Family sickness follows

Chapter 18

Over the next few days the bug ripped through all three families. Liam, Michael, Anne and Robin all caught the stomach bug. The school had been closed due to the bug going round. They had a team sanitising every space of the building to have it ready for their students soon, while the school stayed closed. Izzy had gone back to work at the ward a few days after Amber and Sienna recovered from the bug. She wanted to make sure she stayed clear from it.

Some recovered quicker than others. Gemma only had it for 24 hours but Katie seemed to have it badly after she recovered. Gemma stayed with the girl. Katie no longer had the bug but was still having several vomiting and diarrhoea episodes which was making her weak. The dr talked to Gemma about starting Katie on NG feeds as the girl couldn't really keep anything down. Gemma agreed, knowing from Harry's experience the tubes were helpful and the best option for cases like this.

Katie groaned at having this. "I know sweetie, you know how uncle Harry has the tube in his tummy?" Gemma said. Katie nodded. "This is the same but just in your nose" Gemma told the girl. Katie nodded and let the nurses do it and cuddled her mum. Once it was in, the nurse put up some dioralyte first. Katie tried to rest in her mum's arms but having the tube was uncomfortable for the moment. Once it was inserted into the nose the girl relaxed a bit as dioralyte was put through it at a very slow rate. Gemma cuddled her daughter while she was asleep. She knew it was being difficult for Katie but also knew she would get used to it soon just as Harry did when he got his for the first time as a kid.

Katie fell asleep as she had her first NG feed. Gemma hoped she tolerated it. Gemma messaged her mother in law to see how Michael was doing. "He's currently in college and doing fine. How is Katie doing? And any news on Zayn?" Tricia replied. "Katie is not so good, she has just been put on NG feeds. Have not heard from Zayn, may ask one of the nurses here" Gemma replied. "Keep me updated please? How are you doing? Need anything?" Tricia asked. "Thanks, not currently" Gemma replied. "Okay, just text me and I'll be over with whatever you need," Tricia offered. "Thanks, will do. Can you check on Z for me? As I can't leave Katie" Gemma replied.

Katie suddenly has another bout of diarrhoea and vomiting. "Shhh let it out" Gemma soothes suddenly having a thought. She buzzes a nurse, "Is the NG feed lactose free?" she asks. "I'm sure it is but we will double check," the nurse says. "Thanks" Gemma said and waited for an answer from the nurse. The nurse came back. "Gemma, I'm so sorry. They sent the wrong feed for Katie. We will stop this and put Katie on fluids and then put her on dairy free feed." The nurse said. Gemma was fuming but didn't lash out to the nurse helping her as she knew she wasn't responsible for the mistake. She nodded quietly and let her do her job. The nurse first put Katie only on fluids until the girl got rid of the lactose feed. She kept in mind to look for the responsible person.

Katie sickly burped. Luckily the nurse was quick enough to grab a bowl just in time. Gemma comforted her and rubbed her daughters back. Katie threw up in the bowl filling it up to the brim and also filled her pad. The nurse passed another bowl as Katie kept throwing up. Gemma held the bowl and comforted her daughter. Katie puked for around another ten minutes or so. Gemma then lay the girl down to change her pad. She felt the urge to have a talk with the ward's management and to find the one who put her daughter in that situation.

................................................................

Tricia rang Clover ward to check on her son. "Good morning, how can I help you?" Kim, the receptionist, asked on the phone. "Hi, my name is Tricia, I'm Zayn Malik's mum, I was just checking in to see how he is doing." she said. "Let me check with the dr who's currently in the room with him and I'll let you know. Stay on the line, please." Kim says and puts the call on hold to call to the room Zayn's in. The nurse answers. "Not great, he is currently asleep but the headaches are quite intense" the nurse said quietly. Kim thanked her and got back to Tricia and told her what she was told. Tricia thanked Kim for finding out and asked if Zayn could have any visitors and told her that his wife was there with his daughter. "I'll ask the dr assigned to his case and get back to you. We know Gemma and Katie are here. I'll check on them for you too," Kim said. Tricia thanked Kim and stayed on the phone. Kim walked into the room as Katie was going both ways. She waited for the girl to finish to get an update. Katie finished going both ways and got cleaned and changed. Kim asked Gemma for a minute to talk. "Zayn's mum is on the line and asking for updates about Katie. Should I give them to her or would you like to do it yourself?" Kim asked. "I can do it," the nurse said as she left the room. Kim followed the nurse back to the front desk, leaving Gemma with Katie.