shoulders as she stared at the wall of diplomas. University of Miami. Jackson Memorial. Shands Medical Center.
She had the expertise. She had the knowledge to help. Why did people fight it? Why did they decline the treatment that would save their life?
The doctor in her knew some people chose to bury themselves in denial rather than face the truth, the scary truth that life is finite, but the daughter in her didn’t understand.
Medications were prescribed everyday. Catheterization was a commonly performed procedure. Yes, there was risk, but everything we do involves risk. From walking down the street to driving a car, anything can prove harmful if you think about it.
Frustration ramped higher into her neck, constricting the muscles at the base of her skull into a ball of pain. Why wouldn’t you at least try? When the alternative is sudden death ? Why would you wait?
If she could fix her mother’s problems with a simple device, she would. If it meant giving her mom a few extra years, she would. She would run ten times the risk Sarah Wiley was facing if it meant keeping her mom alive. Then, she could enjoy the wedding at her leisure. She could witness the birth of her grandchildren, guide her daughter on how best to care for babies and raise them to be loving, happy adults.
Much like she did for her own child.
Jennifer’s heart pinched at the memory of Sarah’s daughter. Quite the opposite of loving, her selfish, distrusting attitude may cost her mother’s life. The irony stung.
Chapter Ten
“Dr. Hamilton! Dr. Hamilton!”
Michael held the door to the kid’s activity room open for Jennifer as she entered ahead of him. “I guess we know who the popular one is,” he pronounced, not an ounce of envy in his voice.
She rolled her eyes. “Yes and I’m sure the huge box in my hands has nothing to do with it.”
He laughed. “You do have a reputation, Dr. Hamilton.”
She shook her head and laughed. “That, I do.”
Walking further into St. Theresa’s Children’s Hospital’s specially designed playroom for kids, they joined the youngsters gathering on the center of the colorful woven carpet. It was the heart of their play area, created for the sole purpose of bringing them together to encourage creativity and play in a normal atmosphere, one that didn’t include monitors and needles, medicine or doctors.
Except Jennifer and Michael. But they weren’t here in a professional capacity, quite the opposite. They were here for fun.
Dropping to her knees, Jennifer placed the cardboard box where the children could reach and as expected, little arms went crazy, grabbing, inspecting animals, turning them to and fro as they determined which was their favorite.
“I want the giraffe!”
“The hippo is mine!”
“But blue is my favorite color!”
Jennifer laughed at the raw expression of desire. “There’s more, don’t worry! You’ll all find something you like!”
And if they didn’t, she would return to her car and rifle through her stash in the trunk and find one they did, because disappointing these kids wasn’t an option. Confined to their respective wards in the children’s hospital, she decided the heart-wrenching battle against serious illness was enough.
Dressed in pink scrubs, she sat back on her heels and watched as they rummaged through her selection of stuffed animals while Michael played referee. “Jason, give that one back to Shana. She had it first.” But as he commandeered the exchange of the multi-colored gecko, he pulled another larger one from the box and handed it to the boy as the girl popped up with her bounty and ran outside the boy’s reach. “I think this one is better for you.”
His eyes grew wide with delight. “It’s way better!”
He yanked the lizard from Michael’s grasp, most probably concerned another child might spy his prize and try to claim it for their own and
She had the expertise. She had the knowledge to help. Why did people fight it? Why did they decline the treatment that would save their life?
The doctor in her knew some people chose to bury themselves in denial rather than face the truth, the scary truth that life is finite, but the daughter in her didn’t understand.
Medications were prescribed everyday. Catheterization was a commonly performed procedure. Yes, there was risk, but everything we do involves risk. From walking down the street to driving a car, anything can prove harmful if you think about it.
Frustration ramped higher into her neck, constricting the muscles at the base of her skull into a ball of pain. Why wouldn’t you at least try? When the alternative is sudden death ? Why would you wait?
If she could fix her mother’s problems with a simple device, she would. If it meant giving her mom a few extra years, she would. She would run ten times the risk Sarah Wiley was facing if it meant keeping her mom alive. Then, she could enjoy the wedding at her leisure. She could witness the birth of her grandchildren, guide her daughter on how best to care for babies and raise them to be loving, happy adults.
Much like she did for her own child.
Jennifer’s heart pinched at the memory of Sarah’s daughter. Quite the opposite of loving, her selfish, distrusting attitude may cost her mother’s life. The irony stung.
Chapter Ten
“Dr. Hamilton! Dr. Hamilton!”
Michael held the door to the kid’s activity room open for Jennifer as she entered ahead of him. “I guess we know who the popular one is,” he pronounced, not an ounce of envy in his voice.
She rolled her eyes. “Yes and I’m sure the huge box in my hands has nothing to do with it.”
He laughed. “You do have a reputation, Dr. Hamilton.”
She shook her head and laughed. “That, I do.”
Walking further into St. Theresa’s Children’s Hospital’s specially designed playroom for kids, they joined the youngsters gathering on the center of the colorful woven carpet. It was the heart of their play area, created for the sole purpose of bringing them together to encourage creativity and play in a normal atmosphere, one that didn’t include monitors and needles, medicine or doctors.
Except Jennifer and Michael. But they weren’t here in a professional capacity, quite the opposite. They were here for fun.
Dropping to her knees, Jennifer placed the cardboard box where the children could reach and as expected, little arms went crazy, grabbing, inspecting animals, turning them to and fro as they determined which was their favorite.
“I want the giraffe!”
“The hippo is mine!”
“But blue is my favorite color!”
Jennifer laughed at the raw expression of desire. “There’s more, don’t worry! You’ll all find something you like!”
And if they didn’t, she would return to her car and rifle through her stash in the trunk and find one they did, because disappointing these kids wasn’t an option. Confined to their respective wards in the children’s hospital, she decided the heart-wrenching battle against serious illness was enough.
Dressed in pink scrubs, she sat back on her heels and watched as they rummaged through her selection of stuffed animals while Michael played referee. “Jason, give that one back to Shana. She had it first.” But as he commandeered the exchange of the multi-colored gecko, he pulled another larger one from the box and handed it to the boy as the girl popped up with her bounty and ran outside the boy’s reach. “I think this one is better for you.”
His eyes grew wide with delight. “It’s way better!”
He yanked the lizard from Michael’s grasp, most probably concerned another child might spy his prize and try to claim it for their own and
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