One Day At a Time ✔️

Ch. 67 Progress Check

Drift's P.O.V.
it's been one of the best months since this situation started, I'm thinking I've been dreaming about how good the month was.
"You're not dreaming," Crosshairs smiles, "things continue to get better. I think we can think about a vacation once this is over."
"How long have you been thinking we should go on vacation?"
"Just now, knowing how easily she can get sick. Why do you think I said 'when this is over'?" 
"I can't think about a vacation now."
Crosshairs hugs me. I know Crosshairs worries, but I'm terrified we'll have a vacation planned and lose Jamie before the vacation.
Ratchet: I want to check Jamie's weight.
It's been nine weeks since we adjusted the plan to get Jamie to gain weight. Crosshairs and I are both worried this isn't enough.

Ratchet looks worried as he reads the scale.  I find myself being forced to sit on the chair behind me before Crosshairs sits on the chair next to me. The terror twins walk in, and before Crosshairs or I can say anything, Ratchet tells them to take Jamie. Which has me and Crosshairs worried, but also Jamie and the twins.
"I didn't want her here, because I want to talk about her weight, which would likely upset her, but also a potential surgery day," Ratchet explains.
That explains why he had the twins take Jamie out of the medbay.
Jamie is gaining two pounds a week with the current feeding plan. Ratchet believes Jamie will be at the target weight by mid-September. He also agrees  that Crosshairs and I can go in the OR until Jamie is asleep. We're hoping she'll be relaxed, but expecting a challenge.
"....by that point, I believe we can say she's made a full recovery. She'll be able to get back to training rather than physical therapy."
I still don't want to plan anything, but feeling more hopeful about a trip by October is possible. We may tell the twins. We will not tell Jamie about the possible surgery day, but she'll be happy to hear she's gaining weight.

Crosshairs' P.O.V.
We still have at least two months before we can say Jamie is recovered. That is if there are no complications like Jamie getting very sick again, but I think this is helping Drift.

We weren't expecting to find the twins and Jamie in the pool. Jamie now loves swimming. The twins are having Jamie swim laps with them.
"Early nap today," Drift smiles.
I think he's happier Jamie is choosing to swim in the deep end of the pool.

The fun lasts twenty minutes before the three get out of the pool. Jamie is tired. Drift carries her wrapped in a towel back to our room.
"Not even a half-hour," Sunstreaker sighs.
"I say the past month has been great," Sideswipe argues.
I tell the two that Jamie is gaining weight, and Ratchet thinks he'll be able to do surgery to put a monitor chip in, but not for another month.

Drift carries Jamie out of the bathroom as I walk into the room. He's good at getting her changed while she sleeps. Glad he doesn't worry something is wrong since she doesn't wake up as he changes her clothes. Jamie is still skinny. Too early to say if it's because she's not building muscle yet, or if it's still a reminder of how underweight she still is.
"She missed lunch," Drift comments as he gets the feeding supplies. Choosing to use the feeding syringe, "I forgot to ask Ratchet if we could stop the G-tube feeding."
"I know she hates it, but I think we should wait until she's no longer underweight."

Jamie is awake at two-thirty. Sunstreaker has been waiting to take her to the training room.
"Ratchet said you can do a little more," Sunstreaker tells her, "but you know you have to slowly increase the weight and have to start by walking on the treadmill."
Jamie is not pleased with this but wants to go with Sunstreaker.
"How long before she pushes herself too far?" Sunstreaker asks as we wait for Jamie to get changed.
"Not long," Drift sighs.
"And she'll lie," Sunstreaker sighs, "Ratchet told me I can increase the weight daily if Jamie isn't struggling."
"You know what that looks like," I point out.
Drift would rather be and I watch the two without. Though I think Jamie is so tired of this that neither Drift nor I will help her to calm down once she's frustrated.

Sunstreaker's P.O.V.
I don't mind Crosshairs and Drift watching Jamie and me work out. Ratchet sounded confident that Jamie wouldn't need to be at the same weight for a week or longer when he told me I could adjust the weight daily. That doesn't seem right. Which is why I'm not telling Jamie.

Jamie is annoyed with the slow one-mile speed I set on the treadmill. She knows it's wise when starting to work out, even if the human didn't take a long break as she has.
The treadmill is the least of the problem. Increasing the weights she's lifting or pulling is going to take more time than increasing the speed on the treadmill. The treadmill is warm up.
I think the pool helped. Sideswipe comments through the bond.
I'm not sure if it's enough that Ratchet is right about how quickly I can increase the weight. Even every few days doesn't seem possible. I explain.
Who knows, though I am worried about how displeased she is. How long before she ignores me or sneaks out to do her idea of working out in the middle of the night?
I hope the pool helped to prevent Jamie from seriously injuring herself.