Tim crashed again on the couch until about one in the morning when he heard someone coughing and rustling around in the kitchen. He heard a string of, by now, familiar, soft, rapid sneezes, noticing they sounded tight and forced out. Concerned, he grabbed his t-shirt from the floor next to the couch, and standing up, went to investigate.
Dustin, in the dim light of a nightlight Ethan had in the kitchen, was setting up his nebulizer. “Sorry I woke you,” he wheezed. “Inhaler’s not working.”
Tim nodded, then realized Dustin could barely see him. He flipped the lights on, then doubled over with two harsh sneezes. “Ehzzsshoo, hehhrehhzzzoo!”
“Thanks.” Dustin inhaled deeply through his nebulizer pipe. “And bless you.” He wheezed again a few seconds later.
“Thanks.” Tim took a set at the kitchen table with Dustin. “Lights tend to get me sometimes.”
Dustin nodded, focused on his breathing treatment. A couple minutes in, he checked his O2 sat. “I’m still at 82%. This isn’t helping either.” He looked over at Tim. “I really don’t want you to have to take me back in.” He continued breathing in the aerosol.
Tim paused for a minute, thinking back. “Your mom ever do a hot shower to help?” He asked.
Dustin’s eyes brightened with realization. She’d made Ethan do that for him last time he’d been this sick.
“Take the neb, go start the shower. I’ll start some coffee.” Tim instructed.
Dustin nodded, carrying the machine to the bathroom and cranking the shower to hot, sitting down to continue the neb. Tim was back to check on him moments later. “Coffee’s brewing. It’ll be done by the time you finish the neb.”
Moving the neb into the bathroom had done Dustin in. He was so short of breath he could barely talk, and Tim could hear him wheezing. Tim watched him work to relax his breathing as he took the medication. He kept glancing at the oximeter on his finger. His breathing finally morphed into a regular pattern but the wheezing didn’t stop and his respirations were shallow. Again, he glanced at the oximeter as the machine started to make the spitting noise that indicated there was maybe a couple minutes left in the treatment.
“HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo.” His fit was followed by several wheezy coughs.
“Bless you.” Tim said, setting coffee on the bathroom counter. “How do you take yours?”
“Black is fine right now.” And Tim noticed that while he was still wheezing, it was less pronounced than before.
The nebulizer finished, and Dustin could say there was improvement. His chest was still tight, but it lacked the elephant sitting on it. He was sure he if he listened to his lungs, there would be wheezes, but they weren’t audible without a stethoscope anymore. He took the coffee from Tim and took a drink, inhaling the steam from the shower and the steam from the coffee. “I think the medication needs some time.” He said, exhausted.
“O2 sat?”
“86%.”
“Let’s give it a few minutes.”
Dustin nodded, leaning back against the toilet as Tim perched on the edge of the tub. “Ethan going to be able to handle you tomorrow?” He asked, carefully, but honestly.
Dustin looked over at him. “We’ve done this before.” He paused and coughed. “Just not often.” Straightening up, he went on, “last time I was this sick was the year before I got married, so 5-ish years ago. I don’t usually get this sick. Just sometimes, there’s something nasty going around. Add that to asthma and year round allergies, and you have a recipe for something like this.”
Tim nodded. Even without the allergies, his asthma tended to make him a target for things like that on a regular basis.
Dustin coughed again, then took a breath. “I think this is starting to help,” he commented, taking another sip of his coffee. He and Tim began to engage in light conversation, Tim talking more than Dustin in an attempt to keep him calm and relaxed until Ethan knocked at the slightly ajar bathroom door.
Tim got up and opened it. Ethan was standing there, looking confused, but relieved to see them both fully dressed. “What’s going on?” He asked, voice still sleepy.
“Oh! Do you need to…”
“Um, uh, yeah.” Ethan stammered, as Tim slipped out past him, and Dustin turned off the shower on his way out.
Tim and Dustin took seats in the living room while Ethan was in the bathroom. “How’s your oxygen?” Tim asked, tying to sound casual.
“91%.” Dustin smiled and relaxed. “I think we averted thiHihs..HahKishoo-kishoo-Kishoo-kishoo-Kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo.” He grabbed a tissue and sighed. “I think we averted this crisis.” He sniffled, before holding the tissue to his nose and blowing until it was saturated, then reaching for, this time, two or three new ones.
“What crisis?” Ethan demanded to know between Dustin’s wet, gurgling nose blows. “This is my apartment. I should know if there’s a crisis.” He was starting to panic now.
Tim spoke up first. “It’s ok, Ethan. Dustin had an asthma attack. The nebulizer wasn’t helping much, so we went for a hot shower steam and a cup of coffee. Extra help for the nebulizer.”
Ethan’s face was unreadable for a few seconds before he doubled over with a powerful sneeze. “Atchoo!” He straightened up and rubbed his nose, looking over at Dustin. “You’re ok, now? Or do you need the ER? Should I listen to your lungs? What’s your O2 at?”
Dustin coughed. “I’m ok. I don’t need the ER; we got things under control. O2 is 91%. You’re channeling my mom. And it’d be great if you’d listen to my lungs.”
Ethan fetched his stethoscope and placed it on Dustin’s back as Dustin attempted to take deep breaths without coughing. Ethan pulled the stethoscope away. “You’re wheezy yet, but not bad. I mean, I’ve heard you worse.” He stifled a yawn.
“Go back to bed, E.” Dustin told him. “It’s under control now.”
Tim nodded. “I’ll keep an eye on him for awhile. If things change, I can take him in.”
Dustin nodded. “We’ve got a plan.”
Ethan relaxed slightly. “I can sit out with you for awhile.” He paused, then muffled a sneeze in his forearm. He cast a worried glance at Dustin.
“E, we’ve got it.” Dustin tried to be reassuring, but ended up coughing for several seconds.
Ethan yawned widely.
“You’re tired. Your sleepy sneezes are going to start.” Dustin pointed out. “Tim’s got this.”
Ethan glanced at Tim. “You know what to do?”
“He’s gonna sleep right there, in that chair, sitting up so he breathes better. He has another attack tonight, we go in. I’ve got asthma, Ethan. I’ve been here. I can handle this.”
Ethan nodded, starting to relax more as Dustin grabbed another set of tissues.
“HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo!.”
“Bl-“ Ethan started.
Dustin shook his head. “More…coming.” He managed before ducking down into his tissues again. “HahKishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo.” He blew his nose again, leaned back and coughed harshly.
“Bless you.” Tim and Ethan said in unison.
“Sure you’re ok?” Ethan fretted.
“I won’t lie and say my chest doesn’t hurt, and that my breathing’s been better. I feel pretty rough, Ethan, but I think I’m ok. Like Tim said, if it happens again, we’ll go in. I won’t hesitate to wake him up.”
Ethan nodded, yawning again. “If you’re sure.” He coughed.
“Go to bed, Ethan. You need your rest, too.” Tim said, gently.
Ethan nodded. “If you’re sure.” He said, hesitantly, bringing his arm up to his face again. “Hahshoo!”
“See, sleepy sneezes. Go to bed, E.”
Ethan plucked a tissue from the box on the coffee table and blew his nose, then slowly walked back to his bedroom.
Dustin went back to the guest room to grab his pillows and blankets. He made himself comfortable in the chair while Tim once again got comfortable on the couch.
“You sure you’re ok?” Tim asked. “You weren’t just trying reassure Ethan?”
“I’m ok. Breathing pretty good right now. But I’ll wake you if I have problems.”
Tim nodded. “Good plan for me.” He pulled the blanket up under his chin. “Hopefully, you get some rest.”
They heard another sneeze from Ethan in his room, then silence and snoring as one by one, they each fell asleep.
Tim slept restlessly; he couldn’t quite get comfortable on the couch again. What brought him fully awake was the harsh sneeze from Ethan in the kitchen.
“HahShoo!” Followed by Ethan coughing softly and clearing his throat.
“Bless you.” Tim murmured, sleepily, as he walked into the kitchen where Ethan was setting up to make oatmeal.
“I left you stuff in the fridge,” Tim reminded him with a laugh and a kiss to the forehead.
Ethan tiptoed up to kiss Tim back. “Throat’s still sore. Thought oatmeal would feel good.” He had his hand pressed to his nose for the last two words, and as soon as he was done talking, he released another powerful “Atshoo!” into the back of his hand. He looked up at Tim and shrugged, giving him an awkward smile. “One, my fever broke, and two, I’m waiting for this to slow down before I call the doctor.” He scrubbed his hands at the sink. “Should probably wake Dustin, so we can coordinate appointments. Don’t want him sitting in the waiting room like this.”
He handed Tim the oatmeal and went over to brave the task of waking Dustin. Tim watched as he gently shook Dustin and cajoled him awake. Finally, Dustin was fully awake, eyes open and talking. “Now I know you won’t go back to sleep on me.” Ethan handed Dustin his cell phone. “Call…” his voice hitched. “Ahshoo! Call your doctor. I want your appointment scheduled before I do mine. I’m not leaving your sick ass in the waiting room. Still think you’ve got influenza.”
Dustin grumbled and glared, but took the phone.
“You did last time you were this sick.” Was Ethan’s last word on that. “Anyway…” he paused. “Let me know when your appointment is. And there’ll be oatmeal…hahChoo! Ugh….knew that wasn’t going away…oatmeal in the kitchen.” He perched on the end of the couch, waiting.
After a few minutes, Dustin looked up at Ethan. “Can you get me there by 9:30?”
Ethan looked at his watch. “Yeah.” He picked up the phone, called his own doctor and scheduled his appointment for that afternoon. He sat down at the table next to Tim. “1:00.” He announced. “Dustin, neb before or after breakfast?”
Ethan was distracted from Dustin’s answer by Tim turning quickly away from him. “HuhhEhhddzhoo, ehhddggshoo. Ugh.” Tim straightened up, grabbing a napkin off the table and blowing his nose. “Excuse me.”
“Bless you.” Ethan chirped, a momentary flash of concern dashing across his face. He started going over the plan for the morning with Tim, and was presently surprised when everyone was dressed, medicated and ready to go by 8:30.
Tim headed home to feed Cashew, then head to work.
Aggedy Ann 