What Abbey had been anticipating and waiting for happened just a few hours later. Due to her own condition, Abbey was exhausted. She lay comfortably in a chair by Jesse's bed trying to rest the best she could.
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Jesse was sleeping soundly, letting all the medical equipment around him to work as it should, and then suddenly he was wide awake, overbreathing the vent. His natural reaction was for his hands to move up and try to remove the tube down his throat so he could breathe normally. All it did was elicit more pain, fear, and confusion.
Abbey shot up to assist her husband.
"Whoa hold on Honey. Jesse, just hold on for me. Don't move your arms. He was tearing up again, and occasionally grunting before his whole body went limp. It was clear to Abbey that Jesse was in excruciating pain and probably a little scared too. Abbey grasped onto Jesse's hand while she leaned over and hit the call button while holding onto Jesse's hand.
"Hey I know it hurts, I know it's uncomfortable. You feel like you're suffocating don't you?"
Jesse squeezed Abbeys hand tightly and started to nod his head.
"No no. Try not to move your head honey. You've got a central line in your neck. "
Jesse looked right in her eyes
"I know honey. But you've just got to let it breathe for you. Just relax, just relax for me Jesse. Let it keep breathing for you. Ryan will be in soon to take it out. "
Abbey ran her hand through Jesse's hair
"Hey it's a really good sign that you're overbreathing the vent. It means that you're ready to breathe on your own. "
Jesse just kept staring at her. Abbey could swear at times they didn't need to communicate verbally. They could see into each other's souls.
"Hey breathe with me."
Abbey began to take deep breaths in and out.
"That's right. In and out. In- out- " Abbey kept an eye on Jesse's heart monitor and she felt for his pulse in his wrist and monitored his heart rate as they breathed together.
By the time Leah made it into the room, Abbey was practicing exaggerated breathing exercises with Jesse. She never lost eye contact with him, as the couple breathed in unison together.
"He's overbreathing the vent. It needs to come out. The more he overbreathes, the harder his heart has to work"
Leah nodded, turning down the vent just a little
"That should help Jesse, Dr Tenney is on his way." Leah told him.
Abbey began to softly stroke his hair again, trying to soothe him. It appeared to be working. Jesse kept his entire focus on Abbey.
"Everything is going to be ok. You did so good. I'm so proud of you honey. I love you so much. And in a little while when you're vent is removed and all your pain is under control we'll talk about everything you missed. There's something we have to talk about that I think you'll like to hear."
