FicWad

""I need peri-what?" Nosey asked, completely lost in the scientific terms that had cascaded out of Dr. Wright's mouth.

"Peritoneal dialysis," the doctor repeated slowly. "It's a form of dialysis that we can start in the hospital, and then you can easily carry it on after we discharge you." Obviously, Dr. Wright noted the confused expression on Nosey's face and elaborated. "Dialysis is a way to cleanse your blood. You are experiencing acute renal failure, and your body needs a way to get wastes and excess fluid out of it. Dialysis is a short-term treatment untill we can find a donor."

A donor? "I'm sorry, but are we now talking about a transplant?"

Dr. Wright smiled. Yeah, like this was normal. "I'm afraid we need to think about that. I'm fairly certain you're going to progress into end-stage renal failure. Dialysis isn't a long-term solution, Mr. Braithwaite. Having a kidney transplant as soon as possible will return your life to normal."

This was so much to take in. Nosey felt slightly light-headed. How had they gone froming cleaning blood to adding a freakin' organ in his body? The doctor should really keep him in the loop.

"Okay, Doc. Let's just focus on the dialysis here. What exactly does this invovle?"

Again, Dr. Wright grinned. He was in his element. "We're going to place a soft catheter in your abdomen. It's a surgical procedure, so naturally you'll be placed under general anesthesia. The catheter - the tube - will fill your abdomen with a cleansing liquid called dialysis solution."

Nosey nodded along as the man in the white coat rambled on. Right now he wished he'd paid more attention in Bio.

"The walls of your abdominal cavity are lined with a membrane called the peritoneum, which allows waste products and extra fluid to pass from your blood into the dialysis solution. The solution contains a sugar called dextrose that will pull wastes and extra fluid into the abdominal cavity. These wastes and fluid then leave your body when the dialysis solution is drained." Dr. Wright paused. "Do you understand?"

Nosey shrugged. "More or less. So I have to do this, what, once a week?"

"Try four times a day."

His stomach twisted into a knot, but he didn't show. "Ah. Well then."

"We'll be moving you out of ICU later this afternoon, Mr. Braithwaite. Now if you'll excuse me, I have another patient to attend to. I believe you have a visitor anyway."

As Dr. Wright left the room, Emmett entered. All the tension and fear from their discussion melted away as Nosey caught sight of his friend.

"How're you holding up, buddy?" Emmett asked, sitting in a chair next to Nosey's bed.

"Well, I've been better."

"Yeah, I'm sure." Emmet glanced over his shoulder. "So what does the doc think?"

Nosey couldn't suppress the shudder. "He thinks I'm gonna need a transplant."

Emmett's face blanced. "A transplant? Dude, that doesn't sound fun."

"I know. And you've seen the news. It's at least a two year wait for any sort of transplant. Not enough people dying, I guess." He chuckled. "I don't want to spend two years with a tube stuck in my stomach."

"What?"

"Never mind." Nosey sighed. "I wish I'd never gone on that stupid coffee run. I wish I'd slept in. I wish this hadn't happened to me."

Emmett smiled half-heartedly. "Come on, man. Who wishes to get shot? It'll be okay." He paused. "If you want, you can have one of my kidneys."

Nosey beamed. "Thanks, man. But that doesn't really work - my blood's A positive. Yours is B negative. My body'll kick your kidney out."

"I really gotta start paying more attention in Bio."

"You and me both."

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It's been a while, I know! But we had to do a project in Bio on some sort of disease, so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. Hope you liked it, and hope all the technical stuff didn't lose you.

R&R please! Concrit appreciated.

-panda