Tuning Heartstrings

Chapter 30

(Written October 25, 2014)

(Liam's POV)

For a second, I smile out of happiness—Jason and Liz are going to be parents! But the doctor gives me a concerned look. "Mr. Liam, I understand you are happy to know this, but I'm sorry, we also need to talk about Mr. Johnson. He's still in the ICU, and his condition is critical. The bullet was right above his heart. His chances of waking up are slim."

My heart skips a beat. My best friend can't leave us now, not when his family is about to grow. If Liz finds out about Jason, it won't be good for her or her baby either. Frustrated, I pull at my hair. The doctor then hands me Jason's file. "Blood loss isn't the only issue Mr. Johnson is facing. It appears his kidneys were already compromised. He's been dealing with chronic kidney disease that has now reached a critical stage. We have him on dialysis, but we need to consider a kidney transplant soon. The challenge is finding a suitable donor on short notice. Also, he needs a blood transfusion, and we need compatible donors for that as well."

Tears begin to fall from my eyes. Jason and Liz have been through so much in their lives, and now this. The door opens and John comes rushing in. Speechless, I just run up to him and hug him, crying. The doctor tells him the situation, and we sit there for five minutes in silence.

I look at the doctor and swallow hard, then I look at John. "I want to get tested to see if I'm a match for donating a kidney. Or if my blood type matches, I could like to donate blood." John looks at me for a second and nods, "And I will get tested too. We'll do whatever it takes."

The doctor agrees and takes out forms from his desk. "Okay, let's start with some tests. Here's Jason's blood group. Reach out to friends and family to see if we can find more potential donors since one individual will only be able to help with either the kidney or blood."

Reassured, we take the papers and head out to make phone calls.