Stumbling through the dark

No, No Way!

Caoimhe hurried into Niall's room and looked compassionately  at the pathetic sight before her. Niall was pale and drenched with sweat as he continued to vomit over his bedding. She quickly grabbed the emesis bowl from his bedside locker and held it under his chin,  putting her arm around his back to support him. Eventually Niall was just dry heaving and his nurse  was able lay him back against his pillows.

"Just rest sweetheart, and I'll clean you up". She gently wiped Niall's face with a cool cloth then briskly removed the soiled top  bedding, folding it inward to contain the mess.  "I'll just be gone a few moments." she said soothingly and swiftly left the room only to return almost immediately, pushing a trolley before her. "Let's get you warm and comfy again, shall we.".

"M' sorry" Niall whispered, face now red with embarrassment. "I just couldn't help it". He hated being sick at the best of times but, not being able to make it to the toilet  to throw up ,just made it ten times worse.

"No need to be sorry, sweetheart, nobody likes to be sick. Now, I'm going to give you a quick wash, get you settled and then we can have a doctor come and see what we can do to make you feel better" Caoimhe smiled down at her pale and wan patient who nodded weakly in response. The young nurse then gently washed Niall, helped him brush his teeth before putting him into a clean gown .She then sat him in a chair and wrapped a light blanket around him before proceeding to make up the bed with fresh sheets and blankets. "Right  now, let's get you comfy" Supporting Niall as he stood, she then ushered him into the clean bed. "Just a few sips" she murmured as she handed Niall a glass of water. " and let's see if this stays down". 

Niall was exhausted after vomiting so violently and he lay back against his pillows, closing his eyes. He listened to the sounds of the nurse moving around his bed but was too apathetic to take any interest. He drifted off into  a twilight state of sleep, only  vaguely aware of the doctor entering the room  a few minutes later , and opened his eyes slowly. It was a struggle as his eyelids felt like they had  lead weight attached to them.  Sleep was all he wanted. Sleep was when he didn't have to think about his illness. Sleep was his sanctuary and where he wished he could stay.

"Hello Niall" his doctor looked down at the pale and still trembling young man. "I hear you are not feeling too chipper right now. Let's see if we can track down the cause and get you feeling better". He raised the head of Niall's bed then started to examine  his patient. Why, thought Niall,  did doctors and nurses always say 'we' when they were really referring just to themselves? It was always stuff like 'How are we feeling today' and similar. He jumped suddenly when the cold stethoscope touched his bare chest. And why did doctors never warm the d*mn things? Niall gave himself up to being poked and prodded, obediently following instructions to breath in, out, hold his breath, cough whilst all the time wishing the doctor would just go away and leave him to feel terrible in peace. Eventually the doctor finished  the examination . The room was quiet while the doctor made notes on Niall's chart then , finally finished, he looked at Niall and told him he was ordering a few tests, which made Niall groan.

"What now?" he grumbled. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, I'm afraid you do. We need to get to the bottom of this , Niall, and that means finding the cause. We can't have you vomiting every five minutes. You are dehydrated enough as it is. Your weight is continuing to drop and you seem increasingly exhausted. We need to find out if there is an underlying cause as I don't believe your MS is solely responsible " the doctor explained patiently. "I'm requesting some blood work, urine tests, and a  MRI ."

"But why so many? You must have an idea?" Niall said fretfully. He'd had so many  tests done lately that he was ready to walk out.

"Niall, it could be any number of things. We just need to do the tests to see what we can eliminate. The sooner we start, the sooner they will be done. " The doctor saw Niall's face go slightly green as sweat broke out on his forehead. Interpreting the signs accurately, the doctor quickly got a bowl under Niall's chin as another wave of sickness hit the poor lad. "Let's get this sorted for you" . Niall sank weakly back on his pillows, exhausted. He nodded his assent and the doctor patted his shoulder gently. "I'll set things going, then" and he left the nurse to see to Niall's various needs.

"I'm sorry Niall, but it has to be done this way" Niall's nurse said exasperatedly. Her patient just glared at her, his cheeks flaming in embarrassment. She smiled to herself because he looked like an injured puppy, all mournful eyes. "It has to be an absolutely sterile sample. I'm sorry".

"No, no way!" Niall's voice came out as an indignant squeak , making Caoimhe bite her lip to avoid laughing out loud. Niall really was just so adorable, even when he was being difficult. "No, you're not doing it".

"Niall!" she used her stern voice "Do you want to get better or not?"

"If it means doing that, not!" 

"Niall, it has to be done. Look, if I get a male nurse to do it, would you cooperate?" She waited patiently for Niall to consider the offer. Really, he was just so cute, especially when he was acting like a toddler in a tantrum." Niall?"

"I don't want to"

"Yes, I know you don't. You've made it quite clear. Unfortunately the doctor does want it done and I have to do what I'm told. Please , Niall ? " Caoimhe used her most gentle and persuasive voice, but Niall just huffed at her and turned his face away. "I'll send  Mark in then". Suppressing another grin as Niall continued to glare at the wall, his nurse slipped quietly from the room to appraise the male nurse of what was needed. She certainly didn't envy him the task. Why are men such big babies ? , she wondered.

"Hello Niall, I'm Mark." the nurse introduced himself as he entered the room. "I just need collect your urine sample". He smiled cheerfully at his scowling patient who sat huddled on one side of his bed, arms folded across his chest.

"No, you're not" Niall wasn't going to allow this perceived indignity to take place. Mark  just continued to smile cheerfully as he pressed the button and lowered the bed down so Niall was  completely horizontal. Pulling on his latex gloves, Mark  folded back the bottom of  the bedding then uncovered the sterile catheter tubing he had ready in the tray. . "Just try and relax for me, take some deep breaths". Mark spoke quietly and calmly as  he expertly  inserted the catheter. In moments he had obtained the sterile urine sample and gently and swiftly removed the tube before  adjusted Niall's bedding. "All done" . He raised the head of the bed  once more and grinned at the blushing lad. "I'll collect the blood samples as I'm here then you are done for today". Niall was relieved the canula was in place so the required blood was swiftly and expertly extracted.  After bidding Niall  a 'bye', he left the room just as Caoimhe entered, a small paper cup in her hand and  what appeared to be a glass of milk in the other.

"Here, take these. It should stop you being sick" Niall obediently swallowed the tiny pills.She then handed  him the drink. "It's a fortified meal replacement. Try and drink as much as you can." Niall took it and gingerly took a few sips. It tasted quite pleasant, like a vanilla milkshake, and he managed to drink about half of it. "Good lad" his nurse said encouragingly " . "Now, how about you sleep now". She lowered the bed down and dimmed the lights. Glancing at her patient after she had finished tidying the away the used instruments, she saw he had already fallen asleep. She smiled. He looked so sweet and innocent in sleep, more child than young man. Closing the door gently behind her, she left her patient to sleep. She was growing increasingly fond of her stubborn young patient.