Mr. Malone, look...the situation's not ideal. The impact to her left upper abdomen, most likely caused when she hit the back of the seat, was severe. She has a ruptured spleen with internal bleeding. I'm not going to sugar-coat this. It's serious, but she's stable. We need to operate immediately.
Turning to look at his daughter through the glass walls of the ICU, John Malone's eyes misted over. The rising lump in his throat threatened to overwhelm him. He knew the feeling all too well. Not today, he resolved. His tears could fall on another day, but dear Lord, please, not today!
His thoughts had little real religious meaning, he hadn't had a relationship with God in years... not since...not since Sasha's mom had been taken from them in childbirth. How could that be an expression of Divinity? Of love? He just didn't buy it anymore.
She was still his 'baby girl', barely 6 years old, and there she was lying flat on a hospital bed, her arms in casts, face swollen from the bruising, cuts marking her beautiful olive-toned skin; sleeping. The only other sound coming from the room... the constant beeps from the machines that surrounded her. He wanted to reach out and hold her and tell her that her Papa was there, everything was going to be ok, but truth be told, he didn't know if it would this time. The doctor's words were still echoing inside his head. He wished they would stand still for a moment; just long enough for him to assimilate them with clarity. Instead, blunt words kept hitting him on repeat, mocking and cruel! Why do people always get knocked when they are down?
Mr. Malone, excuse me, I don't mean to rush you, but we do need to do this, now! We just need the consent signed and then we'll take her.
Five minutes later he watched as his reason to live was wheeled down the long cold and sterile corridor away from him, and into surgery. Deja Vue.
I've looked over her oncology file, Mr. Malone...
He had to stop him. It felt too impersonal. And this...this was personal.
Dr. Stevens, please call me John, I'm more comfortable with that
he stammered.
Of course, whatever you'd prefer,
the consultant replied.
... so... John, I see she is on the waiting list for a stem cell transplant.
It wasn't even posed as a question. Just another hard fact. He'd felt that blow hit home too many times.
Yes, his daughter had cancer.
Yes, she was unlikely to see her 7th birthday without stem cell transfer intervention.
No, she had not received a match as yet.
It had been 2 very long roller-coaster years. Every morning he had woken up hoping that this was the day that they would finally get the call. Every evening he had retreated once more to his tear-stained pillow. And now, of all things, her spleen. Without it, she was so severely compromised. The noise inside his head was deafening. He wanted to kick and scream at how unfair life had become.
The two of them had been joking and giggling on the way back from the drive-thru. Getting take-out was their end-of-week treat together. He'd stopped at the lights, waiting for them to change green. Her favourite colour. It meant 'go'. It was one positive that life still gave them. Sasha had unbuckled her seatbelt and leaned forward to grab the ice-cream cup that had slipped just out of her tiny fingers' reach. He had not seen the other car coming until it was too late. The sheer force of its impact as it buckled into the back of their own at 50 miles an hour, had sent Sasha flying.
He had suffered whiplash and several lacerations, but they were minor compared to what she was going through.
She might only be six, but he hadn't known a wiser, more kind, and intuitive little soul in his life. She was compassionate towards animals, loyal to her friends to a fault. Always tried her very best at school and asked truly dad-stretching questions for a child. She kept his world spinning.
He rolled over to face the nurse who had entered the room.
Good morning Sunshine! How are we today? Anything I can do to make things easier for you?
She was always smiling, breezy ... it did little to ease the gloom that had taken root; the despair and heartbreak that now consumed him, tortured him...every single day! The flashbacks were slowly eating him alive.
One minute he had been driving along, a long shift under his belt, and the next he had been waking up under blue lights, mask straps cutting into the side of his face, pain in too many places to fathom their source.
They'd said he had likely suffered a blackout; not something he'd ever experienced before. His body was pretty beaten up from the incident but his physical scars were nothing compared to the ones now engraved on his heart. There were other casualties; a little girl, he'd been told. It was serious. Her health was already compromised. She might...
He shuddered...it wasn't worth contemplating.
He looked up at Nurse Cathy, managing a weak smile.
Not feeling too great... any chance of the local paper?
She obliged with the one under her arm. It was going into the nearest recycling bin anyway.
There splashed across the front page was Sasha's story. A child already facing an incredible battle against cancer; on the stem cell transplant list for 2 years, now in a horrific accident...
He felt helpless.
Terrible news... isn't it?
said Nurse Cathy, leaning over his shoulder to fluff his pillows.
We have all been so moved by her story here on the ward. Everyone's registered as a donor with WMDA. If we can't help her, perhaps we can help someone else.
Simon stopped reading, as he pondered Cathy's words. Perhaps there was room for hope.
John...?
John hesitated, struggling to raise his eyes to meet those of the consultant. He'd been sleeping in a camp cot on the ward floor for nearly two weeks. Every muscle in his body ached, but the one that hurt the most was his heart. She should be recovering. Her spleen should be healing. It wasn't.
A healthy person... would likely be ok, even without a spleen, but somebody who was immunity compromised, their bodies wouldn't cope without a weapon to fight bacteria. He'd been anticipating this moment; dreading its arrival.
Dr. Stevens spoke, his voice calm, and measured.
There's been a change in Sasha's condition. She's taken a turn for the worse... I'm afraid...If we don't get a donor match soon... I'm sorry... but you will need to start preparing yourself for the worst.
His world... stopped.
He spent the next 10 hours straight, on his knees in the chapel. He brokered every deal possible with God. He wagered his possessions, his house, his life. Lord, if you are out there, please, please...please just save her.
Dr. Stevens, we've just heard from WMDA. He's a 10/10 HLA match. It's astounding. Serendipitous. And he's agreed that we can do the stem cell extraction immediately.
The consultant's registrar was beyond excited. It would be his first solo run.
Dr. Ashley, where is the donor located?
Right here! Just down the corridor in General Ward!
Simon watched as the lifeblood flowed from his body, through the machines, filtering all that was good in his life, before sending it back to renew itself inside him again. The little girl on the bed next to him was sitting up, playing with her doll; smiling. They were on their last pint.
John had taken a quick break from his daughter's side to offer his sincere gratitude to Dr. Stevens and his team. The consultant squeezed John gently on the shoulder, before continuing on with his duties.
And now John had one final very important debt to pay.
He leaned forward as he entered the small space, knelt down, and bowed his head.
This story was really intense. I was afraid the little girl wouldn't make it, but thank God she did, and amidst all of this, John had to have faith.
Your writing is very good, as I read through I could feel every single emotion John must have felt. Great job.
thanks my friend. I am enjoying your writing too! This comment ☝️ gives me motivation. 🙏
hey @b0s, I believe you 'pimped my post' or something last week... haha that sounds cool. Thank you so much friend, that was very kind of you! 🙌😎I appreciate you. you have been so supportive of me and my writing in this short time.
No problem.
@silentbot star 5
Thank you so much @pibara. I appreciate this. I am glad you liked it.🙏
Ghad!
I'll admit I tried to skim through it... I want to know the ending first! 😭
It is so well written, and the words are so engaging, I am really happy that she is well at the end. 😭 would you mind if I put this on my library?
I have someone with cancer... are stem cells really that innovative? Sorry I am not really good with medical stuff... first I have heard about it.
You are very welcome friend. Thank you for your kind words. Feel free to keep a copy in your library. There is a lot of research into stem cell therapy and many childhood cancers can only be beaten through its use. I too have family members who have had cancer. In particular, a gorgeous little girl (not mine) who was diagnosed at the age of 2 and has been through the mill with it. She is in remission but considered vulnerable, so she needs to avoid things like viruses. It's definitely a very interesting area of medicine. I am not a medical professional though so I would seek medical advice on this. I wish you all the very best🙏
Thank you very much!
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thank you, this is very kind of you🙏
Awesome thank you.
Ohhhhh... this was a very nice read. I'm sorry I missed it when it was new.
Oh, that's alright @jacey.boldart. I am glad you enjoyed it 🤗 It's been a bit of a slow start on the authorial side as I have been focussing on replying to people, visiting everyone who visited my post and commented, and learning more things about Hive. Hope you are having a lovely weekend 💖
So far my weekend has been pleasant since I have lazily wasted my entire Saturday morning reading blogs,spending time on a facebook page where folks that love the vintage aluminum Christmas trees post and in general playing around on the net. I have so much I "should" be doing, yet here I sit !
lols. Mine has been pretty chilled too. My kids and other half are doing their own thing; mostly sleeping or watching telly haha, and I have been surfing the net, reading, writing, responding to comments. An enjoyable afternoon when the weather is not conducive to outdoor ramblings.
Now that's an interesting interest 💖
One of my Grandmothers had one when I was growing up. It always fascinated me with it's sparkling limbs and color wheel turning beside it.
At some point in my adulthood I would see one now and then or photos on the net and at some point I thought maybe I should acquire one. The few times I looked, the ones I saw that appeared to be in decent vintage shape, were priced higher than I thought they should be, so I never bought one. It obviously wasn't a life quest to have one LOL, so I didn't keep pursuing it, but every few years, it would come up again.
My older brother who was a year and a half older than me, passed in 2016, he was only 60. I am not telling that as a sad part of this story, but just explaining the event that changed my willingness to really "PAY" for a few things I wanted. I didn't make a list or anything, but I few things that had been my hearts desire at some point in my life, I decided I would have if I wanted them, even if it was a "thing" and temporary, I was going to OWN them for a while. Somewhat a "no desire left behind" kind of thing.
Now that may sound like I went on a spending spree, which I didn't, but as things came along that fit that category, I pursued them till they were mine. A vintage aluminum tree happened to be one of those things and in the fall of 2018 I became the happy owner of two 6 footers and later a 3 foot one too. That desire.... now realized !
Oh my heart 💗 Losing your brother so early...I am so sorry @jacey.boldart. But the life lesson you took from that to give value to yourself and treat yourself to the things that bring you joy in life. I love that❣️Now you're going to have to share some pictures with me...pretty please ...I'm fascinated!
Sounds gorgeous!
I know exactly what you mean about acquiring those few little treasures. I do this with children's books that I loved in my childhood. I feel their precious pages in my hands now and gaze at the covers, occasionally opening the soft and hardbacks to peek inside and revisit a beautiful line or two. I also bought myself my own Christmas tree a few years ago...so we have 2 that go up each year hehe. One for the family and kids to decorate and one that is more of an artsy style more bare tree (half the size of our big one) and it gets decorated with all of my special ornaments that I have collected over the years. I always get one from each country I visit too as a reminder of the memories made.
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Beautiful story, @lookingforspace. Welcome to Hive and to The Ink Well!
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hi @theinkwell. thank you for your kind feedback. I have already read and commented on 2 short stories from this weeks challenge @rayt2 and @khoola. My apologies, I guess I should have noted that. I plan to read more of them as they are quite enjoyable. I will keep perusing the helpful info in this community.😊