“Amber, unfortunately we have found two blocked arteries in your heart.”
“That’s bad, huh?” I asked, trying to lighten the moment.
“Yes, it is. We need to operate on you and perform a double bypass surgery as soon as possible,” Dr. Casey said as he lowered his mask. His expression cleared away all of my earlier confusion and my drug-induced euphoria and slammed me back into cold, harsh reality.
“How soon is ‘soon’? Can I go home and we can schedule it next week, because I…”
“No. We need to do it now.”
“I don’t want to do it now. Can’t I get a second opinion before you rip my chest open?”
“There’s no time for that. If we don’t do this right now, you could die,” he said. “You’re in good hands. We’re the best hospital in the city.” I knew he was right. The Gardens performed all of the tough heart surgeries in West Palm Beach. But why today? Why did this all have to happen so quickly? If anyone had told me this morning while I watched the sun come up that I’d be having double bypass surgery by the end of the day, I’d have laughed my ass off.
“Can I see Karen, my partner? Karen Miller, the one who brought me in,” I asked.
“Sure,” Dr. Casey said as he nodded to the nurse. “We need you to sign some consent forms.” He looked up at his staff. “We’ll prep OR 3, guys.”
A bunch of nurses passed in and out of my view. I’d watched this kind of scene so many times in the movies and on TV. I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. Lying on that table, I kept staring at the organized chaos taking place before my very eyes. Get me the fuck out of here! I wanted to scream. My life would never be the same after this, I just knew it. No more meat, caffeine or fatty foods, it would be traditional fish and veggie diet from now until my death. Unless, of course, I died today. Panic erupted inside my head, and I clenched my fingers into fists; the pain of my fingernails digging into my palms kept me present and calmed me.
“God, babe!” Karen came out of nowhere. I could hear her talking and smell her coconut moisturizer before I saw her. Her tearstained face and puffy eyes were too much for me to take and I felt tears rolling down my own cheeks.
“Danny wants to see you,” Karen said.
“Yes, please let me give him a kiss before I go under.”
As Karen left to fetch Danny, I was moved to a prep room, and many more people in blue surrounded me. They attached tubes and wires to various parts of my body.
As my sweet, sixteen-year-old boy approached me, I noticed he also had the puffy eye syndrome that seemed to be going around my family. It broke my heart just looking at him.
“Don’t cry, my love, I’ll be fine,” I said, trying to convince both of us.
“When will you be coming home?” he asked, brushing his tears away.
“I honestly don’t know. Soon, though. I don’t intend to stay long. But I need you to listen to Karen and take extra special care of Kira. She’s going to be really confused by all this.”
“I will, I promise, Mom.”
“I mean it, Danny, no teasing her with your ghost stories. This isn’t the time for her to be waking up screaming in the middle of the night,” I said, brushing his long auburn bangs from his face. “God, you need a haircut.”
“Just don’t fucking die on me, Mom!” That little zinger turned some heads. All of the nurses laughed, except for an old one with glasses. I’m certain my mothering skills went into question in her mind, so I stuck my tongue out at her. Danny swiveled around and did the same.
“Okay enough, honey,” I said, turning him back to me. “And please, do try to watch your language.” I smiled playfully.
“You’re one to talk. All you do is curse, right and left,” Danny countered.
“Okay, then swear your little heart out until I get home.” I heard Karen laugh in the background and saw some of the tension leave Danny’s face. I gave my lanky teenager the squeeze of his life as I tried to muster up the courage to fight for my own. “I love you,” I said tenderly with a kiss.
“Can I get in on some on this action?” Karen asked. We performed our best group hug. I desperately wished I could’ve seen Kira before the operation. What if I died and she never saw me again? Our time ended, and Karen and Danny had to leave. Some administration woman forced me to sign and initial three forms, surrendering my right to sue the hospital if I croaked. Completely out of it at that point, someone could have placed a blank check in front of me and I would’ve signed it. They moved me into OR 3. The staff was ready. Each one of them had lined up in their appointed row. But, I wasn’t, not yet. Too bad. Before I had time to protest, that old bitch stuck her head over me, smelling like she’d just eaten tuna fish. I realized in that moment, that as the anesthesiologist, the old bag would have the last laugh. She appeared to take great pleasure in placing the mask over my mouth and nose.
“Now, have sweet dreams,” she said.
“Fuuuck yoooouuuuuu…” I replied.
Amber Tyler is living every author’s dream: her books are all best sellers and she writes full time. She has worked hard and is well-accomplished in her career, and she has the support and love of her beautiful children and girlfriend.
But the dream soon turns into a terrible nightmare when her latest manuscript is stolen. She decides to fight for what is rightfully hers, only to find that the harder she tries, the easier it all slips through her fingers, putting her career, her family, and her life in jeopardy.
But the dream soon turns into a terrible nightmare when her latest manuscript is stolen. She decides to fight for what is rightfully hers, only to find that the harder she tries, the easier it all slips through her fingers, putting her career, her family, and her life in jeopardy.
Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre – Thriller
Rating – PG-13
More details about the author
No comments:
Post a Comment