“And a vegetable tray,” Pam placed the platter of vegetables on the table with flourish. “Because you can’t have popcorn and you can’t watch a movie without snacks.”
“Aw, you’re so thoughtful,” Jim grinned up at her and grabbed a handful of carrots. Pam smiled back and pressed play on the DVD player, Braveheart starting on the screen.
“I know,” She snuggled under the thick blanket next to Jim. She could clearly see that he had grown paler and thinner.
The pair had been dating for a little over two months. Over that time, Jim had been forced to cut back on work more and more until he only had the energy for a few hours at a time. Thankfully, the company had been flexible and had allowed him to keep his job.
His body suddenly jerked forward as he went into a violent coughing fit. Pam jumped at the unexpected movement and gently rubbed his back. Jim continued to cough harshly and her worry spiked when she saw the tears of pain in his eyes.
“You okay?” She asked softly, rubbing his back. He nodded but remained doubled over, wheezing.
Fear rushed through her when she saw that his breathing had not calmed, if anything it had gotten worse. Jim was gasping loudly, had grown pale, and sweat dripped down his face.
“What’s wrong Jim?” Pam asked softly. “Lean back.”
She tried to pull him back and leaned him against the couch, hoping that would calm his breathing. When Jim was still wheezing loudly she made up her mind.
“’Come on, we’re going to the hospital,” Pam stood and grabbed her shoes, pulling them on while trying to find Jim’s slippers.
“What…no…I’m fine,” Jim panted, eyes closed.
“No you’re not,” She replied, helping Jim slip on his shoes. “Let’s go, just to make sure nothing’s wrong.”
Pam did not consider how difficult it was going to be to move the incredibly tall man to the car without much help from Jim himself.
The car ride to the hospital was silent and tension filled. Pam began to get more worried when Jim began to worsen. His breathing had grown heavier until it sounded like he was gasping and his head continued to droop forward.
She quickly pulled into the hospital parking lot and put the car into park. Pam jumped out and ran over to Jim’s side, opening the door and helping him out. He was now leaning heavily on her small frame and his legs were giving out on him.
“Help!” Pam suddenly shouted, panicking. A nurse who had been on break outside saw them and called to someone else to get a gurney as she ran over.
“What happened?” The nurse asked, supporting Jim’s other side.
“He just started gasping and coughing and couldn’t breathe. He has heart failure,” Pam said quickly, obviously upset. Another nurse and a doctor ran out with a gurney and helped get Jim on it.
“Just come with me,” The nurse said soothingly, placing an arm around her shoulders and led Pam into the lobby. “Is there anyone you need to call?”
“I need to call his parents,” Pam said, tears beginning to fill her eyes now that the situation was sinking in.
“You can sit in that room there,” She said, pointing at a stark white door. The nurse gave her another reassuring smile. “We’ll let you know how he’s doing.”
“Thank you,” Pam whispered walking into the quiet room. The room was done up in soft pinks with huge watercolors of flowers on the wall but it just felt claustrophobic and cold to her.
She pulled her cell phone out of her purse with trembling hands and dialed Jim’s parent’s number.
“Larissa?” Pam asked tearfully when the phone was picked up. “Jim’s in the hospital.”
After telling Larissa exactly what had happened, Pam hung up and sat alone in the room, shaking.
“Hello?” A young doctor knocked on the door and gave her a warm smile. “Are you here for Jim Halpert?”
“Yes,” Pam sniffed. “I’m his girlfriend.”
“Alright, because of his heart failure, Jim has had a pulmonary edema,” The doctor sat down next to her. “Basically, there was an accumulation of fluid in his lungs but we’ve given him oxygen and some medication and he’s doing much better.”
“Is he going to be okay?” Pam asked softly.
“He’ll be fine,” The doctor said with a smile. “Unfortunately, I’ve talked to his primary cardiologist and we both agree that it will be best if he is under constant supervision until his transplant.”
“That could be months,” She said. “You’re saying that he could stay in this hospital for months.”
“I’m sorry but it’s for his own health,” The doctor said gently. “He would stay in the CCU and would get the best care possible. You all could visit as often as you want and he will be very comfortable.”
Pam nodded, wiping at her tears. “Can I see him?”
“Sure, come with me,” The doctor stood and led her through the ER to one of the curtained rooms.
Jim was propped up in bed, eyes closed and breathing through an oxygen mask. The doctor nodded at her and left her alone.
Pam walked over to him and gently took his hand. Jim’s eyes opened and he smiled at her.
“Hey,” He said, voice muffled by the mask.
“Hey,” Pam pulled up the closest chair. “How do you feel?”
“Like crap,” He mumbled, closing his eyes again and letting out a few sharp, weak coughs. “My chest is really tight.”
“I know,” She mumbled, gently rubbing the back of his hand as his closed his eyes tighter.
“Jim?” Mike asked as he stepped through the curtain. “Hey.”
The usually cheerful doctor had a very serious look on his face and was holding Jim’s chart tightly.
“I’m sorry I don’t have better news but I, and some other professionals, believe it would be best to your health if you stayed here until your heart transplant.”
Pam squeezed her boyfriend’s hand tightly as his eyes narrowed.
“I’m not staying here for months,” Jim said sharply, moving aside his oxygen mask to be heard more clearly. “There’s no way, I’m not staying here.”
He struggled to sit up but Pam’s hand on his shoulder kept him down in the bed. Jim was trembling with exhaustion and fell heavily back onto the pillows.
“We can come visit you,” Pam tried to reason with him. “I’ll come when I’m not at work. It won’t be that bad and the transplant might be really soon.”
“Or it could be months or even years away,” Jim snapped back. “I’m not going to stay in the hospital for that long like a sick old man. I mean, Jesus, I’m only in my twenties. I’m fine.”
“Jim, think about this,” Mike tried again. “What if you’re alone and something happens. You could die in minutes.”
“Please do it Jim,” Pam whispered, now growing desperate. “I can’t deal with you dying if we could have prevented it. Please.”
Jim stared at her intently for a few moments before closing his eyes and nodding, shoulders sinking in defeat.
~*~
Over the next hour, a listless Jim was moved into a room in the CCU. He was silent throughout the whole move and Pam was convinced that he was still bitter towards them.
Jim lay curled up in his narrow hospital bed and stared out the small window. After the move upstairs, Pam and his family went to go pick up his stuff and left him alone.
“Hey neighbor,” He heard a harsh, raspy voice outside his door. Jim glanced over to see a thin old man in a wheelchair at his door. “Can I come in?”
“Yeah,” Jim pushed himself up on his bed. “Yeah, sure.”
“The name’s Gregory Lancaster,” The man extended his hand, purpled from IVs. “I’m in the room next door, been here for a little over three months.”
“Jim Halpert,” Jim shook his hand. “So, is it as bad as I think it is?”
“Nah,” Gregory waved his hand. “The food sucks and I would avoid the nurse named Lucy but otherwise everyone is nice and Nurse Susan is pretty hot.”
“Thanks for the advice, but I have a girlfriend,” Jim laughed.
“Ah, well there isn’t any harm in looking,” The older man grinned. “So, how did you end up here?”
“Heart failure caused by a congenital defect,” Jim replied, moving farther up the bed.
“Ah, bummer man,” Gregory shook his head. “Mine was from forty years of smoking. So tell me about this girlfriend.”
~*~
Pam walked down the hall, carrying a duffle bag full of clothes and books. As she neared Jim’s door she was confused at the sound of laughter.
“Hey Pam!” Jim said as soon as he saw her, face lighting up. “This is Gregory Lancaster, he’s from next door. Greg, this is my girlfriend Pam Beesley.”
“Lovely to meet you dear,” Greg shook her hand and smiled.
“Yeah, you too,” Pam smiled at the obviously happier Jim.
“It’s just always nice to meet someone new,” Greg grinned brightly. “Especially in a place like this.”
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© 2006-2023 More Than That | Skin created by Kali
© 2006-2023 More Than That | Skin created by Kali