sent them so much money?”
“Someone who wished to remain anonymous.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Her head was in a whirl.
“That’s why you’re here today. Are you ready to start the preparations and treatment we talked about?”
“Am I ready to begin chemotherapy?” Dr. White had already explained the powerful drugs were needed to decrease the inflammation the disease produced inside her eyes. Like a cancer, her cells had gone haywire making her blind.
“Dr. Eriksson feels unless we begin soon, we won’t be able to reduce the inflammation in your eyes enough to have the surgery. A lot hinges on your response to these two drugs. I must tell you, I’m no expert on this type of thing.”
“I understand. Dr. Eriksson explained there is no assurance of success. It is an experimental surgery and has only been tried a few times before.”
The doctor took her hand. “There is less than a fifty percent chance that this will work, Rebecca. I don’t know how to tell you not to get your hopes up.”
She managed a lopsided grin. “Are you telling me that this surgery could leave me blind? Doctor, I’m already blind.”
“I know you’re trying to make light of the situation, but the truth is, this procedure could prevent any hope of a cure in the future. New research on uveitis could uncover a better procedure or better medication in the near future. Research is ongoing in the field.”
“I pray a cure is discovered, for I am not the only person with this disease. When do we start?”
“Today. I’m going to read you this consent. You must sign it before we can start the medications. I want you to stop me if you have any questions. I’m going to have your aunt step in now, if that’s all right? She should hear this, too.”
With her aunt at her side, Rebecca listened as the doctor described the side effects she was likely to have on the chemotherapy. Although the dosages of the drugs were much smaller than when they were used to treat cancer, she might still be affected with nausea, vomiting, headaches, bodyaches and more. The list went on and on. He made it clear she might endure all the side effects and still not be able to have her surgery.
Was it worth it? She was accustomed to being in the dark. For a moment she was tempted to back out, to return to her aunt’s home and live there quietly until the end of her days. Then she recalled Booker’s voice as he talked about looking down from the clouds. She would never look down from the clouds, but she would give anything to look up and see them in the sky overhead once more.
After the doctor finished, Rebecca signed her name where he indicated and tried to still her racing heart. It was finally going to happen thanks to an anonymous donor. In her heart, she knew the money had come from Booker. She would be forever in his debt.
That afternoon and forty miles away, Gideon sat in the front seat of Roseanne’s car as she turned onto a farm lane outside Berlin, Ohio. His hands grew cold as ice as his heart pounded like a runaway train. He was here. This was the exact place where his Amish life had ended. It seemed fitting that this was where his English life would end, as well.
He said, “Stop here.”
Roseanne shot him a funny look. “Don’t you want me to drive up to the house?”
“No. I want to walk.”
“It’s freezing outside.”
“I’ll be fine.”
She stopped the car and put it in Park. “Are you sure about this, Gideon?”
He knew she wasn’t asking about his hike up the lane. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he said, “I’ll be fine, Roseanne. This is what I want.”
She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “If you ever need anything, anything, you just give me a shout.”
Leaning over, he kissed her cheek. “I never would’ve made it without you. Craig is going to need all the help he can get. Don’t let him do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Melody and I’ll take good care of him.”
“I know you will.” Tears
“Someone who wished to remain anonymous.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Her head was in a whirl.
“That’s why you’re here today. Are you ready to start the preparations and treatment we talked about?”
“Am I ready to begin chemotherapy?” Dr. White had already explained the powerful drugs were needed to decrease the inflammation the disease produced inside her eyes. Like a cancer, her cells had gone haywire making her blind.
“Dr. Eriksson feels unless we begin soon, we won’t be able to reduce the inflammation in your eyes enough to have the surgery. A lot hinges on your response to these two drugs. I must tell you, I’m no expert on this type of thing.”
“I understand. Dr. Eriksson explained there is no assurance of success. It is an experimental surgery and has only been tried a few times before.”
The doctor took her hand. “There is less than a fifty percent chance that this will work, Rebecca. I don’t know how to tell you not to get your hopes up.”
She managed a lopsided grin. “Are you telling me that this surgery could leave me blind? Doctor, I’m already blind.”
“I know you’re trying to make light of the situation, but the truth is, this procedure could prevent any hope of a cure in the future. New research on uveitis could uncover a better procedure or better medication in the near future. Research is ongoing in the field.”
“I pray a cure is discovered, for I am not the only person with this disease. When do we start?”
“Today. I’m going to read you this consent. You must sign it before we can start the medications. I want you to stop me if you have any questions. I’m going to have your aunt step in now, if that’s all right? She should hear this, too.”
With her aunt at her side, Rebecca listened as the doctor described the side effects she was likely to have on the chemotherapy. Although the dosages of the drugs were much smaller than when they were used to treat cancer, she might still be affected with nausea, vomiting, headaches, bodyaches and more. The list went on and on. He made it clear she might endure all the side effects and still not be able to have her surgery.
Was it worth it? She was accustomed to being in the dark. For a moment she was tempted to back out, to return to her aunt’s home and live there quietly until the end of her days. Then she recalled Booker’s voice as he talked about looking down from the clouds. She would never look down from the clouds, but she would give anything to look up and see them in the sky overhead once more.
After the doctor finished, Rebecca signed her name where he indicated and tried to still her racing heart. It was finally going to happen thanks to an anonymous donor. In her heart, she knew the money had come from Booker. She would be forever in his debt.
That afternoon and forty miles away, Gideon sat in the front seat of Roseanne’s car as she turned onto a farm lane outside Berlin, Ohio. His hands grew cold as ice as his heart pounded like a runaway train. He was here. This was the exact place where his Amish life had ended. It seemed fitting that this was where his English life would end, as well.
He said, “Stop here.”
Roseanne shot him a funny look. “Don’t you want me to drive up to the house?”
“No. I want to walk.”
“It’s freezing outside.”
“I’ll be fine.”
She stopped the car and put it in Park. “Are you sure about this, Gideon?”
He knew she wasn’t asking about his hike up the lane. Laying a hand on her shoulder, he said, “I’ll be fine, Roseanne. This is what I want.”
She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “If you ever need anything, anything, you just give me a shout.”
Leaning over, he kissed her cheek. “I never would’ve made it without you. Craig is going to need all the help he can get. Don’t let him do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Melody and I’ll take good care of him.”
“I know you will.” Tears
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