🔞5EX🔞

Diagnosis

I almost float into the building, such is my euphoria that I am now 'Mrs Smith in waiting'!

I'm engaged........

......................to Yanni!!!

Then I remember where we are, and why.

"Where is Weeze Yanni?" I ask him gently as he leads me towards the lifts by the hand.

"She's in the ICU Syd. She has a brain injury, bruising or something....... she's in a medically induced coma while they try to reduce the swelling. She might not be ok Syd! She could wake up and be different, or she could even d...... d...... die!" He stutters, wiping his tears from his face with one hand, pressing the button for the second floor with the other.

"Oh Yanni! I had no idea it was so serious, I thought she'd sustained a bad cut or something. Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I should have known from your demeanour. I'm such a shitty person! What are the doctors saying?" I ask while wrapping an arm around his waist.
He pulls me through the doors and we take only a few steps out of the lift before he stops walking, turning to face me and holding both my hands in his and kissing my nose.

"You are not a shitty person! Have you noticed anything different about her lately? Has she complained of feeling ill or anything? The doctors are trying to find out what made her collapse in the first place. They don't know if that is a further threat to her. Has she seemed ok to you?" He asks, his eyes hopeful I'll have some helpful information. I feed coins into a vending machine and buy a few bottles of juice while I think about that.

"I haven't seen her much in the last few weeks, but she's seemed just like her usual self everytime I have. Well, actually, we met earlier today for coffee and she did look really tired. I asked if she was ok and she just said she was tired and looking forward to a break, nothing about feeling unwell. Come on, let's go and see her and find out if they know anything else yet!" I say, kissing his nose and leading him towards the doors of the ICU.

When we are permitted entry into the ICU we find Vinni and Jimmi sitting outside Eloise's room.
Vinni looks terrible, pale faced and with crumpled clothes, his hair standing as if he has been raking his fingers through it for hours. He is sitting with his head on his clasped fingers, elbows on his knees. Jimmi is rubbing his back but jumps up when he sees us and rushes towards us, jumping into Yannis arms and clinging to him like a koala.

"The doctors are in there with her now, doing some more tests. They made us step outside and Vinni was NOT happy. They'll call him in when they're done, they shouldn't be much longer, they've been in there ages!" he reports sadly, eyes on his eldest brother.

"Hey Vinni, here, drink this" I say, tapping him on the knee with a bottle of juice and taking the recently vacated seat beside him.
He smiles weakly and thanks me, taking the bottle and immediately placing it at his feet.
I feel as if I should attempt to reassure him, but since I don't know what's happened I begin by asking him.

"She's felt more tired than usual for the last week or two, but she said that it's just because she's working so hard. She wasn't worried as we've got our holiday coming up soon and she'd be able to relax. When she met us earlier she told me she felt a little nauseous and dizzy, but thought it was just as she hadn't had time to eat much yet. As we were leaving the last venue she staggered as if she was drunk, then just fell to the floor as if all her bones had vanished. The sound her head made as it hit the low wall....... it was horrendous Sydney, she was bleeding so much, and was out cold immediately!" He sobs.

I squeeze his hand and am about to try and soothe him when the room door opens and a doctor asks for Vinni to come inside. He asks if we can come too and the doctor agrees, so we all file into the room behind him.
Eloise looks tinier than usual lying in the bed surrounded by tubes and wires. Vinni picks up her hand and holds it in his own, kissing her knuckles before turning his attention to the doctor.

"So, Mr Smith. We've done another CT scan and found that the swelling in her head is going down, the pressure is reducing well and we are confident that the injury will resolve itself with just some rest and time. We plan to wean her meds and wake her up later today." He informs us with a smile.

"That's amazing, thanks so much Doc! But what caused it? What's wrong with her? Why did she fall down in the first place?" Yanni asks, Vinni in no state such is his relief at the news she should be ok, and awake soon.
He turns to Vinni and suggests he sit down, then checks he is happy to continue to discuss Weeze with Yanni, Jimmi and myself present, and he nods in agreement.
If it's possible he begins to look even paler, the anxiety about what the Dr is going to tell him clearly etched on his face as he falls down into a chair and faces him, his hands sandwiched between his knees, his legs bouncing frenetically.

"Mr Smith, we have run a number of tests on Eloise's heart and brain, taken blood and other fluids and have found only one possible reason for the collapse."

Jimmi sits back on Vinnis lap and hugs him around the neck, Yanni holding his shoulder while we all hold our breath and wait for the diagnosis.

"Mr Smith.......... you're going to be a father!"

The room is silent other than for the beeping of the monitoring equipment Eloise is attached to while we all process what we've just heard.
The doctor smiles and continues to speak.

"We are waiting for the obstetrician to confirm gestation, but based on hormone levels and an ultrasound scan we estimate Eloise is around 16 weeks pregnant. She is quite malnourished and dehydrated and we think that that, coupled with the pregnancy caused the collapse. She will be placed under the care of the maternity services once she is well enough to leave hospital. I expect that will be in a few days time. Now, if you'll excuse me." He says with a final smile, heading out of the room.

"What the fuck did he just say?" Vinni asks, disbelief in his tone.