We watched wrestling for a couple more hours when finally the Doctor walked into the room, with a couple nurses. Cole smiled when the Doctor gave him a hi-five and took off his plastic mask handing it to me.
"How long are we looking at ?" I asked, glancing down to my son's mask in my hands.
"The whole procedure should be about 6 hours, without complications." The doctor explained, doing a small examination of Cole's face.
"Complications?" I asked concerned, the doctor walking to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"The surgery is very routine, and the complications and risks are minimal, but you have to understand, surgery is surgery." The doctor explained as I nodded my head.
"We'll take good care of him." The one nurse added as I smiled at her.
"And Cycops?" Cole asked, holding up his action figure in his hand.
"Even Cyclops. You keep him with you ok?" The nurse told Cole, as he rested the action figure back on the bed next to him.
"Everyone ready to go?" The doctor asked me quizzically.
"Um.. Stephanie and Kyle just stepped outside for a moment." I explained, talking about my brother and sister in law who went to find some food.
"Well, it's a little bit of a walk to the OR, and we'll walk slow.." The doctor said with a smile, as I nodded my head. I watched as they pulled the railings up on Cole's bed, my hand resting over the railing, holding Cole's little hand, as he laid in the bed comfortably. His other hand held the Cyclops figurine tight as the orderlies began moving the bed down the hall. I walked with him the whole way, Cole seemed to be calm as he looked around the hallways that we moved through. I was hoping Kyle and Stephanie would be back soon, so they could see him before he was taken in and with every step it seemed like it wouldn't happen. The orderlies just moved us around a corner when a voice stopped everyone in their tracks.
"Kylie!" The voice yelled out as I turned to look down the long hallway, my eyes grew wide when I saw Cody running down the hallway at full speed. He looked like he had been to hell and back, his hair was tousled, his shoes and bottoms of his jeans were covered in dried mud. Not far behind him was Ted Dibiase Jr., Kyle and Stephanie. The orderlies stopped moving us down the hallway, letting Cody and the others catch up to us, and before I could process anything, Cody had his arms wrapped around me tight, holding me pressed to his body. I held him tight against me, hearing Cole's excited response.
"Cody!" Cole exclaimed happily, his little hands reaching out for him as he tried to climb out of the bed. The hug broke when Cody turned to Cole who was on his knees against the railing, reaching as far as he could for Cody. Cody picked my son out of the bed, wrapping his arms around him tight, as Cole wrapped his arms around Cody's neck tight as well. I glanced behind Cody to look at Kyle and Stephanie, both of them smiling wide.
"We ran into them down in the lobby." Stephanie spoke with a smile.
"He's still alive, so trust me…he has a good explanation." Kyle added smiling, looking over to Ted who nodded his head, smiling at me.
Turning back to Cody I watched as he carefully placed Cole back on the bed, tucking him under the blanket they gave him.
"Did you think I was gonna miss this buddy?" Cody asked, running his hand over Cole's hair, placing a gentle kiss on top of his head. I watched as Cole nodded his head 'yes', his little arms pulling Cody in for another hug. I smiled watching them together, when Cody placed a brown paper bag he was carrying on the bed.
"Well then who's gonna wear this?" Cody asked, opening the bag and pulling out an exact replica of his white ring jacket, complete with the hood and no sleeves, only smaller. I laughed at Cole's expression as he turned to me happily.
"Mommy look!" Cole exclaimed grabbing the jacket in his hands, holding it against him tight.
"I'm sorry, but we really need to get him in there." The orderly spoke, as we nodded our heads. I watched as Kyle and Stephanie approached his bed, each of them giving Cole a quick hug and kiss, before telling them they loved him, which my son happily returned. I smiled watching Ted walk up to Cole, giving him a hug, ruffling his hair, telling Cole that when he heals up, he's gonna challenge him to a rematch, causing Cole to giggle loudly before giving Ted a hi-five.
I moved closer to the bed, when the Doctor appeared at the door.
"You two can come in if you'd like." The doctor spoke, as I glanced to Cody confused.
"The little ones stay calmer if someone is in the pre-op room with them, at least until we get them asleep." The doctor explained as I nodded my head, letting the orderly push Cole's bed in the double doors. I glanced to Cody, who held his hand out for mine, I happily accepted holding his hand as we followed them into the pre-op room.
The room was bare, lots of nurses and doctors rushing by, all with masks on. I glanced to my son, who was holding my hand tight.
"We're gonna have to take off his top. We need to put these on." The nurse spoke, holding up the heart monitors she held in her hand.
"I have a better idea." Cody said, turning to Cole.
"Hey bud, let's switch you into this." Cody said, holding up the jacket he just brought for him, Cole happily nodding his head. I watched as Cody helped him pull the pajama shirt off him, handing it to me, before helping him slip on the jacket, leaving it open so the nurse could put the little, sticky monitors on his chest.
"Mommy, I'm Cody!" Cole squealed, looking at the jacket he was wearing, his eyes peering out from under the hood. I smiled as I ran my hand through his hair, pushing the hood down.
"You look like him." I said reassuring him, when the anesthesiologist approached us. It was only after a few minutes, she held the small oxygen mask to Cole's face.
"He's gonna fall asleep pretty quick, so this is the time to say goodbye." The anesthesiologist explained, as I nodded my head leaning into my son who was quickly falling asleep.
"You're gonna be alright Cole. Be strong. Mommy…" I glanced to Cody, before turning back to my son.
"And Cody are gonna be strong for you too. I love you." I said kissing his forehead, my son's groggy arm reaching out for me, as his hand rested on top of mine.
"I love you mommy." Cole's groggy voice responded.
"Hey." Cody whispered to my son, who's eyes were barely open as he lazily turned to look at him.
" We're all gonna be here for you when you wake up ok?" Cody said leaning in to rest his forehead against Cole's, as Cole nodded his head slowly.
"You take care of Cyclops for me alright?" Cody said, putting the action figure tight in between Cole's arm and body.
"I love you Cody." The groggy voice of my son spoke, tears coming to my eyes, as I saw Cody lean forward resting a kiss on his forehead as well.
"I love you too buddy." Cody responded smiling, before stepping away from the bed, standing next to me, his arm resting around my shoulders pulling me tight as we watched Cole fall peacefully asleep.
It was only minutes later when we were told that we had to wait out in the waiting room, and that they would give us updates throughout the procedure. I walked with Cody out of the room, and through the double doors. I didn't say a word, stopping to lean my back against the wall, I put my hands to my face and before I could process anything, the tears began to fall. My mind was running a million miles a minute, and at that moment all I cared about was my son. I hated seeing my son sick or hurt, but this was the most helpless I 've ever felt. The doctor reassured me that he would be alright, but to not be able to do anything was the worst. Cody immediately stopped in front of me, his hands running up and down my arms as I cried into my hands.
"Hey..Hey.." Cody whispered, pulling me off the wall into his arms, wrapping his arms around my body, his fingers splayed out on my back.
"Shhh…It's gonna be alright." Cody tried to reassure me, as I wiped my tears with my hands, pulling out of his embrace for a moment, wiping the tears with the back of my hands, sniffling as much as I could. Holding the next round of tears back, Cody watched as I fought with the tears to stay hidden. I refused to let Cody see me cry, as I looked anywhere but in his eyes.