One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 16 Pneumonia

Drift's P.O.V.
Ten long days pass before Ratchet tells Crosshairs, and I, Jamie, am well enough to end the medically induced coma. We know the other reason he did this was that she's frightened to see him.
"It's hard to know if she'll relax once she realizes she feels much better or not," he explains.
Crosshairs and I agree to let him end the coma. We'll have a relaxant nearby. Ratchet ends the infusion, but Jamie won't wake until tomorrow morning.

I hold her close, hoping this will help keep her calm when she wakes up.
"No way I'm getting you to leave," Crosshairs jokes as he puts a tray on the table. We eat our breakfast, hoping Jamie will wake up soon.
The swelling has decreased; Jamie's temperature went from 105° to 103°. She's still very sick but also should feel a lot better.

An hour passes before Jamie wakes up.
We explain that she's safe and Ratchet has taken care of her. I lay her on the bed, expecting her to panic, and cover her with a blanket as Crosshairs puts a cooling cloth on her forehead.
"She's still very weak," I fret as I watch Jamie close her eyes.
"She's getting better," Crosshairs reminds me.

Ratchet's P.O.V.
Jamie slept for four hours but woke up as I was about to check on her. Jamie looks at me, but I don't see fear in her eyes. She's too sick to try to get away, even if she is scared. Fellow doctors at the hospital have advised me to treat Jamie as a child afraid of the doctor.
"You want apple juice?" I ask as I show her the syringe I prepared. I hold her up as she drinks, feeling she's putting all her weight on my arm.
I lay her down and cover her again as Drift takes her hand.
For now, we're back to tube feeding 100% of the time. I've increased how much I give Jamie, hoping to get her to gain more weight. Crosshairs finishes feeding her while I go to my office and record my notes.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
I'm worried this will cause Jamie to throw up, but Ratchet would know. He says this is as much as a can of tuna, which Jamie can eat before feeling full. Jamie falls asleep as I finish the feeding, and I put a cooling cloth on her forehead.
"Let's go; she's asleep. Now we can get lunch."
I still have to lead Drift out of the room.

The others are happy to hear Jamie woke up from the coma but unhappy she's still feeling like shit.
"I'm so tired of watching her go through this shit," Bumblebee rages.
The others agree before Sideswipe changes the subject, asking me if he can see Jamie.
"No," Ratchet answers, "she's sleeping, and you're loud."
We all laugh at Sideswipe's disappointed expression.

We knew Jamie would sleep most of the day, but this is better than a coma.
I didn't think Ratchet would let us take Jamie for a walk, even if it's around the base, nor would Jamie agree. We asked her three times, and all three times, she said yes using the simple squeezing of the hand method.
I carefully put her in the wheelchair with the back reclined a little and covered her with a blanket. Jamie isn't liking the few seconds between not having a blanket and being covered.
"I know; you're freezing."
Drift carefully puts the oxygen concentrator on the back basket of the wheelchair.
I don't think she'll be awake for long, but this will be good for her.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I don't know if I should be happy Jamie is out for a walk or not. She seems to tolerate the movement of the wheelchair, but I doubt she'll want to be taken from the wheelchair. I don't like this. Our fighter is now like a baby. Even if it's temporary. I'm more worried about what's permanent.
Please don't make her have to start the trach weaning process all over.
Sideswipe walks over and smiles.
"Hey, Jamie," he chirps, concerned that there's no response.
"You know she's sick," I remind him.
"You think she'd want to watch T.V.?" Sideswipe asks.
"I don't think she will be awake much longer," I point out.
Sideswipe walks away.

I join Crosshairs, Drift, and Jamie on the walk, even if it's around the base, stopping by their room to get Jamie's red blanket before returning to the medbay.

Some other Autobots come by even though Jamie is asleep. Ratchet had to tell each of them she'll be fine.

Ratchet's P.O.V.
We have a little problem with Jamie getting better; throwing up. It's normally nothing, but it's a challenge with the trach. Coughing also requires suctioning but keeping the trach clean as she throws up is challenging. Jamie still feels too sick to react, but we know she's frustrated.
I started an anti-nausea infusion, but it will be an hour before it kicks in. Crosshairs and Drift take care of her until the medication kicks in and Jamie can get to sleep.
"The only good thing about this is that she's getting better," I tell the two mechs.
It's been a long road, and there's still a long way.

I insisted Crosshairs and Drift take a break since Jamie sleeps three to four hours. I watched her go from sweating to freezing in an hour, whimpering while adjusting the blankets but struggling to get warm again.

Crosshairs walks in, telling me he's checking on her to get Drift to relax. He sees Jamie is freezing and covers her with his trench coat. She opens her eyes and takes his hand.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
I've spent enough time with Jamie to know she wants something even if she can't talk. She tries to sit up but can't even lift her head up without feeling terrible.
Ratchet tells me I can take her to the lounge room. I disconnect the IV tube from the catheter before wrapping Jamie in several blankets, putting her in the wheelchair, and covering her with my trench coat. I put the oxygen concentrator in the basket before wheeling Jamie out of the medbay.

Drift can get pillows positioned so Jamie can lie on him comfortably.
She still feels warm to the touch.
We knew she wouldn't last long, but this is what she wanted, and hopefully, it's a step toward showing her not to be embarrassed around others.

Glad she's been out of it and doesn't know Ratchet has been having us use diapers. This really crushes Drift. Ratchet doesn't know Drift has been crying himself to sleep for the past eleven days. Even if this is better than the twelve-week coma, it still sucks. Several bots question if Ratchet is lying and Jamie has severe brain damage, but even I know this would be how Jamie would be immediately after waking from the twelve-week coma; not get this bad after ten days.

We return to the medbay and try to give Jamie a bath after changing the diaper. Though it's a sponge bath, hopefully, it'll help warm her up.
Drift wants to hold Jamie when we finish, but Ratchet wants to give her more medication.
"He's not doing great, is he?" Ratchet asks as we watch Drift leave the room and the medbay.
"Of course not; his girl is like a baby. Even if it's temporary, it still hurts seeing Jamie like this."

Drift's P.O.V.
I failed my girl; she's been through hell the past five months, coming closer to six months. Even if three months were in a coma.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
Drift has been away for four hours.
You better get back, Drift. You know how much Jamie will worry you're not here.
I put a cooling cloth on her forehead before getting my dinner.

Ratchet is standing by the bed when I return. Turns out Jamie's temperature is going up; 104° shit. He takes several vials of blood before going to the lab in the back.
I'm able to finish my dinner before Jamie wakes up. She sees me but is looking for Drift. I text him before moving the chair closer to the bed. Takes her hand and strokes her forehead, hoping to keep her from crying.

Ratchet's P.O.V.
This isn't good; I fear Jamie is weaker than I thought. The Epiglottis is gone, but the pneuma is still strong. I will have to increase how much medication I'm giving Jamie.
I hear Jamie coughing; Crosshairs must have put the speaking valve on, and he knows what to look for to take it off and reconnect the oxygen tube.

I thought she was only coughing; she was crying first, which caused a coughing fit.
Not a good time for Drift to not be here.
It's not long before coughing up phlegm and having difficulty breathing.
"Shh, you're ok," Crosshairs assures her, trying to get her to calm down.
Her oxygen level is decreasing, but she's still coughing. It's not long before she throws up.
She's tired of dealing with this shit but also wants Drift. She's used to both Crosshairs and Drift supporting her.
I want to get her to calm down without drugs, but her oxygen level is 80%. I inject the drug as Crosshairs holds her.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
Damn, Drift, you feel you failed Jamie, but you just did by not being here.
Once the drug was injected, I rocked her to sleep, laying her on the bed and covering her with blankets once she's asleep.
"She's dying, isn't she?" I force myself to ask.