Chapter 8

There are some overlapping scenes for a bit here

The first thing Beth saw when she came home from work was a living room strewn with toys and a daughter in front of the TV.  The second thing she saw was her husband, wrapped in a blanket, shivering on the couch with a box of tissues.

“Dustin?”  She asked, picking up AdaLyn and turning off the TV, “are you ok?  You look a lot worse than last night.”

Dustin coughed roughly into his fist.  “I feel awful.” He admitted.  “Just since we woke up from morning nap.  Headache, fatigue, low grade fever, chills, coughing, sneezing.  That’s why Ada was in front of the TV.  I didn’t have the energy for playing, and I kinda wanted to keep my distance.”

She frowned.  “And yet, you’ll go back to Ethan’s tonight.”

He shook his head.  “He’s letting Tim stay.  He wants me to go to urgent care.  He thinks I have influenza since I got sick this fast.  I’ve already moved my stuff to the guest room, and I’m not planning on going with you and AdaLyn to Susanna’s either.” He gave her that information in a hoarse, stuffy voice.

“So are you-“ She stopped as he pulled his sweatshirt collar up over his nose.

“HahKishoo-kishoo-kshoo-Kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo….HahKishoo.” He took a tissue and gingerly attempted to blow his overly congested nose.  

She winced, seeing how red his nose was.  “Are you going to urgent care?”

He nodded. “I didn’t want to bring her with me.  Bad enough she’s being exposed to me.”  He indicated their daughter.  He met eyes with Beth, and she understood that he also didn’t feel up to trying to keep an active three year old busy while they waited for him to be seen. 

“Can you go alone?  I can see if a neighbor will take her…”

“I can.  Stay with her.  She still needs supper.” 

Beth nodded, as he put on his coat and headed out.    Dustin cranked the heat in his car on the way to urgent care, something he rarely did, living in California.   He found a spot and headed in.   Minutes later, he was in triage, a patient, instead of working.   He gave his coworker, Sam, the details, and Sam had him back in a room, in a gown and covered in blankets in no time.  And then there was the wait, where he shivered and sneezed in the thin gown, despite his nurse, Meg, keeping him wrapped in blankets. 

Finally the doctor saw him, ordered a chest x-ray and a flu swab (both turned out to be negative), let him know that there was just a really vicious cold going around, and told him to keep doing what he was doing.

Discouraged that there no remedy to make him feel better faster, he headed back home.  Both of his coworkers told him a) that they’d call and check on him, and b) to call if he needed anything. 

“HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-Kshoo-shoo-shoo…HaKishoo!”  Sneezing into his shoulder, he opened the front door.

Beth looked up from where she was wiping down AdaLyn’s toys with a bleach wipe.  “Bless you, honey.  What’d you find out?”  She picked up another toy and disinfected it.  

“Just a really nasty cold going around.” He grumbled.  “They told me to come back if my asthma gets worse, but to keep going with fluids, rest, and cold medicine.”  He coughed roughly and shivered.  

“There’s soup in the kitchen if you’re hungry.” 

“No,” he sniffled, “but, I should eat anyway.”  He sat down at the kitchen table where Beth set a bowl of soup and a glass of water in front of him. “Is Ada is bed?” He asked, 

She nodded.  “Yeah.  Leaving early to go to my sister’s.”  She hesitated. “Unless you think we should cancel…”

“I think you’re ok.  You’ve barely been around me since I was at Ethan’s.”  He paused to cough.  “And today with Ada, I swear I washed or sanitized my hands more than I do at work.  I tried to keep my distance from her too.” 

Beth nodded.  “Ok.  Are you ok being home alone?” 

“Sam and Meg took care of me tonight in urgent care.  They said they’d call tomorrow and check on me.  Also to call them if I need anything.  I can call Dave and Jess too.” He listed off nearby friends.  “And there’s always the neighbors.”  

“No running to take care of Ethan.” She said firmly. 

“Don’t think I could if I wahhh…HahKishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo…HahKishoo.”  He sniffled and blew his nose.   “Couldn’t. Even if I wanted to right now.”  He leaned back against the chair, pushing aside his bowl and closing his eyes.

Beth took the empty bowl and put it in the sink. “Go get ready for bed,” she told him grabbing a water bottle from the cupboard.  “I’ll bring water and cold medicine in a few minutes.”

Dustin headed upstairs and took his allergy and asthma meds, then crawled into the unfamiliar guest room bed, switching on the TV.  As quickly as he could grab a tissue, he was hunched over in a sneezing fit. 

“God bless you.” Came Beth’s voice as he straightened up at its conclusion. 

“Thanks,” came his breathless response as he wiped his eyes, then grabbed a handful of tissues to tend to his nose with. 

“I only see you sneeze like that when your allergies are really bad. Must be going to be some cold.”

“He nodded, eyeing the cup of green liquid she held in her hand as she set the water bottle on the night stand. 

“Is that –“

“NyQuil.” She finished.   “I know we  agreed no NyQuil while AdaLyn is little so it’s not only one of us listening for her,  but Ethan called me at work and told me how sick you were.  I’ve got actual behind the counter Sudafed for you in the morning, too.  You rest tonight; I’ve got Ada.  And you’ll have this while we’re gone.”  She handed him the medication, which he downed eagerly. 

“Still tastes disgusting.” He grumbled, coughing. 

Beth pushed the water at him and waited for him to take a drink. “How’s Ethan?”

“He’s still got a pretty bad cough, and he’s got no voice; he’s wore out.  But he says he’s eating, and Tim backs him up.”  Shivering Dustin slid down under the covers and pulled them around him. 

“Tim’s the comedian, right?”

Dustin yawned, allowing his teeth to chatter.  “He’s also an accountant,” he informed her, coughing. 

Beth laughed.  “Oh, Ethan.  Can’t break the mold.”

“No, he can’t.”  Dustin snapped, snatching a few tissues from the box and removing his wrist from his nose.  “Hakishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo….Hakishoo.”  Following the fit, he groaned and pulled the blankets tighter.  

“Bless you, honey. Just relax.  I’ll be right back with another blanket.  Do you need more tissues?”

He shook his head.  “There’s another box in the drawer with the cough drops.”

She nodded, disappearing down the hall to the linen closet.  She came back with a thick comforter, tucking it in on the sides.   Brushing a hand across his forehead, she frowned.  “You’re pretty warm; what was your temperature earlier?”

“I don’t remember.  Around 100.”

“I want to take it again before you go to sleep.”  She disappeared again, this time to the bathroom and returned with the thermometer.  She scanned it across his forehead.  “100.5.  Explains why you’re cold.  You don’t do fevers well.  Explains why you’re grumpy too.”

He glared at her, which she ignored.

“Get some sleep.  Text me if you need anything during the night.”

The green liquid must have done its trick because the next thing  Dustin was aware of was Beth calling his name.  He glared over at her; he hated being woken up when he was sick.

“Don’t give me that.” She told him firmly.  “We’re getting ready to leave, so we’re here to tell you goodbye.”

Chastised, he relaxed his expression.  “Sorry.  You guys are heading out?”  He turned on his side and propped himself up on his elbow.

“Yeah.  You slept ok?”

He nodded.  “Thank you.”  He grinned as his daughter came running up the hall and appeared in the door.    Beth caught her before she entered the room.  “We’re saying goodbye from the doorway.  We don’t want to catch daddy’s cold.” She reminded AdaLyn.   He said his goodbyes to his wife and daughter from the doorway, then buried a fast flurry of sneezes into pillow once they were halfway down the hall.   “HahKishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo!”   Blowing his nose, he flopped back on his pillows and fell back to sleep.

He noticed throughout the day that his chest felt heavier, that when he moved around, he was starting to notice shortness of breath.   But he’d use his inhaler, and it would improve.  So, he kept up with that, and just laid low for the day, going to bed early.  By bedtime, he noticed that coughing and sneezing just plain hurt and left him winded.

It was 2 am when he woke up, struggling for air.  He could hear himself wheezing, and felt the tight grip on his chest.  He tried a deep breath to reduce his anxiety, only to end up coughing.  He pawed around on the nightstand for his inhaler, locating it in what seemed like longer than it took in reality.   Shaking it rapidly, he pulled the cap off, wrapped his mouth around it, and inhaled while pushing the top of the canister.  Trying not to cough, he held his breath for a few long seconds, then exhaled.  He tried his best to breath normally while he waited until he could take the next puff.  He felt the vise on his chest begin to loosen and started to relax.  He took the second hit off the inhaler and noticed the wheezing fade.  His breathing was easier now.

Crawling out of bed, he slowly padded down to the bathroom and grabbed his pulse oximeter.  90% was the reading.   Not great, but acceptable, especially with all he had going on at the moment.   Taking the oximeter with him, he went back to bed.

He awoke at 8 the next morning, feeling like an anvil was on his chest.  He couldn’t take a deep breath without coughing.  After using his inhaler, he waited half an hour.  Little improvement.  He checked his oxygen.  85%.  He needed to go back to urgent care, but wasn’t sure he could get himself there at this point.  

As if on cue, his phone rang.  Ethan.  “Hi.”

“Just thought I’d check in on you.”

“Oh.”  He rubbed his nose.  Apparently the sneezing was going to start now.  “Hold…HahKishoo-kishoo-kshoo-Kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo..Hakishoo.”

“Bless you.”  Ethan noticed how tight and forced Dustin’s sneezes sounded and how breathless he was afterward.  He waited for the other man to catch his breath.   “Asthma?”  He asked the question he already knew the answer to.

Dustin confirmed. “This cold hit my lungs hard.  Can barely breath without coughing.”

Tim saw Ethan’s frown at this point in his conversation with Dustin, and looked up from his breakfast.  “Everything ok?”  He mouthed.

Ethan continued asking Dustin questions. “What’s your O2 sat?”

“85%”

“You need to go back in.”  Ethan said flatly. 

“I know.”  He coughed harshly.  “But I don’t think I can drive, and everyone is working days this weekend.  Haven’t bothered the neighbors yet though.”

Ethan sighed.  “I just took the codeine cough syrup.   I can’t drive either.”  

Tim kicked him under the table.  “What’s wrong with him?”

Dustin began coughing again, so Ethan took advantage of this time to fill Tim in on the basics.  “The cold triggered his asthma; he needs someone to take him to urgent care.”

“Ask him if I can.” Tim said simply,

Ethan return to Dustin who was working in catching his breath.  He waited for him to take a drink of water, then asked “can Tim take you?  He’s offering.  I’m fine alone for awhile.”

“That would be great.”  Dustin let out a sigh of relief.  He hadn’t even thought of Tim, let alone that Tim would offer. 

“20 minutes.”  Ethan told him.

True to Ethan’s word, 20 minutes later, Tim was pulling into Ethan’s driveway.  He rang the bell, the helped Dustin to the car.  Another 20 minutes, and they were at urgent care.  Dustin went to get checked in and seen while Tim waited in the waiting room. 

Tim spent the next hour texting Ethan.

• E, he’s really sick.
• How bad?
• Just breathless, I could hear him wheezing in the car
• Shit. He hasn’t been this bad in a few years
• I don’t think he should be alone right now
• Want me to call Beth?
• Where is she?
• Her sister’s. Susanna’s birthday is today.
• Damn. When is she back? 
• Sometime tomorrow
• I’d hate to ruin her plans.  And how far away is she?
• I think about 3 hours. 
• Can he just stay in the guest room overnight?
• Want us to take him?  You’ll have two of us to take care of.  And he can be a bear.
• You’re hardly any work.  And I can handle that.  You can run down and start washing the sheets for the spare bed.  I’ll finish them. 
• Where will you sleep?
• I’ll take the couch.  I’ll be fine.  
• I’ll text him and ask him and let you know.

5 minutes later, there was a response.

• He’ll stay over night.

Ethan went to start the laundry, then continued texting with Tim, this time about how he felt until Dustin was freed from urgent care.

“Cold triggered asthmatic bronchitis.” Dustin filled Tim in.

Tim gave him a sympathetic look.  “Ugh.  Been there.  Steroids?”

“You have asthma? And yeah, steroids and nebs.”

“Yeah, I do. Which pharmacy.”

“CVS on Woodbury and home to grab things for overnight.  Thanks for letting me stay.  I’m sorry for barging in on your time with Ethahhhn.  HahKishoo-Kishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo.  Fuck, that hurts.”  He complained, breathlessly.

“Bless you.  Let’s get your stuff first.  Then the pharmacy should have everything ready.”

Dustin pulled a tissue from his pocket and blew his nose.  “Sounds good to me.”  He directed Tim back to his house where he packed clothes, medication and his nebulizer machine.  After a trip to the pharmacy, they were at Ethan’s.

Tim saw the note from Ethan on the counter.

*Sheets are in the dryer.  Couldn’t fight the codeine anymore and had to take a nap.

Tim turned to Dustin.  “Ethan’s asleep. Sheets and blankets are in the dryer.  I’ll go check on them in a bit.   Why don’t you get comfortable on the couch.  Need anything?”

Dustin shook his head.  “Just need to put my stuff away.”  He coughed, heading off to stash his stuff in the guest room. 

He set his bag next to Tim’s and joined him in the living room.  “Thanks for letting me stay here,” he sniffled. “I know I’m cutting in in your time with Ethan.”

“No worries.” Tim reassured him.  “Have a seat…or did you want to sleep?”

“They gave me a steroid injection in urgent care.  I’ll be awake for awhile.”

“And Ethan will be be asleep for awhile.”  Tim laughed. 

“Ahshoo.” They heard Ethan sneeze from the bedroom, then faint snoring a few seconds later. 

Tim shook his head.  “I’ll never understand how he’s able to do that.  I wake up sneezing, it takes me awhile to go back to sleep.”

“Same, but as much as E sneezes..”

“He seriously does sneeze all the time?

“All the time.  Try being in a dorm room with him during allergy season when you have a migraine. My own sneezing is bad enough, but add in his…”

Tim shook his head.  “Ugh…I can imagine.”  He sat down while Dustin blew his nose.  Dustin sat down next to him and Tim took a good look at him.  “You look like miserable.  Sure you don’t want to lay down?”

Dustin gave a small smile. “Between the cold from hell, the bronchitis, and my allergies,” he shook his head.  “This is awful.  And I’d rather stay up sitting right now.”

“Easier to breathe.”  Tim nodded, having been in that position.  “Did you eat this morning?”

Dustin shook his head.  “No time.” 

“What are you hungry for?”

Dustin looked at him.  “It’s ok.  I can wait until lunch.  I’m not really hungry.”

“You want a snack?”

Dustin thought about it.  “Maybe some toast.  I can make it.”  He started to get up from the couch but Tim stopped him. 

“Tell me what you want. You’re here so you can rest.”

“Just toast with jelly.  Whatever kind he has.”

“Light? Dark? Butter?”

“Medium, no butter.”

Tim headed into the kitchen to start the toast as he heard Dustin start sneezing.

“HahKishoo-kishoo-kishoo-kshoo-kshoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…HahKishoo.”  There was a brief pause, and a second set.  “Hakishoo-kishoo-Kishoo-kshoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo-shoo…Hakishoo….owww.”

He entered with toast and water to Dustin blowing his nose.   “Bless you.” He told him as Dustin concluded tending to his nose. 

“Thanks.”  Dustin blew his nose again and looked at the small pile of tissues on the coffee table.   “Do you have something I can put these in?  You guys just had colds, and I don’t want to share this one.”

He took the toast from Tim as Tim ducked back into the kitchen for a bag and a glass of water for himself.

Dustin threw the tissues in the bag and sighed.  “I feel like I could blow my nose forever and it wouldn’t do any good.”

“I hate those colds. Last time I had one, we were running the show, I was on headset, and so stuffed up I felt like I couldn’t breath.  I think they were just pretending to understand me.”

Dustin gave a laugh, which turned into a prolonged coughing fit. 

“Hatchoo!”  Ethan came and sat down in his oversized chair, curling up in it.  “He ok?”

Dustin nodded, coughing starting to slow. 

“How are you doing?” Tim asked Ethan. 

“I can’t sleep anymore.  I think I’m slept out.   Otherwise, about the same.  Have a headache today.”

“Tylenol?”

“In the DayQuil.”  Ethan shrugged.  “Maybe I can just not sneeze so much.”

Dustin glared at him.  “Don’t make me laugh right now.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Cold from hell, allergies led to asthmatic bronchitis.  You’re familiar with that cycle.”

Ethan nodded.  He’d been through this with Dustin more than a few times.  He looked over at Tim.  “I’ll run down and check the laundry.”  He got up, grabbed the clothes basket by the door and disappeared, only to return a few minutes later with clean sheets and blankets for Dustin.