I still don't know anything about skin grafts so I might be totally off base, but please review! I am going on vacation next week and so I am trying to finish this storyline before hand.
Chapter 37
The appointment with Dr. Wilson went as well as Mike expected it to go. His bloodwork came back clean; he was the picture of health. It bothered Mike that he was perfectly healthy, while his daughter was not. Dr. Wilson examined Hannah's scar and agreed that a skin graft was the best option. She assured Mike that Hannah's pain level would be minimal, if not at all. Mike had warned her not to let Hannah know about the significant amount of pain Mike would be in. If Hannah realized what his pain level would be like, she would never agree to the surgery. The nurse took Hannah back to the waiting room and agreed to sit with her so he could get the specifics on his part of the surgery and so Dr. Wilson could make sure the donor skin had no unusual marks or scars.
There were three possible areas that skin could be taken from, Mike's calf, hip or his own back. He had checked and the Navy would have no issues with him having a skin graft, it helped that things had been relaxed since the Red Flu. Dr. Wilson choose to take some skin from his left calf, and some from the middle of his back. He had been shot, stabbed, and burnt as a cop and as an officer in the Navy. She remarked about some of the scars and he just shrugged. The burns were from his rookie days when he was a cop, there was an apartment fire, and a baby was trapped, and Mike didn't wait on the fire department. He got burnt, but the baby lived. There was the scar from where that Immune had shot him and then dug into the wound, plus a few others. Mike never thought much of them, all he cared about was the large scar on his daughter's back.
She warned him of the pain that he would be in and explained the procedure to him. He reiterated that he didn't care about the pain that he would be in, just as long as Hannah would be okay. He made sure that the doctor was aware that Hannah's health was precarious and he wanted her life protected at all times and at any cost. She let him know that he would probably be essentially flat on his back for about a week and infection could be a concern. He didn't care about any of that. Dr. Wilson had seen various press conferences and knew Mike was a very to the point person, and she also knew that Hannah had to come out of the surgery perfectly healthy.
He collected Hannah and got headed home. The surgery was sit for a week from the coming Monday. It was now Friday. Hannah was pretty quiet and seemed to have something on her mind. Mike was determined to have the surgery. Hannah had read a brochure about skin grafts while she was waiting for her dad. She was well aware that he was going to be in a lot of pain but she also knew her dad's mind was made up.
"You know you don't have to do this, right Dad? I know you think you do, but you don't. I love you for wanting to do it, but it's not necessary. You're going to be in a lot of pain. I know you blame yourself for everything, but going through this pain, you don't have anything you need to be punished for."
Mike nodded at her and reached over and squeezed her hand. He wasn't completely sure why he was so adamant about the surgery but because of him being gone, Lucas and Christine were dead, and Hannah was horribly scarred and would have health issues for the rest of her life. If him enduring a little pain, lessened her's, well it was a tiny price for him to pay.
They had gotten Emma from Sasha and went home. Mallory had a second shift and so she was headed out the door as they headed in. She asked for the surgery date and told Mike she had already planned for and put in for vacation. He told her it wasn't necessary, that he would be fine, but he knew Hannah would need help with her dressing.
"Mike, you're going to need help too. I think you're minimizing the pain you'll be in, but it will be worse than anything you've been through. When you were trying to corral Frankie that day, I saw some of the scars on your chest and stomach and I am not asking what happened, but it will be worse than all that. I know there is not any talking you out of this and I understand your reasoning, but just be prepared. I will be here to help you and Hannah. "
Mike nodded at her and reminded her of her makeover the next day. He was actually looking forward to the end result. As much as he felt that he wasn't ready, and that he was still grieving for Christine, Mike had definitely noticed the pretty redhead. He kept telling himself that he owed Christine more time, that she was too young for him, that he wasn't ready, that she wasn't ready but there was something there. He just didn't know what it was. He had been with Christine for seventeen years, and had been married for sixteen. He loved her, had never even thought of another woman, and despite all their issues, would never think about cheating. It just wasn't him. Even when he couldn't find her, he never looked elsewhere. There had been opportunities, when they come home after defeating the Immunes, people were desperate and he and Tom both had women throw themselves at them. Obviously neither of them acted on it but the opportunity for a casual fling was there. He would just not lower himself.
He told Emma about his and Hannah's surgery, and that he would be laid up for a while, he expected her to be upset but instead told him that if he wasn't sleeping, she would keep him company and then asked why they weren't peeling her skin off to help Hannah. She had a weird way of interpreting things, and it was too difficult to explain the process to her, so instead he just told her that she was too small and the doctor thought it best to "peel" the skin off from an adult and Mike didn't want Hannah to have a stranger's skin on her. She accepted that at face value.
He had made an appointment with his lawyer and bank to set things up and get Tom's name on everything. Emma had heard a little of the conversation and knew he was talking with an attorney's office. After he hung up, he sit down with her and explained that he was simply getting some stuff set up and it was just for his upcoming surgery, that she was definitely still staying with him and not to worry. She just smiled and hugged him. She was not nervous about the appointment, and had asked for an "Emma Day" before his surgery. He agreed, Molly was due to be picked up Monday, Emma just didn't know it. Mallory was already planning on a "Hannah Day" for Monday so it would all work out.
After supper was eaten, the girls settled into a board game and he was cleaning the kitchen up, when Tom came in. He had texted him and told him of the surgery and the appointment with the lawyer to get Tom's name on everything. He wanted to make sure that Tom was still okay with everything and that Sasha agreed.
"Yea, she's good with everything. She understands the concern. I'll go with you to the attorney and to the bank so I can sign any paperwork needed. My concern is with the surgery. I have the same blood type as you, and so I would also have Hannah's blood type. If it would be better, I can have the skin graph. I know and understand why you want to do it, but I was the one that held you back from finding Christine and the girls, so it's my fault that she is scarred like that. Besides if the roles were reversed, you would do the same for Ashley or Sam."
Mike was completely shocked by Tom's offer, but he understood his reasoning, and was thankful for it. He would do the same for Tom's kids in a heartbeat.
"I truly, truly appreciate it Tom. I don't blame you for what happened. I can't ask you to go through that kind of pain, but yes, I would do the same for Sam and Ashley. When I seen the scar on her back, something in me just snapped. She is not going to like the pain level I'll be in but she would like you being in pain even less. I do appreciate everything that you guys are doing for me and the kids. And you know if you need some time with Sasha, I am still available to babysit Sam and Ashley?"
Not much else was said, Tom planned to take the day of the surgery off, because he would not only have to make Mike's medical decisions, but if anything arose with Hannah, and Mike was not able to make the decision, someone would need to. He made sure he was clear on what Mike wanted for the both of he and Hannah.
Tom left and the girls got ready for bed. He kind of missed Hannah's bandage changes because it meant that there was less time spent with her, but he also knew it was important for Hannah to regain some of her independence and for him to just be dad, and not have the process of bandage changes and turning the oxygen on. He still made sure the baby monitor on, and would remind Hannah not to shut it off. She had done that the second night she could go without oxygen and Mike had woke up about three am and realized he couldn't hear her breathing, ran into the door frame, stubbed his toe and tore the toe nail off. He ran into her room, and woke her up. She was fortunately breathing very well and didn't quite understand Mike's panic. Mike was furious, but choose not to address it until the morning. He had made it very clear to her, that turning the baby monitor was not an option. Fortunately, Mallory backed him and Hannah did listen to her. He felt like it had taken ten years off his life.
Hannah had started not liking to be tucked in, and that bothered him too, but he also knew it was the norm for fourteen year olds. She would still let him hug and kiss her goodnight. Emma was still all about getting tucked in, being read to, and cuddling. Rather he liked it or not, both girls were growing up and he had to just deal with it.