Fireproof family with heart

Chapter 4

Hot shot was sitting on the floor playing with his favorite toy a plush rhino called Smashy. Hot shot loved to play with him. The toy was well loved. Hot shot had several plush rhinos. Rhinos were Hot shot's favorite animal. He even had pictures books about rhinos. Hot shot wanted to hear one so he grabbed his favorite one and took it to Boulder. "Boulder will you read this too me?" Hot shot asked.

"Sure Hot shot, I am not busy right now," Boulder said. 

"Hooray!" Hot shot said. Hot shot sat next to Boulder and he began to read the book to Hot shot. Hot shot loved the story he was sitting there and holding onto Smashy the rhino while he listened to the book. 

Then Boulder finished the book. "There you go," Boulder said.

"Thanks," Hot shot said.

"Hey what is going on over here?" Quickshadow asked.

"Uncle Boulder just read to me one of my favorite books," Hot shot said.

"I see it is nice for Hot shot do something quiet and easy going," Quickshadow said. "Hot shot you need to get your shoes on and come with me," he said.

"Why?" Hot shot asked.

"Today you have an appointment with your cardiologist it is time for your appointment," Quickshadow said. "Dr. Riley will be seeing how your heart is doing and decide when you need your next operation," she said.

"Okay," Hot shot said and gave Smashy a big squeeze. He was kind of nervous. Hot shot took Smashy with him to Texas Children's hospital. "Why do we have to go through the ground bridge to see my cardiologist?" he asked his mother on the way there.

"Because it is the quickest way there we take it to a part of Houston and drive the rest of the way," Quickshadow said. 

"What the doctor does is kind of scary," Hot shot said.

"I know it is," Quickshadow said. "But the doctors want to help you so it is going to be okay," she said. "I know if your father wasn't out on patrol on Griffin Rock he would remind you to be brave," she said.

"Okay I will be brave," Hot shot said.

"Very good," Quickshadow said. "Now we are almost there." she said. They made it to Texas children's hospital Hot shot was ready for it but he was still kind of scared. Hot shot wasn't knowing what to expect even though he has been there before. 

Hot shot was ready to be brave for it though. He followed his mother into legacy tower. There they went into the heart center clinic. Hot shot was very nervous and saw there were a lot of kids there for various heart problems. Hot shot was hoping things were going to be okay.

Hot shot was waiting his turn and he wasn't knowing what to expect so he was kind of nervous. Then a nurse came out. "Hot shot," the nurse said. It was now Hot shot's turn. Hot shot was going back with his mother for the tests. Hot shot was kind of nervous. First Hot shot got a ECG. Hot shot had to stay still for it. Hot shot was good at following directions and he stayed very still for it. Hot shot was very brave and held on to Roxy the rhino. Hot shot was wondering what the machine was doing. Hot shot saw a paper come out. "What is that?" Hot shot asked.

"This is a graph the machine made of what your heart is doing," the nurse explained.

"Cool," Hot shot said he found that to be very interesting. He was amazed that his heart was doing something and that machine was seeing what his heart was doing, it was pretty cool. Hot shot then was taken for an echocardiogram. Hot shot had to stay still and held on to Roxy. The gel was kind of warm and Hot shot could see things on the screen. "What is that?" Hot shot asked.

"That is your heart it is pumping you blood all the time all day all time nonstop," the nurse said.

"Cool," Hot shot said. "I know see a cardiologist often according to my mummy and daddy, they said it was because I was born with a broken heart," he said. "what do they mean by that?" he asked.

"What your parents means is you were born with a heart that didn't work properly because it didn't form correctly before you were born, so when you were born your doctors saw you needed more than one surgery as you grew so your heart could work and take care of your body," the nurse said. "here let me show you something once this is done," she said. Then the Echo was finished. Then she showed Hot shot a picture. "Hot shot this is a healthy heart," she said showing him. "It has four chambers, four valves, a pulmonary artery and the aorta," she said. "The right side and the pulmonary artery send blood to your lungs to get oxygen and get rid of carbon dioxide. Then the blood once getting oxygen goes into the left side of the heart to send the blood back to the body so it can get the oxygen the body needs." she said. "Then the whole process repeats again all day everyday for your whole life," she said. "This is what your heat is like it is called double inlet left ventricle, it means your heart didn't form correctly with two ventricles and the arteries are in the wrong way, there is a hole and it is hard for you heart do it's job," she said. "You had two surgeries while you were a baby," she said.

"Yeah my parents told me that," Hot shot said.

"Those surgeries helped your heart, now you will need another surgery soon to help your heart again, and you will need to be monitored for the rest of your life and may need other surgeries and treatments as well throughout life due to how your heart is," the nurse said.

"Okay," Hot shot said. Hot shot felt better knowing about his condition.

Hot shot then saw Dr. Riley. "You are doing great so far Hot shot, you will have you surgery a next month so you have time to prepare for you hospital stay until then," Dr. Riley said.

"Okay," Hot shot said.

"I understand and I will let my husband Heatwave know," Quickshadow said.

Then left and came home. Quickshadow saw Heatwave. "Dr. Riley schedule for Hot shot's third surgery for next month," Quickshadow told him.

"Okay, so we have time to help Hot shot to decide what to bring to the hospital," Heatwave said.

The others heard about this too. "Hot shot you ready for your surgery next month?" Blurr asked.

"I guess so, I am a little scared," Hot shot said.

"That is normal to feel that way," Graham said.

"Yes anyone would be scared of surgery, it is a normal thing to feel," Chief Burns said.

"Okay," Hot shot said. Hot shot felt better knowing that surgery would be scary for anybody. Hot shot was going to be brave when it will happen. He was just going to have wait. Heatwave and Quickshadow were going to have to be prepared for it too.