ONCE Chapter 5
Sep. 14th, 2005 08:43 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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vigorliTitle: ONCE
Author: obvmluver
Type: RPS
Pairing: Orlando/Viggo
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These events never happened. I get no profit from this.
Beta: Not betaed
Summary: Orlando falls ill. Can he and Viggo survive through it together?
Author’s Notes: I read a wonderful story in the 90s that was in the Reader’s Digest. I can never thank the real people behind the original story enough. Send feedback to my address. Thanks.
Another chapter, please, enjoy... :D
In the afternoon we face another problem. The lunch. I walk to the cafeteria being exhausted and I eat salad. Then I run back because I want to be with him.
At 3:00 PM the shift changes. If Orli has strength we sing songs. The last time I walk upstairs is at dinner. An hour later I don’t even remember what I have eaten. I come back being even more exhausted and spend the evening watching TV. At 10:00 PM I have covered Orli and I go to the shower. In there I can rebel against this injustice, to negotiate with God and cry in peace. After I have come back to the room I realize it is completely dark. The pump in IV is humming softly, the clock is ticking and Orli wakes up. We wonder what is love, what is fury, good and bad. We wonder what is life and what is death.
Orlando’s first period of treatment ends today at May the 14th. Both of us are anxious to get rid of that ugly IV-machine. Finally the last drop of ARA – C is flown. Dr. baker walks in a smile on his face. “If you drink a lot for the couple of days without getting a fever I’ll kick you out.” “This Friday?” Orli asks. “Fine with me” the doctor says and walks out. I find him and yell at him about the fact that he didn’t tell us Orli would come home after the ARA – C treatment. “I understand you are afraid. I bet you remember that YOU said you wanted to spend as normal life as possible with Orlando. That’s why we let him to go home. Don’t worry. Doctors of your own hospital will take care of everything. They’ll take the blood test every day. You will take care that Orlando doesn’t get any infections. However, the most important thing is that you get to be together. Isn’t it great?” When he touches my shoulder I break down. “There’s nothing wrong with being afraid” Dan Baker says soothingly. As he talks I think about home: how I’d cook with Orli, how I’d get to sleep next to him on our own bed. Who knows, maybe we’ll manage a week.
Orlando drinks as he is told and doesn’t get the fever. On Friday morning we get the final permission to leave and we pack. We leave the hospital being unsure like little birds leaving their nest. On the ferry Orli opens the window and inhales the air smelling like the ocean near us. “Finally free…”
The biggest surprise is that Orlando’s family is there with my parents waiting for us. There’s the whole Fellowship too! Walking hand in hand we go to the others. Orli’s mom and sister cry as Beanie hugs him. I step aside and let them enjoy. Soon a happy chitchat fills the air inside. Orli lies on the couch and rests.
At 10:00 PM Orli’s eyes start to flutter shut and he says he’s going to sleep. When I enter the bedroom half an hour later Orli has fallen asleep on the bed still in his clothes. Just when I’m about to switch the lights off he turns his side and opens his eyes. “Good night” he says and falls asleep again. I stare at him for minutes and press my forehead against his. At night I wake up to a sound of a toilet flushing. I see Orli has understood to take his clothes offand his tall, pale and thin being curls up under the cover next to me wrapping his other hand around me. He pulls me close, sighs deeply and falls asleep again. I feel happy because Orli is home after the long torture in the hospital.
We sleep long in the morning. I wake up first anyway. I walk to the kitchen and make some coffee. A mug in my hand I walk to the balcony. A warm breeze touches my torso gently and flutters my hair. But suddenly I feel something much more pleasant than the wind. Orli’s hot body presses against me and he wraps his arms around me. “Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Orli asks putting his chin onto my shoulder. “Yeah and I love you too – way too much” I reply smiling. Then he tells me he’s taking a shower. I have a chance of making food.
A week goes by too fast. Orli has just come out of the shower and he is dressing up. A gown flutters as he comes to me. I start to comb his hair. Huge locks fall onto the table, to the sink, onto the toilet seat and on the floor. Although we have decided this won’t happen both of us have secretly been ready for this. Silent tears are falling down on his cheeks.
May the 21st. Friday morning. We eat bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast and we try not to care about the hair. Orli is tolerating my feigned liveliness gritting his teeth. I hate my voice because I can’t shut up. I shouldn’t give up this easily.
On Saturday morning Orli is like a lion. He wakes up and scratches the hair away from his pillow. He screams: “I don’t want those drugs anymore!” Our personal doctor Turner wants to keep an eye on Orli’s slight fever. A blood test should be taken again. Three hours later Orli settles himself in the room B 332. Both of us are relieved to be back in the hospital.
We have a new neighbour – 21 years old, handsome Scott Hunter. He has come from Ohio for a bone marrow transfusion. The marrow would be taken from his 14 years old sister. Dan Baker has sometimes mentioned the transfusion. Did it mean almost the same as getting better? Was it only on experimental level? Was it dangerous? Is it too early to talk about it now? The next time I see him I will push him against the wall. A glimmer of hope. Planted by Scott Hunter from Ohio.
In the morning there is Mr. USA competition on TV. Orli watches it not moving a bit. I sit down with dr. Baker in the corridor leaning against the wall. I want to know everything about the bone marrow transfusion but Baker doesn’t tell me much. “It’s too early to talk about it” he says. “We haven’t even gotten it to remission. There is no use to go ahead of things.” “It’s easy for you to say.” I snap and continue: “I try to get information about the operation that might save Orlando’s life and I should forget the whole thing?” “Unnecessary optimism may only make the situation worse.” I don’t answer dr. Baker because if I opened my mouth I would start crying again. “Just one thing. The treatment is in halfway…” he says. “It’s time to take another bone marrow test and then we need a biopsy of the firm bone marrow. The operation can be done in anesthesia so that Orlando doesn’t remember anything about it. But now I have to go. I’ll stop by to talk with Orlando in the afternoon.” When I enter Orli’s room he’s examining his gums with a mirror nurse Nancy next to him. “They are bleeding. I guess I brushed too hard.” “Yeah, maybe but you also have very little of thrombocytes. You’ll get more of them today.” “No more stinging!” Orli said with a thick voice. Nancy sooths him. “Calm down. The IV – needle is usable. No stinging.” A sunny smile spreads on Orli’s face and he suggests: “What if we went to a sightseeing tour? I know we’ll be stuck in here for the rest of the day.” We go to our favourite places: the delivery ward and the fast food bar in the 1st floor. In the elevators Orli stares at the doctors, goofs off with nurses, greets cleaning ladies and meets nutrition therapists. They all know Orli. Orli smiles behind the mask, straightens his scarf up and suddenly I feel content. I don’t understand why but I hold on to that.
Author: obvmluver
Type: RPS
Pairing: Orlando/Viggo
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: These events never happened. I get no profit from this.
Beta: Not betaed
Summary: Orlando falls ill. Can he and Viggo survive through it together?
Author’s Notes: I read a wonderful story in the 90s that was in the Reader’s Digest. I can never thank the real people behind the original story enough. Send feedback to my address. Thanks.
Another chapter, please, enjoy... :D
In the afternoon we face another problem. The lunch. I walk to the cafeteria being exhausted and I eat salad. Then I run back because I want to be with him.
At 3:00 PM the shift changes. If Orli has strength we sing songs. The last time I walk upstairs is at dinner. An hour later I don’t even remember what I have eaten. I come back being even more exhausted and spend the evening watching TV. At 10:00 PM I have covered Orli and I go to the shower. In there I can rebel against this injustice, to negotiate with God and cry in peace. After I have come back to the room I realize it is completely dark. The pump in IV is humming softly, the clock is ticking and Orli wakes up. We wonder what is love, what is fury, good and bad. We wonder what is life and what is death.
Orlando’s first period of treatment ends today at May the 14th. Both of us are anxious to get rid of that ugly IV-machine. Finally the last drop of ARA – C is flown. Dr. baker walks in a smile on his face. “If you drink a lot for the couple of days without getting a fever I’ll kick you out.” “This Friday?” Orli asks. “Fine with me” the doctor says and walks out. I find him and yell at him about the fact that he didn’t tell us Orli would come home after the ARA – C treatment. “I understand you are afraid. I bet you remember that YOU said you wanted to spend as normal life as possible with Orlando. That’s why we let him to go home. Don’t worry. Doctors of your own hospital will take care of everything. They’ll take the blood test every day. You will take care that Orlando doesn’t get any infections. However, the most important thing is that you get to be together. Isn’t it great?” When he touches my shoulder I break down. “There’s nothing wrong with being afraid” Dan Baker says soothingly. As he talks I think about home: how I’d cook with Orli, how I’d get to sleep next to him on our own bed. Who knows, maybe we’ll manage a week.
Orlando drinks as he is told and doesn’t get the fever. On Friday morning we get the final permission to leave and we pack. We leave the hospital being unsure like little birds leaving their nest. On the ferry Orli opens the window and inhales the air smelling like the ocean near us. “Finally free…”
The biggest surprise is that Orlando’s family is there with my parents waiting for us. There’s the whole Fellowship too! Walking hand in hand we go to the others. Orli’s mom and sister cry as Beanie hugs him. I step aside and let them enjoy. Soon a happy chitchat fills the air inside. Orli lies on the couch and rests.
At 10:00 PM Orli’s eyes start to flutter shut and he says he’s going to sleep. When I enter the bedroom half an hour later Orli has fallen asleep on the bed still in his clothes. Just when I’m about to switch the lights off he turns his side and opens his eyes. “Good night” he says and falls asleep again. I stare at him for minutes and press my forehead against his. At night I wake up to a sound of a toilet flushing. I see Orli has understood to take his clothes offand his tall, pale and thin being curls up under the cover next to me wrapping his other hand around me. He pulls me close, sighs deeply and falls asleep again. I feel happy because Orli is home after the long torture in the hospital.
We sleep long in the morning. I wake up first anyway. I walk to the kitchen and make some coffee. A mug in my hand I walk to the balcony. A warm breeze touches my torso gently and flutters my hair. But suddenly I feel something much more pleasant than the wind. Orli’s hot body presses against me and he wraps his arms around me. “Have I ever told you how much I love you?” Orli asks putting his chin onto my shoulder. “Yeah and I love you too – way too much” I reply smiling. Then he tells me he’s taking a shower. I have a chance of making food.
A week goes by too fast. Orli has just come out of the shower and he is dressing up. A gown flutters as he comes to me. I start to comb his hair. Huge locks fall onto the table, to the sink, onto the toilet seat and on the floor. Although we have decided this won’t happen both of us have secretly been ready for this. Silent tears are falling down on his cheeks.
May the 21st. Friday morning. We eat bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast and we try not to care about the hair. Orli is tolerating my feigned liveliness gritting his teeth. I hate my voice because I can’t shut up. I shouldn’t give up this easily.
On Saturday morning Orli is like a lion. He wakes up and scratches the hair away from his pillow. He screams: “I don’t want those drugs anymore!” Our personal doctor Turner wants to keep an eye on Orli’s slight fever. A blood test should be taken again. Three hours later Orli settles himself in the room B 332. Both of us are relieved to be back in the hospital.
We have a new neighbour – 21 years old, handsome Scott Hunter. He has come from Ohio for a bone marrow transfusion. The marrow would be taken from his 14 years old sister. Dan Baker has sometimes mentioned the transfusion. Did it mean almost the same as getting better? Was it only on experimental level? Was it dangerous? Is it too early to talk about it now? The next time I see him I will push him against the wall. A glimmer of hope. Planted by Scott Hunter from Ohio.
In the morning there is Mr. USA competition on TV. Orli watches it not moving a bit. I sit down with dr. Baker in the corridor leaning against the wall. I want to know everything about the bone marrow transfusion but Baker doesn’t tell me much. “It’s too early to talk about it” he says. “We haven’t even gotten it to remission. There is no use to go ahead of things.” “It’s easy for you to say.” I snap and continue: “I try to get information about the operation that might save Orlando’s life and I should forget the whole thing?” “Unnecessary optimism may only make the situation worse.” I don’t answer dr. Baker because if I opened my mouth I would start crying again. “Just one thing. The treatment is in halfway…” he says. “It’s time to take another bone marrow test and then we need a biopsy of the firm bone marrow. The operation can be done in anesthesia so that Orlando doesn’t remember anything about it. But now I have to go. I’ll stop by to talk with Orlando in the afternoon.” When I enter Orli’s room he’s examining his gums with a mirror nurse Nancy next to him. “They are bleeding. I guess I brushed too hard.” “Yeah, maybe but you also have very little of thrombocytes. You’ll get more of them today.” “No more stinging!” Orli said with a thick voice. Nancy sooths him. “Calm down. The IV – needle is usable. No stinging.” A sunny smile spreads on Orli’s face and he suggests: “What if we went to a sightseeing tour? I know we’ll be stuck in here for the rest of the day.” We go to our favourite places: the delivery ward and the fast food bar in the 1st floor. In the elevators Orli stares at the doctors, goofs off with nurses, greets cleaning ladies and meets nutrition therapists. They all know Orli. Orli smiles behind the mask, straightens his scarf up and suddenly I feel content. I don’t understand why but I hold on to that.
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Date: 2005-09-14 08:08 pm (UTC)Love, Z
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Date: 2005-09-14 09:11 pm (UTC)Well, I will say I like this story very much. Not the subject (who likes this kind of subject?!) but I've know people with leukemia; my father had a tumour's extraction in January and has finish the chimio sessions last month, one aunt had cancer in her brain... none of us is beyond any disease.
I'm all forward to talk and finish the mistified monsters of cancer. We fear the unknown. We can only battle what we know. That's were part of our strenght should be! Knowledge. The rest is faith, willpower, our heart, family and friends. But that is just my opinion.
Thank you for this story.
:D