"What's all this?" Ms. Harmon questioned as her daughter was brought out into the hall, about to lose her face to another girl.
"We call it the walk of honor." Ethaline said with a small smile. "To thank your daughter for her sacrifice." The hallway was lined with doctors, nurses, and technicians. They stood tall, shoulder to shoulder. Ms. Harmon looked down to her daughter one last time.
"I love you... So much." She kissed Caroline's head and nodded to ethaline. Ethaline began to push the hospital bed down the hall. Heads bowed low, some tears fell and Kayla Harmon watched as her daughter was honored before losing not only her life which was kept on life support, but her face. She was going to lose her face.
"Alright it's time. It's going to be a busy next 48 hours so clear yours schedule, all electives gone, anything non-emergency will be pushed back." Dr. Cade announced to the large group of people. "Cameron Brooks is going to be our main priority." People watched from the observation desk above amazed at what was about to happen wanting to see firsthand a miracle. "Let's get Cameron Brooks a new face."
They placed a template along Caroline Harmons face, drawing a thin line. Taking that same template and putting it on Cameron's face, drawing the same line so the amount of skin removed would be a perfect match. Carefully, so carefully they peeled away Caroline skin, clamping off arteries, veins, nerves, preserving everything.
This isn't a cadaver, this is real life. This isn't a cadaver, this is real life. Dr. Cade thought as she looked back to Cammie. She lay on the table under anesthesia waiting for her face. Dr. Cade had been with Cameron for over a year and during the entirety of that she didn't think that she would ever find a face for Cameron. That was never even a thought in Dr. Cade's mind that she would be able to get Cameron a face. But here she was removing another girls face so Cameron could a fresh start.
Hours upon hours passed and Eliot grew board quickly. He could only play video games for so long before his Nintendo started to die on him and he had to let it charge. He paced the hallway and then moved down to the gift shop where Evan bought him a small basketball. They bounced it up and down the hallway while they waited. They should have went home, Colton did. He said he would come back tomorrow, but that he needed to get home. He said to call him if anything happened, that he would pray for her continually. Scarlett tried to talk to Kayla Harmon, but the moment Kayla saw Scarlett she ran to the bathroom crying. It wasn't fair that their daughter got a second chance and hers didn't, that was all Kayla could think when she saw Scarlett.
Would Caroline forgive her for giving up her face? Would Caroline be full or faceless in heaven. She would be full and filled with life and love and have her face. Would the other girl have Caroline's face if she went to heaven or her original face? What if Caroline's face was going to be sent to hell one day. Kayla wiped at her eyes as she walked out of the bathroom.
"Do you believe in God?" She asked Scarlett.
"Yes, we are Christians." Scarlett said taken back by her assertiveness.
"Good." Kayla turned away and towards the elevators, she needed air.
"Mark Green, how the heck are you?" Evan said stopping an old army buddy in his track.
"Evan Brooks, damn you still look good. And you have a desk job, how is that fair?" Mark said as Evan pulled him in for a hug. "And who is this little guy?" Mark asked putting a hand on Eliot's shoulder.
"This is my son, Eliot. Eliot this is an old friend of mine, Mark."
"It's nice to meet you." Eliot said sticking out a hand.
"You as well. Very polite."
"Are you working on my sister?" Eliot questioned.
"Two kids, wow we really need to keep in touch better." Mark told Evan with a smile. "No I'm not working on a Brooks, I would have definitely seen you sooner. What's wrong with your sister?" Mark questioned.
"She is getting a new face." Eliot said proudly.
"A new face?" Mark questioned looking to Evan.
"Long story." Evan answered.
"You still with Scarlett?" Mark remembered seeing Evan years ago at this very same hospital waiting for the love of his life to come out of surgery. Evan nodded. "She seemed like a keeper."
"She is." Evan confirmed.
"Dr. Green? We need you in three." A small nurse said as he approached Mark.
"Well, I will be praying for all of you, if you are still around later we will try and catch up? Get a coffee or tea or something?"
"Yeah, I would like that. Go save some lives." Evan directed. Mark walked off with a smile.
"Clamping the left and right common carotid arteries and jugular veins..." Dr. Tuzu said as he clamped off Caroline veins. "Cutting carotids and jugulars..."
"It's done..." Dr. Cade said as Caroline's face was carefully lifted off of her and carried to Cameron. Everyone stood frozen for a moment while the respirator and life support was stopped for Caroline. They watched as she flat lined, giving her a moment of silence.
"Alright gently now." Dr. Andrews said. "Veins, arteries, nerves, in that order from the chin up. Yes?" The staff of doctors and nurses nodded and began working.
"Right side donor to recipient vessels are anastomosed." Dr. Cade informed.
"Left side donor to recipient vessels are anastomosed as well." Dr. Andrews confirmed.
"Let's see if it worked." Dr. Tuzu said, clutching his hands to his chest. "Unclamp please."
"She's pinking up." Everyone took a moment to smile, what they had done, this impossible thing had worked.
"Good, moving on. Sensory and motor neuorrhaphies..." Dr. Tuzu nodded at the group as they continued to work again.
PROCEDURE: The patient signed consent for the surgery, she was informed of all the risks and benefits. The patient was brought to the operating room and placed in supine position. A sterile gown was placed over her body and her face was prepped and draped, her hair pulled back.
Then a template was put over the donors face and a line was traced in temporary marker along the border to give an exact measurement of where the incision would be made. The same template was then placed on the recipients face and marked to give the same marking for an exact incision.
A 10 blade was then used to... Dr. Cade spoke into the microphone. A detailed oral explanation of what the procedure entailed was to be done for every single surgery and hospital visit. This is what Evan did for a living, he wrote what they said as fast as they said it. This was going to be a long transcription Dr. Cade thought as she took a sip of her coffee while waiting for Cameron Brooks to wake up from surgery, to reveal her new face to her.
