Cathal #2
“Doctor Keim, can we get you something to drink? Or to snack on?” Mam offered.
“No, thank you, Cyndi, I’m good. But I do want you to prepare something light for Bronagh. It doesn’t need to be anything complicated. Maybe have some yogurt with berries, or something along those lines. And make sure to give her plenty to drink.”
“I’ll get right on it,” Mam said, leaving for the kitchen. Aisling went with her. They should still be able to hear what was said from there.
“Please, have a seat. Forgive my poor manners. I’m anxious about her,” I explained.
He sat as he smiled. “I understand. It’s hard to stay in control when someone you care about is sick or hurt.
I won’t make you wait a second longer. From what I can determine from Bronagh’s response to my questioning and my assessment findings, she suffered two things at once.
She’s a little dehydrated, and her blood sugar dropped due to not eating.
According to her, though she didn’t want to tell me, Bronagh hasn’t eaten anything of substance in three days.
Her last meal was Friday night. I asked her why not, and she said she hadn’t been feeling hungry. ”
My heart sank. I knew why. And I’d been suffering from the same problem.
“This one is having the same issue. He looks like she does. They had a huge misunderstanding and haven’t been together. Heartache does that to you,”
Alistair said without an ounce of guilt. I wanted to strangle him, but I knew it wouldn’t do me a damn bit of good. He simply told the truth.
Dr. Keim’s clinical gaze ran over me. He had his doctor’s bag with him. I hadn’t paid attention to the fact that he carried it out of the bedroom. Immediately, he opened it and brought out his stethoscope.
“I’m fine. Bronagh is the one to worry about,” I protested.
“Let him check you over,” Daid ordered.
I knew that tone. Even as an adult, I knew better than to disobey.
If I did, he, my uncles, and Alistair would hold me down so Dr. K could do it.
I kept any more protests to myself. I allowed the doctor to listen to my heart and lungs.
He took my vital signs and asked me about how I’d been sleeping and eating.
I reluctantly told him the truth. While I’d been drinking, though quite a bit of it had been alcohol at night, food had been sparse.
I had no appetite. And sleep had been patchy and interrupted.
“You’re showing signs of exhaustion, malnutrition, and inadequate fluid intake, the same as Bronagh, though not as severe.
You need at least three solid meals a day.
Sleep eight hours a night and increase your fluid intake.
Just make sure it’s from non-alcoholic options. ” Dr. Keim gave me a steady look.
He guessed what I’d been doing. I hadn’t drunk for hours, so I didn’t think he smelled it on me, but maybe there was a way to tell by my vital signs. My eyes were bloodshot, but that could be explained away by the lack of sleep and the tears no one knew I’d shed.
“Thanks, Doc, I’ll force myself to eat and drink. Not too sure about the sleep part. I try, but it’s not happening right now,” I confessed.
“If it persists, call me, and I’ll prescribe you a short-term sleeping pill. I’d prefer you not take one, but if we need it to break a cycle, I will. The best cure is to resolve the problem causing you not to sleep.”
I nodded, then directed the conversation back to the one I was worried about.
“Back to Bronagh. What else does she need? Should she be in the hospital?” I fired at Dr. K.
“At the moment, I don’t believe she needs a hospital.
However, if she continues with the dizzy spells, passes out, or fails to eat, drink, or sleep, I might need to admit her.
She needs to do those things to recover.
And she shouldn’t be alone. She was lucky someone found her.
If they hadn’t, and she’d remained unconscious, it might’ve had a terrible outcome.
People can die if their blood sugar drops too low,” Dr. K explained.
A sick feeling of dread hit me. I could’ve lost her, and it wasn’t the kind I was anticipating.
This version would’ve meant she was gone permanently.
I’d convinced myself these past few days that even if she wasn’t with me, I could continue living, even if it was a dark life, because Bronagh would still be out there in the world.
I’d imagine her happy. I hadn’t pictured her being with anyone else.
My heart, mind, and soul couldn’t handle that.
“We’ll make sure she does all those. We’ve allowed her to isolate herself, hoping she’d snap out of it, but it hasn’t happened. She’ll move back into the main house where we can keep an eye on her,” Patrick said.
The others, minus Mam and Aisling, whom I had seen when speaking to Dr. K, had taken a tray to the bedroom, nodded in agreement.
I’d wait until Dr. Keim left before telling them my plan.
Resolve filled me. I wouldn’t leave her with my family to watch over her.
Whether she liked it or not, I’d stay. My entire being still thought of her as mine, and I suspected always would.
It was my job and privilege to care for her.