Finding Jaime

Chapter 70

I went into Jaime's room with Meagan.

"He's really warm, Pete," she whispered. "And I don't like how he's breathing. It sounds... like he's struggling."

I went in and sat beside Jaime, who was curled up and still shivering. I felt his forehead. I didn't need to. I could feel the heat radiating off of him.

"Grab the thermometer," I whispered. "I have to find out how high this is. Either way, we're heading to the hospital."

Meagan nodded and went into Jaime's bathroom. She came out with the thermometer and I checked Jaime's temperature. It was 105°.

"Shit. This is way too high. Meg, call an ambulance," I said as I started trying to rouse Jaime. Meagan was right. His breathing didn't sound good.

"Jaime, Jaime, wake up, come on. Open your eyes son," I pleaded with him.

He opened his eyes briefly.

"It hurts," he complained.

"What does?" I asked.

"The light," he whined. "It's too bright."

The light was off in his room. Only the hallway light was coming in his room. His blinds were closed and it was as dark as it could be in his room.

"Jaime, can you hear me?" I asked.

"Mhm," he said.

"Jaime, you have a very high fever and your breathing doesn't sound great. We're calling an ambulance, okay?  I have to take you to the hospital."

"Mm," Jaime responded.

I watched Jaime for a bit and saw he was struggling some to breathe. It seemed like it took work for him to draw in a breath.

"They're on their way, Pete," Meagan said, rushing back into Jaime's room. "They're asking if his lips or fingers are turning blue?"

"I don't want to turn on the lights. He complained the light hurts his eyes," I said. "And the only light in here is the hallway."

Meagan came over and turned the flashlight on her phone on and shone it in Jaime's face. He barely registered the light beyond a slight grimace.

"His lips are blue, Pete!" Meagan exclaimed. I looked at Jaime's face. His eyes were closed, his mouth hung open and he was struggling to pull in a breath.

I picked him up and ran towards the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Meagan asked.

"I'm going to meet the ambulance. I don't want them to waste a minute coming upstairs."

Bronx stuck his head out of his room.

"What's going on? What's wrong with Jaime?" He asked as he saw Jaime, laying unconscious in my arms.

"Jaime's having some trouble. I'm going to have him checked at the hospital," I said.

Bronx came out into the hallway and looked at Meagan with worry in his eyes.

"He'll be okay, Bronx," Meagan said.  "Dad's just being cautious

"But, Jaime's lips are blue," Bronx said. "What's wrong with him? What happening?"

"Bronx, keep it down," I said, as I adjusted Jaime's body in my arms. "Don't get Marvel and Saint worked up. Stay with Meagan. I'll call when we know more."

I ran down the stairs as I heard the paramedics banging on the front door. Meagan had rushed down with me and opened the door for them.

"It's my son," I said, bringing him to them. "He's having trouble breathing. He had chemo today and on Monday."

"He's got cancer?"

I nodded.

"Okay. Okay, lay him here," the paramedic said, undoing the belts on their stretcher. I lay Jaime down as he continued gasping for air. The paramedic put an oxygen mask on his face. They started an I.V. and taking Jaime's vitals while getting his history from Meagan and I. 

Once they were sure Jaime was stable enough, they rushed him out to the ambulance. I wanted to ride with them, but they said I couldn't. Meagan tossed me my car keys and I ran out to the garage to get in my car.

"We'll go to L.A. Children's," the paramedic getting into the back said. I nodded and started my car. I followed the ambulance trying not to cry that I couldn't be with Jaime. If he regained some consciousness, he might be scared without me there.

Halfway down our street, the ambulance stopped and the driver got out of the driver's seat and ran around to the back. I saw the other paramedic doing chest compressions on Jaime.

I was losing my son. Again.

I wanted to get out of the car and go see what was happening.

I didn't want to get out of the car and go see what was happening.

I slammed my hand into my steering wheel and screamed at the injustice of all of this.

Jaime had lost his mom to cancer. I only found out about him because of that. Now it looked like I was about to lose my son, too. It wasn't fair.

My phone rang. It was Meagan.

"Pete? Why did you all stop down the street? What's happening?"

"We're losing him," I sobbed. "They're doing CPR in the back of the ambulance. Meagan, he's dying."

Meagan was silent.

Suddenly the driver got out of the back, looked at me and pointed in a 'let's go' motion as he ran to the driver's seat and flipped on the lights and sirens.

"We're moving again. We're heading to the hospital," I said through thick tears.

"Be careful, Pete," Meagan's voice, thick with her own tears, came down the line. "Drive safe and let Jaime know we love him."

"I will," I choked out. Because I didn't know if Jaime would still be alive when I got to the hospital.