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.