(Deals with Health sensitive subject)
1
Ann Possible was doing surgery when she felt unwell. She looked to the person on her right and said, "I need you to step in. I'm dizzy and need to sit down." The other person agreed and Ann took four steps away and fainted. Frantic nurses rushed over to help her while others kept doing the surgery on the male on the table.
A while later . . .
Kim and Ron had been sitting with her mother as she slept. "I've never seen her so vulnerable." Kim said, trying to hold back tears.
Ron shook his head in sadness. "Yeah, she's always been so on the go and to see her like this is awful."
James was in the room too. "They are running tests on her. We'll know more soon."
Jim and Tim were both stressed as well. They'd been in the room and walking around the halls talking.
The doctor came in about half an hour later with a serious look on his face. "Her blood pressure is low and there's something unusual with her heart rate. We need to keep a close eye on her."
The room was silent for a moment before Kim spoke up. "What does that mean?"
The doctor sighed. His hazel eyes filled with concern. "It's not immediately life-threatening, but we do need to understand what's causing it. She's being moved soon to the ICU for closer monitoring."
Kim and Ron exchanged anxious glances as they followed the doctor out of the room. The hallway was a blur of white and the echo of footsteps. They found Jim and Tim and told them the news.
They took a seat outside the ICU, feeling helpless as they watched the medical staff bustling about. The minutes stretched into hours, each one heavier than the last. They talked in hushed tones, sharing memories of Ann's tireless dedication to work and family.
2
Kim's eyes kept looking to the double doors that separated her from her mother, willing them to open and reveal good news.
A sound from the phone in James' pocket pierced the silence. He checked it and his expression tightened. "The tests are back. I need to speak with the doctor." He stood up, leaving Kim and Ron in a cloud of worry.
While James was gone, Kim took a deep breath and leaned against Ron for support. "What if she's really sick?" She whispered.
Ron's arm tightened around her shoulders. "We can't think like that, Kim. Your mom's the strongest person we know." He offered a comforting smile, but the knot in Kim's stomach grew tighter. She nodded, trying to convince herself.
When James returned he looked paler than usual. "The doctor wants to see us."
"Why?" The twins said together. They looked at each other, both feeling the weight of what was coming.
They followed him down the hall, their footsteps quick and light. The doctor was waiting for them, a clipboard in hand and a tired look in his eyes.
"We've found something." He began. "It seems Ann has a rare condition. It's a heart muscle disease that can cause abnormal heart rhythms."
Kim felt the air leave her lungs. "How bad is it?"
The doctor paused, letting the silence stretch between them. Kim's heart thudded painfully in her chest as she waited for him to continue. Her mother had always been so strong, so invincible, that hearing the doctor's words felt like a punch to the gut.
