Wormed Into my Heart

Chapter Two: Sacrifice

Sarah needed a new kidney. Right away. This was an urgent need. So John did what he does best. He volunteered. He wanted to help her. So he did. He said, “You can have my kidney.”

Sarah was shocked. She didn't want to hurt john by forcing him to give her his kidney. She said, “I couldn’t live another day knowing that me getting your kidney  would kill you.”

John said, “It wouldn’t kill me, I can live off of one. Please, let me help you.”

She didn’t know what to say. She took his hands in hers, and says, “If that’s what you want, then I wouldn’t want to hold back the love of my life.” 

She rests her forehead against John’s. She felt pressure in her chest, she felt lightheaded and confused. She was dizzy. She fell to the ground unconscious. She started to seize. John rushed her to the hospital. 

The wait in the waiting room was the longest and most terrifying moments of his life. The love of his life had a possibility to die. The doctor walked into the room and all of the hype house was waiting there for the results. The doctor said, “John Quinones, could I have a word with you?”

He got up. Nervous, he walks over to the doctor. The doctor says, “She has kidney failure. We need a match in kidney for Sarah to live normally ever again.” “I can give her my kidney if it’s a match.” John interrupts. He had no doubt that he needed to do this. 

The doctor opens to door to the hallway and gestures to let him in. John followed him. He sits down on the examination table, and the doctor draws blood from him. He told him to go back to the waiting room and he would get the results in a couple of hours. He sat in the waiting room for what seemed like weeks to him. The love of his life’s life was in his hands. 

A couple hours later, the doctor shared the news. He had the same blood type as Sarah, meaning that his kidney could be donated. Signing some contracts, he immediately wanted to go into surgery. But first, he wanted to speak to Sarah. He told the doctor his wishes, and he got to see her.

He said, “Sarah, everything will be okay, we have a donor ready. The doctor thinks that you’ll recover fully.”
Sarah, dismayed said, “I’m scared, what if something goes wrong?”

John said, “I’m sure everything will be okay.” The doctor told John it was time to leave. They said their goodbyes, and John went into the operation room, and he began to fall unconscious. 

Sarah wakes up, with a new kidney. Delighted, she asked the doctor how the surgery went. The doctor said, “It seems that everything went smoothly, and you should make a full recovery in no time.” She was excited, and asked to see John. The doctor said, “Who do you think gave you the kidney?” 

Sarah was shocked. “John gave me the kidney?” The doctor nodded. She asked to see him. She went into the hospital room he was in. She held his hand. The touch woke John. He said, “Sarah, my surgery didn’t go as well as yours did.” “I may not survive.”

A tear rolled down Sarah’s cheek. “What do you mean you won’t survive?”

“I mean that I might die. But you have a part of me with you forever.”

“How will I be able to live knowing that the love of my life died because I took their kidney?”

John said, “Don’t beat yourself up. I love you. This was a sacrifice that I was willing to make.” 

Sarah began to cry. “I won’t leave this room. I’ll stay with you for as long as I can.” John said, “I’d like that.” and he cracked a smile. Sarah smiled through her tears. They laughed. John caressed Sarah’s face and brought her close. She kissed him, for the first and last time. 

John’s heart rate began to slow as doctors rushed in. Sarah got pushed away as John took his final breath, and flatlined. Sarah’s heart was broken. Doctors got a defibrillator and yelled, “Clear!” And shocked him back to life, Sarah was a mess, crying as nurses pulled her out of the room. They tried to comfort her, as she was sobbing. But all she wanted was to see John.

    While waiting in the waiting room, Sarah felt no emotion, she wanted the love of her life to continue to live. She was full of anxiety, and she wanted all of this to be over and to hold John close to her where nothing could happen. The doctor walked in. Hesitantly, he started to speak with a mourning tone. I’m sorry, Miss TikTok Famous worm, he’s going to have to live on a machine for the rest of his life if he wants to live. He has chosen to pull the plug, but he wants to speak to you first.

    She walks into the room, and sees John lying on the bed. He looked up, and saw Sarah. He said in a weak voice, “Come here, Sarah.” She got closer and with tears in her eyes, said, “I can’t live to see you die, I need to be with you forever.” John said, "we can get married before I pull the plug."

Sarah immediately agrees. The doctor asks them questions, and then says, “Here is a license for a hospital marriage. I can get a pastor in here, and you can get married.” 

    A while later the pastor arrives, and says, “Lets begin. Do you, Sarah the Tik Tok Famous Worm, take John Quinones to be your husband and the other half, to take care of him and cherish your relationship? To love him today, tomorrow, and forever? To always be open, honest, and faithful to him? Do you take him to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto him for as long as you both shall live?”

Sarah said, “I do!”

“And do you, John Quinones, take Sarah the Tik Tok Famous Worm, to be your wife and better half, to take care of her and cherish your relationship? To love her today, tomorrow, and forever? To always be open, honest, and faithful to her? Do you take her to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, keeping yourself unto her for as long as you both shall live?”

Weakly, John said, “Yes, I do.” “By the power vested in me by the state of California and American Marriage Ministries, I pronounce you Husband and Wife! John, you may now kiss your bride.” He says.

John was happy. He took Sarah’s hand and put it in his. He said, “You’ll always have me with you, Sarah Quinones.” Sarah started crying. She didn’t want to pull the plug. He pulled her closer and once again his heart rate began to drop. As it slowed, the doctor said, “Say your last words to each other.” John said, “I love you.” With tears in her eyes, Sarah said, “I love you too.” He passed away peacefully, with Sarah by his side.