The Circle of Life - Addicted Series - BOOK 4

19. Summer

So, what followed in the next three months is a long, grueling battle of hope versus reality. Nick had moved to Canberra to stay with me and the kids during this battle - being there for me through every single stage of it. I got really worse, really fast, and was bed ridden for almost three months where I was completely immobile and needed day to day care and support. I had lost all motor skills. The most horrifying was that I had lost my ability to swallow and as I result, I could not eat or drink anything. I would choke on juice and even water.

At a point, I had as many as a dozen seizures per day and nobody thought I would make it more than a few days. As if that wasn't bad enough, I lost my ability to speak. I was in a comatose stage where I could feel and hear everything going around me but I could not talk back or reciprocate people in anyway. The pain was a bitch. Utterly spine stabbing. I wanted it to stop so badly. And if it wasn't for Nick, I would have given up on my life. It had become so unbearable. When the doctor asked to rate my pain on a scale of 1 to 10, I would always say a hundred thousand. Everything hurt. Every single nerve cell in my body burned me. I begged him to make it stop. But, Nick would not let me give up.

By God's grace, the medicine started working on me and after three months, I slowly started regaining my basic motor skills. I was able to sustain on a fluid diet. The doctor said I can continue the rest of the trial from home, since we were only a few minutes away.

Nick had turned this entire part of the house into a safe room - completely disinfecting it. Even the kids were not allowed inside. Yes, we had told them. It was Nick's decision. He said I was an idiot and that they had a right to know. That even if I had two remaining days in my life, they deserved to be a part of it. There is not much to argue there. 

Today is the four month anniversary of the trial. The winter has passed and it is the sunny Summer. Dr.Jenna is really ecstatic with my progress. She is optimistic that I am going to make it and that in the next two months, I am going to be able to function normally. I am going to require monthly transfusions of drug for the rest of my life but that was okay. I am going to live to see my kids graduate college. That was more than what I had bargained for, on any day.

I look through the window to see Nick pull into the driveway. He has come from the airport after picking up Druv and Neal. Druv is going to be with us for the whole summer break and then, if everything goes well, we will be going back to New York together.

I open the door with a big smile.

"Hi 'Bhabhi'!" Neal hugs me with a big grin stressing the word 'Bhabhi' in a funny way. "You look well. How are you doing?" 

"Bhabhi?" I look at him surprised. It is usually Lia or Lyana.

"I have been instructed by the boss, for some reason I cannot comprehend, he insists." He rolls his eyes, pointing at Nick who was walking in with Druv.

"I like the sound of it." I laugh, as he walks inside. He is very comfortable staying with us and he had been here, for Nick, over the last few months helping him with everything big and small.

"Hi there." Nick comes in along with Druv.

"Gosh, did you grow taller in the last three months." I look at him amazed. I cannot believe that little Druv has become so big. He was just about a feet or so shorter than Nick right now. And he is growing into a beautiful sweet boy.

"Thanks." He smiles awkwardly. "How are you doing?" he asks politely.

"Pretty good." I smile. Just seeing him made my heart so warm inside. I wanted to hug him but I wasn't sure as he stood very distant."Welcome home, I hope you like it here." I tell him.