Contents
Chapter 22
Overview
During dinner at 3.5 months post-injury, Jamie, newly steadier on medication, shifts from teasing to apologizing, and he and Charly cautiously bond. Charly removes her helmet to show her craniectomy site, prompting a stern nursing reprimand. The scene underscores Jamie’s progress, Charly’s vulnerability, and her drive to get her feeding tube removed.
Summary
At dinner, Charlotte “Charly” McKenna concentrates on eating solid food, motivated by Amy’s promise that meeting intake goals will get her feeding tube removed. Jamie sits to Charly’s right, flicks a pea at her, and calls her “Helmet Girl,” but quickly apologizes and confirms her name when she objects. Charly notices Jamie seems calmer and more coherent than before, likely due to his new medication, and that he made progress in Walking Group by walking with a walker and two-person assist.
Charly warns Jamie to eat so he can get a belly tube removed, but Jamie reveals he doesn’t have one and shows only a scalp scar and no helmet. Charly explains her craniectomy and why she must wear the helmet—part of her skull was removed to protect her brain.
Curious, Jamie asks to see and then to feel the defect. Charly, believing staff aren’t nearby, struggles one-handed to unfasten and remove the helmet, feeling instant relief. Jamie reacts with fascination and gently touches the soft spot.
A nurse catches them, shouts at Charly, and hurriedly replaces the helmet while the charge nurse reprimands them both. Jamie defends Charly, taking blame for the idea. The incident ends with Jamie resolving not to call her “Helmet Girl” again, signaling a tentative friendship, while Charly remains focused on eating enough to have her feeding tube removed.
Who Appears
- Charlotte "Charly" McKennaProtagonist; strives to eat to remove feeding tube, removes helmet to show craniectomy, reprimanded by nurses.
- JamieFellow patient; steadier on new medication, improves in Walking Group, apologizes, examines Charly’s skull defect, defends her.
- AmyStaff member who motivates Charly by tying food intake to feeding tube removal.
- NurseCatches Charly without her helmet, yells, and secures the helmet back on.
- Charge nurseJoins to reprimand Charly and Jamie after the helmet incident.