chapter 6

Pa looked worried as I said that. He headed down the hall way telling me he would find out the information that could I go back to sit with Jon. I agreed knowing none of us wanted to leave Jon on his own right now. I headed back into the room watching Jon resting in the bed. When his eyes opened to look at me I gave him a shrug and a grin before setting down on the stool again. I know we had been fighting more than talking lately but he was still my best friend. I moved my hand to reach and take the one laying on the bed being careful not to bother the clip on his finger. “Just rest Jon … the more rest you get the better you'll feel..” He just gave me a disgusted look before closing his eyes again and letting his head sink into the pillows. When he licked his lips I moved to the side to get the sponge that the doctor had told us to use. Moving the damp sponge around Jon's lips and in his mouth. He gave me a grateful look before dosing off again. I sighed and relaxed on the stool when Pa came back in.

I moved out to the hallway with him his face was worried and grave. “what is it?”

“the time line they are giving Jon … its because he's not getting rid of the toxins with his kidneys....” I nodded cause that's what the doc had been talking about before. “if they don't start removing the toxins on their own they are going to start him on dialysis... “ he looked at his son through the window of the cubicle.

When he said it it felt like a punch to the gut. How the hell had this gone on so bad that Jon would have to have something serious as dialysis. I swallowed and nodded 'did his doc say when they would start it?”

Ma walked over with Dave and Tico seeing us talking. “what is it?

“Jon's doctor is thinking about starting him on dialysis ma … his kidneys aren't working right they need a rest ..” John Sr stated holding onto his wife's hand. “I I just had to give the okay for it... I had to sign the paper.” He looked back at me. “he wants to start as soon as possible.” He no sooner had said that when the doctor was moving a machine into the room where Jon laid. We all could see Jon's eyes opening and looking at whatever the doctor was doing. When he tried to move out of the reach of the doctor I hurried into the room.

I had been dosing off when I felt someone in the room with me again. Thinking it was Richie just fixing my blankets I was startled to find it was my doctor. He was doing something over to the side with some kind of machine that hadn't been in the room when I had fell to sleep before. I looked at him and he started to explain as if I was an idiot what was going to happen as if I didn't have a choice in the matter. When I started to move out of his reach Richie was soon at my side. I nailed him with my eyes demanding to know what hell was going on.

The doctor soon explained to me and to Richie who stood there with my parents right there what was going on. When I just shook my head it was ignored.

“Jon its to help you … “ Richie started to explain to me. “get you better faster and out of here faster...” Those were the magic words get me the hell out of here. I just stared as the nurse and doctor did what they needed to. When they started to wash my neck down with alcohol my hand gripped Richie's tightly. I closed my eyes not wanting to watch what they were doing.

They were done a few minute later and I just stared up at the ceiling. If this is what I had to do to get the hell out of here then its what I had to do. Though in my mind there was a tiny voice feeding on my fears that something was wrong if I had to have something serious as dialysis but I quickly slapped it down. I was fine I just needed rest and to get the hell out of this hospital. I felt tired so I fell back to sleep quite quickly.

The next twenty four hours was a test to everyone's patience. The nurses were in and out of Jon's small cubicle taking readings and checking his other vitals. Not once did they force him to wake up to eat or do anything else. We had some sign of improvement at the half way mark. Jon's color was no longer the washed out white he had color and his breathing easier he was also more alert though he still couldn’t talk very well. He would follow our movements with his eyes as he seemed to be afraid of moving less he dislodge whatever they had done to start his dialysis. At least things seemed to be looking up.

Chapter 5

Realisation hit me hard, the Dr had pretty much said if Jon's body did not get rid of the shit in his system his organs were shutting down and he would die. With my head leaning against the glass of Jon's room I cursed, "Muther fucking assole" a hand touched my shoulder as at the same time, I spun round to see Pa behind me.
"C'mon Richie, Jon's a fighter....... and a Bongiovi, we gotta believe he will pull through, it's not your fault son."
"But it feels like it is pa, I failed my brother, and look at him, tubes everywhere and he's fighting for his life?"
"Richie, Jon is a stubborn assole sometimes, he does things his way, c'mon he will pull through you will see"
"I hope your right pop, but all the same I feel as though I've let him down, but...... Doc.... well he got into Jon's head and fucked it up real bad."
"So tell me Richie, please help me to understand how and why my son is laying here fighting for his life?"
I looked at Pa and knew he deserved to hear the truth. I did not want to tell him stood in the corridors or in Jon's room, firstly I was scared that Jon would hear wake up and fire my ass for telling tales outta school and second, I needed to be composed and in control to explain it all.  None of this would be easy. I suggested a coffee to Pa and he agreed, setting off we went in search of refreshments and stumbled across the hospital canteen; after grabbing two coffee's we took seats to the north side of the hospital over looking the parking lot.
Pa wasted no time in asking,
"So, what has been going on Richie,"
"Jon has been shooting steroids pa, his voice was cracking, his vocals were swollen and despite us begging him to cancel a few shows to let his voice heal, no, after visitng a specialist Jon goes off in search of Doc, and he goes and hires this so called  Dr and they start shooting Jon with steroids to help his voice. and... now.... well here we are... its a total fucking mess pa"
"how long has this been going on Richie?"
"Months."
"Months? my son has been ill for months?"
"Yeah, pa we all tried to tell Jon, but Doc, he had a hold on Jon like I have never seen. Its like he controlled him."
"Richie tell me everything, and I mean everything, this son of a bitch is gonna pay for what he has done to my son."
"I don't know if I should pa, Jon say's what happens in Bon Jovi stays in Bon Jovi, I don't wanna be the one caught telling tales outta school, Jon will go nuts."
"Richie, my son is lying in a hospital bed, with fucking tubes and wires all over him, and you are fucking scared about telling tales outta school? fucking prioritise and tell me, my son could fucking die."
I looked into Pa BonGiovi's eye's, the steel blue and determination was apparent and I had seen it many times before, only in Jon.
"Ok, where do I start," answering myself, I said, "At the beginning I guess. For 2 hours I sat and told pa the whole story, as I spoke the last word I watched and waited for the explosion. Nothing, Pa remained calm and in control, his voice was steady but emotionless as he spoke to me.
"Thank You Richie, my last question, where does this Doc McGhee operate from, I want all his details even his inside fucking leg measurements, if you don't know them promise me you will get me the information Richie, I want, no need justice and without your help I can't do that. will you help me?"
I looked at Jon's dad, his expression was hard and his lips were set in a firm line, he was controlling his anger and locking it inside. In my heart I knew I would help Pa, there was no question about it; but I needed him to promise me something too.
"Pa, you know I will help you anyway I can, but I need you to do something for me too."
"Whats that?"
"What I have told you, I was serious when I said Jon does not like BonJovi business discussed with anyone that is not directly involved with the band, if he finds out I've told you everything, he will seriously go bananas fuck he will fire me, pop please swear to god you won't tell him you know, and that I told you?"
"Richie, I know my son, and I promise you I will never let Jon find out that you and I had this discussion. You have my word on it, and Richie;......  thank you, for being there for Jon, caring and for being the best friend he will ever know and have."
Rising from the booth we embraced each other, just like father and son. Having not  seen my own family for nearly nine months it felt good having a parent to give me the support I had been missing, since what had happened to Jon, and the hospital I felt lost and vulnerable, so it was nice to be reassured everything was going to be fine; even though we did not know that for sure.
Walking back to the ICU ward, Pa, thanked me again, and reassured me he was gonna take care of everything, all I had to do was get him the information he needed for Doc McGhee. I smiled at him and nodded as he left my side and headed over to ma who was sat with David and Tico. Alex had left. Ma said he could not stand this shit and to call him when things were better, he needed a beer and a cigerette.
Alex was always shallow, he and Jon had not had a good time on this tour, the relationship went beyond strained. Jon had decided Alex was history once the tour was over as he could not take his diva demands anymore.
I walked back into Jon's room and sat at his bedside praying that he was gonna pull through. 
Pa walked in, he smiled at me, "He looks like he has a little colour to his cheeks, that's gotta be a good sign eh?"
I looked at pa and then Jon, he did have a little colour to his cheeks, but I did not want to get my hopes up, this was gonna be along haul fight back to health for Jon.
The nurse came in, she checked Jon's notes and his bag. Jon woke and looked at her with his blue eye's, every time he tried to speak, nothing came out but a raspy cough and his eyes smarted with the pain. Jon looked at me directly, he mouthed "Out" I shook my head. Jon nodded, "No Jon, you ain't going nowhere bud, you are seriously ill and staying put until your well." frustration took hold and Jon started to fight with his restraints, he was far to weak to do anything and despite the fight and fire in his eye's he submitted and laid still accepting his fate, he was going nowhere until he improved.
Pa walked round to my side of the bed, he sat as I walked out and caught up with the nurse that had just tended to Jon.
"How is he?"
"No change really Mr Sambora. we  really need to see some improvement, we are now putting a time on it."
"A time on it? what do you mean?"
I mean, the Dr has asked us now to time  Jon and see how is output is progressing or not, we are looking to see improvements in the next 12 hours."
"Shit, what if there is no improvement?"
the nurse, completely blanked my question and excused herself and went off in search of the Dr.
Did I keep this information to myself or share this  with Jon's ma and pa?"
I went back into the room, pa looked at me and knew by my face something was wrong. he rose from being with Jon and we both stepped outside the room.
"What is it?"
"The nurse pa, she has said that they are time restricting Jon to improve with his output, he's.... he's... got twelve hours to improve...."
"What if he doesn't?"
"I dunno pa, she did not answer me when I asked her?"