Heart Transplant

Chapter 5

5

The next morning Shona woke up in the hospital room. Her breathing was back to normal. She spotted her father sleeping on a chair in her room. A wave of guilt crashed over her. What if she had died and the last thing they did was fight? How would her father be able to get past it? But like a wave the felling receded. She was still angry with him for trying to control her life. The door opened softly and Ty peeked in. “Hey Shone.” He whispered  and grasped Shona’s hand. “How are you feeling?” “Fine now that you’re here. I want my dad to see that you’re not a bad guy. He needs to trust in me.” “I didn’t come here to prove anything to your dad. I just came to see if you were ok. And even if your dad continues to not like me, I will visit you every time you are in the hospital because I love you and that will never change.” He leans down and hugs Shona tightly. She couldn’t help but let a few tears fall.

Shona’s dad woke up not too much later to the soft touch of his wife’s hand on his shoulder. She put a finger to her lips and pointed at were Shona was sleeping and Ty in a chair next to her bed also sleeping. He couldn’t help but soften at the sight. Shona’s mom walked over to Ty and shook his shoulder. He looked up at her sleepily. “Hey Misses K.” “Maybe you should go home. She needs her rest.” He agreed and got up. They walked him to his temporary replacement truck. The state of it was awful but he didn’t seem to mind. “Hey Ty?” “Yes ma’am?” “We would really appreciate you coming to visit Shona in the hospital when she gets the surgery…if she gets the surgery.” Ty felt a mixture of feelings about Shona not having told them her plans yet. “I’m sure she’ll make the right choice, but of course I’ll be there when she does, just like I always have been.” He shoots a warning glare at Mr. Keating. “Right. Well we need to get home. We’ll be sure to let you know if she gets any worse.” With this Ty gets in his car and drives away. “That boy is headstrong.” Mr. Keating commented still thinking about the look he had received. “That boy is in love and isn’t going to be pushed around. Come on old man, let’s get you home.”

The next time Shona’s parents visited her in the hospital she told them the news. “I have decided to get the transplant.” Her mom instantly burst into happy tears, and her dad’s muscles loosened up for the first time since the opportunity had been presented. He still looked a little worried and outrageously tired because he was worrying about what could go wrong during the procedure, just as Shona had done for weeks. When Ty arrived, Mrs. Keating burst into tears again and told him the good news. He was revealed, for he could finally not worry about it accidently slipping out. He smiled and congratulated them. He kissed Shona’s forehead. “I’ll be here the whole time.”

Prepping for the surgery was a scary process. Shona was drugged up with so many needles, tubes and IVs that she could hardly keep consciousness. When her parents came to visit her before she went into surgery, her mom burst into tears. “She looks like my mother did, hanging on to life by life support.” Shona’s dad hugged her tight, and asked Ty to take her out of the room. Shona’s dad walked up to her and sat on her bed. He rubbed her shoulder and looked into her eyes. “I am very proud of you Shona. You made the right choice.” “Why doesn’t it feel like I did?” “It’s normal to feel nervous.” “I’m not nervous dad, I’m terrified!” “Come here.” He collected her into a hug the best he could, avoiding all the tubes and IVs. “We will be here the whole time. If things get dangerous, we will stop things. We’ll sew you back up and never think about it again. Ok?” Shona nods as tears run down her cheeks. “I’ll go take care of mom, I’m sure Ty wants to talk to you before you go out. He’s better at comforting you than I am.” Her dad turns to leave. “I love you dad.” He looks back at her with tears in his eyes, which scared Shona ever more, “I love you too darling, and your mother does too.”

With that, he left the room and a few minutes later Ty walked in. “You’re taking this a lot better than your mom is.” Shona smiles, “I wish I was taking it better than her, I’m just so hyped up on drugs I don’t have the capability to cry like her.” Ty laughs. “You’ll be fine. And like your dad said we’ll be here the whole time.” “Will you be in the actual room?” “If you mean the actual room as in the waiting room, then yes.” “I don’t want to do this alone…” “Hey. Look at me. You are not alone, but believe me, you wouldn’t want me in the room with you. I’m not too great around blood.” Shona gives him the I-don’t-believe-you look. “You didn’t freak out after the car crash when you saw my leg.” “Did you see the way I tore myself out of the car and ran across the street? That may have looked manly to you,” he winked at Shona, “but it was me hiding that I was afraid of the blood by getting myself away from it and helping you at the same time. Besides, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t look good to your mom and dad if I passed out. They already think I’m an unfit choice as your boyfriend.” “Oh shut up, they do not!” they laugh.

The surgeon walked in, telling us it was time for the surgery to begin. All of Ty’s efforts to comfort  me proved to be useless. Shona’s heart beat with terror as she was wheeled down the hall. Ty held her hand and walked inside the OR with her. Shona watched the surgeon wash him hands and arms, and the nurses prepare the equipment. Ty distracted her. “Don’t think about it. You aren’t going to feel anything.” “How can you be so sure? I’m Freaking out here Ty!” “Here, feel this.” Ty leaned down and kissed Shona. “Think about that when you’re going under.” He left and the blackness started setting in.

Ty walked out of the OR leaving Shona’s life in the hands of the surgeon and his assistants. He joined her parents in the waiting room. Her parents looked at him sympathetically. “Don’t be scared for her Ty. She’ll be just fine.” “I just hope it works.” He says sitting across from them in a chair, exhaling loudly. A doctor came out not too much later and said that they had put her out successfully and that they were going to start the procedure. “If you want to back out here is your only chance. I believe we lost our only chance when Shona went under. She made the decision, she’d be mad if we pulled her out now.” “Ok, we’re going to proceed then.” He sayd and walks back through the swinging door.

No doctor came to give them an update for hours. When Ty was about to get up and go ask, a nurse comes out smiling. “The surgery has been successful.” Ty got up eager to see Shona, but the nurse stopped him. “We still have to stich her back up, and then we think she should get some rest, alone. She won’t wake up for a few hours, and visiting hours are done at seven. I suggest you all go home and get some rest. I presume that she would feel guilty if she thought you had stayed here all night because of her.” “Well you presume accurately. Have a good evening doctor.” “Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any concerns or if she asks for us.” “Goodnight. We will see you tomorrow.” Ty rubs his eyes and follows Shona’s parents out of the hospital. “She’s going to be ok?” he asks a little confused. “Yes.” Mrs. Keating gasped in bliss. They walked to their cars. “Well good.” Ty yawns. “I’ll see you two tomorrow.” “Goodnight Ty.” Mr. Keating watched Ty drive away with an approving smile. “He really does care.” “I know. She’s just my little girl, is it so wrong to want to protect her?” “No, but loosen the leash a little. She’s going to need some space to recover, and she’ll need Ty no matter how much you hate it.”