The Accident - Part 3
by Barbara Lynn Terry

Chapter 1 - Dr. Reed is given serious information.

As Jaime laid in bed after Dr. Reed left, she looked between her mother and her life long friend sitting on the edge of the bed. Darla was very worried about Jaime, because they actually used to do things together, much like Jaime and Danny did. Darla wasn't your girly girl, girl, she was more of the adventurous type, just short of being called a tomboy.

Jaime remembered the camping trips they went on last summer. Darla and Jaime had fun fishing, catching turtles, and watching hermit crabs walk along the beach. They even chased frogs at night, and giggled and laughed because the frog seemed to "baiting" them to follow. Jaime remembered the campfire stories that were told and how eerie the really spooky ones had gotten.

Jaime remembered how sad she was when she was told she couldn't sleep in the same tent as Darla. Now Jaime looked in to her future and thought what it could hold for her. Jaime was not overly emotional as a boy, but since the hormones he had been given were starting to work, she was very emotional.

She thought how could she even begin to understand boys, when as a boy, she didn't even understand herself. She wondered where her life was going to go, after she left the hospital. No doubt, she thought, that she would still have to go to school, but as a girl. She wondered how Danny would look at her now that she was a girl. She had other friends, too, and wondered if they would still be her friends after finding out she was now female with outside female parts.

Jaime knew she had no choice, because of the accident, but she was going to make sure that she lived her life the best that she knew how. Her mother, Darla and her mother, Dr. Reed, and a few of the girls would help her. She knew some of the girls that had told her that there were some boys who thought Jaime should start dressing as the girl she actually is, instead of dressing down like a tomboy.

There were some kids at school, both boys and girls, who thought that Jaime was acting like a girl simply to get attention. She wondered what they would think when she came to school completely dressed as the girl she now was, at least physically. She also wondered how hard it would be, to actually learn the "ropes" that she needed to be a girl mentally. All of these thoughts were going through her head, and didn't hear the lady come in with her dinner tray.

"I asked you for your name and birth date."

"Oh! I am so sorry, I was daydreaming." Jaime gave her the information, and the lady set Jaime's dinner tray on the bedside stand. "Make sure you eat everything, young lady."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

"You are very welcome, Jaime."

Jaime still wasn't interested in food, and just laid there, fidgeting by circling the fork in the mashed potatoes.

"Jamie, would you like me to help you?" Darla had asked, looking worried that Jaime wasn't eating.

"Yes, thank you, Darla."

"Oh, I am only happy I can help. We have been friends before we could even talk, and we are still friends twelve years later. This is what friends do for each other."

Darla put a small helping of potatoes on the fork and put the fork in to Jaime's mouth. Darla cut up the center cut pork chop, and fed a small bite to Jaime. After Darla helped Jaime eat, and Jaime was done, except for the apple, which Jaime was saving for later, Darla set the tray aside.

"Would you like to play rummy, Jaime?"

"Yes, Darla. I haven't played any card games since I have been in here."

"Well, you may have to play card games for quite a while, Jaime," Dr. Reed said coming in to the room. "The lab just called me, and said they did one last test blood test. This test showed that you have a condition called pericarditis. That is the reason you have those stabbing pains in your chest."

"What is pera, pera...whatever you said?"

"Pericarditis. There is a sac like covering around the heart called the pericardium. When this sac like covering becomes inflamed, it is called pericarditis. It can be caused by many things, especially viral, bacterial or fungal infections. This can be a result of an injury to the chest, your throat or your heart. When the pericardium rubs against the heart, there is pain. We didn't see this in the echo, so I am going to have you taken for an MRI, so we can see if the pericardium is inflamed.. If you glow in the dark, it is because you have had way too much radiation."

"Like David Bruce Banner who became the Hulk."

"Uhmmmm, yes." Of course Dr. Reed had no idea what Jaime had meant, but as long as Jaime knew, that was the main thing. "I will wait for the results of the MRI before prescribing any medication for your chest pain. The pericarditis should have showed up on the echo, but I looked at it, and didn't see anything. But, the MRI will see it, if it is there."

"When, when will I...have the...MRI?"

"As soon as I call down to radiology and they can send someone up to take you."

Jaime didn't have to wait long. About fifteen minutes later, she was being taken in her bed to radiology to have her MRI done. Jaime didn't know how serious this pera...pera...or whatever Dr. Reed had said, was, but she figured it was serious enough. Jaime just laid back and enjoyed the ride down the chilly hallway of the hospital.

The IV tube was lengthened so that it would reach inside of the tube. This was not a magnetic substance, so it was alright for her to still have the IV flowing. She was transferred to the MRI, moveable table, and given ear plugs, and a rubber bulb thing, that if she could not complete the MRI, she was to press that, and the radiology techs would bring her out immediately.

"Jaime, what kind of music do you like?"

"I like Avril Lavigne, Dido, Justin Timberlake...most of today's music, but no Rap."

"Done. Don't pay any attention to the air hammer noise. It will sound far away. You can go to sleep, if you wish."

Jaime went to sleep, and dreamt of being on a date with a handsome boy. She dreamt that they had danced to all of the songs, when the last song was going to be played, the band leader announced that it was a lady's choice. They played Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl". That was when the radiology tech woke Jaime up.

"You did great, Jaime. It was a very successful MRI. Dr. Reed will tell you the results. Now, let's get you back on your bed, and get you situated and back to your room."

After they had transferred Jaime back to her bed and got the IV situated, Jaime was asleep again. She slept through the night, but didn't dream any more that night.

The next morning, Jaime woke up to a breakfast of one pancake, two scrambled Egg Substitute eggs, orange juice and milk. As Jaime finished her breakfast, Dr. Reed came in the room.

"Well Jaime, it is official. You have viral pericarditis. I am prescribing 0.9mg of Colchicine and an antibiotic. The Colchicine is an anti inflammatory. You also have a touch of the flu, which is why you have the viral pericarditis. So, you relax, don't exert yourself too much, and we will kick this thing together. It is good that I saw you doubling over after giggling. Well, anyway, we know what it is, and we can treat it."

"How serious is this pera, pera...whatever you said?"

"It is very serious, Jaime, and we need to keep a very close eye on you. I have had a nurse assigned to your room, until we can make sure the pericarditis and the flu are gone. This nurse will be in your room day and night. They will watch the monitors, and you, very closely. If they suspect you are having any kind of complication, even a minor one, they will call me right away. I want to make sure you are well enough to go home in a few weeks. Unless, you like living in a hospital."

"No, Dr. Reed, I wouldn't like living in a hospital." Dr. Reed smiled.

"Then, we will keep a very close watch on you to make sure you pull through this."

"Doctor, I'm really tired."

Jaime went right to sleep, and a nurse came in the room, and sat at the computer in the room that was just under the television. She looked at the monitors, then sat down to enter Jaime's name and hospital ID. Then she covered Jaime up a little more, and sat back down. A couple of hours went by, and it was lunch time. Jaime's mother had gone home to get some proper rest on doctor's orders, as did aunt Joanne and Darla. When Jaime woke up, her mother was sitting there, next to the bed, after being told what Jaime's condition was.

Beverly held Jaime's hand, and looked at her sweet angel just lying there. She was worried now because of this new complication, but the nursing supervisor said that as long as Jaime was taking the proper medication, she should pull through this disease rather quickly, given her youthful years. The one thing that the nurse did not tell Beverly, is that patients have been known to actually die from viral pericarditis. Without this knowledge, Beverly would have more hope of Jaime pulling through and kicking this new disease.

Beverly and the nurse, whose name is Joan, talked while Jaime slept. Every now and then, the nurse would look at Jaime, then at the monitors. Jaime was being watched for heart palpatations closer now that she has the pericarditis. They were even watching for skipped beats, too.

"Bev, I am worried about your daughter. You know we have kind of adopted her, and we are hoping like all get out that she pulls through."

"Thank you, Joan. She is my life. The only person in this world that keeps me going, is Jaime. When Jaime was born, there were complications with the bleeding afterwards, and it left me unable to have any more children. Jaime is an only child, and my sweet, darling angel."

"Bev, it will be fine. Dr. Reed is a very good doctor, and when she starts something, she finishes it."

"Thank you, Joan. Cyndi delivered Jaime. She is not only my doctor, she is my friend, too."

"Why thank you, Bev. I didn't know you cared." The three women just giggled.

"She will be all right. Won't she, Cyndi?"

"If I have anything to say about it, she will be. I am giving her amoxycillin for her antibiotic. The Colchicine should help with the pericarditis. There is a but, though, Bev. If she, for any reason, has stabbing chest pains like this again, you get her to the ER and call me. I will meet you there. Do you understand, Bev?"

"Yes, Cyndi. What you're telling me is that the pericarditis can recur."

"Yes. But if we get it right away, we can treat it. She is going to run the gamut, because the accident really put her young body in a lot of serious distress. Bev, you know I wouldn't keep Jaime here unless it was absolutely necessary."

"I know, Cyndi, and I thank you for looking after my angel."

"You are very welcome, Bev. Jaime is like a niece to me, and together we will help her get well."

Beverly couldn't help but think that the first time she had met Dr. Cynthia Reed, MD, was when Jaime was born. For three agonizing hours of labor, Jaime decided she needed to investigate the world, and was delivered on August 14, 1999 at 3:14 in the afternoon. Jaime was six pounds, seven ounces, thirty inches long. She will be thirteen years old this year. Beverly thought back to the time that Darla and Jaime were playing in the back yard at Joanne's house, and Joanne had let Jaime borrow one of Darla's one piece swim suits. Running back and forth through the whole day, without a care in the world, these two friends seemed to be having the time of their young lives.

Jaime was five years old then, and could have cared less what she was wearing. Beverly remembered that when Jaime was asked if she would like to wear one of Darla's swim suits, Jaime perked right up and said yes. The rest of the day went by with the two friends playing this game and that one. But, they both had a good time. Beverly thought, too, that maybe Jaime should be home schooled after this, because it would save her extreme embarrassment with her friends and the rest of the kids at school.

Chapter 2 - Jaime's school friends come to visit her.

"May we come in?" Asked a cheery, brunette.

"Kayla! You came!" Jaime was very happy now that she had her friends from school. This brought Beverly out of her reverie. "So, what is everybody saying about me being in here?"

"Some think that you were put in here to get a sex change, others think your just legally boozing school, and others think you're healing from a terrible accident."

"You mean, if Jaime were to go back to school, she wouldn't have any problems?"

"She would have some, but not serious ones. The school right now is divided in thirds, and the kids don't really know what is going on. I'm Kayla, this is Rose, and this is Annette. We are Jaime's best buds in school. We all went through grade school together, and we are going to go through high school together, too.

"Jaime, are you behind in your work?"

"No, Kayla, I'm doing just fine. Principal Quinn is a friend of my doctor's, and my doctor has been bringing my work to me, and then taking it back again when I am finished. I'm just happy that I am doing something other than just laying around in this bed all day, going from one test to the next."

"I don't suppose we can bring you, like maybe, a burger and fries?"

"No, Kayla, and I think when I get out of here, I am going to be through with burgers and fries. I will have things that are better for me, like salads and full meals, instead of junk food like burgers and fries."

"But what will you have when we all hang at the White Castle?"

"Rose, I can have a salad and a glass of milk. Not only is it better for me, but it costs a lot less than a burger meal. I can take my time eating the salad, too, so we can talk. What does Danny think of me being in here?"

"He says to tell you to get well quickly, so you can hunt frogs again." The four friends giggled. "He says he will be up to see you in a few days. He has really been busy at home."

"I know, he helps as much as he can with his mother working. Tell him that I don't know about hunting frogs, but we can have a nice picnic in the park, or go for walks, or...you know what I mean. Because of the accident, I'm not a boy any more, and I need to start to think about how I am going live my life from the time I leave the hospital. Dr. Reed said I have a thing called virus pera, pera...oh I can't pronounce the darned thing. Anyway, she said there is a sac around the heart called something or other, and it is inflamed because I also have the flu, too. She is giving me medication to help both the inflammation and the flu."

"It is called viral pericarditis and it is an inflammation of the pericardium, the sac that is around the heart. Now, Jaime, say it with me. Peri..." Jaime repeated it. "Card..." Jaime repeated it. "Itis. Pericarditis. It is spelled liked this ... p e r i c a r d i t i s."

"Thank you, Dr. Reed. Dr. Reed, these are my best friends from school. This is Kayla, that is Rose and the other one is Annette. They came to bring me up on the latest Jaime gossip." The four friends and even Beverly and Dr. Reed giggled.

"Well, young lady, I need to look at your surgery site." Dr. Reed pulled the curtain around the bed, and placed Jaime's feet in the two metal stirrups she locked in to place. "Well, you're coming along just fine, Jaime." Dr. Reed opened the curtain. "Does your chest still hurt when you giggle?"

"Yes."

"Well, it will take some time for the pain to go away. Like I was telling your mother, if, when you leave the hospital, and you have this stabbing pain again for no apparent reason, you get back in the ER quickly. Your mother will call me and I will meet you there. Do you understand, Jaime?"

"Yes, Dr. Reed. Where did Darla and auntie Joanne go?"

"Honey, Darla went down to the cafeteria, and aunt Joanne went to the salon to let everybody know how you are doing. You and Darla have been friends ever since you could walk. She will be back up in a few minutes."

"Thank you, mom. Kayla, if I fall asleep, will you all be here? I sometimes fall asleep without even trying."

"That is because you are still healing, Jaime. I have given you a non narcotic pain medicine, to help you sleep, but not to keep you drowsy."

"Yes, Jaime, we will be here until they tell us to go."

Kayla looked at her friend lying there, and she had a very worried look on her face. At twelve years old, Kayla Richardson already knew what she wanted to do, when she graduated from high school. She wanted to go to college and become an attorney. The only thing is, she hasn't decided what kind of an attorney, yet.

Rose McGowan, no relation to the actress from Charmed, wanted to be a pharmacist. Like the rest of her friends, she had a very cheery disposition, and always was there for her friends.

Annette Ginger Albright, was the only natural blonde in the group. She wanted to be a therapist to help people talk about their problems and help them step by step to deal with those problems. She wasn't an airhead. At twelve years old, she knew that helping others deal with their problems, would take time. She was willing to give that time.

These three friends sought Jaime out to be her friends because of the idiots in the school. These three were well respected and somewhat feared by the bullies because their families had "connections". Because their families were well to do, they never snubbed their noses at anyone. These girls were being brought up to treat others the way they wanted to be treated.

When Jaime had her accident, everybody was worried about her, and hoped she would be all right. Little did they know that the boy they knew as Jaime would now be a girl named Jaime.

"Jaime, we will talk to all of your friends at school, away from the others. We will let them know what has happened. But, just so we know. Why did they make you into a girl?"

"Because my down below was damaged very badly, that it wouldn't work any more. So, my mom told Dr. Reed to do whatever she could to make sure I was, I think they said, 'somewhat normal'."

"Well, I want you to know that we will help you in anything you need to know in how to be a girl. You don't have the years growing up as a girl, that we do. So, we will help you. That is what friends are for."

"Thank you, Kayla, Rose, Annette. When I get out of here, and I am healed like I am supposed to be, I will have sleepovers. I willmake sure my most trusted friends are invited."

They hugged Jaime one by one, and then said they would be here. If she felt sleepy, just go ahead and sleep, because the three of them would here until they were told to go.

Darla came in the room and saw the three girls.

"Kayla, Rose, Annette!!!! Thank you for coming. I'm going to help Jaime, too. Jaime, we are the four Musketeers and you are our Queen that we are supposed to protect."

"I thought there were only three Musketeers."

"Well, they say there was a fourth, but nobody knows his name. It may or may not be, but the four Musketeers sounds good to me."

"Me, too, Darla, me, too." Jaime was fast asleep knowing her four best friends were there for her.