To Everything, There Is A Season

Chapter 68

"Surgery?!" Don exclaimed as he got up off his perch next to Henry's bed and went over to kneel down beside Meryl on the other side of the bed, having seen the devastation in her eyes when Dr. Abbott ran into the room to tell them that their baby boy, who was barely 2 years old, would have to have surgery. "Hal, he just turned 2 years old a few weeks ago."

Meryl bent down to kiss her son's lifeless little hand. "Why? Why does he need surgery."

"He has a severe case of appendicitis and we need to remove his appendix as soon as possible." Dr. Abbott explained. "I have paged the top pediatric surgeon in the city and he is scrubbing up."." Don

Meryl shook her head trying to explain. "This all is happening so fast. Last night he was running around laughing and chasing Suzie. Now, you're telling us that our son who is BARELY 24 months old needs to have surgery? Hasn't he been through enough in his little life?"

"I know, baby." Don said hugging his wife to him. She was breaking, and he needed to put aside his own heartbreak in order to be there for his wife. "Hal, I know this is urgent but talk to us. What happens if he doesn't have this surgery?"

Dr. Abbott pulled a stool over to Don and Meryl and sat down on it. "His appendix will burst. We are damn lucky it hasn't already. Now, if his appendix burst then we risk him going into septic shock and his body shutting..."

"Okay, okay." Meryl held up her hands as she shook her head against Don's chest. "If this is what he needs then we'll do it. He will live a normal life without his appendix?"

Dr. Abbott nodded. "His inflamed appendix is causing an infection and is why he has a fever, he threw up, he's in so much pain and can't stay awake. I'm not saying he will be back to his ornery self as soon as he wakes up from the surgery, but in the next day or so he will be. We will start him on antibiotics. The surgeon will make an incision on his abdomen and remove the appendix. He'll be sore after. Might take a while for his appetite to return, but he will get back to being your Henry as soon as possible."

"We can't wait." Don choked with a kiss to Meryl's head. "He's so little. Is anesthesia safe for him?"

Dr. Abbott nodded. "We will give him something safe, and we will be monitoring him extremely closely. Has he had anything to eat or drink today?"

"No." Meryl shook her head as she couldn't seem to take her eyes off her son. "I tried to get him to drink some apple juice on the way here, it's his favorite, but he wouldn't."

Dr. Abbott nodded. "Okay. When do you think the last time was he ate or drank? We want to make sure to give him medication for nausea due to the anesthesia."

"Oh, I don't know." Meryl was thinking. "Before bath time last night he had a snack and some water. 8 o'clock last night."

Don nodded as Dr. Abbott was taking down notes. "Hal, is there anyway we can be in there with him?"

"I'm sorry, no. Too many risks of infection. We need the environment as sterile as possible and we need to leave space for his medical team to do their work." Dr. Abbott said as both Don and Meryl nodded sadly. "I promise you, I will not leave his side. I will be there holding his hand, watching his vitals. The anesthetist is wonderful, and has a soft spot in her heart for children, and is usually holding their hands during surgery. I will come out and tell you what's going on as soon as I can."

Meryl finally looked up and gave Dr. Abbott a soft smile. "Thanks, Hal."

"I know this is a lot to take in and everything is happening so quickly." Dr. Abbott handed Don some papers, thinking he would be the one most likely to sign off on Henry's surgery. "As his parents, I need one of you to sign these consents for us to treat him."