Written by Scooplet
Concept by Cheryl and Scooplet
Scarecrow and Mrs. King characters are the property of Shoot the Moon Productions and Warner Bros. Television. No copyright infringement intended. Not for commercial use. Sarah Stetson and Matt Granger are my creation, however, so please respect my right to claim ownership of them—I do not authorize permission to use them in stories not authored by me.
I Know He Watches Me, Part Two
Chapter Ten
Two hours later Matt was walking with Dr. Heird into the intensive care unit. Monitors beeped softly and the staff spoke in hushed tones, but Matt could sense the buzz of activity as nurses and doctors tended to the patients there.
Dr. Heird stopped at the doorway of one of the glass-fronted rooms. "We have an oxygen mask on her, so she can't talk. But you can hold her hand. She'll know you're there." Dr. Heird stepped over to the desk and sat down at the computer.
The sight of Sarah lying in the hospital bed brought a pang to Matt's chest. His tall, athletic wife looked small and frail. Her skin was still ghostly pale, and as he sat in the chair by her bed, he lifted one of her hands to his cheek. It felt cold, but it was not limp. Sarah stirred slightly, and he adjusted the layers of blankets so her shoulders were covered. Rising from the chair, he leaned over and kissed Sarah's forehead before sitting back down again.
A maze of tubes and wires came from under the blankets and attached to various bags and monitoring equipment. He recognized the intravenous fluids bag and the dark red bag—Phillip's donated blood. This was the last of the blood, and it was nearly empty. Sarah was still so pale. Monitors displayed her vital statistics—Matt was grateful her heartbeat was steady, but he wondered if some of the other numbers might be too low. He prayed this second unit of blood would be enough.
After a few minutes a nurse stepped up to the other side of the bed, checked the bags and equipment and made a note on a chart. When she gently lifted the blankets, Matt held his breath. Was Sarah still bleeding? Dr. Elliott had said the bleeding had stopped. But the nurse calmly made another note on the chart, obviously unperturbed after examining Sarah. She regarded Matt compassionately. "Try talking to her. I think she's awake. She'll be very sleepy, but she can hear you."
Matt leaned toward the bed and spoke softly. "I'm here, Sarah. I'm here, sweetie." He kissed her hand and held it, hoping to warm her a little. "Phillip and Amy and Jamie and Jennifer are here, honey. Rene has been sticking around, too. Pastor Carlson came and prayed for you."
Her eyes opening briefly, Sarah squeezed Matt's hand.
"Mmhmm." Sarah's brow furrowed, but she was too weak to pull at the mask that was preventing her from speaking clearly.
The nurse started to say something, but Matt was already answering Sarah. "Don't try to talk. Just rest, okay?"
Sarah's brow remained furrowed a few moments more as Matt smoothed her hair with his free hand. Gradually the crease in her forehead disappeared and Sarah's grip on Matt's other hand relaxed.
"She's asleep now. That's good. Her body needs to heal." Smiling her encouragement, the nurse moved on to another patient.
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Despite having her earplugs in place and a blanket wrapped around her, Amanda was restless. Lee had been watching her for some time, having given up on sleeping altogether. He imagined he had slept a total of two hours since the aircraft had departed London. Having the gift of being able to sleep even in stressful situations, Amanda had been out for most of the flight. Now he wondered if she was really still asleep, despite the time. It was the wee hours of the morning in London, but late at night in Washington, D.C. In a few hours they would be landing, and shortly after that he hoped to be in a car on the way to see their daughter.
Raising his eyes to heaven, he said a quiet thank you once again for the flight. As usual, Margaret had been her efficient self, pulling strings in places even Lee had not heard of. Aside from a diplomat and his family, who were keeping to themselves in the forward section of the British government-owned jet, it was just he, Amanda, and a small crew on the aircraft. He should be able to sleep, but his busy mind would not let him. He was fretting about Sarah.
Lee knew that miscarriages were not uncommon, even among young women. Jessica might have a little brother or sister if Amy had not had such a difficult miscarriage years ago. He and Amanda had been proud of Phillip—despite his own heartbreak, he had been supportive of his wife. So supportive that even Jamie had commented privately to them about it. After years of somewhat immature and at times cavalier behavior, Phillip had finally grown into a mature, caring man. They all knew the change had slowly been coming, but it had really manifested itself after he and Amy had lost the baby and found they could have no more children.
Although he knew the situation might be different, Lee could not help but worry that Sarah might not be able to become pregnant again. What if the doctors had not been able to stabilize her? What if… He shook himself mentally. Don't dwell on the what ifs. The doctors will stop the bleeding. In a few years, when Sarah and Matt are really ready to start a family, there will be another grandchild. His daughter's child. He felt a pang. The words, even in his head, felt hollow.
"A penny for your thoughts, Stetson."
Lee's eyes flew open, and this time Amanda was watching him. She reached over and took his larger hand in her smaller ones, waiting for him to answer.
"I was thinking about how it really stinks that Sarah lost the baby."
Amanda's brown eyes were full with emotion, but she did not reply.
"We won't lose her, Amanda. She's strong. She'll come through, just like she has before."
Amanda attempted to answer in a reassuring tone, but he heard the squeak in her voice. "That's right."
"It was a rough time to get pregnant. But as much as the timing was not good, I was still looking forward to becoming a grandfather again. They were excited about starting a family."
"I know." Amanda stared at their hands.
"I was proud of her. She kept working hard, and didn't complain—at least any time that I heard—ever." Lee looked away, swiping at his cheek.
Amanda only nodded. They were silent for a few minutes, but Lee needed to vent.
"What if she hadn't been at home when it happened? What if Matt hadn't gotten there in time? What if Rene hadn't driven them?"
"What do you always tell me about the what ifs, Scarecrow? We could lose our daughter tonight. But we can't go there. We can't think the worst. Phillip donated blood for her. She's a healthy young woman."
At Amanda's words about possibly losing Sarah, he felt the pang again. Choosing to ignore it, Lee flipped up the arm rest and drew closer to Amanda. The roomy seats allowed them to snuggle up with each other. They had not done so before because the crew had been coming and going, but Lee had not seen anyone in the last hour. He knew Amanda would be asleep again in moments, but he wondered if he could calm himself enough to fall asleep, too.
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If only she could just stay asleep. But the thirst was now unbearable. Someone was holding fast to her hand. Opening her eyes, Sarah was not surprised to find that it was Matt. He could not be comfortable in the hard chair where he sat. His short hair brushed their clasped hands as his head rested heavily on his folded arms. His other hand lay possessively on her thigh, as if he was afraid she would wake up before him.
It was still cold. Matt's warmth helped, but Sarah guessed she must be sick. She could not remember another time when she had felt that weak. Her head hurt. She knew she was in a hospital, so it must be serious. She had had that fever…
Oh no! The memories of earlier that day washed over her relentlessly. The terrible pain in her lower abdomen—it had been so difficult to walk to the bathroom and undress herself. And then there was so much blood. No baby could survive that. But maybe…
Then she remembered. There were doctors and nurses in masks, their heads covered as if they were in a surgical suite. She thought she recognized Dr. Elliott, but her doctor was sitting on a stool, and they were placing Sarah's feet in stirrups. Please, don't hurt my baby! There had been something on Sarah's face. An oxygen mask. It was still there. It had been there earlier, when she had first seen Matt at her bedside. Her brain had been so foggy then, she had not even been sure of where she was. Now the memories were coming back, and things were making a little more sense. She wanted to raise a hand to her face, but both arms were encumbered with tubes. The discomfort increased when she tried to bend the arm farthest from Matt.
Pulling the mask from her face, Sarah tried to call Matt's name. But her mouth was dry, and it was hard to talk.
As if sensing her struggle, Matt's head came up. A shadow of dark blond whiskers covered his jaw and his face was pale and haggard. Sarah had never seen him like this. While she had occasionally seen stubble during his stay in the hospital, he had never looked like this—the cares of the world seemed to weigh on his shoulders. He appeared as if he had not slept in days. What day was it?
"Oh sweetie, please keep the mask on." It hurt to see the look of concern on his face as Matt reached to help her replace the mask.
"Wait," she croaked. "I'm so thirsty. Please, can I have something to drink?"
"Let's see what the nurse says." Matt pressed a button on the bedrail and soon after a nurse appeared in the doorway. Matt stepped over to him and a minute or two later the nurse, a man in his thirties named Craig, was showing Matt how to swab Sarah's mouth with a sponge on a stick. After Craig left the room, Matt moved in and lowering the bedrail, perched on the edge of the bed. As he dipped the sponge in the water and soothed her dry mouth with it, Sarah was struck by her husband's tenderness. Finally, he placed the mask back on her face.
Sarah must have dozed off. When she opened her eyes, the nurse was back in the room, checking the monitor. Turning to Sarah, he smiled at her. "You're awake again." He pulled on some gloves and reached for a package. "The doctor said we can replace the mask with a nasal cannula. It sends the oxygen directly into your nose."
Sarah was alert enough to remember what a nasal cannula was. Now she would be able to ask Matt what was going on. But not while the nurse was checking all of the medical apparatus attached to her body. Craig was asking her questions, such as how she felt and just how badly her head hurt.
Matt was still perched on the edge of the bed facing Sarah when Craig stepped out of the room. He smoothed Sarah's hair, which felt dank and heavy where it was trapped under her head against the pillow. It was still damp from the shower—Matt had found her there. She wanted desperately to talk to Matt, but he was going to tell her what she did not want to hear.
"Sweetie. Try to rest." His hand caressed her cheek. She knew for certain now. His expression told her.
"I lost the baby." The words came out in a sob.
Matt could not pick her up to hold her, but he leaned down to the bed and embraced her, his head next to hers. By the shaking of his body, she could tell he was crying, too. Sarah tried to return the embrace, but he had pinned her arms to her sides. She managed to bring one hand up to rest on his back.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Matt."
When he pulled away, Sarah could see Matt's face was streaked with tears. "Oh honey, you don't have to apologize. I'm sorry, too. So sorry you had to be alone, so sorry you had to be in such pain."
"It's not about me, though. It's about the baby. I lost our baby."
"But I almost lost you, too." Matt's voice was rough as he leaned over Sarah to kiss her forehead.
"I'm so sorry." Sarah's voice was a whisper. It was difficult to talk, and so hard to keep her eyes open. Her heart hurt, seeing the pain and anguish on her husband's face. But she was so weak. Her eyes drifted closed.
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Matt was not sure if it was the beeping of a monitor in the room next door or the murmur of voices outside the room, but something had awakened him yet again. He had not really expected to sleep, but sitting there with Sarah, watching her sleep, he had been unable to keep his own eyes open. A hand touched his shoulder, and he raised his head from where it rested against the wall.
Even though she was a nurse who still pulled the occasional shift in a hospital, in his sleepy state of mind Matt thought his mother seemed out of place. She should be wearing her nurse's uniform. Most of his memories of his mother in a hospital setting were of her in uniform, when he had visited her at work. Now she was standing beside him, her hand still on his shoulder, in a sweater and jeans. Her shoulder length blonde hair, usually pinned back when she was working, was hanging loose at her shoulders. But she was not here for work. She was here to be with him.
He had been numb while they were waiting for news of Sarah. Then, except for the brief tears he had shed with his wife, he had been brave for her when she had been awake. Now he felt as if he could no longer keep his emotions in check. It was if a dam had burst.
Instantly Sharon was crouching beside his chair, taking her son in her arms and letting him cry on her shoulder. After a few minutes, Matt pulled away. He spoke in a whisper. "I'm sorry. I didn't even say hello or thank you for coming, Mom. I just lost it."
Sharon whispered back. "I came here for that very reason, hon. It's not good to bottle it in."
"I cried all over Sarah earlier, too."
"I got an update from her nurse. That's good that's she's been awake and talking with you." As Sharon stood, Matt did not miss the critical eye she cast over her daughter-in-law and the room in general. "I washed my hands before I came in here," she said over her shoulder as she stepped to the other side of the bed and looked over the monitoring equipment and items there. Matt found the comment ironic, since his mother was carefully avoiding touching anything. Her mouth drew into a tight line as she eyed the unused cannula taped to Sarah's right arm.
"They gave her the two units from Phillip this afternoon. He wanted to give more, but…"
"That's the limit for donating." Sharon considered Matt for a moment, as if she were debating in her mind. "The nurse told me the doctor wants to give Sarah another unit or two. She's still very weak, and they want to see her move to a regular room by tomorrow. The blood bank delivered several units of Sarah's blood type earlier."
"I hear what you're saying, Mom, but I've heard scary stories about blood. I just don't feel right about giving the okay. She's so young, and we want to get pregnant again someday. What if she got some horrible disease? Besides, she's stable now."
"Thank God for that. I prayed the entire way here." Sharon stepped back over to Matt's side of the bed and took the chair behind him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she sat silently with Matt as he watched Sarah sleep. Finally, she checked her watch. "I need to go talk with your father. I promised ten minutes, and I'm a little over. He's sitting with Sarah's brothers."
"Dad came, too?"
"Of course. He plans to stay a couple of days—hopefully long enough to see you bring your Sarah home. I thought I'd stay a few days longer, if I'm not in the way, and maybe help Sarah until she's on her feet. That is, if Amanda doesn't mind."
"You would never be in the way, Mom. Lee and Amanda are on a flight from London." Matt checked his phone. "I guess they could be here anytime." He looked over at the nurses' desk. "How did you get in this late, anyway? I'm the only one allowed in here after visiting hours."
"Well, your dad offered to wait until visiting hours, but when I said I had worked as an ICU nurse and was your mother, they let me in. I like this hospital. They have a great visiting policy. We don't let anyone into the ICU this late at night. I think it's hard on the patients and the families to restrict access like that. It's different here. In fact, I'm allowed to stay with Sarah to give you a little respite, if you want to go talk with your father. Lee and Amanda will be allowed in, too."
Matt smiled a little at his mother's ramble, but she had made a good suggestion. He also needed to stretch a little. With his mother watching Sarah, he finally felt as if he could leave her side.
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Sparing himself only a few minutes away from his wife, Matt had kept his conversation with Jamie, Phillip, and his father short. But he and his father had stepped outside the ICU's waiting room to have a moment alone to pray. Just that brief time with his father had renewed his energy somewhat. While their prayers had been focused on Sarah, Matt had included one of thankfulness for his supportive parents.
While Sharon and David had offered to stay in a hotel, Matt handed them his keys and insisted they go to the townhouse and stay in the guest room. They would be back in the morning with a change of clothes for Matt. They talked about bringing him some food, but not caring, Matt could not remember what they had decided.
Jamie and Phillip were camped out on the couches in the ICU waiting area, both insisting on staying until Sarah was completely out of the woods. Matt imagined they also wanted to be there when Amanda and Lee arrived. The others had long since gone home.
Tired of sitting, Matt stood next to the bed and reached out cautiously to stroke Sarah's hair. It still smelled faintly of roses. Her skin was as soft as ever, but it disturbed him to see her so pale. When her eyes opened, he moved his hand away.
Lightly dozing, Sarah had been glad for the warmth of Matt's hand against her cheek and on her hair.
"I'm sorry I woke you, sweetie."
"I was just drifting. I wasn't really asleep. It's hard to sleep here."
"Do you want some water?"
"Please."
"The nurse said you could take tiny sips." He held a cup and straw for her and watched as she touched the straw with her lips. "Just a little."
Sarah took a small sip. As Matt held the cup there for the next swallow, she regarded him closely and frowned.
She tried to take another sip, but Matt pulled the cup away. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
He brought the cup back and watched her sip some more. "Sarah, I know when something's wrong. You need to tell me if I should get the nurse."
"I can't tell you what it means to me to know that you're staying with me here, but it looks like you haven't slept in days."
"Don't worry about me." Matt fiddled with the straw. "You've only been here since a little before noon and it's about one in the morning. I can live without some sleep."
"How about food? Have you eaten? You've been up almost twenty-four hours."
"Twenty-two hours. And I ate a hamburger earlier." That hamburger, eaten that afternoon, had been his only real meal of the day. But he did not care. "I'm not hungry."
Sarah took a few more sips, and Matt set the cup aside. He smoothed the hair away from her face. "Please don't worry about me. All I want right now is to be with you—watching you sleep. I'll sleep if you go to sleep, okay?" Matt could see that she was on the verge of tears again.
"I wish we were in our bed, and you were holding me." Sarah knew she was whimpering a little, but she could not stop herself.
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I wish we were, too. But you need to be here for now. If you rest, you can probably go to a regular room tomorrow and maybe home after a couple more days."
Fighting tears, Sarah forced herself to say the words she needed so desperately wanted to say. "I'm so sorry. So sorry to put you through this."
"I know. Please don't be. Be sad for the baby, but not for me."
"But you're hurting, too. That hurts the most."
Matt kissed her cheek and her hair. "We'll get through this, Sparrow. I love you, and you love me. We'll help each other, okay? God will be there with us."
Nodding in answer, Sarah wondered how it was possible to love someone so much. I don't deserve him, she thought. He needs just as much comfort as I do, but all I can do is lie here. Sarah sighed, exhaustion pulling at her once again.
Matt loved the sound of her voice. Even a small sigh, when they were in an embrace, would normally thrill him. But Sarah's sigh just now had brought a lump to his throat. She was grieving, just as he was.
After a few more minutes, Sarah's eyes drifted closed. Feeling as if he were rooted to the spot, Matt stood and watched her sleeping. He knew he needed to pray for Sarah—not only for her physical healing, but for her to be healed of the grief and the guilt she carried. But he had let her down. Would she resent him at some point for not being there for her, for placing work over her? What would Lee and Amanda say when they found out he had left their daughter alone?
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With Lee's arm wrapped around her shoulders, Amanda had a physical reminder of her husband's strength. But in reality, she did not really need the support. She was not all that tired, having slept during the flight. Lee had hardly slept at all. And while she was feeling distressed over Sarah, she knew that Lee was far more upset than she was. He was not fond of hospitals, and he was particularly unhappy in them when a loved one was lying ill or injured. So, while it appeared that Lee was helping Amanda bear up, she knew that he was leaning on her—heavily—at the moment.
Perhaps Matt's cell phone had been turned off, or perhaps he was sleeping, but he had not responded to their calls since the plane had landed over an hour ago. They had been hesitant to call Phillip or Jamie, expecting them to have gone home already. Instead, they had called the nurses' desk for an update on Sarah. As they approached the ICU, Amanda placed her arm around Lee's waist and squeezed. Her sons were there in the waiting room. Phillip was sound asleep, his body draped over three of the chairs. Jamie rose to greet them, hugging both Amanda and Lee in turn.
His voice was hushed as he glanced back at his brother. "Phillip would kill me for saying this, but he's beat. He fell asleep four hours ago and has hardly moved. He was up all night last night and gave two units for Sarah today." At Amanda's questioning look, he continued. "Sarah has been awake on and off. She's aware, and her numbers were up earlier. She might need another unit of blood if her numbers go back down."
Amanda let her hand rest on Jamie's arm. "I'm so grateful you were here, Jamie. Thanks for being there for your sister and Matt." When he nodded in reply, she walked over and knelt by Phillip. "Sweetheart."
Phillip stretched painfully and looked at Amanda, confused. "Mom?" He stared at her for a moment before recognition dawned on his face. "Mom. You guys made it." He looked over at Lee and rose stiffly to a sitting position. "Hey, Lee."
"Sarah's doing better," Jamie put in. "I should take you home. It's after three a.m."
Phillip looked questioningly at his mother, but when she nodded in affirmation, he stood, hanging onto a chair for a moment before reaching for his jacket. "I'll come by tomorrow morning after I get some things settled at work. I have to cover for Matt on an assignment." He reached over and gave his mother a peck on the cheek before patting Lee's shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys sooner. You were with Emily, and…"
"You already apologized, son. You didn't know Sarah was going to lose the baby. And you helped save her life by giving blood." Lee offered Phillip a quick hug. "Go home and get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning."
Jamie took Phillip's arm and urged him towards the stairs. "See you tomorrow, Mom. Lee. Love you guys."
Both anxious to see Sarah, Lee and Amanda turned to the ICU entrance and pressed the intercom button. After a nurse let them in the unit and showed them to Sarah's room, updating them briefly on her condition, their forward momentum stopped.
The monitors and other medical apparatus connected to Sarah conveyed the seriousness of her condition. Her skin was pale against the sheets and contrasted vividly with her dark hair. Matt was asleep, the lower half of his body in a chair and the upper half resting on the bed, his head on his folded arms. One hand lay protectively on Sarah's leg. He did not stir as Lee and Amanda approached the foot of the bed.
Lee's voice was low in timbre and in volume. "Aww, Pumpkin." His eyes were moist with unshed tears as he turned and stepped back out of the room, Amanda following him.
"Why is she so goddamn pale? This is a hospital. Can't they do something for her?"
Placing her hand on his arm and drawing close, Amanda attempted to console Lee. "I'm sure they're doing everything they can, Lee."
Both turned when Craig walked up to them. "Can I help you?"
Before Lee could say anything, Amanda was quick to reply. "Amanda and Lee Stetson."
There was a flash of recognition on Craig's face. "Sarah's parents—Matt told me you would be coming. I'm Craig, Sarah's nurse."
Nodding, Amanda went on. "My husband and I were just wondering how Sarah is doing." She glanced back at her daughter. "She's so terribly pale."
"Honestly, we would like to give her another unit or two of blood, but her husband has refused permission so far."
Amanda glanced back at the bed, where neither Sarah nor Matt had moved. "I'm fairly certain that was a mutual decision. Sarah has talked about her concerns before. We used to go together to give blood. It's been over a year since we've done it."
"I have it in my chart that you share the same blood type as Sarah. Is that true?"
Amanda now regarded Craig with interest. "Yeah. In fact, I had been thinking on the flight over that I would like to donate at least a unit for Sarah. I'm just not sure I would be allowed to, since I've been overseas."
"I believe that NEST rules supersede blood center rules. It would help your daughter greatly. I've been monitoring her blood counts and… Well, even one unit would probably be helpful at this point."
"Will it be enough? I haven't donated more than one unit before."
"Let's check your counts so we can be certain it's safe for you to donate anything. I'll be just a moment." Craig excused himself and went back to the nurses' desk.
Amanda turned to Lee, who was watching Sarah and Matt through the window. Matt stirred, lifting his head to look at Sarah before sitting back in his chair to stretch. Just as he glanced their direction, Lee and Amanda stepped into the room. Amanda was struck by Matt's haggard appearance and the expression on his face. Expecting him to be sleepy and careworn, she thought he seemed nervous, almost distressed at the sight of her and Lee.
He spoke first, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Hi, Amanda. Hi Lee. I hope your flight was okay."
"Matt. We didn't mean to wake you."
Running a hand through his hair, Matt sat up stiffly in the chair, and then slowly rose to his feet. "It's okay. I should let you sit here and visit. I can step out of the room."
"No. Of course not. Please sit back down. We were sitting for hours. We can stand. It's breakfast time in the U.K., and I slept most of the way here."
Amanda knew just how weary Matt was when he hesitated only briefly before sitting back down in the chair. "They should be getting a blood sample in a few minutes. I would like to be here if Sarah wakes up."
"The nurse said she's woken up a few times." Lee glanced at Matt, but his eyes did not stay off of Sarah for long.
Stepping up to Matt's chair, Amanda rested an arm around his shoulders. "We're so sorry about the baby, sweetheart."
Matt had never heard Amanda call him sweetheart, Amanda's pet name for her close family members, before. He did not feel worthy of the gesture, but when Amanda stooped to hug him, he hugged her back. He was fighting back tears when she pulled away to look at him.
"Is she taking things pretty hard?" Amanda reached out and touched the blankets.
Running his hand through his hair, Matt's eyes went to Sarah as he answered Amanda. "Yeah. She blames herself, but it's not her fault. I wish I could get that through to her."
Amanda eyed Matt closely. "It's not anyone's fault."
His mouth drew into a straight line and he stared at the floor without replying.
Muffled footsteps sounded outside and Craig came into the room carrying a small tray. He looked at Matt. "I'm going to get another blood sample."
Matt stood and stepped out of the way while Craig drew out a vial of blood. Once he was finished, he turned back to Lee and Amanda. "We're checking blood gases and other things to see if Sarah is getting enough oxygen in her blood. Her numbers went up after the second unit, but they plateaued and started to dip a little. I need to get a baseline before we give her another unit."
Frowning, Matt stepped closer to the bed. "Another unit?"
Seeing the confusion on Matt's face, and wanting to avoid upsetting him, Amanda offered, "I'm hoping to donate at least one unit as soon as Craig takes me to wherever they do that sort of thing."
Lee's expression was troubled. "As much as I want Sarah to be well again quickly, are you sure you should be giving blood, Amanda?" He glanced at Sarah again.
Craig eyed Matt, who was watching Lee and Amanda with growing concern on his face. "Let's run these test results. I've got a stat order on them, so we should hear back soon. If Sarah's numbers have come up, we can wait a while longer."
"I can see by looking at her that she needs the blood. And the other nurse said she's got to get those numbers up so she can leave the ICU and eventually go home. Show me where to go."
Craig handed the blood sample to the lab assistant who was waiting outside Sarah's room. "I'll show you the way."
After Lee and Amanda left with the nurse, Matt returned to the bedside. Sarah had not stirred the entire time her parents were in the room. Even Craig taking a blood sample did not disturb her. He was still standing by the bedside, watching his wife, when Craig returned to the room and began switching out the I.V. bag. He turned to Craig and frowned.
"Why isn't she waking up? Shouldn't she have woken up when her parents were here? You were messing with her I.V. And now she doesn't seem to hear me talking to you."
"Her body is healing, Matt. The doctor gave her some hormones after the surgery that may have made her more wakeful for a while. It's possible they've worn off some by now."
But Matt could see that the nurse was just placating him. "Her oxygen levels are low. I should have given the okay to use that blood hours ago. What if her organs are being damaged by lack of oxygen?"
"Hey. Her levels just dropped. And we'll know more from the blood test than by that fingertip sensor. Your mother-in-law is going to give some blood—and if that's not enough, we still have the other blood downstairs." Craig finished with the new I.V. bag and regarded Matt for a moment. "Are you a praying man?"
Matt glanced at Craig with new interest. "Yeah, I am."
"Well, if it was my wife, I'd be fussing just like you are. But all that worrying won't do any good. Talk to God about it."