One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 64 Back in The Medbay

Crosshairs’ P.O.V.
I never want to see that again. It was scary how suddenly Jamie was struggling to breathe. She was asleep by ten. Everything was fine for four hours, but with the diagnosis of pneumonia, it makes sense. How stupid I was not to check on her as I have been. Could I say I almost killed Jamie? As I see Jamie back in this damn room and on the ventilator. Drift sitting by the bed. Visualizing if Jamie was dead.
“Crosshairs!”

I wake up realizing I’m on the floor, but my head is on Drift’s lap. He looks at me, terrified. Not realizing tears roll down my face as he asks the typical ‘are you ok?’.
I sit up, “it’s my fault she’s in critical condition. I should have been making sure she wasn’t getting sick.”
“It’s ok, as much as I was hoping Jamie wouldn’t have to go through this again, I-I knew this would likely happen.”
Now tears roll down his face. Jamie’s health is still scrap, she can become critically ill easily. This is why it’s hard to think about the positives of Jamie’s recovery.

Ratchet’s P.O.V.
I was about to talk to Crosshairs and Drift when I saw Crosshairs pass out. They’re both struggling even while knowing scrap like this is still possible. I don’t think what I have to tell them is going to help much.
“It’s something good they should know,” Jolt insists.

I know Jamie’s guardians are watching me check on her. It’s too soon for good news, but she’s not declining. I turn to look at two worried mechs.
“She’s stable... I mean—.”
“We know, Ratchet,” Drift says.
“But you have something to tell us?” Crosshairs asks.
“This could have possibly been prevented if I asked the ICU staff at the hospital. Now... this might not help her.”
I give them each a copy of the same piece of paper that I was given, and leave to let them talk.

While waiting for the two to come into my office, I review Jamie’s record. Like I’m hoping there’s something I could do aside from what I’ve been suggested.
“Ratchet?” I hear Crosshairs as the two walk in and sit on the chairs in front of my desk, “if you think this will help Jamie, then do this.”
Drift nods.
“It’s hard to say if this will help while Jamie is this ill. This could help her body fight pneumonia or nothing.”
“I think we should increase her tube feeding now that we have the pump,” Drift suggests.
“That will help her gain weight,” Crosshairs agrees, “and hopefully enough to continue the routine we have been doing before today.”
Our priority is Jamie getting over pneumonia, but we can work on her weight. I hope the IV immune boost will help her. I wonder if I should have kept Jamie strictly tube-fed. Would we be bere? Wondering if Jamie is going to crash?

Drift’s P.O.V.
I knew this was likely to happen again, but I was hoping we wouldn’t be here. 
“You’re ok, it’s ok,” I assure Jamie as the drugs kick in. Trying to keep her calm.
I hate the sadness in her eyes until she can’t keep them open and I have to move out of Jolt’s way. Watching them intubate her. I can only hug Crosshairs.
I sit on the recliner, watching Ratchet work.  Crosshairs moves the other chair by me. There’s nothing to talk about.

The immune boost didn’t help Jamie enough, but Ratchet noticed it was helping. Unfortunately, she still had a long five-day fight before he decided she’d do well off the ventilator.
Jamie is still sick, and I don’t think she cares about the IVs or oxygen. She’ll be off oxygen by the time she’s over pneumonia, but Crosshairs and I are thinking we need to continue to use the feeding pump. With Ratchet finding the immune boost helps, there’s the challenge of dealing with how Jamie will not like that.
“For now, she’s on 1 liter of oxygen. Getting 10%,” Ratchet explains, “I hope she won’t be difficult once she’s over pneumonia. This will help her. Could be for four months tops, but I still want her eating food, so there’s that challenge.”
“Uh, will she be able to come with me to do art?” Sunstreaker asks, “I’m hoping it’ll be something to make her happy.”
“Just bring a small canvas in here,” Ratchet argues, “you’ve done it before.”
I don’t want to add to everyone’s worry, but I worry this is affecting Jamie’s mental health and she could be suicidal.

Sunstreaker’s P.O.V.
We lost most of the progress in Jamie’s recovery. Sure, she doesn’t need a trach, and likely won’t be afraid of the pool again, but all the therapy I did with her is lost. Jamie was getting frustrated with how I was limiting her, and now she has to start over. I hope the pool will be good for her. Too soon to ask Ratchet.
“I can move her to the recliner,” Ratchet says, “infusions are done, and I can wait a few hours.”

With the stuff for painting in my subspace, I walk into Jamie’s medbay room, hoping she’ll want to paint. In time to watch Crosshairs and Drift move Jamie to the recliner. Being careful if the feeding tube and oxygen tube. She is not happy with the tubes. Oh boy, things are going to be difficult.
I hate watching her cry as she hugs Drift.
“Show her,” Crosshairs whispers, “Ratchet said you were coming back with art supplies.”
I get the supplies out of my subspace.
“Jamie, look what I have,” I try to get her attention.
“Look, you can paint with Sunstreaker,” Drift smiles.
It takes a few minutes for Jamie to calm down. She wants to do art with me.
I hope things will not be difficult once Jamie gets over pneumonia.