Part Eleven   "Breakfast in bed"

 
 
Sunday 18th January 2015 Continued
 
Tammy sat, firstly in shock, then started to cry, how could this be? One of the twins, she didn't see which, handed her a tissue and allowed Tammy to compose herself before anyone else spoke.

"Tammy, you asked me what the doctors had said, so I told you, but believe me I am not planning on shuffling off quite so quick."

"Thank you Elsie, but what went wrong?"

"The cancer was dealt with, excised if you wish, and a second set of biopsies were clear."

"That's all good."

"Yes, but they think I have heart disease and that my ticker is going to give out."

"How did they work that out?"

"Apparently the anaesthetist during the last operation became concerned and told the surgeons not to do the reconstruction at the same time due to strain on my heart."

"But that can be cured?"

"The cardiologist wants to run more tests but had Cathy come to the hospital so he could give us both the bad news."

"So, what next?"

"I'm lop-sided for one thing!" Elsie laughed. "With a six month death sentence hanging over me they won't do the reconstruction so I'll have to have a falsie for now!"

Tammy recognised the inference and touched her own enhancers, giggling.

"But Elsie, do you trust this diagnosis?"

"Not entirely so I'm arranging for some tests, call it a second opinion, elsewhere. Alison and Andrea will be here so I don't have to break in some strange nurse or check their credentials."

Alison continued, "Quite auntie, but you knew we would be here for you, all you had to do was ask. Tammy, we're taking auntie to The Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit in Glasgow in a few days and we may have some further news after that."

"Thank you Alison, I certainly hope that the first diagnosis is down to an overly cautious consultant."

"Quite, dear, quite. Now, promise me two things, young Tammy. Firstly, this information remains in this room, okay? Other than those here, only Michael and your father have been given any information. The official line is that I am still recovering after surgery, which is completely correct."

"I promise."

"One other thing, if, and I stress if, it does turn out that my time is running out, let's not dwell on the past but continue to look forward."

"Amen to that."

"Thank you Andrea."

Elsie decided to have a lie down before dinner and Cathy went home. Tammy told the twins she was going up to finish some homework.

"We'll come up with you, if you don't mind, we can catch up."

The 'catch up' took so long that Tammy never did have a chance to do any homework. She did, however, get a full immersion into the gossip and social activities of the nursing staff at The London Hospital, where the twins normally worked. Of course, Tammy had to tell all, starting in December just after her début at the Mill Theatre.

"That must have been awful, all those nasty people." Andrea looked quite shocked,

"And even our cousin." Alison was referring to John McPherson, Elsie's eldest son.

"It wasn't great, especially when I had to have a bodyguard for two weeks."

"But she saved you once?"

"Yes. Now, how long are you going to be here?"

"We've both taken a year's sabbatical, but can go back sooner if ......"

"Please don't say it, I don't want to lose her any more than you do."

"Tammy, we have to be realists. We're here so aunt Elsie can have the best care, if she recovers then we will have done our jobs well."

The rest was unsaid, there were too many 'ifs' and not enough firm information, the whole thing stunk. After another crying session the girls went back to their room, leaving Tammy to her own thoughts. Any prospect of school work, or indeed anything meaningful, had deserted her.

Dinner was quiet, too quiet, with no-one willing to broach a touchy subject or anything negative at all. Elsie excused herself immediately after dessert and went to her room, waving off any offered assistance. A few respectable minutes later Michael, then the twins, departed.

"She told you?"

"Yes, Dad. I can't say it was the best of news."

"Look, Tammy, Elsie is a fighter, and she doesn't always accept the first thing she's told, regardless of the number of letters after someone's name!"

"I know."

Tammy finally finished off her homework before climbing into a welcome bed. Her phone had pinged at seven thirty; Angela confirmed her and Joan had reached Glasgow after their train journey. At least they would get rest before her appointment with Professor Julian Roberts on Monday morning.

 
Tuesday 20th January 2015
 

Monday had slipped past with barely any recognition. By the time Tammy woke on Tuesday morning all she knew was that Joan and Angela had returned the previous evening, late because of problems on the line. There was no news of how Angela's appointment had gone and Elsie had been missing at dinnertime.

Tammy slipped into that semi-concious mode that gets you up, washed, dressed and fed before heading out of the door for school, college or work. If you asked her mid morning what she'd had for breakfast then it would be doubtful if she could recall. On a good day that automaton state ended as she entered the school, unfortunately that wasn't the case today, as demonstrated during the first period.

"Miss Smart, will you please pay attention?"

"Yes, Sir, sorry Sir."

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, I mean yes, nothing important Sir."

"Is it a bad time of the month?"

The twelve boys in the room laughed, some nervously as a few not had not fully understood the comment; an effect of their closeted existence. The master was not having it however.

"Boys, you will not treat a young lady like that."

The room went quiet, he continued, "Miss Smart, I think it's best if you saw Mrs Small. You are excused."

"Thank you, Sir." She gathered everything, including belatedly her handbag, and left the room. The odd thing was, in the past fortnight, she hadn't been to Joan's room once. She did however know where it was and was knocking on the door within two minutes.

"Come in, oh, Tammy what's up?"

She slumped onto a sofa that was in the room and started to sob. Joan walked over, closed the door then sat next to Tammy and hugged her.

"What is it? I think I know."

"I'm afraid, Joan."

"We all are, dear."

Joan placed her hand on Tammy's forehead then went to a cupboard behind her desk.

"Sit still, Tammy, I'll just check your temperature."

She used an infra-red thermometer. "Thirty eight degrees C. Right, young lady, you're going home. I'll organise some transport for you, no, I'll drive you myself."

"Yes, Joan. Where's Angela today?"

"In bed with a fever. Sit here, I'll be back in a moment."

Joan went to her desk and made two calls. A few minutes later Janet Adams, the school secretary, arrived with Tammy's coat and boots. The ladies swapped Tammy's footwear and the sensible ballets were taken back to her locker by Janet after helping Tammy into her coat.

"Come on, the sooner you're in bed the better we'll all be."

The ride back to the house passed Tammy by, the twins were waiting at the front door to receive the poorly girl and help her up to her room. Water and paracetamol were administered then she was changed for bed. It was still before ten in the morning.

***

Tammy woke as one of the twins was checking her temperature.

"Good, you can have a drink of water, no more pills for a few hours yet."

"Alison, what's wrong with me?"

"I'd say exhaustion, stress and the common cold."

"Which one is most likely to be fatal?"

"The common cold, but fatality isn't very common."

"Ha ha."

"Your temperature is down a notch at 37.8 C so you are improving, but not ready to climb Avimore yet."

"Thanks, can I go back to sleep now?"

"Sure, one of us will see you in a couple of hours."

Tammy was woken late afternoon and given paracetamol.

"Did you want anything to eat, Tammy?"

"No, thanks, just a glass of fruit juice please."

"Okay, it'll be up in a couple of minutes."

When Leanne delivered the glass Tammy had already fallen back off to sleep.

Tammy did drink it when she woke an hour or so later, went for a wee and sat up in bed for the first time since that morning. Her phone was flashing to indicate a message, and a dying battery. The message was from Angela:

Feeling lousy, was told you had same bug. Lousy day yesterday but the prof was good and I have prescription for blockers, Endorin he said. Mum hasn't got me the pills yet. Don't know if I'm in school Weds

Tammy decided she had enough energy for a reply:

Congrats on the blockers. Don't know when I next see the prof. Speak tomorrow

Tammy did not feel like going to school on Wednesday but then remembered that she was supposed to meet Sarah at the bank. Once again she hadn't asked for permission. She sent an apologetic text to Sarah then turned her phone off and connected it to the charger.

She had just crawled back into bed when Andrea gently knocked and entered the room.

"I thought I heard you, how are you feeling now?"

"A little better."

"I'll get the thermometer, don't go anywhere, will you?"

"I'll try not to."

Andrea was back within a minute. "Thirty seven point five. You're nearly human."

"I don't feel like it."

"Never mind, by the morning you'll be much better, but you're not going to school."

"I guessed as much, Angela's laid up too."

"I'd heard. How about you have a shower and I'll ask Leanne to change the bedding."

"Okay."

"Fancy anything to eat when you get out?"

"A banana."

"Right, and another glass of fruit juice?"

"Yes, please."

"Off you go then."

 
Wednesday 21st January 2015
 
Tammy was served breakfast in bed, after having her temperature taken and a couple of paracetamol dropped down her throat.

"Nurse's orders, a quiet day with no excitement, plenty of rest and gallons of fluids."

"If you insist?"

"I do. Now, get into that shower!"

And so began a non-exciting day in the McPherson household. Elsie's two nieces had put their nursing careers on hold to look after their aunt but now found themselves, once again, looking after Tammy.

Tammy had found a clean nightie and dressing gown waiting upon her exit from the bathroom. Her bed had also been made and the bedroom tidied, but she'd only been in the bathroom a few minutes? Never mind.

Unsure whether it would be wise to venture downstairs, Tammy propped herself on her bed. Her phone, now fully charged, was next to the bed. She turned it back on and found one message:

Mum's going to get the pills later. Are you in school?

Tammy quickly tapped her response:

No, in bedroom trying not to get excited. Succeeding so far

Her laptop, when she retrieved it, brought its' own problems. There was a stack of emails waiting, including one from John Hibbert telling her what homework had been set. There was a message from Janet Adams to confirm Tammy was not expected back before Thursday and that all tutors had been informed. The messenger would drop anything relevant at the house.

There was a timely knock on her door and Leanne entered with a welcome pot of coffee and an unwelcome bag of schoolwork.

"The messenger just delivered this, Miss, so I thought you might like a coffee as well."

"Thank you Leanne, very thoughtful. Is my father here?"

"No Miss, he had several meetings in town this morning."

"Thank you."

Tammy did her best to deal with the work that had been delivered, but really wasn't up for much original thinking or verbal dissection of a topic. Instead she figured she could read a while but even this was proving tiresome, her eyes were not at their best.

She had an idea and opened up the website of a well known distributor to search for audio plays of Macbeth. It seemed that the BBC recorded a new version of Macbeth, with contemporary actors, every few years. She opted for a 2006 production and downloaded it after agreeing terms with the website.

Then it was a simple matter of plugging in headphones, sitting back and listening to the play with her eyes closed. A newspaper article over the weekend had reported that the brain remembers better if eyes are closed, although in Tammy's case they would have closed regardless.

She'd plainly fallen asleep as the next thing Tammy was aware of was Alison stood over her with a thermometer.

"Thirty seven point two C. You're normal."

"I'd like a second opinion in that case."

"How about you have some soup for lunch and make it downstairs for dinner this evening?"

"Sounds like a plan, where do I sign?"

"Hmmm, I think I prefer the Tammy who's quiet and meek."

"She's gone and the evil one is back."

"That's what I was afraid of. Seriously Tammy, you have got to stop overdoing it. Give yourself some 'you' time."

"I know, but I have all these responsibilities."

"Your responsibility is to yourself and those closest to you. Everything else is a luxury or an encumbrance."

"So you're saying I should stop doing things?"

"No, just take stock of what you've already promised and don't take on anything more. Also, manage your time better, do you really need to go to meetings if someone else will be there?"

"With all the revision, this term is going to be a real trial."

"I know, remember Andrea and I were eighteen once."

"Thanks Alison."

"Look, you seem to have a lower threshold than the rest of us so you hit exhaustion more often, take that into account as it only takes a little infection to knock you sideways. Alcohol doesn't help either, be careful."

"Yes, boss."

"Good, I'll go see about that soup."

Tammy restarted the play and was paying more attention to it, without feeling drowsy. She finished her bowl of soup, Scotch Broth, and a crusty roll whilst trying not to spill crumbs on the bedding.

A mid-afternoon doze brought her to nearly five o'clock, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

"Hello Tammy, much better I see."

"Yes Dad, I've had two wonderful nurses looking after me."

"So I heard. Anyway, some news; the Decree Nisi was granted yesterday so that's stage one of the divorce over. Also we've exchanged contracts on the Dunbankin house. We should be able to move in about ten to fourteen days."

"Good news indeed."

"Yes, but now you need to work out how to furnish your room plus help me with the other rooms. Any order is going to take a week to reach us, longer if it has to be made first."

"Okay, can we talk after dinner?"

"Sure, but we must get started."

"Has mum come back to you?"

"Not yet, but my email to her only went yesterday and she might be checking with her solicitor."

"So we might see her around the time we move?"

"I hope not!"

"What else have you been up to today?"

"Not much, get yourself washed and downstairs."

"Yes Dad."