Improvement, Perseverance, and Growth!(A Chicago Fire fanfic)

Yet Another Surgery....and Hospital Stay

As soon as I was prepped for surgery and whisked into the OR, I was on my stomach, an anesthesia mask was placed on my mouth, I went under, and the surgery began. Three hours later, I woke up in the recovery room, and Jimmy was sitting right beside me. We smiled at each other and he asked, "How are you?" "I'm relieved. I'm great." I replied. As we were talking, Boden, Hermann, Cruz, Severide, Stella, Gabby, and Casey stepped into the room. We greeted each other and talked. "How long til you're back on your feet?" Hermann asked. "Four weeks, at least. But I'll be back." I assured them. They sighed in relief. We talked more until they had to get back to the station.

Jimmy ended up staying the night with me that night....us sharing the small hospital bed. The next morning, his pager went off. We woke up, kissed each other and said, "See ya later!" He left and I slept more. I woke up to April checking my vitals. "Hey." I greeted her. "Hey Caroline. Everything looks good!" April said. "Awesome. Thanks for checking on me." "You're welcome. Press the nurse button if something goes wrong or if you need anything." "I will." She left and Latham came in. "Hey Latham!" I greeted him. "Hi, Caroline. How are you feeling?" He replied. "Sore, but good." I said. We talked about work, my kids, anything. As we were talking, I got dizzy all of a sudden, felt a sharp pain in my back, and felt something wet on my back. "Latham, go get Rhodes. I think some stitches ripped out." I told him. He did and Rhodes came back with sutures, a plier, bandages, and a needle. He and Latham helped roll me on my stomach. Rhodes placed another blanket on my behind and began plying the loose stitches out. Latham held my hand while I groaned in pain. After those stitches were out and just as Rhodes was about to clean the blood and stitch me back up with the new sutures, blood profusely shot from my back! "Latham! Go find a cauterizer!" Rhodes shouted. Latham did so while Rhodes kept pressure on the wound. Latham then came back with the cauterizer. "Caroline, bear with me. I won't lie. This is going to hurt. Just breathe, alright?" Rhodes told me. I nodded. Just as Rhodes was about to use the cauterizer to stop the bleeding, Severide and Stella came in...to check on me. They stayed back while Rhodes stopped the bleeding. I motioned for Severide and Stella to stand on either side of me and they did. As the cauterizer moved from spot to spot, Severide and Stella held my hands. In the midst of the pain, I had to move my hands to my head, so they had to hold my elbows. A minute later, the cauterizing was done and Rhodes wrapped a bandage around my back. Severide and Stella helped me off of the bed while new sheets and a new gown came. A few minutes later, I was settled back in. I thanked Rhodes, Latham, Severide, and Stella.