Hunger in my Heart

Chapter 5

Kimberley was broken out of her thoughts when Joan squeezed her hand again and nodded her head in the direction of the doors leading to the ICU, where a doctor had just emerged and was scanning the waiting room. Spotting Joan, the doctor headed in their direction, which caused both Kimberley and Joan to jump to their feet anxiously.

"Dr. Kensington, this is Kimberley Walsh, she's the only other one with medical power of attorney besides me," Joan introduced, making it clear that Kimberley could be included in any medical discussion.

"Miss Walsh, it's a pleasure to meet you, although the circumstances are not ideal." The doctor smiled gently while taking her hand in a solid handshake.

"Doctor, yes it's not a great day," Kimberley said wryly, and then continued with some urgency, "how is she, can we see her?"

Indicating that they should take a seat, Dr. Kensington perched on the coffee table in front of them and started his update. "Well as Joan already knows, Cheryl went into acute kidney failure overnight, which caused a massive fluid build up, but she's been on the dialysis machine for about forty minutes now and we're already seeing an improvement in her vitals." Pausing to make sure they were following his explanation, he watched as they both nodded for him to carry on. "She's a little jaundiced because of her reduced liver function, but we're aggressively pushing the anti-malarial, in this case quinine, into her system. We're hoping to see improvement in her organ function soon. We're also treating her for anaemia and monitoring a small build-up of fluids in her lungs."

Noticing that both women were looking at him with shock, the doctor decided to continue on with more positive information.

"So far she's holding her own, and we're encouraged by the improvement in her vitals and breathing over the last couple of hours. Also, she regained consciousness about twenty minutes ago, which is a really good sign. She's sleeping now, rather than unconscious." He concluded, with a warm smile.

Kimberley felt like she was gaping at this nice friendly doctor with the warm blue eyes and shock of bright red hair who had just rhymed off a list of serious medical problems like he was reading her a weather report. She felt shell shocked. Regaining her wits a bit, she finally thought to ask the question that was paramount in her mind.

"Is she going to be okay?" Kimberley finally got out.

The doctor smiled again and continued, "Well, she's certainly not out of the woods, she's still critical - but she's stable for the time being with the support therapies we've given her - which will give more time for the quinine to kick in and give her organs a fighting chance. Her regaining consciousness is certainly a significant step in the right direction. But like I told Mrs. Callaghan before, the next day or two will be critical, if the treatment doesn't start to reduce the fluid build-up and relieve the stress on her organs, there's a chance they may simply shut down," he concluded in a sombre tone.

Joan and Kimberley exchanged glances and when she noticed Kimberley looking longingly in the direction of the ICU doors, she spoke up.

"Thank you, Dr. Kensington, I know you and your staff are doing everything possible for her. Do you think we can see her now?" Joan asked.

"Sure, you can sit with her if you like, but try not to wake her up. The nurses will let you know if you need to leave for any reason, otherwise I think it would help her to have her friends and family around, give her more reason to fight, eh?" He said, as he stood up.

"I'll let you know when there is an update on her condition, now if you ladies will excuse me, I need to go see to my patient," the doctor concluded.

"Of course, Doctor. Thank you," Joan said as she rose and pulled Kimberley up with her, intent on seeing her daughter.

Kimberley took a deep breath, as scary as that had sounded she thought, it could have been worse. The doctor had actually sounded somewhat optimistic, well...her mind amended...maybe cautiously optimistic is a better description. Joan was leading her in the direction of the ICU and Kimberley knew she would feel better once she could see Cheryl with her own eyes and touch her, just to know that she was still there.

Once they were through the doors to the ICU, she noted that the walls were pretty much all glass in here, she could see through the windows to several empty rooms and a few that were occupied with patients surrounded by masses of equipment and anxious looking relatives. Joan led her down the hall and paused at the door to the only room with all the shades drawn, Cheryl's room she supposed.

"Look Kimberley, don't be shocked by the way she looks okay? You remember the doctor said she was retaining fluids, well she's a bit swollen and a little yellowish from the jaundice..." Joan trailed off, while looking at Kimberley with some trepidation.

For her part, Kimberley hadn't even considered that Cheryl would look different, but now that she thought about it, it made sense. Kimberley stiffened her spine and nodded at Joan. "It doesn't matter what she looks like Joan. I need to see her," Kimberley said.

Even though Kimberley had just mentally braced herself, she still gasped aloud when she got her first look at her best friend. Cheryl, probably the most beautiful woman Kimberley had ever seen, consistently named the 'sexiest', the 'hottest', the 'most beautiful' in numerous polls and magazines looked nothing like herself. Kimberley took in the array of machines surrounding her friend, the numerous tubes running into her, the steady beeping of the heart monitor with something akin to amazement. And Cheryl, well Cheryl, was almost beyond recognition; her petite frame looked engulfed by the medical machinery surrounding her, she was a wee little lump under a mountain of covers. Her normally defined face, with her strong cheekbones and amazing dimples was puffed up and swollen; her eyes mere slits, almost swollen shut, and her skin had taken on a sickly yellowish tinge. Each swollen arm was immobilized to a splint and then to the bed with intravenous tubes connected to various pumps and machines. Her hair flowed down around one shoulder, but instead of the normal shiny gloss of mahogany it was dull and matted to her head. Kimberley, not one to cry easily, choked back a sob.

"Joan, oh my god...Joan..." Kimberley looked a Joan helplessly seeking some reassurance.

"I know, she looks horrible doesn't she? She would freak out if she could see herself right now don't you think?" Joan tried to inject a bit of humour to lighten the situation by reminding Kimberley of Cheryl's tendency toward vanity. Cheryl hated to be caught looking anything but her best, well at least in public. Kimberley heard herself make a weird gulping, choking noise, somewhere between a laugh and a sob as she acknowledged Joan's attempt to cheer her up.

"Actually Kimberley, she looks a bit better than earlier in the night, the swelling has gone down a tad, must be because of the dialysis, and she doesn't look like she is burning with fever anymore," Joan informed her, while taking in Kimberley's still tense state she rested her hand lightly on her daughter's forehead. Stroking her cheek gently, she turned back to Kimberley with a faint smile.

"Kimberley, have a seat here," Joan said, indicating the hospital lounge chair pulled up close to the left side of the bed, "you can hold her hand and keep her company while I go make a few phone calls, aye?"

Kimberley let herself be pushed into the chair by Joan and she cautiously reached over to Cheryl's hand, which she noticed was taped to the splint, so she resorted to closing her hand around her friend's wrist. She immediately felt better once she touched Cheryl, she was warm, and she could feel her life force pulsing through her veins. She was still here, real, solid and fighting to get better, Kimberley could sense it.

Kimberley had always had a strange sixth-sense when it came to Cheryl; from the first day they met they had an instant connection. Everyone who knew them and many who didn't, including fans and the press, had always commented on their 'chemistry'. The two of them scoffed at this observation, always downplaying it, but they both knew it was there and it was the foundation of their relationship. Kimberley sighed deeply, and although she was still worried, she felt immeasurably more optimistic now that she was here and could hold on to her. Taking a firmer grip on Cheryl's wrist she leaned back to stare at her friend and will her to get better.