One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 62 Therapy Day

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
Yesterday was hard. One-hundred days since Jamie awoke from the coma. We know Jamie is damn lucky to be in the condition she's in. Especially with how underweight she was when we found her. Drift and I know enough about human health to know organ failure was likely. That wasn't on our mind while Jamie had a harder time going through the trach weaning process. Ratchet didn't even say anything about lung damage.
The fear now is will Jamie get sick. Hating it's a guarantee that she'll have a hard time even if she gets a cold. Then there's her weight. At least she hasn't been difficult with tube feedings. Sunstreaker has been great with Jamie's physical therapy. Today we're adding the pool. Believing we need to continue to work on Jamie's fear of deep water. Once that's achieved, the pool will be great physical therapy, while it is more like play like Sideswipe suggested.
Jamie isn't talking much. It's not infrequent compared to before she left. There's not much we can do about it, but be happy she doesn't have vocal cord damage.

"... I think this will help," Sideswipe says, showing Drift, Sunstreaker, and I a picture of a life jacket.
We agree this could help, but not today. We're likely starting over. Even if we have Drift holding Jamie while wearing the life jacket, she's likely not going to like that idea today.
Sideswipe goes to buy the life jacket.
I know Drift worries about frightening Jamie. This is a risk if we're not careful.

Sunstreaker is careful with Jamie's therapy. She's not happy he's not increasing the weight she's pulling on the lat pulldown. He can tell if she's ready to increase how much weight she's pulling. Jamie always likes to push herself, but it's not good for her to do that yet.  We'll have a problem though if she refuses therapy. This stresses the three of us.
It's going to be a while before we can say she's back to working out rather than therapy.

Drift's P.O.V.
I'm not looking forward to the pool. The challenge of trying to get Jamie to like the pool without frightening her.
"She'll be ok," Crosshairs hugs me, "we'll get her to like the pool again."
Crosshairs and Sunstreaker have a plan.
Sideswipe is uncertain if he should join us.
"You can distract her," Sunstreaker argues, "which I think will help."

Jamie is already panicking as I wrap her abdomen to protect the G-tube from the water. We know this will be slow and unlikely that we'll get Jamie to try the life jacket today.
Sideswipe sits on a lounge chair, worried he'll frighten Jamie more.

Jamie is ok with me sitting on the floor behind her. My feet are on the first step and I have her sit on the step below so she's in a little water. Sunstreaker tries to get her to play, but she refuses. Rather than swim around, Sunstreaker sits on the step below with Crosshairs.
"I think it's good to distract her," Sunstreaker comments, getting his phone that's by the pool.
Distraction might be pointless at this stage or help establish a routine as we work on getting Jamie deeper in the water.
We decide a half-hour is long enough. By now Sideswipe has left the room. Jamie is ready for a nap.

Once Jamie is asleep, I go talk to Sideswipe.

"Good luck with that," Sunstreaker comments, "he's not listening to me."
He leaves the room.
"I frightened her while in the pool," Sideswipe argues, "it doesn't matter if Jamie says she wants me in the pool. I don't think she's ok mentally not to panic seeing me in or even around the pool."
"And you know if you're right, we need to work on that. Actually, it'll be better if we do before trying to get her into the pool."
I don't like how much w need to work on already, but I can't ignore this. Even if I'm tired of seeing Jamie frightened.

"... he knows no easy he can get Jamie to play, which will definitely be great while getting her to like the pool," Crosshairs comments, "but he's right. This is complicated, but perhaps an easy solution is the hot tub."

Sideswipe's P.O.V.
I'd rather have to stay away from Jamie until she's not afraid to be in the pool. She's going to be frustrated with other things she needs to do as part of her recovery.

I stayed in my room until dinner. Sunstreaker must have been in his art room or working out until Jamie woke up. Drift waits for me by the cafeteria.

"Waiting to see if I'd come?" I ask.
"Yeah, and to tell you we're going to see if Jamie will like the hot tub, and you're joining us."
I'm not sure if thirty-seven inches is a good idea right now.
Drift tells me to bring the life jacket I bought before we go into the cafeteria.

Jamie isn't sure about the hot tub but doesn't panic as Drift gets in while holding her. He positions her on his lap. I don't see how this is better when Jamie is deeper in water. Even if she's not panicking.

"Should we add this to the routine?" Sunstreaker asks Jamie.
"Yes."
I didn't think she'd agree.

"This is good," Sunstreaker comments as Crosshairs and Drift leave, "there's a seventeen-inch difference between a bathtub and the hot tub depth. I think that is why Jamie feels safe compared to going into the pool. Might be a better way to deal with her fear," I suspect Sunstreaker is going to come up with a plan, "and you're going to continue to be with us."
It's Jamie's mental state and her memories of what the so-called doctors did that worry me. Tomorrow she could be frightened even though she did fine today, or everything will be fine. I hope she's close to a full recovery.