Love is the Best Medicine

Chapter 45

Don was relieved that Meryl got some sleep; even though he didn't, but he didn't care-she was what mattered at the moment. As soon as it was 8am he called Dr. Abbott and explained what happened, and of course Dr. Abbott was reporting him to the hospital ethics board and immediately got Meryl into the best cardiologist in the country who had a practice in Manhattan. Don and Meryl were a nervous wreck as they sat waiting in Dr. Grayson's office waiting for the results. Don had one hand on her leg, and was holding hers with the other when the doctor walked in. "I have the results and answers you've been waiting for."

"Baby, no matter what the results are; we face them together. Just like everything else in these past 32 years." Don said with a kiss to her lips. "I love you."

Meryl didn't stop the tears that rolled down her face. "I love you, too."

"You said you had the results?" Don said turning his attention back to the doctor.

The doctor nodded. "Yes; I have a diagnosis."

"Just give it to us straight." Don said as he wrapped his arm around Meryl who was shaking.

The doctor nodded. "Dr. Rogers was right, Mrs. Gummer, you do have Cardiomyopathy."

Meryl began to cry again as Don tightened his hold on her. "Oh God."

"Get her name on the transplant list; NOW." Don said strongly. "If she can't get a transplant here; then I will fly her wherever we need to go. We are NOT leaving this office until we have a care plan set in motion."

Meryl shook her head. "You need your hip replacement; we can't go anywhere right now."

"My fucking hip is nowhere NEAR as important as your HEART." Don exclaimed.

The doctor held up his hand. "You two are getting ahead of yourselves; you don't need a replacement."

"So, you also think she should just DIE? Well, that's not going to happen." Don was getting pissed off again.

The doctor shook his head. "No, Mr. Gummer, not at all. I would like to put in a special pace-maker and prescribe some medicines."

"That will buy me a year?" Meryl choked as she tried to follow all of this.

The doctor shook his head. "No, Ma'am, it will give you much much longer. You will be able to live a happy and very long life. Aside from the Cardiomyopathy you are incredibly healthy."

"The other cardiologist said she only had a year." Don was relieved put pissed. "He said there was nothing that could be done."

The doctor shrugged. "I have no idea what he was thinking; but I will be looking into it and reporting him. You should NOT have been told that; this is completely treatable."

"You said a special kind of pacemaker?" Don asked as he finally started to calm down and felt like they were FINALLY getting somewhere.

The doctor nodded. "Mrs. Gummer, you have Dilated Cardiomyopathy which means you are experiencing arrhythmias.   In people who may be at risk of serious arrhythmias, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is implanted. An ICD is a small device — about the size of a box of matches — implanted in your chest to continuously monitor your heart rhythm and deliver electrical shocks when needed to control abnormal, rapid heartbeats. The device can also work as a pacemaker."

"Will she feel the electrical shocks?" Don asked concerned.

The doctor shook his head. "No; she won't."

"I'm not going to die?" Meryl choked.

The doctor shook his head and smiled. "No, ma'am, but I would like to schedule this immediately."