Guilty pleasures

Chapter 18. Hitting rock bottom

SARAH?!"

I heard Jacob shout my name. I was still asleep and thought it was in my dream until I heard him again. I woke up and jumpee of the bed. Jacob had fallen asleep in the lounge. I got to the lounge looking at him holding his arm in pain. It was swollen to almost double the size. It was very early and still dark outside. Alex was still asleep. Jacob called a friend to take him back to the hospital, whilst Sarah laid in bed for a while,before showering. She dressed and paced the room while she waited for Alex to wake up. She was worried. She made breakfast but had no appetite. She was already having a hard time battling with the morning sickness, but her decrease in appetite was due to worry and stress.

She paced. Up and down, kitchen to the lounge,aimlessly.

Alex woke up just after eight o clock. He asked her where his dad is and Sarah replied "hospital".

"Hostipal? " Alex said with curiosity.

" Lets have a bath champ, we need to get ready, and yes, go to the hostipal" Sarah said.

Alex had a quick splash in his bucket. He loved having bubble baths, but today he had a short one. He dressed and ate, and by 10 o clock they were ready.

After living at this place for 2 years, Jacob and Sarah had grew fond of the neighbors who lived one door away from them. They owned small shop from home and Jacob and Sarah supported their small business. They had become family over the years. Since Sarah and Jacob wasn't so attached and bonded to their own mothers, they took aunty Sharla as mother figure in their lives. She loved them as her own children.Sarah and Jacob felt blessed to have them in their lives.

Sarah jumped into her car with Alex, before she left to the hospital, she stopped by aunty Sharla, she needed the emotional support today more than ever. After telling them about the situation with Jacob, aunty Sharla and uncle Aron closed shop and decided to accompany her to the hospital. They were worried about his health.

Once they arrived, they found Jacob smoking a cigarette in the car park. His arm was in a sling. His fingers to his upper arm were swollen. Black blisters were forming on his lower arm abd the back of his hand. His arm was pulsing with pain. The skin was tight and looked like if you took a pin and poked it, it would pop like a balloon.

They followed him to the ward and got him settled into his bed. The nurses came to check on him. Sarah asked tge nurse about his condition. She explained that they suspected cellulitis. Sarah gasped witb horroe. She knew this was bad. She felt hurt looking at her husband who was in pain. The nurse adjusted his drip and injected him woth cyclimorph. Jacob soon became drowsy. After fifteen minutes he was asleep and they left.

After a few days his arm blistered like 3rd degree burns. The boils had burst and oozed out yellow pus. The sight made Sarahs stomach churn. She was extremely worried about Jacob. His pain was intense, she could see it in his eyes but he tried to hide his emotions.

Sarah was having a hard time coping, but she put on a brave front for tge sake of Jacob and Alex. She didnt know how long she could hold up.

Jacob's mum visited him in hospital whilst Sarah and Alex was there. Jacob and Sarah broke the news of her pregnancy to her, she was expressionless and unmoved. This hit Sarah hard making her emotional state weak. Sarah made herself feel better by thinking she was worried about her son. In all her years she didnt worry, just maybe this once she genuinely cared. Sarah left shortly after his family. She wished Jacob well and kissed him goodnight.

Sarah's mother and Chuck also visited one afternoon. Jacob was too sick to even be annoyed. It was like a by the way visit to make it seem as if they were worried.

Sarah new better.

*flashback*

One afternoon Sarah's morning sickness was so terrible that she stopped at her parents house to fetch Alex before she went home. Her father was concerned as she gagged trying not to vomit. He offered her to stay the night, he could see how worn out she was. Her mother was reluctant when she offered after her father mentioned staying. She declined the offer and drove home.

*Flash back ends *

Jacob was discharged two weeks later after spending six weeks in hospital. His arms were still but they discharged him anyway. Sarah fetched him and signed off on his release papers. She was still quite worried about the infection on both his arms. She knew better from working in a hospital for many years.

On a saterday Jacob insisted to drive her to work. It was by God's grace that in the car park they had met the leading surgeon Doctor Blake who examined his hands and asked him to come through on Monday morning. Sarah was relieved to have one of the best surgeons seeing to Jacob. It felt like a weight was lifted. Indeed God is great.

Momday morning, Jacob dropped of Alex at day care and Sarah at the entrance at work before parking and going to the doctors room. Dr Blake saw him and immediately wrote him a letter of admission. Sarah had contacted Jacob's boss and advised her of Jacobs current situation and that he will not be attending work as yet. Their company was uninterested in his medical condition which was initially caused by them and insisted he return to work. Sarah was shocked at their response,but did not respond. Jacobs health at this point was more important.

Jacob was admitted to the medical ward and scheduled for theatre immediately. Sarah could feel the stess building up inside her. Last minute one of her colleagues who was working a late shift did not come in to work as he was sick. Who would watch Alex, creche closed at five o clock. She was going to work until seven. She called up her mother but cut the call. What was the use. Her mother never had the time for her or her child, why would she now.

The manager had told her to work a late shift, it was no request but an instruction she could not decline. Sarah was worried. She did not expect Jacob to be admitted and now she was just thrown into the deep with a late shift. She trembled. Her hands shook and she felt her underwear a bit wet. She thought she had peed. Sarah went into the toilet to pee, and there it was a streak of blood.

She was only 4 months pregnant, this couldnt be happening. The stress had finally gotten to her. She sat on the toilet sobbing. She cried for a long time before washing her face and going out. Her eyes were still red. She walked into her managers office to tell her and she broke down, she couldnt even form any words. Nitasha hugged her tightly, comforting her. Finally her sobs subsided and she spoke. They rushed her down the stairs to the emergency room for examination. It was after four thirty. Edith worked with Sarah and was very worried. She stood by her bed. All Sarah could think about was Alex. Who is going to pick up Alex and watch him while she was here. She cried hard. Edith called up their mother who fetched Alex and rushed to the hospital. Chuck had brought her and waited in the car.

Her mother burst into the emergency room and found Sarah, sobbing uncontrollably on the bed. She was inconsolable. Her mother assured her that Alex is fetched and is waiting in the car. She would keep him until she is discharged. She tried to comfort her but no one could. She felt her world crumbling before her.

The doctor examined her. It wasnt a thorough examination. Sarah was already in her second trimester. Her baby was formed and had a heartbbeat, she was growing inside her and bonding. The doctor wrote on her chart abortion. Sarah was livid. She was sinking into a dark hole.