(no subject)

[thomas_kemp]

WHO: Thomas Kemp, Emma Kemp, open only to Kemp family (he's in the ICU so a friend and Lena post can come later!)
WHAT: Post-surgery
WHEN: Friday evening
WHERE: Hospital ICU
WARNINGS: Health stuff!, TBA



Thomas was wheeled away from his hospital room and into the operating theatre right on time, which he was more than grateful for. As they put the anaesthetic up to his face and told him to count, all he really noticed was the gradual and blissful easing of the excruciating pain that had become his entire existence. He didn't even think to hope he would wake up at the end of it all. The relief was too much.

And then, what seemed all of a minute later to him, but what had actually been six hours, Thomas blinked groggily awake in a recovery room. His head was throbbing dully, but he wasn't in anguish and that was nice. His first action, however, was to slowly roll onto his side and dry-heave over the edge of his bed while several nurses ran at him to stop him from injuring himself or pulling out any tubes. The anaesthetic had made him nauseated and, had he had anything in his stomach at all, it would have been all over the recovery room floor.

Once he was rolled back onto his back, Thomas murmured, "'m alive-" to the ceiling and promptly fell asleep again.

A few hours later, now in the ICU, he woke and found his mother sitting beside him. He felt like his head was full of cobwebs and his mouth was full of cottonballs but he still managed to half-grunt a 'hi' at her.

Emma pulled down her newspaper and she smiled at her son before putting it aside. "Hello, lovely. I have some water for you if you think you can keep it down?"

The moment water was mentioned, it was all Thomas wanted in the entire world. "Please?" he croaked with a throat made of sandpaper. She picked up the cup and angled the straw into his mouth.

"Just be slow about it," she cautioned and Thomas drank as slow as he could manage while still being a little desperate about it. Once he had finished the entire glass, she pulled it away and he blinked at her.

"Still feel a bit sick."

"Well if you need to throw up I have a bucket for you," she assured him. "Though if you want to try something to eat I have soup."

"Mmm." He had been too sick to eat for most of a week, and soup sounded wonderful. He decided to make sure he didn't throw up the water first, however. "How's my hair?"

Emma laughed loudly at that. "Well it's all gone, but your head is entirely wrapped up anyway so I can't see it. I'm sure you'll look fine."

"I'll look like Frankenstein," he informed her. "How...how did it go?" He was fairly sure he was too exhausted to move again ever, but at least he was alive, right?

"It was perfect," she said with a smile. "No complications and they got all of it. You can move out of the ICU tomorrow if all goes well, and you'll be able to go home within a week as long as you don't exert yourself and keep healing." Thomas knew if he had another seizure he'd be stuck here longer so he just had to hope that didn't happen. He wanted to go home. He hadn't been there in a month now.

"Do I have lots of tubes?"

"You do have a rather impressive collection," she said with a nod. Then she leaned forward and planted a kiss on his bandages, ever so carefully. "I'm so glad you're alright. I'm going to go tell the family they can come in now. Unfortunately Lena will have to wait until you're back in your room."

Thomas frowned at that, but he understood. Mostly, he just wanted to see his son. "Okay," he said, wishing he felt a little more human.

Comments

[flare-star.insanejournal.com]

Jamie had been in the waiting room with his aunts and his grandmother all day. He'd opened every magazine there at least once, but he hadn't really read any of them. Same for the book he'd brought with him, and his pencils had been mostly stuck in his pocket.

When his grandmother came out to tell them that his dad was awake and wanted to see him, he shot out of his chair so fast he almost knocked it over. He pushed the door open and stuck his head in. "Hey, Dad," he said. "How are you feeling?"

[thomas_kemp]

The moment Thomas saw Jamie, his face split into a tired grin and he reached out for Jamie's hand. "Hey," he said tiredly. He knew he didn't sound like himself and he doubted he looked like himself either. "I love you." It seemed like an important thing to say after brain surgery.

[flare-star.insanejournal.com]

Jamie took his hand and squeezed it. "I love you too, Dad," he replied. "It's really great to see you awake." The relief he was feeling right now couldn't even be put into words.

[thomas_kemp]

"Good to be awake," he replied. "Was...I a total jerk yesterday?"

Emma reached out to pat Thomas' arm. "AVMs cause behavioural changes, Tommy. And you were in a lot of pain."

"I just remember feeling out of control," he murmured. "Not much pain right now. 's good. Are you okay?" he asked Jamie. "Did I yell at you?"

[flare-star.insanejournal.com]

"Not to me," Jamie told him. "And like Grandma said, you were in a lot of pain. It's really, really awesome that your pain's less now."

"Me?" he asked. "I'm fine, I promise. You didn't yell at me."

[thomas_kemp]

"Thank fuck," he breathed, "sorry. Can't control mouth. Mom. Can I have some of that soup now?"

"Of course you can." Emma inched forward and she picked the soup up off of the stand. "I'll have to feed it to you or you'll get it everywhere."

Thomas groaned a little. "Don't let my sisters in," he said to Jamie. "They'll never stop teasing me. For the best though, my right arm still feels asleep."

[flare-star.insanejournal.com]

"Maybe once you're done eating?" Jamie suggested. "They've been here all day, they're really anxious to see how you are. But hey, your appetite's back. That's a good sign."

[thomas_kemp]

"Starving," Thomas admitted. And the truth was that he actually was, though he had avoided being malnourished thanks to the hospital. Emma loaded up the spoon and fed Thomas a bite. He was not pleased to have his son see him like this, but he was too hungry to care too much. Hell, if his sisters came in he would deal with it.

"They told me I might do stupid things when I go home," he told Jamie, accepting another bite. "Like I might forget to turn the oven off. Because m'brain is healing."

[flare-star.insanejournal.com]

"Well, you've already rigged it so you that buzzer will wake you up if you try to leave," Jamie said. "And I can help with the cooking and whatever. Your brain'll be back to normal in no time."

[thomas_kemp]

"'s long as I don't burn down the apartment," he said softly. He was a little ashamed he needed to be looked after, but there was nothing else for it. "Does my head look like a mummy?" he slurred a little and Emma chuckled a little before spooning him another bite. "They said my skull might click too. 's awesome."

[flare-star.insanejournal.com]

"We won't let that happen," Jamie promised. "And yeah, it does a little." He smiled a bit. "Clicking skull, huh? Weird."

[thomas_kemp]

"Bone plates scraping together or something," he murmured. "Mom, I dunno if I can eat much more," he said turning to look at her.

"It's okay love, just let me know if I change your mind."

"Mmm." He turned back to Jamie. "Did you eat, Jamie? You have to eat." He was trying to do the parent thing while in an ICU bed. "How long have you been sitting there?"

[flare-star.insanejournal.com]

"I had a sandwich around 1," Jamie told him. "Dad, really, don't worry about me. I can eat whenever. And to answer your question...since around 10 this morning. I don't think any of us left the waiting room for more than half an hour."

[thomas_kemp]

"That was seven hours ago," he tiredly pointed out. "I think?"

Emma nodded, but she patted Thomas' shoulder. "He's fine, darling."

"Were you really both here all day?" Thomas asked.

"Of course we were. Should I go get your sisters?" When Thomas nodded, Emma kissed his forehead and went to go let the girls know the could head in.

While they were alone, Thomas turned to his son. "Glad you didn't have to do any...uhm. Any proxy thingies."

[flare-star.insanejournal.com]

"I really am OK," Jamie assured him. "But I will eat something else soon."

"You and me both," Jamie said quietly, once his grandmother was gone. "I mean, I knew I might have to if things went bad, but when they said you were out of surgery, I breathed a little sigh of relief."

There was a quiet knock on the door, and Maddy stuck her head inside, holding a bright bouquet. "Hey, Tommy," she called softly. "Up for another visitor?"

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas smiled and he gave Jamie's hand a little squeeze. Then his sister peeked in and he grinned to her. "Hey, sweetie. Come in. Sorry I was a jerk yesterday. Awkward bed hug?"

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

Maddy set the flowers down, leaning down to give him said awkward bed hug. "Tommy, you were bleeding in your brain. It's OK, I'm just glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

"Ask him about his clicking skull," Jamie added.

Maddy looked from him back to Thomas so fast, she almost gave herself whiplash. "Say what now?"

[thomas_kemp]

"My skull's gonna click," he explained without really explaining anything. "'Cause...they cut it open and it'll rub. 'dyou know what I want? Fuckin' waffles."

Charlotte poked her head in as well and then she giggled. "How high is he?" she asked.

"Only a little," he answered instead of letting Jamie and Maddy answer. "And my brain got cut out."

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"We should definitely all go and have waffles once you're out of here," Maddy said. "IHOP has some great-looking specials this month."

Jamie rolled his eyes fondly. "Not all of it," he said. "Just the evil parts. And dammit, now I want waffles, thanks you guys." Maddy just laughed.

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas groaned a little and he placed his hand over his stomach. "One day I won't feel sick all the time," he said sadly. All he wanted to do was eat about twelve waffles with strawberries and cream. "And I can eat anything I want. I'll be a good day."

Charlotte went to go pet his arm. "Soon, Tommy."

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"It'll be the best day," Maddy agreed. "And once you're feeling better, we can do something for Jamie's birthday. Family dinner, or something."

[thomas_kemp]

"That sounds brilliant!" Charlotte said, beaming at Jamie. "We'll spoil you!"

"And I'll have more tiny cake," Thomas agreed. "Actually I could do more soup now since I didn't puke up the first bites." He didn't feel great, but he was sure now they would stay down. He sort of half-pointed to the container on the stand near him. "Someone has to do it for me though," he said regretfully. "And it's embarrassing so don't laugh."

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

Jamie grinned. "That sounds great," he said. "It can be a double celebration, it'll be awesome."

"Come on, Tommy, do you really think we'd laugh at you?" Maddy asked. "We're not that mean."

Jamie sat down next to the bed, picking up the spoon. "I can do it, Dad, it's fine. Just make sure you don't overdo it."

[thomas_kemp]

"I think you might bring it up at my wedding, should I ever get married," he said dryly to his little sister.

"Oh come on, we have way worse stories than this," Charlotte grinned.

Thomas chuckled at that. "Yeah yeah." It struck Thomas that Jamie might have to feed him in the future and it made him rather sad. He was going to try not to focus on it however. "Are you sure you want to?" he asked, not watching to force Jamie to feed him. "I won't overdo it. Just hungry." He was feeling rather fragile and he was fairly sure if they told him he shouldn't have any more food yet, he might cry. All his emotions were quite on the surface.

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"I was gonna say, not so much," Maddy agreed. "There are nicer, funnier stories to tell."

"Oh!" she added. "Before I forget, you should bring that nice boy of yours to your party thing so I can meet him. Char says good things."

"'That nice boy of yours?'" Jamie asked, smiling slightly and raising an eyebrow. "I thought you were 24, Aunt Maddy, not 54." Maddy flicked the side of his head. "Hush, you."

"I'm sure," Jamie assured him, loading up some soup. "If you're hungry, you should eat."

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas chuckled at his family and then he accepted the spoonful of soup, feeling incredibly embarrassed. Once he had swallowed he said, "but he is a rather nice boy and he should definitely come."

Charlotte sat a bit farther away, giving Jamie room to feed his father. Thomas signalled that he wanted another bite and when he'd swallowed that he said, "so are you all going to sign my head bandage?"

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

Jamie spooned soup into his dad's mouth, a napkin close at hand in case there were any mishaps. "He is that," he agreed. "I like having him around."

"If you're serious, then I totally will," Maddy said. "Jamie, you should draw something on his head bandage."

"I shall make it the most fabulous of head bandages."

[thomas_kemp]

"Of course I'm serious," he said with a smile. They would change it eventually, but they could always decorate it again. What was the point of having his head wrapped up if they couldn't draw all over it?

"More soup. Hey, do you think they have waffles in the cafeteria? Soup isn't filling. I want to be filled."

Charlotte doubled over laughing at that and Thomas shot her a tired and withering look. "Yes, Char. That's exactly what I meant. What I want is some buttsex here in the ICU."

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

Maddy started giggling, stopping her hunt through her purse dead in its track. Jamie, on the other hand, just rolled his eyes and said, "If you're gonna do that, I'm gonna go get a cheeseburger."

Maddy found a pen in the bottom of her bag, and started doodling curlicues and random shapes all over Thomas' head. "Jamie, you should draw a little zombie gnawing on his head. I'd try, but my art skills extend pretty much to stick figures."

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas moaned with desire as they started doodling on his head. "If you do, you bring me back a cheeseburger too. Or seven. Try seven cheeseburgers."

Charlotte snickered and she patted Thomas' leg. "I wouldn't worry, Jamie. From what I hear, Tommy is more a giver anyway, even with the boys."

"Charlotte!" Thomas hissed at her. "I knew introducing you to Lena was going to end badly. You're going to scar my child!"

She just grinned and shrugged. "Just what I heard on the grapevine is all!"

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"You can have one," Jamie told him. "Let's see if you can keep it down."

Maddy started laughing again, still drawing on Thomas' head. "Lena sounds fabulous, I need to meet her. It's imperative."

Jamie just covered his eyes with his hand, making a slight noise of distress. "That is more than I ever needed to know about my dad's sex life, thank you, Aunt Red. Thank you so much."

Maddy patted Jamie on the head. "This too shall pass, grasshopper."

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas gave his son a look that clearly said 'I'm sorry for her' while Charlotte continued to giggle.

"Lena is amazing, you do need to meet her," Charlotte said. "And then you can know more about Thomas' sex life than you need to as well!"

Thomas just shook his head. "Sometime when poor Jamie isn't here, I need you to tell me whether these stories are...you know...good ones or not."

Charlotte snorted, "no need to worry."

"Heh, so hey, that cheeseburger sounds like perfection right now!" he said pointedly to his poor son.

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"I know an out when it's being given to me," Jamie laughed. "And I need to eat too, so yes. Burgers."

Maddy started digging through her purse again. "Hey, if you're going to the cafeteria, will you get me some fries, if they have them?" she asked. She handed him a five dollar bill.

"Sure," Jamie said, tucking the money in his pocket. "I'll be back in a bit." He left, closing the door behind him.

"Now that he's not here," Maddy laughed.

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas watched his son leave and then he turned to his sisters. "I'm going to eat a hamburger," he said dreamily. "I don't...know how, but I am." He couldn't wait. He'd wanted to eat for a week and now he felt like he actually could manage it. Maybe this brain surgery thing wasn't so shit after all.

Charlotte turned to Maddy and she grinned wickedly. "Lena was just saying he's enthusiastic,"

"Oi," he protested. "Of course I'm enthusiastic, I've been lonely for nineteen years."

Charlotte gave her brother a little frowny face. "Poor bubby."

"You are totally ruining my burger buzz," he joked.

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"I'm drawing a little hamburger on your head," Maddy told him. "To mark this joyous occasion."

Then her eyes widened, like she understood something. "Ooooohhhh," she said, nodding. "That explains that text Jamie sent me a few weeks ago. He said something like, 'Dad's back looks clawed all to hell. Apparently he made a new friend'. And then I had to run off to class and sort of...forgot about it."

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas chuckled at the idea that there was now a hamburger on his head. "Yes...yes, that'd be it. Poor Jamie. I shouldn't have answered my door topless, though it was several months ago now. I was just at a bar and Lena was there being charming and I'd never met her before in my life but she was rather forward. And I really wasn't going to turn her down."

"Been a while, Tommyboy?" Charlotte asked with a smirk.

"Two years, nosy," he said, poking her in the arm. "But she's my girlfriend now so hey not a bad decision!"

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"You laugh, but there is a bacon cheeseburger, or an approximation of one, half-drawn on your head," Maddy said, snickering. "I'm so ridiculous, I'm making my own mouth water."

"Does sound like a rather good decision," Maddy agreed. Then she let out a fake wince. "Ouch, hell of a dry spell."

[thomas_kemp]

"You're making my mouth water too," Thomas chuckled at her. He was feeling more and more awake and he was so thankful they were there with him.

To that he made a face. "I really know," he said with a sigh. "But once it was nearly four years, so you know...perspective. I was a little preoccupied raising a kid."

"I actually remember after you finally got laid," Charlotte said laughing, "you called to talk to me about something and you wouldn't stop whistling."

"It was a very important day!" he laughed.

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

Maddy finished the top bun, dotting it with tiny ink sesame seeds. "It's good to see you smile, Tommy," she told him, capping her pen and sticking it back in her purse.

She snorted at that. "That sounds like you," she said. "But I know the boat you used to be in, Tommy. I can measure time since the last time in months now. Meh."

[thomas_kemp]

"Technically," Thomas pointed out, "I can measure it in month. Just one. But I was out of the country and then my brain exploded. Don't tell Mom or she'll try to get you laid. She used to try to set me up all the time."

"Oh god, she sent me on the most awkward blind date," Charlotte agreed.

"But she cares," Thomas added. "About our sex lives. Which could be weird, but you know. It's us. And thank you both by the way. It's nice to smile." And it really was. "Now I just need a hamburger and maybe one of your fries," he said to Maddy. "Did you notice Jamie being all grown up and telling me I could only have one burger? My boy is an adult!"

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"Hence 'used to be'," Maddy said. Then she smacked her face into one of her hands. "Ack, no. I'm fine now, because recall, if you will, some of the guys I've slept with. Rick the dick, serial deflowerer. Mike the douche. Seth of the no ambition. Etc. I know she cares, and whoever she'd set me up with would be miles above them, but still. Slightly wary of the whole dating thing."

"I shall be gracious and share my fries with you," she told him, winking. "And he is, it blows my mind sometimes. I remember when he was this tiny little thing, running around catching fireflies with me. Now he towers over everyone, and his hair is better than mine."

[thomas_kemp]

Even though he was very protective of his sisters and he didn't like that anyone might have hurt them, he was also on a lot of drugs. When Maddy said 'Rick the Dick', Thomas burst out laughing so hard it actually hurt his head. And yet he didn't stop. He continued to giggle, though he managed to get out, "Rick the dick! It's like a Dr Seuss villain!"

Charlotte just shook her head at them. "Yeah, he's on the opium there. I hear you about being wary. He's got it lucky in that he only has to deal with men if he wants to," she said with a shake of her head.

"Hahhahaa Rick the- Ahem. No, sorry. Sorry. Drugs. Yes. No more dicks. Rick or otherwise," he said, patting her arm.

Maddy complimented his son and Thomas beamed. "Sometimes I forget I made him," he said with a nod. "He used to sleep on my chest. If he did that now, it would be awkward."

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

Even though it had been almost five years, and she could more or less think about that time without wanting to punch things, and she knew her brother really was on a lot of drugs, Maddy still felt her eyebrows creep up her forehead. "So glad you find that funny, Tommy," she said. "I did learn my lesson, though."

She nodded at her sister. "Right? I just want to make sure I'm not going in blind or uninformed."

Jamie walked back in then, carrying two cheese burgers and a big container of fries. As a result, he caught the end of his father's comment.

"Probably slightly," he agreed, arranging everything on the table. "Since I'm pretty sure I'm bigger than you now, anyway."

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas patted Maddy's arm and then he smiled widely at Jamie. "I promise I won't try to make you then," he said with a grin. "I don't know quite how I am going to eat this but I am so excited. Maddy drew one on my head to commemorate it!"

"He's been bringing up the burger since you left," Charlotte said with a chuckle.

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

"Thought of that," Jamie said, holding up a plastic knife and fork. "Bite size burger...bites." He looked at his dad's head bandage, covered in Maddy's doodles, and grinned. "Very nice. And you left some room to draw that zombie."

"Do itttt," Maddy prompted. "Grr. Argh."

"Can't really blame him, though, he gets to eat real food again," Jamie replied.

[thomas_kemp]

If Thomas could have bounced he would have. Instead he just waited, mouth watering, for his burger to be cut up. "You're so good to me," he said with a wide smile. He tried to push away the thought that there would be a day when he wouldn't be able to swallow and he might not be able to enjoy food like this again.

"I am looking forward to a zombie. After burgers!"

"I can't blame him either," Charlotte had to admit. "And you missed all the sex talk, so well done!"

[aspectabund.insanejournal.com]

Jamie began cutting his dad's burger into bite-sized chunks. The knife was standard-issue plastic, and not the greatest cutting tool, so it took him a few minutes. "I try," he said, smiling. He stabbed one of the chunks with a fork. "Ready when you are."

"I have to wonder if he hovered outside, waiting for a lull and the giggling to stop," Maddy added, smiling.

Jamie snorted. "Not exactly. You wouldn't believe the line that was down there, since they're stopping dinner service soon."

[thomas_kemp]

Thomas nodded that he was ready and then he happily accepted a bite of the hamburger. When he swallowed he let out a little happy sigh. "Oh god, food."

Charlotte inched forward and she rubbed Thomas' shoulder. "Glad you're happy, Thomas. It's nice to see. And you," she said, turning to Jamie, "taking care of your father. You're lovely."