IF SHE WAITED ANY LONGER - CHAPTER 1 - SIGNS OF DANGER
Greg and Amy were taking a walk in the park, when they came across Molly, who looked like she was having trouble keeping step when she walked.
"Hi, Molly", greets Amy.
"Oh, hi, Amy", replies Molly, barely audible and sweating profusely.
"Oh, my", notices Amy, "your skin, it's so yellow."
Greg got a closer look at Molly's eyes. "Come to think of it, Molly", he notices, "your eyes are yellow as well".
"Looks like you're getting jaundiced, Molly", adds Amy, "how long have you been like this? Have you had any pain recently?"
"Well, for the past few days, I've had very bad back pain", answers Molly, "it really hurts when I take a breath. Also, my urine is scarlet colored".
"We have to get you to the hospital right away", says a concerned Amy, "this is very serious".
"She's right, Molly", adds Greg, "it looks like you're having an infection of some kind. Please, let us get you to the hospital".
At the point, Lita and Ken crossed paths with their 3 friends. "What's going on, guys?", asks Lita.
"Are you and Ken going anywhere near Molly's mother's jewelry shop?", asks Amy.
"Is something wrong, Amy?", wonders Lita.
"It's Molly", says Greg, "she doesn't look good. Amy and I are taking her to the hospital".
Lita takes a closer look at Molly. "Ohmigod!", exclaims Lita, "you don't look good at all, Molly. It looks very serious. When your skin turns yellow, it's bad news".
"We'll stop over", says Ken, "her mother should still be there. What does Molly need? Pajamas, robe, toiletries, undergarments? We'll get what she needs". He takes his cell phone from his hip pocket and dials a phone number. "Hello, Andrew? This is Ken. Listen, are you anywhere near the park?.........only a few miles? Great....Listen, Molly needs to get to the hospital right away, Amy and Greg are going with her. Can you take them there?.....You can?......Wonderful, Lita and I are going over to the jewelry shop where Molly's mother is at, and let he know what's up. We're going to pick up some things for Molly, and we're heading down to the hospital to meet Amy and Greg.....Great, we'll see you in a few....See you." He shuts off the cell phone. "Andrew will be here in a few minutes. He's only a few miles from here".
"Thank you so much, Ken", nods Amy gratefully, "it means so much".
"We're going over to the jewelry shop now", says Lita, "we'll see you guys in a few". She turns to Molly, "you hang in there, Molly, Ken and I will be thinking of you".
"Thanks, Lita", smiles Molly. Lita and Ken head down to the jewelry shop. Molly slowly sits down on the bench awaiting for Andrew.
"It's going to be alright, Molly", assures Amy, "Greg and I will not leave your side".
"I'm very scared, Amy", whimpers Molly, "I have never been in so much pain. I hope it's nothing too serious".
"Just take short breaths so there won't be too much pain for you to endure", says Greg.
At that point, Andrew, driving a burgendy Toyota coupe with Mina in the passenger side, drove up to where Amy, Greg, and molly are sitting.
Mina gets out of the car. "Hey, Molly, we're right here. Come on, get in the car".
"Alright", nods Molly as she steps inside the back seat of Andrew's car, with Amy and Greg sitting beside her.
"We should make it to the hospital in at least 15 to 20 minutes", assures Andrew, "just relax and stay focused, Molly".
Mina turned to face Molly. "Good God, Molly!", she exclaims, "I've never seen seen anyone this yellow in my life. Just hang in there, Molly", turns to Andrew, "step on it, Andrew, we got a sick girl here".
"Mina, we know she's sick", says Amy, "but Andrew should drive within the reasonable limits of the law. We'll make it".
"I just don't want to lose her, that's all", says Mina.
"All of us doesn't want to", says Greg, "how much further, Andrew?"
"Just a few more blocks. We should see the hospital", replies Andrew. Five minutes later, they arrive at the Tokyo Prefecture Hospital. He stops the car in front of the Emergency Room.
"Amy, you and Greg take Molly over to the Emergency Room", says Andrew, "Mina and I are going to get a parking spot. We'll see you in a few".
"OK, Andrew", nods amy as she and Greg assists Molly out of the car and walks her to the Emergency Room, as Andrew and Mina drive off to the hospital parking lot to park his car.
Almost an hour later........in the waiting room............
"I wonder how Molly's doing?", wonders Mina.
"They admitted her to the Emergency Room less than 10 minutes after we walked in", says Amy, "but the doctors wouldn't let Greg nor I in with her. Only immediate family".
"I hope Lita and Ken told Molly's mother about this", wonders Greg, "I bet she's very worried about her".
"The nurse told us that an ultra sound is going to be performed on Molly", says Amy, "so hopefully it would tell us something".
Lita and Ken walk into the hospital waiting room to meet their friends, with Lita carrying Molly's duffel bag.
"Hey, guys", greets Lita, "I got Molly a couple pair of pajamas, a couple pair of sweats, undergarments, a robe, toothbrush, and toiletries. How's she doing?"
"We don't know yet. They're performing an ultra sound on her", replies Andrew.
"How did her mother take it?", wonders Amy.
"She was in shock", replies Ken. "she couldn't believe it at first. She's planning close shop early to be with Molly".
"Thanks for getting the stuff for her", says Greg.
It's no problem at all", assures Lita, "I just hope Molly's alright".
At that point, a tall part-Japanese lady with short blonde hair and wearing a lab overcoat walked in the waiting room towards the group of friends.
"Excuse me", asks the doctor. "are all of you friends of a patient named Molly Baker?"
"Yes we are", answers Amy, "is she alright?"
"I'm Doctor Mei Lin Jones, I am her presiding doctor", replies Dr. Jones, "we did receive results of the ultra sound, and she has gallstones".
"Gallstones?", wonders Greg, "that means she'll need to have her gallbladder removed".
"That's right", answers Dr. Jones, "we're performing an EPRC to open up a duct to clear any blockage. Right now, we need to keep the infection down".
"Infection?", asks Lita.
"That's right", answers Dr. Jones, "fortunately we caught it early enough so we administered an IV and anti-biotics to keep the infection down".
"When you said caught it early enough", asks Andrew, "what did you mean by that?"
"If she had waited any longer, like maybe another 2 weeks", the doctor replies, "she wouldn't have made it".
"Oh, dear God!", exclaims Amy as she puts her hands over her mouth in shock.
"Um, doctor", wonders Mina, "just how many gallstones does our friend have?"
"A lot", replies Dr. Jones.
"How much is a lot?", asks Mina, "are we talking 10, 50, even 100?"
"Mina, please, that is just so inapprropriate", scoulds Amy.
"Sorry, doctor", says Greg, "but we're very concerned about her".
"I understand", says Dr. Jones, "once the infection is down and the EPRC is complete, we are going to remove the gall bladder through a laproscopic method".
"Laproscopic?", wonders Ken.
"Yes, it's a method which instead of making a large incision over the stomach area", the doctor explains, "we will be making 4 smaller incisions and take out the gallbladder through 4 tubes, by sucking it out".
Just like a straw", nods Mina.
""Yes, you could refer to it as that", says Dr. Jones, "has anyone ever notified Molly's next of kin?"
"We did let he mother know about it", replies Ken, "she'll be coming down to see her".
"Very good", nods Dr. Jones, "she has been administered to a room, so she'll be taking visitors right now".
"That's good to hear, doctor", says Amy, "I'm so glad her condition wasn't twice as serious as it is right now:"
"I'm glad, also", adds the doctor, "by the way, she'll be in Room 475".
"Thank you, doctor", smiles Amy, "I'm hope she pulls through".
"I'm sure she will", assures Dr Jones, "we're keeping a careful watch".
"That's cool", nods Mina, as Dr. Jones walks out of the waiting room.
"Does Raye and Serena know about Molly's condition?", wonders Amy.
"I'm going to stop by the shrine tomorrow", says Lita, "Serena was out with Darien, so I left word with her mom".
"It's better to leave messages with her mom than with either Sammy or Rini", adds Mina, "or else Serena will never get the messages".
"So, shal we pay our friend a get well visit?", asks Ken.
"Sounds like a good idea", agrees Andrew, "let's go".
As the six friends head down to Molly's hospital room, Mrs. Baker runs frantically to the waiting room.
"How's Molly? How is she??", exclaims an out-of-breath Mrs. Baker.
"Hello, Mrs. Baker", says amy, "Molly is in a room now. She has gallstones and needs to have her gallbladder removed".
"Oh, thank God!", sighs Mrs. Baker, "I got here as soon as I could. I couldn't get anyone to cover for me, so I closed an hour early".
"That's OK", assures Lita, "I'm sure she'll be glad to see you. Thanks for letting us get Molly's necessities for her".
"It's no problem at all", nods Mrs. Baker, "anyway, what else did the doctor say?"
"Right now, she's got an IV in her arm, and giving her anti-biotics introveniously to reduce the infection", explains Greg, "they're going to perform an EPRC in 2 days, and the following day. if all goes well, they'll remove the gallbladder by the laproscoptic method".
"I'm glad it wasn't anything life threatening", sighs Mrs. Baker.
"Thankfully, the doctor caught it in time", says Amy, "if she waited any longer, she wouldn't have lived".
"Can I go see her?", asks Mrs. Baker.
"We're on our way to her room right now", says Mina, "would you like to join us?"
"I would love to", smiles Mrs. Baker.
"Sure, come with us to Room 475", says Lita as they head down to cheer Molly up.
TO BE CONTINUED.....................................