As his parents prepared to spend about a week in the hospital, Jacob rallied the troops and told all of his siblings- both older and younger- what was going on with their mother. He told them about what he saw in her X-rays and MRI. Everyone was mortified. “Are you kidding me?” Jordan said. “If she doesn’t get this done, she could lose the ability to walk and lose sensation in her legs?”
“That’s right. Each of us needs to start being screened for this problem. Granted, more than likely not all of us will have it, but it’s still wise to make sure that we stay on top of the possibility. I, for one, will be getting screened for it, seeing as I have to battle everything Mom has been.”
“Very true and a really good idea”, Malachai added. “I mean, of the ten of us, you’re the only one that’s a diabetic like she is.”
“It’s gotta be Dad’s genes that kept it from the rest of us”, Maddie said.
“Remember Maddie, I’m not Dad’s biological son”, Malachai reminded his little sister.
“True”, she said with a sigh. “So, what’s Dad’s plan?”
“What would be the typical Dad thing to do, Madison?” Jake asked.
“We all know that Dad’s not going to leave her side, Maddie”, Jordan said. “Mom is his saving grace and he’s Mom’s rock.”
“Yeah, Dad’s going to RIGHT THERE the entire time”, Jeremiah said. “But, what about those of us who legally can’t be at home without adult supervision?”
“How many adults live here?”, Delilah asked Jeremiah.
“Who’s going to cook?” Marc asked.
“The same bitch that’s been cooking.
“I think that we should all stay close to the house here so that if Dad needs something, someone can get it to him immediately”, Mandy added.
“Someone’s also going to have to sneak them food. Mom might not eat a lot the first day or so, but Dad’s going to need food for sure”, Jake said. “I’ve tasted the cafeteria food at CSMC and it’s pretty gross, even if it’s kosher.”
“I’ll be more than happy to make a few of those food runs”, Malachai said. “I remember the nasty fucking food up there from each time Mandy’s been in there to have the kids.”
Jake was taking notes of who was volunteering to do what. “I’m going to clear it with Dad, but I think that ALL of us need to be there for moral support. Dad’s not going to let it show, but he’s not going to be in the best head space while Mom’s in that OR.”
“How are we going to know what’s going on?” Meagan asked.
“I’m going to be in the OR while Dr. Morgan operates. I’m going to make sure he doesn’t fuck up.”
“How does he plan to separate the vertebrae?”James asked.
“Very carefully, first of all. But, he’s not a big fan of the metal saw blade. He says that there’s too big a risk of severing one of the nerves. Instead, he’s going to use a high pressure water saw. Less of a chance to sever a nerve and such.”
“And you’re going to make sure that he does everything he’s supposed to?” Jordan asked.
“I’ve watched a procedure like that. I watched in the theater above the OR as a med student at Johns- Hopkins. It’s a fairly straight forward procedure. He wanted to do it laproscopically at first, but once he saw the damage, he couldn’t and he knew it.”
“At least he had a backup plan. Better that than scheduling a surgery that he couldn’t do because he had no idea how to do it”, Jessi said.
“Yeah, I mean, if he didn’t know what he was doing then he could end up hurting Mom”, Makayla said.
“Yeah, and there would be one hell of a malpractice suit on his hands. You know Dad doesn’t play around. And once I find the piece of shit that totaled my Volvo and NEARLY my wife and daughter, I’m not going to show any mercy either.”
---------------
As his children were downstairs talking, David packed bag for the week he’d be away from the house. He packed bed clothes even though he would be sleeping in a recliner. He packed everyday clothes to wear when he wasn’t sleeping. He even packed some of his wife’s non- scrub pajamas because he knew she’d want out of the hospital gown when she was allowed to shower. He packed some movies and his laptop to get some work down. He’d been approached about possibly writing a book. He was collecting his thoughts before agreeing to do so. This is certainly a chapter for the book, he thought with a silent laugh as he paused to watch his wife. She was sleeping soundly though the sleep was drug induced. Her sleep most of the time the past few days was drug induced. He hated to do that to her, but her pain was so much that he had no choice.
She stirred and he went straight to her side. “David?” she asked softly.
“Yes, love?”
“I need something to drink. I’m really thirsty.”
He knelt next to the bed and grabbed her a small bottle of water from the mini fridge. He opened it, stuck a straw in it , and handed it to her. “Here you go, baby”, he said softly.
She took a drink and handed him the bottle before settling into the bed again. She smiled softly at her husband. “Thank you”, she said softly.
He returned her smile as he brushed his knuckles down her cheek. “No problem, baby. Just rest. I’ll make sure that you have something for dinner, even if it’s just plate of fruit and cheese.”
She smiled. “Ok. I love you, David”, she said in a weak whisper.
His smile was a little sad as he responded. “I love you too, Brie”, he thought as he watched her drift back to sleep. I will always love you, my angel. You saved me. Now let me save you as you undergo this surgery. He couldn’t have been happier that Jacob was going to be in the OR with his mother as he sat in the waiting room; powerless to do anything. He felt lost, but he would never let her see it. He loved her with everything he was and was happy and proud to call her his wife. There wasn’t a day that went by when she didn’t amaze him.
After making sure that the bag had everything thing they would need, David kicked off his boots and curled up in bed with his wife. She lay on her side and he slid in behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. He wanted her as close to him as he could get her. He wanted to hold her while he could still do so. Once he was comfortable, he set an alarm on his cell phone and settled in for the time being. It wasn’t long before he too had drifted off to sleep.
---------------
A dream kept trying to form in her head, but the medication was too heavy to allow it. Her mind was for all intents and purposes, empty. She couldn’t form a coherent thought. An image would flash, then would immediately dissipate into the dark empty space that was her mind.
She felt strength at her back; warm and solid. She knew that strength. It was the same strength that held her when she gave birth the Jacob and Jordan. The same strength that held her every night, no matter how bad the pain was. She melted into it when it settled into the bed behind her. She rolled so that she faced the person at her back. Her head rested on his their arm. She heard them whisper. “I love you, my angel, and I’ll be damned if anything happens to you.” The conviction there was real and she believed them. The strength had been there earlier, then disappeared for a few moments. Now it was back.
She fought through the fog in her mind enough to speak. “I love you too, my heart”, she whispered softly.
A single tear rolled down the bridge of her nose. He brushed it away with his thumb. “Don’t cry, love. I’m here and I’m not going to let anything happen.”
When she fought her way through the fog, she made it to where she felt the pain again. She was doing her best not so scream, but GOD it hurt. “It hurts, David”, she said as she clinched her eyes shut to control the tears as they tried to fall.
“Do you want to eat something before you get another shot?” he asked. He knew he was going to have to keep her sedated until they went to the hospital in the morning.
She nodded slowly. “I need to eat something. I’m feeling a little sick.”
He kissed her forehead. “Ok, I’ll go get you something to eat. Just lie on your back until I return. Ok?”
She rolled onto her back, and she fought off the tears that flooded her eyes in a rush. “Please hurry, baby. This really fucking hurts.”
He got up and went for the door. “I’ll be right back. Just watch a little bit of TV or something until I return.” He went out the door and she pulled a pillow over her face and screamed.
David flinched when he heard the muffled scream coming from the bedroom he shared with his wife. God, she’s in pain. I wish there were something I could do to make it stop, he thought as he continued down the stairs.
When he headed into the kitchen he heard his children talking. “What was that?” his son Marc asked.
“What do you think it was, Christopher?” David asked as he walked past the young man to the fridge.
“Was that Mom?” Jessi asked.
“Yes, Jessykah, that was your mother screaming in pain.” He started pulling out fruits and cheeses from the fridge and cutting it so that his wife could eat.
“Dad, I did make dinner”, Delilah said.
“And I’m sure it’s delicious”, he said, “But Mom can’t eat a lot tonight. Too much on her stomach plus all the pain she’s in means that all that food is going to come up. That would be very bad. I might come down and get a little bit later. But, something tells me I’m not going to get much sleep tonight unless your mother’s sedated.” By the end, he was speaking to all of his children.
“Dad, I was thinking that we should all be at the hospital with you while Mom’s being operated on”, Jake said.
“You’re on the list to call your siblings out. Do it”, David responded. He picked up the plate of fruit and cheese and headed back toward the stairs. “I’ll tell your mother that everyone’s going to be there”, he said as he paused in the doorway. “Now, to go feed and re- sedate your mother. She’ll probably wake again in a few hours to eat one more time. I’ll give her the big meal then, that way she has something to sustain her sugar until after the surgery.”
“Sounds like you’re trying to convince us that’s a good plan”, Jake said with a chuckle.
“I don’t know what I’m trying to do right now. I’m going sleep a lot better once your mother’s sleeping without having to be drugged.” He rubbed a hand over his face.
“Go feed Mom, knock her out, and get some rest, Dad”, Jordan said. “I don’t’ know about Malachai, but Davina and I plan on staying close by tonight.”
“Mandy, the kids and I will be here too, Dad. Whatever is going to make this easier on you.”
David took a deep breath and yawned. “Thanks, you guys. Lord knows I need to help right now.” He walked off and went back up the stairs to feed his wife a lite snack before he made her sleep again.
---------------
After Jake had called his brothers and sisters out of school for the next day there was yet another knock on the door. Malachai answered it. “Hello there”, he said.
“Hi. I’m looking for Dr. Draiman”, the young man said.
Malachai sighed. “Jake, it’s for you!” he called over his shoulder.
“Who is it?” he asked.
“Some kid in a green uniform. He has an envelope.”
Jake handed his daughter off to her mother and went to the door. “I can’t spend any time with my daughter with you fuckers around here. God, what…” he paused when he came to the door. “Sorry Malachai. Shouldn’t have chewed your ass.” He looked at the young man. “Let me guess. The hearing has been moved up and that envelope has my ticket and hotel reservation inside?”
“I don’t know, sir. I’m just the messenger.”
“Lucky I didn’t decide to shoot you then, huh?” Malachai said.
“I told the kid that was here YESTERDAY that we like to shoot first and ask questions later around here. He’s really lucky it wasn’t Dad that answered the door, huh, Malachai?”
“For sure. Dad would have opened the door with his pistol drawn.”
Jake signed for the envelope and took it. “Don’t come back, kid. You won’t like what happens to you if you should. I might have to sew you back up, but you and I both know that if you don’t come back I won’t have to do that. Now, get lost!” he said and shut to door in the kids face. As he walked back to the couch, he tore the envelope open and pulled everything that was inside out. He cursed under his breath when he discovered he was right. “Fucking bureaucrats”, he cursed. “And while Mom’s still going to be in the hospital, too. Stupid sons of bitches.”
“What’s going on, Jake? What has you so pissed all of the sudden?” Jordan asked as she played with Miranda.
“I was supposed to go to a Cabinet hearing in three weeks, but those bastards in Washington had to bump up the meeting to next week.”
“Why?” Maddie asked.
“At the request of Roger J. McAllister, the President of the United States.”
“Wonderful. Just what you need, huh?”
“Well, I’m glad that it’s been moved up so that I can give Secretary Simon Ingerhardt a piece of my mind a little sooner than I had planned.”
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