Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. The only thing that belongs to me is the story, everything else belongs to CBS and Erica Messer.
It was happening again. For the third time in two months it was happening. "Mommy, my throat hurts!" Henry whined.
"Okay buddy, come here." JJ picked her son up and carried him into the bathroom. She set him down on the toilet lid and went to get a tongue depressor out of the bathroom cabinet. She got the flashlight as well. Kneeling down she reached behind Henry's mandible and with her fingers felt his lymph nodes. Inflamed. Picking up the flashlight and shining it into Henry's mouth she took the tongue depressor and pressed it down on his tongue so she could see back there. Definitely inflamed. He had tonsillitis again. Picking him up she took him to his room and he started playing with his toys.
"Tonsillitis," She told Will, "again."
"I'll call the doctor." Will told her and moved to get up. About a half hour later he came into Henry's room seeing JJ and Henry playing with his toys.
JJ looked up and saw him enter. Standing up she talked with her husband quietly in Henry's doorframe. "What is it?" she asked, worried.
"Dr. Sehorn wants to see Henry. I made an appointment for Henry with him tomorrow at eight in the morning. He's thinking he may want to take Henry's tonsils out."
"Okay. Gosh, surgery at three? I mean I know surgery happens in just day old babies, but it still seems bizarre."
"I know."
Sitting back down JJ decided to tell Henry he was going to see the doctor. "Henry. Sweetie look at me," he lifted his head up. Brushing the hair out of his eyes JJ continued, "buddy, you know how your throat hurts a lot?" Henry nodded. "Well, your Dr. Sehorn wants to see you again. He is planning to see you tomorrow okay?"
"Otay mommy."
~~~{ The Criminally Minded }~~~
JJ sat on the exam table with Henry in her lap. Will was sitting in the chair beside the table watching them. Soon the doctor walked in.
"Hello Henry. How are you?" He asked as he sat down.
"Otay. My throat hurts though."
"I've heard. Can I take a look at you?" Henry nodded his head and the doctor walked over to him. Dr. Sehorn put his fingers to the back of Henry's mandible, just like JJ had. Feeling Henry's lymph nodes he got a tongue depressor and a light. Shining it in the back of Henry's mouth just like JJ had he saw that Henry did indeed have tonsillitis.
"Henry, you know how you keep having throat aches, would you like not to have those any more?" the doctor asked.
"Yes."
"Okay. Well, I'll have to talk to your Mommy and Daddy, but I think I can make it so where it doesn't happen as often. Would you like that?"
"Yah!" Henry excitedly said. He hated when his throat hurt, and he hated that he couldn't go to school and see his friends sometimes.
JJ handed Henry to Will who in return put Henry on the floor with the toys. Will stood up and sat half way on the exam table with JJ. Their hands intertwined with one another's. "I believe performing a tonsillectomy is best. The procedure time takes about fifteen minutes to half an hour. But, then afterward you won't be able to see Henry for about ninety minutes due to the anesthetic."
"What will happen?" JJ asked.
"We'll put him under, then open his mouth and I'll make two quick incisions, cutting them. We'll clean up the bleeding, and then we're done. He's out of there and in the PICU. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, for about ninety minutes before he's moved to the pediatric ward, where you can see him. He'll have his own room, but be on the pediatric floor."
"When can you do it?" Will asked. Henry was in pain and he wanted his son to feel better as soon as possible."
"Tomorrow morning at eight."
"We'll be there." Will told him.
Picking up Henry and putting him on his wife's lap Will and Dr. Sehorn explained to Henry what was going to happen the best way possible for a three year old.
"We'll see you tomorrow." Dr. Sehorn told them all as he led them out of the office.
~~~{ The Criminally Minded }~~~
Putting the gown around Henry's little frame JJ tied it then carried him to the bed. Putting the cap on his head making sure all his hair was inside she kissed his forehead. Although parents and relatives weren't allowed in the OR, Dr. Sehorn had permitted JJ to come into the OR until they put Henry under. "Bye Daddy." Henry told him then they started walking down the hall to the OR.
Kissing JJ before they started walking Will told Henry back, "See you in a little bit buddy."
Stopping before the OR JJ put a cap on and quickly pulling on scrubs over her clothes. Getting into the OR, JJ lifted Henry up from the gurney, and laid him down on the table. Talking to him until they put the gas over his mouth and nose JJ was nervous. Nervous for her son. She knew that it was a simple and common procedure, but with surgery there's always a risk. 'What if something happens and she looses her baby? What if they botch the surgery and make it even worse?' All these thoughts consumed her head as she walked to the waiting room from the OR into Will's open arms.