Iron man (dad)

The next day I visit for a few hours. Mom and I decide she should stay 2 nights while I get some stuff around the house done. My time is short for the visit with having to pick up Nylah from daycare. I try and wake him slowly. He's not happy. He's very upset actually. This has happened a few times now where he doesn't wake up on his own. The drugs make him very irritable. He's non responsive at best. His eyes are pools again and they look larger. He's losing weight now. It takes him 30 minutes to stop glaring at me for daring to wake him. My visit is short but we go for a nice walk and he cheers up.
The next day I come in the afternoon with the plan to stay over night. When it comes time for mom to go home he starts to cry. He doesn't want mommy to go. She finally says her good bye the best she can and leaves. His mood is difficult now and he still needs to take his meds before bed. I play with him for a bit and then it's time for him to take his prednisone. We originally started to give this through IV which is as simple as it gets. Next we move to liquid form administered through a syringe. He hates the taste though. He takes his mouthwashes and other steroids well this way so we have to trust that he truly just hates the taste. We switch to pill form and try and crush and bury it in his favorite apple sauce. I have a long failed battle with him to get him to take his pill. Skip ahead a day and not even mommy can get him to take it. I'll let her tell her story but it turns out the reason he won't take is because it tastes like absolute shit. We are constantly being reminded that Nevan is being very cooperative and when he isnt there is usually a very good reason.
So I try every bribe and negotiation tactic I know but nothing will suffice. He finally cries and tells me he's scared. He won't say why and this drags out for an hour. Mixed in is a ton of "I want mommy's" . So do I. I knew not sleeping here for 2 days would create a dependency for her.  If she has to stay every night now it's not a big deal though. We're on the final week. I pick up the phone and call mommy for support. It's a long conversation about how we need to take meds to feel better and leave the hospital. We try and bribe him to take if she comes back for the night. He says he wants mommy to come and won't take meds either. We finally have a lawyer in the family!
Finally I can stop abusing him. It's time to hang out with fun daddy while we wait for mom to arrive.  Anita and I have been firm about what Nevan is aloud to watch. Any of the modern day superhero movies are off bounds for our four year old. However after 2 weeks of seeing what he's been through I reassess his fragility. I'll deal with any behavioral issues when they come. We watch Iron Man 2. At the end he says he wasn't scared and he won't have nightmares. He says in a soft sweet voice, "daddy? when I grow up I am going to be like Iron Man. Don't worry though, i'll still be your buddy." I smile and my eyes must have glazed a bit, he pulls me close and says "it's okay daddy". He kisses me and says he loves me.