that particular blood type was extremely rare, the hospital hadn’t been able to locate a local blood bank with any on hand.
Gage’s best chance at survival was to receive blood from a relative. Her oldest brother, Scott, shared the same type as they did but he wouldn’t be back in the country until tomorrow evening. Replenishing at least three pints of blood was crucial in order to stabilize Gage’s condition, but given Abby’s weight, the doctor didn’t want to take more than a pint because of the possible side effects.
Abby didn’t care what the side effects were as long as she could help save Gage’s life. She’d asked her dad to talk to the doctor and see what he could do to allow her to give two pints. It would take four hours for each unit to enter Gage’s body once they set up the I.V. drip with her blood and started the transfusion. If they took the two pints, it would at least get her brother off the critical list. Then it would only be a matter of hours before Scott arrived to give the third pint Gage needed.
After twenty minutes, Abby started to get anxious. The bag was almost full and neither her dad nor the doctor had been in to see her by the nurse returned to her side and prepared to remove the tube from her arm. Abby was just about to demand to see the doctor first when he entered, followed closely by her dad. The doctor introduced himself before addressing the issue.
“Your father told me what you want to do, Miss Travis, and I’m afraid the risk is just too high.”
Abby’s temper flared instantly. “The risk is too high? My brother’s life is at stake here and you’re worried about whether I’ll get dizzy or be a little anemic for the next few weeks?”
“It’s a little more serious than that, Miss Travis. Your pulse rate could spike, your blood pressure could drop, or you could even go into shock.”
She glared up at him. “What are the chances I’ll die from any of those conditions?”
“Well, the chances are very low,” he admitted.
“And what are the chances my brother will die if he doesn’t get the second pint before tomorrow night when Scott gets here?”
“Fifty to sixty percent, but…”
“Then take the damn blood!” she yelled.
“Abby, honey,” Sam tried to calm his daughter.
She turned her rage on her father. “Don’t you even think about trying to talk me out of this, Daddy. If you had the same blood type, you would demand they take whatever they needed to save Gage and to hell with what it did to you.”
“Miss Travis, I’m afraid…”
Abby’s eyes narrowed and her voice dropped several octaves. “You take the second pint, Doctor, or I’ll go to the nearest blood bank and have them draw it and then carry it back to you myself.”
The doctor turned to her father for help. “Mr. Travis?”
Sam looked at his daughter and the determined set of her chin. She was so much like her mother, it frightened him. Anne Travis rarely lost her temper, but when she stuck her beautiful chin out as Abby was doing now, there was nothing to do but hope damage control would be minimal. Sam let out a heavy sigh.
“She’ll do it, Doctor. I suggest you take the second pint so we can at least keep an eye on her.”
“Mr. Travis, I really have to advise against it.”
“My son’s life is on the line,” he said evenly, “so I don’t really give a damn about your advice right now. Take the blood before she slits her wrist to get it to you.”
“It would be faster if I did,” Abby said, and then laughed when the two startled men turned and stared at her in horror. “I was kidding! Just get this over with so I can see with Gage.”
The doctor nodded to the nurse, who had just removed the first bag. “Start the second bag,” he told her, “and stay with her the entire time. If she shows any signs of trouble, let me know.” He checked the blood pressure monitor before leaving the room, looking rather
Gage’s best chance at survival was to receive blood from a relative. Her oldest brother, Scott, shared the same type as they did but he wouldn’t be back in the country until tomorrow evening. Replenishing at least three pints of blood was crucial in order to stabilize Gage’s condition, but given Abby’s weight, the doctor didn’t want to take more than a pint because of the possible side effects.
Abby didn’t care what the side effects were as long as she could help save Gage’s life. She’d asked her dad to talk to the doctor and see what he could do to allow her to give two pints. It would take four hours for each unit to enter Gage’s body once they set up the I.V. drip with her blood and started the transfusion. If they took the two pints, it would at least get her brother off the critical list. Then it would only be a matter of hours before Scott arrived to give the third pint Gage needed.
After twenty minutes, Abby started to get anxious. The bag was almost full and neither her dad nor the doctor had been in to see her by the nurse returned to her side and prepared to remove the tube from her arm. Abby was just about to demand to see the doctor first when he entered, followed closely by her dad. The doctor introduced himself before addressing the issue.
“Your father told me what you want to do, Miss Travis, and I’m afraid the risk is just too high.”
Abby’s temper flared instantly. “The risk is too high? My brother’s life is at stake here and you’re worried about whether I’ll get dizzy or be a little anemic for the next few weeks?”
“It’s a little more serious than that, Miss Travis. Your pulse rate could spike, your blood pressure could drop, or you could even go into shock.”
She glared up at him. “What are the chances I’ll die from any of those conditions?”
“Well, the chances are very low,” he admitted.
“And what are the chances my brother will die if he doesn’t get the second pint before tomorrow night when Scott gets here?”
“Fifty to sixty percent, but…”
“Then take the damn blood!” she yelled.
“Abby, honey,” Sam tried to calm his daughter.
She turned her rage on her father. “Don’t you even think about trying to talk me out of this, Daddy. If you had the same blood type, you would demand they take whatever they needed to save Gage and to hell with what it did to you.”
“Miss Travis, I’m afraid…”
Abby’s eyes narrowed and her voice dropped several octaves. “You take the second pint, Doctor, or I’ll go to the nearest blood bank and have them draw it and then carry it back to you myself.”
The doctor turned to her father for help. “Mr. Travis?”
Sam looked at his daughter and the determined set of her chin. She was so much like her mother, it frightened him. Anne Travis rarely lost her temper, but when she stuck her beautiful chin out as Abby was doing now, there was nothing to do but hope damage control would be minimal. Sam let out a heavy sigh.
“She’ll do it, Doctor. I suggest you take the second pint so we can at least keep an eye on her.”
“Mr. Travis, I really have to advise against it.”
“My son’s life is on the line,” he said evenly, “so I don’t really give a damn about your advice right now. Take the blood before she slits her wrist to get it to you.”
“It would be faster if I did,” Abby said, and then laughed when the two startled men turned and stared at her in horror. “I was kidding! Just get this over with so I can see with Gage.”
The doctor nodded to the nurse, who had just removed the first bag. “Start the second bag,” he told her, “and stay with her the entire time. If she shows any signs of trouble, let me know.” He checked the blood pressure monitor before leaving the room, looking rather
Similar Books
