The Long Road Home Part 2

Chapter 42-1

The Long Road Home

Part 2

 

My Doctor stopped in before he went home telling Mom and Dad I wasn’t going home until they could break the fever for good, that he was changing my meds to oral instead of mostly IV drip, thinking the antibiotic was making me sick after being on it so long, but if it doesn’t work within the next day or so they will try something else. But he will increase the IV to keep me hydrated until they can flush it out of my system, and increase my diet to compensate the oral meds and the IV. (Meaning I would need lots of bathroom breaks.)

Warning Dad not to work me so hard or I would never leave the hospital. They agreed to no more than 20 laps around the floor and 6 laps outside on the grass or around the hospital. Once my temperature comes down again and I can keep my food down. Dad shook hands as if it was done a deal. I knew he wouldn’t break the deal considering he broke contact first. Dad told Mom and my doctor that he’d taken off the rest of the week from work so he could have a chance to bond with me, like father and son.

I froze as the Doctor looked at me seeing the terror in my eyes. Telling him that wouldn’t be necessary Bishop Lanwall had already made arrangement to watch over me. Dad was cool as a cucumber said; “that’s fine he or brother Nile's can help with the night duties, but he was staying here regardless.”

I knew Dad wouldn’t kill me, well at least I thought he wouldn’t. Not with nurses like my grandmother checking in on me every so often; and Mr. Nile's is a pretty big guy himself. The doctor finally agreed adding his name to the meal chart and clean bedding as they had done for the rest of his family. Personally, I would hate to see the hospital bill, but I also knew the State pretty much will pay it whatever the cost. Dad asked by chance if there was a bigger room so we wouldn’t feel so cramped and a bathroom with a shower or a bigger tub or something. The doctor said he would ask, asking; “if he would like a mint by his pillow and soft fluffy robe and slippers.”

Dad grinned said. “I know it’s not the Ritz. But it is kinda small with such a large family.”

The doctor said he would try as long as he says he just “bonding” warning him that he had child services on speed dial. Knowing it was no skateboard accident, but I had refused several times to say it wasn’t. Dad nodded told him it is and was a skateboard accident until anyone could prove differently. Dad won the argument considering he was right.

Too bad cell phones weren’t invented yet. Without video proof or pictures showing Dad and Mom did it, but since there was no actual proof the Rothwell’s were in the clear. Within the hour I was moved to a bigger room on another floor. I prayed grandma would find me considering I hadn’t seen her for the last couple of hours. But that changed the second I was settled in my new room somewhere on the second floor. While Mom and Dad were deciding what to do about family home evening; Dad ended the discussion telling her to order pizza or go to KFC for all of us and send Kerry to the store and pick up some non-healthy snacks.

Mom paled thinking about all that junk food. But she knew better to argue with him especially here in public. Dad told her in a more calm voice. “Karen, it’s not going to kill us to eat non-healthy food once and a while, but if you are concerned about it just put together some fresh fruits and toss a quick green salad. But for heaven sakes, our children eat heck of a lot worse eating school lunch and hospital food and eating a quick delicious hamburgers and frozen French fries when you are not looking.”

Dad picked up the phone called Shane to bring a few board games and asked if everyone’s homework was done and chores and having him bring him his house slippers and PJs. While he nodded to brother Nile's telling him they would need a couple of small tables and some folding chairs; asking him what kind of soda he liked. Dad could organize anything within an hour.

By seven’ o’clock I had been bathed in bigger tub that I could lay down in and still have plenty of room. Plus it did double duty with a shower. And the bathroom could easily fit six people of Dads size comfortably. If I didn’t know better I was staying in the penthouse suite.

Grandma said that the hospital had a small pool in the basement for physical therapy or for boys like me that needed a better way to cool off fast and the Doctor had arranged it so if that was the case, and I had been good. The nurses would happily throw me in it, and not too worry that nurses would make damn sure Mr. Rothwell was doing nothing but “bonding.”

By seven fifteen I was dressed in a pair of boxers and new shorts and a clean pair of socks. With a nice warm blanket over my shoulders, and ready for family home evening by the time the rest of the family arrived.  With tons of wonderful junk food, Grandma told my Dad that I was his favorite nurse so they transferred her down to my new floor, in case there were questions.

Dad nodded said. “At least Eric had someone he could count on.” and she informed him the Doctor had made the pool available to me to help cool me better than the tub and he or his family could use it when they are here during the day or late at night. All they had to do was tell them at the desk or pick up the phone; leaving the number near the phone. Shane said. “Bro I love your new digs.” Hearing about the pool, it might not be the Ritz, but it was close.

Shane and I were partners as we played a strange game called Mormon Life. Where you had to move your pieces by looking up scriptures the fastest and allowing you to move your pieces to the golden gates of heaven with the roll of the dices? But if you didn’t find the scripture in time by the time the sand run out, you moved your pieces backward towards the gates of hell. Shane was good considering he had his scriptures marked with phrases. I might have read them, but didn’t know them as well as everyone else’s, but we still won against Jody and Kerry; brother Nile's and Dad.

Dad ended the family game night at ten o’clock with a family prayer letting brother Nile's participate as he helped me on kneeling beside him taking my hand as Shane took the other. Mom and my sisters kissed my check saying goodnight to me and Dad. Brother Nile's helped tidy the room as everyone left placing the card tables and folding chairs in the corners. While Dad had few moments alone with Mom; Shane said that after school he’ll swing by for a few hours and maybe we will try out the pool, so I could have little exercise, giving me a knuckle bump. Shawn and just scowled at me prodding Arthur along as if he was a dog on a leash. Neither of them said a single word to me as they left the room.

Dad came back and helped clean the room, picking empty soda cans and placing the extras in the cooler for us boys during or game time. Telling us he was going to take a nice long hot shower. While the nurses helped me get ready for bed and gave my meds and replaced the IV bag and waited for me to pee so they could measure it. Personally, I thought it was disgusting, why would anyone measure that? Gross. Watching them open the bathroom door flush it down the toilet. Dad screaming; “hey I am naked in here,” as I and brother Nile's laughed.

It wasn’t long before the meds kick in when I fell asleep during the game, but wasn’t long soon after as I quickly had woken screaming seeing my father coming at me with his belt and the cattle prod in the dark church basement. Dad was shaking me awake, but I screamed, even more, seeing his face shifting from one form to another. Until the lights came on as a nurse came in seeing what the mater was. While Dad held me in his arms telling me it was just a dream.

Dad asking brother Nile's how often this happens. Telling him nearly every night, even more so when he and his wife visit. Dad repeated; “every night?”

Telling him; “some night he doesn’t sleep at all unless they dope him up real good.” 

Dad asked me what I was dreaming.  I told him; “my father beating me with his belt when I was locked in the church boiler-room. Sometimes I dream about when my mother tried to suffocate me.  Or I dream of being kept in a cage when I was four years old; Lots of horrible things that they had done to me over and over. I even dream about you and Mom…. Beating me or drowning me taking their place and shifting from one person to another. I hate dreams I hate living each night in constant fear so I don’t sleep.” I said crying into his shoulder.

Brother Nile's pushed the button while Dad held me. Feeling my wet bed he picked me up wrapping a dry blanket around me; telling the night nurse that I needed a fresh bed and something to help me sleep. She said. “I forgot that he suffers from night terrors. He was already asleep so I thought… never mind Mr. Rothwell I have him cleaned up and put back to bed in a jiffy.”

Dad watched as they quickly cleaned me up and changed my bed putting my solid clothes to be washed in my own personal hamper. And gave me something stronger in my IV; I was out like a light within ten minutes; Telling him if I woke again just push the button. Mr. Nile's was already back to sleep on a nice comfortable roll-away bed before she turned out the lights, I barely heard Dad grumbled; “Every night?”

The next time I woke I had a fever it was just nearly 5 o’clock in the morning when the nurses and brother Nile's helped me to the tub letting Dad sleep. For us, it was nothing new it was like a routine having him tiptoeing in his bare feet as he opened my dresser for a clean pair of boxers. Hearing Dad say “not another bad dream?” 

Brother Nile's saying; “no, just a fever go back to sleep. The nurse and I got this.” But Dad was up as he came in to see if we needed any help. By then I was cooled off and almost dry, and brother Nile's carried me back to my bed so they could change the bandages; while another nurse was changing my IV and putting pills in a cup, and having me drink them down with sips of ice water.

By six I was ready for my morning stroll in my boxers around the floor. Dad followed me in his PJs as he tried to wake himself up after a long hard night. Brother Nile's waved us on and climbed into the shower and was out by the time I made my fourth lap and joined me taking my IV friend making the last lap. Dad was back to sleep by the time breakfast arrived at seven thirty smelling hot blueberry pancakes and fresh scrambled eggs and hot crisp beacon. Complete with two glass of orange juice and carton of milk.  By eight I was back in the tub for my second cool down with a temperature of 102.

By nine I was on my knees with brother Nile's as we said our morning prayers. And said good morning to my grandmother using her fake name. Taking my morning stats, listening to Dad yawn saying it had indeed been a long night; waving goodbye to brother Nile's as he placed my scriptures in my hand while housekeeping cleaned my room.

Dad watched them taking my dirty laundry to be washed. Grandma came back at nine-thirty to take me around for my third lap as Dad followed dragging his tired feet behind us. By ten o’clock I was given another bath and more clean bandages and allowed to take two hour morning nap to recuperate from the night before; then it was time for another quick stroll around the floor until 12:30. Dad yawning nearly tripping over his feet by the time we got back lunch was ready and with quick prayer as Dad yawned and stretched.

Grandma came back to take my stats; noting it in the chart saying 101 and climbing; asking if I would like a dip in the pool instead of the tub. I gave a big fist pump and grandma helped me into my new trunks while another nurse unhooked my IV. Dad about to ask, changing his mind whispering under his breath brother Nile's. Placing a Newspaper under his arm and followed us down the hall realizing he was still in his PJs. Turning back to change his clothes; leaving me and my “nurse,” as she gave him direction where to find me.

Grandma took out some love story to read while she watched me jump into the pool. Dad soon found his way in as I was swimming back and forth. Sat down and read his News Paper. Until 1: 30  Having Grandma remind us that caseworker was coming at 2:30 Dad yawned and scratched his head letting Grandma dry me off and help me dress in my boxers and walked me back to my room. Passing the desk to let them know I was back and ready for clean bandages. By two I was dressed in my shorts and socks with a nice warm blanket around my shoulders. Dad was snoring like Clydesdale in a chair by the time my caseworker showed up with Mom right behind her.

Dad snorted a couple of times as Mom shook him wake letting him know she was here. Standing quickly as he fumbled for his lost slipper gave up kicked the other one off and shook her hand. Said “long night, sorry” as he tried to stifle a yawn. Grandma brought in the Doctor so he could go over my care while he and my caseworker examined me. My caseworker frowned as she listened to seeing the wounds had improved since her last visit and I was up and about, but the fever and infection still remains.

Asking how long until I would be in school frowning hearing the doctor say. “Three maybe four weeks” frowning telling us that won’t due to miss that much school, I would never catch up. Said she would have to see about what classes I would be taking and send a private teacher to school me. Moms stated the arrangements have been made to attend Lehi Jr. High and be placed in the 7th grade with Arthur.

My caseworker lost it said. “No Mrs. and Mr. Rothwell. There no reason to hold the boy back two years with grades as high as his practically an A student as with his attendants recorded. I am aware of your rules and guidelines, but that is unacceptable. One year maybe, but two; I would lose my job if I let that happen. No. You will let him be held back for six months only ½ year since they are on a block schedule to give him time to settle in. and register him for summer school with light classes so he is ready to go next year for his freshmen year.” Mom and Dad didn’t like it one bit. For once she was in my corner.

Personally, I was mad as hell, finding out that was one of the conditions. That every foster kid was held back in school the seconded they entered the home regardless of how smart or what their grade point average was. I could understand Arthur being held back, but me? It was just one more thing against them and one more thing I had to prove that I was not another stupid kid. It bothered me that their kids would all go to one school while the foster kids like me and Arthur were made to go to another school as if we weren’t good enough to breathe the same air. But there was nothing I could do about it. It was what it was. Mom and Dad finally agreed not liking it, but she left them no other choice. I was told by the end of the week I would have a private teacher come by and provide my education until I could attend school even though I hated the idea the decision was made.