One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 7 The Next Phase

Drift's P.O.V.
Another month has passed. I get very little sleep, and I know I wake Crosshairs up. Twelve weeks of this. I'm sorry I failed to protect you, Jamie. I no longer go to the medbay; afraid she's getting worse.

Ratchet insists Crosshairs, and I go to the medbay this morning. I'm scared to hear what Ratchet will tell us, seeing Jamie is no longer on dialysis. Even Crosshairs is afraid.
"She's recovered enough to end the medically induced coma," Ratchet tells us, "I'm worried about how she'll be. It will be a few days before she wakes up."
Ratchet stops the infusion that's been keeping Jamie in a coma. He tells us that due to the drugs used, he can't remove the trach, which will make things more complicated. Ratchet wants us to be prepared as we can be. A trach is bad enough, but the feeding tube and catheter must stay in. He knows it'll be at least three months before Jamie might be able to have the tubes removed. It's hard to predict trach removal. 
I know tears are rolling down my face. Crosshairs hugs me, though I see how crushed he is. I'd like to find Megatron and kill him, but that's not going to help Jamie. 

In the afternoon, Ratchet begins teaching Crosshairs and me what we'll need to do to take care of Jamie that we don't know from her condition. She will not like this, and I fear Jamie not being able to talk or cry will be dangerous. It's horrifying seeing tubes in Jamie and how skinny she still is, and Ratchet thinks I'll be able to hold Jamie even when she's connected to the ventilator.
I'm happy Jamie is at a good point not to need TPN, a feeding source that takes hours to finish. I don't know if I should be happy she now has a G-tube. Even if Jamie is still bedridden for a while, we don't know when the tubes will be removed, and she likely won't get out of bed much when she's able to go to our room. Still, this is good progress.  

For the next two days, Crosshairs and I stay in the medbay and take care of Jamie while Jolt and Ratchet watch. We think we can create a good system, knowing how distraught Jamie will be. 
Jamie wakes up once we finish a feeding. She sees us, and tears roll down her face. Crosshairs moves to the other side of the bed, and we each hold a hand. Ratchet stands next to me, trying to explain what will happen, worried Jamie will become distraught. As I feared, Jamie is trying to take the trach out. I watch her vitals increase, a sign she's in distress. We have no choice but to sedate her, and Ratchet was prepared with a syringe.
"Everything is ok; you'll be better soon," I assure Jamie as the drugs take effect.

Ratchet's P.O.V.
This went exactly as I thought it would. I'm not sure if Jamie remembers where she was or her condition before becoming unconscious, but waking up in the medbay and realizing there's a trach in your throat is scary. It will be rough telling her about the feeding tube and catheter, the long road ahead. 
"What happened?" Jolt asks, rushing in.
"Exactly what I thought would happen when Jamie wakes up. Hopefully, I will have to add a relaxant for only a few days."
Drift kisses Jamie before he and Crosshairs leave to get dinner. I hope tonight they'll eat food. Even if it doesn't matter if we eat food or drink Energon, this is a way I can tell they're not in a deep depression. It's going to take time for them not to feel depressed, but I believe Jamie waking up helped greatly.

Drift's P.O.V.
Jamie is having a hard time with this the next morning. She watches me feed her and drain the catheter, but for now, she just wants the trach out, but I know she doesn't like all the tubes.
Ratchet explains to her how he wants to go about removing the trach. She's relaxing a little, but this will be a challenge. Ratchet gives her a small dose of the relaxant. 
"You think she'd do ok out of the medbay for a while?" Ratchet asks.
"No, I don't think so," I reply.
I assume this means Ratchet thinks Jamie will do fine without being on the ventilator, but why doesn't he detach the tube?
Ratchet and Crosshairs get Jamie onto my lap. I hate when she cries; now, she's unable to make a sound.
Optimus walks in, and I feel Jamie tense up. Guess the medicine hasn't kicked in.
"Easy, Jamie," Prime says as he crouches down in front of me, "you are safe, and we will help you heal."

Optimus Prime's P.O.V.
This is as heartbreaking as seeing Jamie in a coma. I see she's frightened and does not like the trach or being on the ventilator. I can talk to Ratchet about what he thinks Janie's recovery is likely looking like, not liking what he's telling me. I am greatly concerned about her mental state as she heals. 

Ratchet's P.O.V.
I believe Jamie will feel much better once the trach is removed, but it will be at least a week to see if I can even remove the tube. I'm worried she will remove the three tubes she has, and I hate how frightened she is.

Crosshairs gets Janie's red blanket and favorite picture from their room, hoping it'll help. I doubt Drift will let go of her, and both mechs are likely to continue to be too concerned about Jamie to sleep. I watch Drift rock slowly as Crosshairs wipes the tears from her eyes.
You'll be ok, I know you're a determined fighter. I just worry about the mental damage this has done.
We dread telling her how the so-called psychiatric hospital was shut down after what Mirage found, and to this day, Jamie's family doesn't wonder what happened to her since she wasn't one of the slain humans. We need to show her we're her family.