Brave Little Firefighter, BFFs, and a Dragon, Heart Warrior Journey

Chapter 2

Hot shot was at home. He was soon going to have surgery done on his heart. Hot shot was a little bit nervous about it. He was kind of scared and worried about it. Hot shot was wondering what was going to happen and if he was going to be alright. Hot shot was with his parents at dinner.

"I am kind of scared about the surgery," Hot shot admitted to his mother this morning.

"That is normal," Quickshadow said. 

"It is?" Hot shot asked.

"Of course it is," Quickshadow said. "It is something that is a new experience for you," she said.

"I know I will be asleep but what if I wake up during surgery?" Hot shot asked.

"Don't worry the doctors will know how much medicine to give you so you won't wake up until it is over," Quickshadow said. "While you sleep you won't know the surgery is going on or remember it, instead you will have a nice dream most likely," she said.

"Oh," Hot shot said. "Can Roxy come with me to the hospital?" he asked.

"Of course Hot shot," Quickshadow said. 

"Will I be able to go home after surgery?" Hot shot asked.

"Hot shot you will need to stay in the hospital for a while after surgery," Quickshadow explained. "You will need to stay about two weeks," she said. "If you have complications you will need to stay longer," she said.

"Oh," Hot shot said. "What else will I need to bring?" he asked.

"You will need to bring your toothbrush, your hairbrush, comfy clothes, a blanket, a pillow, frame photos of loved ones, and bring a few toys of yours," Quickshadow said. "But that is pretty much it," she said.

"Oh okay," Hot shot said. "I am still kind of scared," he said.

"I know you are but the problem with your heart needs to be fixed," Quickshadow said.

"Okay," Hot shot said.

"You know after your surgery you will be part of the zipper club, that is what they call adults and kids who had heart surgery," Quickshadow said. "Because there scar is right where a zipper of a jacket would be when zipped up," she said.

"Wow," Hot shot said. "Roxy is scared because she needs heart surgery too," he said. "Does she need to be scared?" he asked.

"No Roxy doesn't need to be scared either," Quickshadow said. "Roxy will not have worry about waking up during the surgery, or worry about the stay in the hospital after surgery, or about the scar after surgery," she said. "So she has nothing to worry about either," she said.

Hot shot was soon taken to Cook Children's hospital to have his preop check. "Okay Hot shot are you ready to for you're check?" a nurse named Tiffany said.

"Yes," Hot shot said. "Roxy needs a check too, she is also having heart surgery," he said.

"Looks like I will be checking on two patients at once," Tiffany said with a smile.

First she got Hot shot's height and weight. Then she took his temperature. She took his blood pressure too. She even got his blood oxygen levels and pulse. She took a couple of swabs and wiped the areas of his nose and leg to check for germs.  She did the same thing for Roxy too which made Hot shot smile.

"I am going to take some blood now," Tiffany said. 

Hot shot gave Roxy a big squeeze when she did so. "There all done," Tiffany said. "You are a brave boy," she said. Then Hot shot got a band aid. Tiffany even put an band aid on Roxy's front leg to show she got blood taken too.