but physical therapy has come in twice today just to get her to stand up.

"I heard if we stand up for 2 minutes this time there's a popsicle with your name on it. Doesn't that sound good?" Nina asks as she puts on some gloves and comes over to her bedside.

"No, I'm not hungry." She turns her face away from both Nina and I and crosses her arms the best she can, the chest tube slightly in her way.

"When does the chest tube come out? It's hurting me."

"That can't come out until you're able to stand and take a few steps. So do you want to give it a shot?"

I hold my breath waiting for her answer and she finally opens her eyes to look at Nina.

"If I walk now can it come out tonight?"

"I'll talk to your doctor and we can hopefully make that happen. You ready love?"

She slowly nods her head and sits on the edge of the bed. Just as Nina gets ready to help her up she freezes.

"Wait!"

"What's wrong Pia? Are you having pain?" Nina asks as she bends down next to her.

"Mommy, will you be on my other side please?"

"Of course babe, let's get that popsicle okay?"

Nina and I both help her till she's standing, and we start the two minute countdown. We distract her with talking about popsicle flavors and the surprise Kris will be bringing back after training. She doesn't know it yet, but my mom flew in this morning to see her as well.

"Okay," Nina says with a big smile. "Two minutes are up. Ready for that walk?"

She takes a deep breath before grabbing into the IV pole in front of her that has all her lines and chest tube attached. She slowly takes a few steps with wobbly legs until she finally gets the hang of it.

Taking a left into the hallway all the nurses smile as they see the girl finally up and out of bed.

She has been in so much pain up until this morning, that even rolling her on her side has been difficult. She also hasn't been able to tolerate any food or drink up until about an hour ago, the first sips of water she hadn't thrown back up.

Right as we go to take a turn down the hall Pia all of a sudden stops and her eyes get wide.

"Nina, I don't feel so good."

"Okay, let's take a seat and you tell me what's wrong."

We sit her down on the bench in the hall and her nurse comes over and takes her vitals. She closes her eyes and starts to sway a little like she's about to pass out.

"Pia," I say as I grab her shoulders and steady her. "Open your eyes if you're feeling dizzy so you don't fall asleep on us. What's wrong?"

"I just am spinning, and it feels hard to breathe. Why is this happening mommy? I just want to be better."

"Well baby you're heart went under a really big surgery. It's going to take some time for it to heal. It's not gonna happen in a few days, we're gonna be here for quite some time."