The Heart Mender

Chapter 17: Lime Jello & Sponge Baths.

Hailey's POV:
Watching Justin wake up.
Hearing him speak.
Seeing him smile.
All priceless.

Seeing him in pain.
Watching him struggle to breathe between each of his words.
Seeing him flinch from the tubes in his chest.
Heartbreaking.

The Doctors and Nurses were not happy about it.
He was forced to wear a mask that delivered high flow oxygen.
They forbid him from talking until his oxygen saturation levels were normal.
You could tell that this frustrated him.
But for once in his life...
He listened to them.
And me.
And his Mom.
I held his left hand.
His mom had the right one.
"Slow and steady.
Focus on your breathing.
We aren't going anywhere.
Relax and breathe,
baby."
My words must have helped, because he slowly regulated his rapid breaths.
His eyes flickered between me and Pattie.
He gripped our hands like we would disappear if he let go.
Dr.Dubois was at Justin's bedside as well.
Looking at his vital signs.
"Justin, I'm Dr.Dubois. I'm one of many physicians who have been taking care of you. I'm glad to see your awake.
I know you must have alot of questions, but you need to breathe first.
Okay?"
Justin nodded.
Dr.Dubois told him the just of what happened.
I was actually kind of upset that he told him.
I mean right now is not the time or place to tell someone they died and were brought back to life.
He just fucking woke up!
Justin nodded every now and then while the doctor explained everything.
He would look at Pattie.
Then me.
I was afraid all this information would be too much for his system.

Justin's POV:
I actually died?
And came back to life?
I had surgery on my brain?
This sounded like a lifetime movie.
I nodded when Dr.D explained everything.
I listened to what he had to say.
I get it.
But I'm here now.
And I was more worried about
My Mom and Hails.
I could see how scared they looked.
That worried me.
Because I fucked up.
I knew I was sick,and still pushed myself.
Why didn't I just listen to them?
"Can I say something?"
Dr.D was hesitant but nodded.
I could talk, as long as I kept this Darth Vader mask on.
"I'm sorry. Mom. Hailey.
I knew I was still sick.
I'd say you can kick my ass...
But seeing that I died and all...
Let's just call it a truce?"
My attempt at humor failed.
The second I said "died", they both looked like I had kicked a puppy.
I decided to try and tell them about what I had experienced.
But I couldn't remember it anymore.
It was there, in my memory.
Then it was gone.
I couldn't help the frustration that it made me feel.
"I wanted to tell you what I saw. 
Where I went.
But I can't remember.
My mind won't work right."
Dr.D explained that the trauma to my brain would cause memory problems.
That made me more upset with myself.
I wanted to sit up.
I wanted these stupid wires off of me.
The tubes in my chest felt like knives everytime I took a damn breath.
I guess I panicked.

Hailey's POV:
Watching Justin have a panic attack,
and not being able to help him.
It was terrifying.
He tried to sit up and rip the wires off of his body.
Before I knew what was happening,
Pattie and I were forced to the back of the room.
The staff placed restraints around Justin's wrists to keep him safe.
He was screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Get the fuck off of me.
Don't touch me.
Mommmmm!
Hailey!
Help me.
Stop them!"
Justin's vital signs were alarming on the big screen.
Pattie was sobbing.
I was trying to calm him down.
"Baby, stop fighting them.
They are trying to help you.
Justin please baby."
The nurse quickly shot something into Justin's arm with a needle.
He instantly slowed his fight down.
"Hailey,
I'm scared.
I don't want to go back to the darkness.
Please Hailey,don't let meeee."
And that's the last thing he said before he was completely sedated again.
I collapsed from his words.
He didn't want to go back to the darkness?
He was begging me to help him.
I felt defeated.
We were forced to leave the room until he was stable again.
I blamed Dr.Dubois.
He should have waited to tell Justin anything.
But I also knew he deserved to know what happened.
I just wanted to keep him safe.
And I was failing.