Ephemeral Reverie

THE HEART'S SILENT CRY

CH21: THE HEART'S SILENT CRY

Thalia woke up to the steady beat of the machines; the artificial sound filled the silent room. Blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights, she tried to open her eyes, but the weight of fatigue clung to her like a heavy shroud.

"Thalia," a calm yet serious voice called her out. Dr. Patel, her cardiologist, was standing firm in front of her bed. His look was a mix of concern and determination.

"Dr. Patel," she murmured; her voice is weak and raspy. "What happened to me? "

His eyes were scanning every monitor connected to her. "You fainted during your sleep, Thalia," he explained. "Your heart stopped beating for a while. You scare us, but we are able to revive you."

Fear has become visible in her eyes; her chest is tightening. "Am I....am I getting worse?"

She's afraid; she's not getting any better at all. She felt a pang of anxiety burden her. The fear of not being able to wake up in the following days scares her even more. She looked at the machines beside her; they were more powerful now than yesterday.

Dr. Patel took a deep breath, sitting beside her. "Thalia, we did all we could. We try to find the treatment, but there's really none. The medication can't prolong all the possible symptoms anymore; the medication is losing its effectiveness."

She knew that this time would come; she already prepared herself for the possible worst, but why is she becoming more scared now?

After all the happiness that eases all her worries, she then realizes why she's scared. She's not scared of death; rather, she's scared of not being able to see her loved ones once more. The pain will remain in their hearts as she bids goodbye.

"We can offer you two options for now. First, we could recommend you to a bigger hospital that can prolong your life while you wait for possible treatments. And we can offer you a heart transplant, but the operation is not as successful as you think it will be." Dr. Patel reached for her hand and caressed it slowly, assuring her that everything would be fine.

Both options don't sound good to her. Taking medication while waiting for a treatment can't assure her life; maybe during that waiting, the medication will come to an end and it will not work anymore on her. As for the heart transplant, finding a heart donor who has no assurance that she'll live will just be a waste. Perhaps finding a donor will take a lot more time than she thought.

She looks hopeless while searching for a glimpse of hope and miracle in her doctor's eyes, but she can't find one.

"What would I do? "Thalia's vision blurred as her eyes filled with tears.

"A heart transplant is the best option I could recommend. But it's not without risks. The success rate of it is low—only about 1 in 100 cases results successfully." His eyes reflected the painful truth.

"One out of a hundred? "She sneers; there's really no hope. Is it that hard to tell her that she's losing hope? She wondered.

"Yes, but it's a chance; maybe a miracle could happen to you this time," Dr. Patel convinced her.

Her hands tremble in fear. "How long should I wait for a heart donor?"

"It could be months, years, or longer than that," Dr. Patel replied.

It's still hard to wait; she may die waiting!

"Thalia," Dr. Patel said, breaking the silence that filled the room for a while. "You're a strong woman; I've witnessed it—how you fight and how you make everything better for you. We're here, and I am here to support you all the way. Just don't lose hope."