“That’s the spirit,” I tell her. “It’s almost time for us to head down to the OR. The special escort team will be down shortly to transport you,” I tell her. “You guys are welcome to hang out in here or someone can show you to a private family waiting area closer to the OR,” I tell Heather and David.
“Thank you. I think we’ll probably just stay in here,” Heather says, looking around at the large crowd that has gathered in Mackenzie’s hospital room.
“Sounds good, and if that changes, just tell one of the nurses and they’ll get you moved. They’ll also keep you updated on the status of the surgery,” I explain to them, and then go over all the details once more that pertain to the surgery portion of this night.
12
MEGAN
I SIT HERE STARING at the TV in Mack’s hospital room. I couldn’t tell you what is on or what the show is about, I’m so zoned out. The room is quiet, almost eerily, seeing as how many people all are here. Every once in a while, I’ll hear a little murmuring coming from one corner or another as someone says something to someone else. I’ve done my best to just stick to the edges. I don’t want to impose, but I also want to be here if they need anything. I can only imagine what Heather and David are going through while their child is in the operating room having her heart taken out of her body and a replacement one put in.
I think of what comes after the surgery. The first few days that are so crucial after a major operation. The recovery, the lifetime of drugs she’ll have to take to keep her body from rejecting the organ. Even with all those factors, I think of the second chance at life this new heart with give Mackenzie. How she’ll get to grow up, experience all the normal childhood and teenage firsts. Go off to college, fall in love, get married if she chooses, have kids if that’s something she wants. Those thoughts also have my mind wandering to the donor. What was he or she like? How old were they? How did they die?
As all of these questions flood my mind, I lean my head back against my chair and close my eyes. The exhaustion of the day is finally setting in. It makes me think of Drew and how tired he must be getting. I know he’s used to being awake for long days and standing on his feet for many of those hours, but I still worry. I know he wouldn’t risk the safety of his patient, or himself, if he was too exhausted to perform the surgery, so I push those thoughts from my mind. I instead work on turning my thoughts in a positive manner. I focus on my breathing and relaxing as much as possible. Even with spending most of my days in my chair, it can sometimes get uncomfortable by the end of the day. I look forward to being home each night and stretching out on my couch or bed. Giving my body a new position to be in is not only good for my muscles, but helps me fend off getting sores from sitting in the same position all the time.
“Can I get anyone anything?” I ask the room at large.
“I think we’re good, thanks, Megan,” Heather says, answering for everyone.
“Okay, I’ll be back in a little bit. If that changes, call me on my cell,” I tell her and write my number on the whiteboard on the wall.
“Thanks,” she says, smiling at me across the room.
I head out and down to the staff lounge first, making a stop in the bathroom. While all the bathrooms in the hospital are handicap accessible, this one is my favorite, as it’s the largest and easiest to maneuver my chair in and out of. I head out of the bathroom and lounge, and make my way down to one of the rooms that our physical therapists and occupational therapists use for patients. It’s the safest location for me to go and stretch myself out. I can feel my muscles spasming up and need to stretch them out before I end up not being able to tonight.
I maneuver my chair so I’m directly in front of the wall with a long bar attached to it, much like a barre bar. I unbuckle the seatbelt of my chair and pull myself to the edge. Once my feet are firm against the floor, I grip the bar in front of me and pull myself up until I’m standing. The immediate stretch through the muscles of my legs and back is a mixture of relief and pain. As my muscles elongate, they slightly spasm, but then release, and the relief that brings is worth the slight amount of pain that I feel at first. I allow myself to just stand there for a few minutes. I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths. I can feel my body adjusting to standing. I can feel my core attempting to take over and hold me upright. Once I feel steady enough, I let go with one hand, keeping the other firmly on the bar for support. I stay like that, doing a few calf raises once I feel strong enough to give my legs yet another stretch. Once I’ve had enough time out of my chair, I settle back in it and head for the cafeteria, where I grab a coffee and cookie before heading back up to wait with Mack’s family. The surgery is going to take a few more hours, as long as everything goes to plan, and no complications arise.
I stop at the nurses’ station once I make it back up to the pediatric floor and find Candace there.
“Hey, I didn’t think you’d be here this late,” I greet her.
“I’m working half a shift for Shirley tonight. Her granddaughter is sick, so I’m working the first half of her shift and Brianna is coming in early to take the other half of it before her shift tomorrow.”
“Ah, that’s too bad about her granddaughter,” I say.
“Yeah, sounds like the stomach bug. She was hopeful that it wouldn’t last more than twelve to twenty-four hours.”
“Have you heard anything from the OR?” I ask.
“Just got an update a few minutes ago. They’ve successfully transferred Mack to the heart-lung machine and have removed her heart. They were getting ready to place the new heart in and start the transplant.”
“That’s great news. No complications then?” I ask.
“They didn’t mention any, and seeing the amount of time that has lapsed, if they did, they weren’t major.”
“That’s so good to hear. I’ve been so worried something would go wrong.”
“Dr. Montgomery is a very skilled surgeon, and Mack is a tough little girl.”
“Oh, no doubt. I didn’t have any worry that Dr. Montgomery would have any issues, I was more worried that something would be wrong with the new heart or just another surgery complication would spring up,” I reply, stopping as I feel like I’m just putting my foot in my mouth. “Have you updated the family?” I ask, changing the subject slightly.
“Yes,” she answers as she grabs a chart. “They were happy to get such a good report.”
“I’m sure they were. Thank you for filling me in.”
I roll down the hall towards Mack’s room, the door is ajar slightly, and I pause at it before pushing it open. I can hear voices, all sounding upbeat and optimistic. The update is just what they needed to assure them that this is all going to pay off and be okay. Mackenzie is in good hands with Drew at the helm of her surgery.
I push the door open and enter the room. The news has made such an impact on the room. Before I left, it was almost complete silence except for the soft noise from the TV and the occasional words from one of the many family members here. Now, they’re all talking amongst themselves. The update that came while I was gone turned the melancholy that had settled over it right around, making it almost palpable in the room.
“Megan,” Heather says my name as she sees me enter the room, “they just updated us a few minutes ago!” The optimism in her voice has me smiling.
“I heard, such great news!”
“It was just the update we needed,” she says as she leaves David’s side and comes over to where I’ve stopped a few feet past the door.
“We’re just about to order in some food for everyone, can we get you anything?” David asks from across the room.
“I’m good, but thank you for the offer. I had dinner with Drew before surgery and just grabbed a snack while I was gone,” I tell them.
“So, you and Drew, huh?” Heather asks, her eyebrows wiggling up toward her hairline.
I can’t help but smile at her question. “We’re friends,” I confirm.
“I think you’re more than friends,” sh
e says, smiling wide at me.
“We’ll see, things are new and we’re taking them slow,” I confess. There’s no reason to lie to her about what’s going on, not that I could with how easily I blush at her question and implication.
“He’s a great guy, and from what time I’ve gotten to know you, I’d say the same about you. He needs someone good in his life,” she says, taking a seat on the edge of the bedside chair. “Maybe that can be you,” she says, sounding a little hopeful.
“I still have to remember that you’ve known each other for practically your entire lives,” I say, laughing lightly.
“Yeah, small town and all that. Everyone was always up in everyone’s business,” she muses.
“I know all about small towns. The immediate community I grew up in had a population of around five hundred. Omaha isn’t super far, so going to the ‘big city’,” I say with finger quotes around big city, “was a normal thing. Especially for my medical care. I had physical therapy a few times a week most of my childhood, along with multiple hospital stays over the years.”
“So, you know exactly what it’s like for Mack then. The reasoning behind your stays might be different, but that doesn’t really matter when a kid is stuck in the hospital,” Heather states.
“Correct. Being stuck in a hospital while all your friends are outside playing, living the life that a kid should be living and not worrying about IV lines and blood draws, or x-rays and scans. Open heart surgery or other life-threatening conditions. But I also see the resilience that kids who’ve been in these rooms have. The way they can put on a brave face when a new set of labs need to be drawn, or a new IV line needs to be placed. When they have to go for another scan or round of chemotherapy. The way they smile at therapists when they enter the room because they know that for the next hour, they might have to work, but with work comes rewards and play time.”
“I’m so glad you’re here. Mack loves all of you, but I think I hear the most about you and Lucy. You’re definitely her two favorite people, well, I guess when you include Drew, her three favorites.”
“I’m glad that I can bring even just a sliver of joy to her days. That’s what I’m here for,” I assure Heather.
We continue to talk until a delivery person shows up at the doorway, large food warmer bags in each hand. David gets up to take the food, passing it out to everyone and tipping the guy before he leaves.
“Think we’ll hear something soon?” David asks me once he’s finished eating, about thirty minutes later.
“I’d think so. It’s been almost two hours since we got the last update, so they should be nearing the end here soon, I’d think. I imagine they’ll let us know when it’s done, and then Drew will come in to update us once he’s out of the operating room and Mackenzie is in recovery.”
“I’m just so anxious to see her,” Heather states, moving to her husband’s side. He wraps his arm around her shoulder and pulls her closer. Once she’s settled next to him, he drops a kiss to the top of her head. I love seeing how much these two love each other. It’s written all over them. It’s also great to see them leaning on each other during such a hard time in their lives. I’ve known of way too many couples that don’t make it through stressful situations like these. Too many times, kids I’d meet in the hospital while I was a kid had parents who would be fighting in the halls, and marriages wouldn’t survive their kids being sick.
“We all are,” David assures his wife.
I fall silent as Heather and David get pulled into a conversation with one of their family members for the next few minutes. My eyes close as my head rests back on my chair, only to pop open when Candace comes into the room with news.
“I come bearing news!” she says, a huge smile on her face, as everyone in the room quiets and turns their attention her way. “I’ve just gotten off the phone with the OR. Mackenzie has come through surgery with flying colors. She’s being moved directly to the ICU and will be in a recovery state for the next hour or so as the anesthesia wears off. Once she’s starting to wake up, they’ll allow Heather and David to go up and see her. For the first twenty-four hours or so, only the two of you will be allowed in with her,” Candace tells the parents. “Dr. Montgomery said he’d be down as soon as he can. He’s going with her to the ICU to make sure she stays stable after being moved. He said he hopes to be down within the hour, but not to panic if he isn’t.”
“Thank you,” Heather tells Candace.
“Of course. Let me know if you need anything in the meantime,” Candace replies.
“With Mack being in the ICU for the next few days, do we need to clear out of this room?” Heather asks before Candace exits.
“Technically, yes. But take your time. We don’t have any new admits waiting on the room, and even if I get someone tonight, I’ve got other rooms I can put them into. Hopefully, once she’s released from the ICU and back to this floor, we’ll be able to put her back in here. I think we’ve all come to associate it with her, but that will be determined when she’s transferred back to this floor,” Candace says as she reaches up and squirts some of the hand sanitizer into her palm.
Having been involved in such a big case with being on Mack’s support team, I’m exhausted by the time the night ends. I don’t really care that it is hours past when I should have gone home. My focus from the moment we found out that today was the day for her to get a new heart, my mind jumped right into action. My job is supposed to focus on helping kids through what they think of as scary tests or procedures. But it goes well beyond that. It spills out into helping loved ones when they need it in days like today.
13
DREW
I PULL my scrub cap from my head and shove it into my pocket as I twist my neck side to side. Four straight hours hunched over an operating table sure causes the aches and pains to set in. Especially when it’s an unplanned, end of day surgery. But everything went as textbook as it possibly could go for us tonight, and for that I’m extremely thankful. I stand at the washing station and scrub my hands in my post-operation routine. Once I’ve cleaned up, I dry off and head for the staff lounge to change into a clean set of scrubs. Even with the operating room kept on the cold side, with all the lights and layers of sterile gowns, I come out of surgery a sweaty mess.
I quickly change into some clean scrubs, use the bathroom, and then head for the coffee pot. With a fresh cup in my hand, I make my way to the ICU and check in on Mackenzie. She’s stable, vitals are looking amazing. She’s not showing signs of waking up just yet, but that will come with a little more time and fluids flushing the anesthesia out of her system.
I look over Mack’s vitals again, listen to her new heart beating away in her chest before I make some notes in her chart. I talk things over with the nurses on tonight before heading back down to the pediatric wing and to her family.
“Hey,” I greet the room, and everyone noticed me as soon as I entered, clearly, they have been waiting on my arrival. “Mackenzie is doing amazing. The surgery went as perfect as we could have asked for. Now, we just have to wait and watch her closely for any signs of rejection. I just left her, she’s settled in, down in ICU. She still hasn’t woken up, but I don’t expect that just yet. We’ve got fluids running to help flush the anesthesia out of her system, but she’ll probably be fairly groggy for a while. The pain meds will have an effect on that, as well.”
“How was everything once you got her opened up?” David asks.
“Her heart was definitely showing signs of failure, which we already knew, obviously. The new heart was in darn near perfect condition, so I have every belief that things will be in the upswing for her. We’ve still got some sensitive and important days ahead of us in her recovery. We might have setbacks, we might not. The most important thing going forward is we pay close attention to any signs that something isn’t right. Any inkling that something is wrong, I need to know about it. Even if it’s the most minor things. Even if it’s just a gut feeling. Sometimes, those are the most impo
rtant ones. You know your daughter best and if you think something is wrong, it usually is.”
“Okay,” Heather says, taking in everything I’ve just told her. “When can we go see her?”
“You and David can head up whenever you want,” I tell them.
“Thank you, Drew,” Heather says, stepping up in front of me and wrapping her arms around my torso. I lay my hand on her back, returning her hug. “I don’t know how we’ll ever repay you or thank you enough for saving our baby girl,” she says, holding back tears.
“No repayment needed. Knowing that she’ll be growing up and kicking butt is all I need. I have a feeling Mackenzie is going to change the world one day, and I just hope I’m around to see it.”
“Thanks,” David says, stepping up next to his wife and offering his hand to me. I shake it firmly, letting him know I’ll always have his little girl’s back. “Let’s go see our girl,” he says to Heather. I step to the side, allowing them to walk past and out the door.
“How are you holding up?” I ask Megan once Heather and David have left the room. The family members that are left are all gathering their things to head home now that they know Mackenzie is safely through surgery. Since they can’t see her, there’s no real reason for them to hang out here at the hospital any longer.
“Tired, and my muscles are tightening up,” she says. “I stretched a little a few hours ago, but it’s been a long day in my chair.”
“Why don’t you go home? Get out of your chair before you are in too much pain tomorrow,” I suggest.
“I will, I just wanted to know that Mack was okay and pulled through.”
“She did great. Come with me?” I ask. Megan nods her agreement, and we head out of the room and down the hall. I enter the therapy room and head for one of the therapist’s tables. “Come, sit. I’ll roll out your legs for you.”
“You’ll what?” she asks, sounding astonished.
“I’ll roll them out for you. I know that it’ll help with the tightness,” I assure her. “It’s the least I can do for you after you spent all night here.”
Cocky Doc: A Hero Club Novel Page 9