Had I known How to Save a Life

Not Everyday Is A Good Day

Chapter 51
*Meredith POV*

Not everyday is a good day. Not everyday goes how you want it to go. Sometimes we wake up with the feeling of inevitability that this will not be our day. But that's life, not everyday is meant to be good.

I wake up with a feeling. Not like sickly feeling but just a feeling. I can't put my finger on it. 

"Can today just not happen?" Derek says as he wakes up from the small amount of sleep he got last night.

Ellis was up all night, she just wouldn't sleep. No matter what we tried. She stayed in the middle of us last night.

She opens her pretty blue eyes and laughs a little and for just a second it makes the restless night worth it. "Hey Ell, hey baby did you sleep any?" I say to her as I kiss her on her head.

Suddenly we hear a cry that I immediately recognize as Bailey. Then a scream from Zola, "Mommy! Daddy!"

"Stay with Ellis," I say as I run out of the room to see what my children are up to.

Zola is in Bailey's room and he has thrown up probably 3 times already. "Mama, somethings wrong with Bailey."

Stomach flu.

I can already guess what it is. "I don't feel g-good," Bailey chokes out in between tears.

"I'm sorry buddy, cmon lets get you cleaned up." I tell him. First I lift up his shirt and carry him into mine and Derek's room.

"Throwing up, low grade fever; he has the stomach flu." I say.

"We can't bring him into daycare." I add.

"Hmm...well, I don't have anything scheduled till the afternoon. I can take care of him, Zola and Ellis. And you could get Richard or Bailey to cover for you and we can switch off?" He suggests.

"I like that idea." I say. Right after I say that Bailey throws up on me.

"Mommy, Bailey threw up on you." Zola points out.

"Ya think?" I say sarcastically.

Derek gestures for me to hand him Bailey and I gladly do. I get cleaned up again and then give all 3 of this kids kisses on the cheeks and then Derek a nice long soft kiss on the lips.

Today is certainly not my day. The traffic is bad, it's pouring, my son is sick. This and that.

I get into work and Wilson and Edwards are my residents. Rounds start and only Edwards shows up, "Where's Wilson?" I ask before we go in.

"10 minutes ago she had mega morning sickness in the bathroom near the residents lounge. She's probably still there." She tells me.

"Oh well isn't that delightful." I say.

We walk in and my patient is a 15 year old girl, her name is Jessie. She's been my patient for a few years. She needs a kidney transplant.

Alex is working with me on the case. "Jessie do you have any questions before surgery?" He asks her.

"Uh yeah, when can I got back to school? Or play sports or like do the kinds of stuff my friends do?" She asks anxiously.

"Well, if all goes well then you can go back to school in a few weeks and play sports. But you need to remember, being a transplant recipient means a lifetime of medication and stuff." Alex explains.

She looks a little disappointed. "Yeah I remember all that the last time I almost got a kidney."

"Well surgery is in a few hours so we'll start getting you prepped and your kidney will be here soon." I tell her.

We all leave the room and Alex asks, "Where's Jo? I thought she was on this case?"

"Morning sickness." Edwards says.

"Bathroom near residents lounge?" He asks.

She nods yes. I guess today isn't Jo's day either. I walk into the Attendings lounge and find April gripping the edge of the couch, "You okay Apes?" I ask.

"Contractions." She says quickly.

"Yep they're the worst." I say.

"Today is not my day. Nothing has gone right at all. Last night, Jackson and I tried to put the cribs together a and failed miserably. I don't know how I can do 2 at one time." She vents.

"Bad days don't last forever." I say before I leave.

I get into surgery and begin the kidney transplant. Edwards scrubs in because Jo had to leave work her morning sickness was so bad. Alex asks me, "So, Mer, when does all the morning sickness end stuff end?"

"2nd trimester, how far is Jo?" I ask him.

He tells me 11 weeks. It's always scary for first time parents dealing with all the changes.

I'm about to put the new kidney in, this poor girl has been waiting 3 years for a kidney. We all sit and wait for the new organ to pink up...please pink up. Please pink up. Not everyday is a good day, but this day sucks.

My phone goes off as we all impatiently wait for this kidney to pink up. "Dr. Grey, Dr. Shepherd is in the Attendings lounge with your kids and he says its your shift for Bailey's stomach flu." The scrub nurse tells me.

"Dammit. Okay, umm...someone page Bailey or Webber or any on call general surgeon. Tell them I had to leave and need them to cover for me." I say as I begin to take off my gown.

"Kidney's pinking up!" Edwards exclaims.

Thank God.

I run out and get into the lounge and
I see Zola and Ellis on the couch. And Derek's gone and Bailey too.

"Zola, wears your brother and your daddy??" I ask.

She shrugs her shoulders, and I see the bathroom open and Arizona walks out holding Bailey.

"Derek got paged, and this sick little guy had to go potty." She says  as she hands me him.

"Thank you, Arizona." I say as I embrace Bailey. I hold Zola's hand and push Ellis in the stroller. And head back home with them.

Thank God Bailey didn't throw up in the car. When we get in the house and he quickly runs to the bathroom.

A few hours later, I go to check on him in his room. I ask him how he's doing and he wants to lay down with me. I pick him up and carry him into mine and Derek's bed. Zola was already taking a nap in there.

Bailey latches his arms around my next and he rests his head on my shoulder. "I love you mommy," he whispers to me.

I smile and it almost makes me tear up, but I kiss him on the head and whisper back "I love you too baby."

Derek comes home and finds Bailey latched onto me with Zola and Ellis cuddled up right next to me.

"Room for one more?" He laughs.

Derek holds Ellis in one arm and has his other arm wrapped around Zola. I love this. Today hasn't been the best but ending it in bed with my 3 kids and husband is the best way to end any day.

Not everyday is a good, that's inevitable. But instead of waiting for the storm to pass, learn how to dance in the rain.