Yes the hits just keep on coming. ;) Enjoy the reading. Amber
Chapter 14
Brooke couldn't concentrate. She was at school and worried about her grandfather. She made her father promise to text her as soon as the surgery was done. After school she was going to pick up her sister Claire and they would go to the hospital. Right now she was in trig. She had to concentrate. But it was hopeless. The bell rang and she stood up groaning. She checked her phone for a text. There wasn't one. She texted. 'Any word on Grandpa?'
Her father texted her back. 'Not yet. Still waiting. Your mother says hi.'
Brooke texted. 'Tell her hi back and I love her.'
Ben took her hand. "You're grandpa is a tough but sweet man. He'll be okay."
"I'm just so scared. What if he doesn't make it."
"He'll make it baby." They headed to lunch. Brooke stared at her sandwich. She wasn't hungry at all.
Ben trying to entice her to eat said. "I have roast beef. Want to trade?"
Brooke shook her head in the negative. "I'm not hungry."
Robin Bates who was sitting across from them raised an eyebrow and shared a worried look with Molly, Katie, and Melissa. They ate in silence.
Brooke did see Tiffany Heard. She felt obligated to say something to her. She stood up and approached her table. She was very subdued today. "Tiffany."
Tiffany looked up. "What do you want?"
Brooke ignored the nasty tone. "I'm sorry about your sister."
Tiffany's lip trembled. "Thank you Brooke. I heard that he tried to get into the room where your sister was. I'm glad he couldn't get in."
"Me too. Let me know if you need anything."
Her boyfriend Jason nodded. "Thanks."
Brooke left and rejoined her friends. Katie said. "That was really sweet of you to do."
"I can't imagine the pain she's going through. I never want to."
Claire was in school too. She was trying and failing to concentrate. She was worried about her grandfather, but she was having another problem. She kept hearing the gunshots. Her heart was pounding, her chest was killing her, and she was terrified. She gripped her desk so hard that her knuckles were white.
Ian leaned forward. "Relax a little."
Claire started hyperventilating. Ian jumped up from his desk. "Mr. Lee, Claire's hyperventilating. Can I take her to the nurse?"
Mr. Lee turned from the smart board. He nodded. "Yes Mr. Stokes. Please do. Miss. Bates go with them please."
Rena jumped up and hurried over to Claire. She took one of her arms. "Come on."
Ian and Rena supported Claire as they walked her to the nurses office. She stumbled along and she started seeing black dots across her eyes. Ian called. "Mrs. Singleton, Claire is having trouble breathing."
She rushed over. "She's hyperventilating." That is when Claire fell to the ground. Ian and Mrs. Singleton caught her. Ian picked her up and carried her to one of the beds.
"I have to call an ambulance." The nurse said.
Frank was in Callie's room. The speech therapist had done the swallowing assessment and she could swallow. She was enjoying some lunch and her starbucks white chocolate mocha. They were waiting to hear from the surgeon when his phone rang. He saw the readout as Williamsburg Middle School. He frowned and answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Mr. Hardy this is Mrs. Singleton the school nurse. Your daughter Claire started hyperventilating in her class and passed out. I've called an ambulance and they are taking her to VHC."
"I'm already here. My dad is having open heart surgery. I'll go down and wait for her arrival." Frank said to his brother. "Claire passed out at school, she started hyperventilating."
Joe said. "Let's get downstairs."
A man walked in. Joe recognized him. "Steve this is my family. Everyone, this is Steve Wright, he is Dr. Morales's surgical assistant."
"Mr. Hardy did very well. He's in recovery and will be there for a couple more hours."
Laura sighed with relief. "Thank god!"
Sam said. "That is great news. Thanks Mr. Wright or is it Dr?"
"I'm a PA so Mr. Wright is fine. Thank you."
Frank and Joe hurried down the hall and went downstairs to the ER. Joe asked at the desk. "Has there been a report of a 14 year old female with syncope."
"Yes she's in observation 4 Dr. Hardy."
Frank and Joe hurried into the room. Claire was on the bed pale. Joe saw her heart rate was through the roof. She was gasping. Frank was at her side in a second. "Claire! Try to breathe slowly baby. You're safe. It's alright."
"Where am I?"
Joe asked. "Where do you think you are?" He put a nasal cannula in her nose and started oxygen.
Claire looked around. This wasn't the nurses office. Then she saw the gurney. "I'm at the hospital?"
Frank kissed her hand. "You passed out baby. What happened?"
"I kept hearing the gunshots in my head. I kept thinking that someone else would come in with a gun. I was so scared. I know that won't happen but...my head won't listen to me."
Joe took a generic stethoscope off the wall. He cleaned the ear pieces and then listened to Claire's heartbeat. He was surprised to hear a murmur. Additionally her heartbeat was very rapid. "How do you feel now that you aren't in the building?"
"No change. I made it through lunch. I was in english class."
Frank soothed her. "It's okay baby."
"I want my mom!" She burst into tears.
Frank pulled her into a hug. "You'll see her soon baby. You're safe daddy's got you."
Claire clung to him sobbing.
Joe went and put in orders for her then went to retrieve his stethoscope from the car. He ordered a urinalysis, a CBC, a comprehensive, a cardiac, a BNP, a PT/INR, and a HCG serum screen for protocol. The heart murmur was a concern. He ordered an EKG and an echocardiogram. He knew she was having an anxiety attack or PTSD but had to dot the I's and cross the T's. Joe returned to her room. "I've ordered a urinalysis and blood work kiddo. We're going to get you into a gown. They're going to do an EKG and an echocardiogram."
"What's that?"
Joe said. "Just tests that check your heart. You have a murmur so I want to check it out."
Frank called his mother. She answered on the first ring. "How is Claire?"
"She has a heart murmur. So Joe is running some tests."
"Keep us posted."
Frank then cursed. He forgot to text Brooke. He quickly texted her. 'Your grandpa is out of surgery. It went well. Your sister is in the ER. She got sick at school. I'm with her. You can come to the hospital after school.'
Brooke replied. 'What's wrong with Claire Bear?'
Frank replied. 'She had a panic attack and passed out.' He didn't mention the heart murmur that would freak her out. Better to tell her that in person.
Brooke replied. 'WELL DUH! SHE WENT THROUGH HELL! I'll be there in a couple hours.'
Frank put his phone away. It was just in time because the respiratory therapist came in to do the EKG. Frank turned his back as the tech attached the leads to Claire's chest. He turned when he spoke. "Hold very still this will only take a few seconds."
Claire did as she was told. She watched as the piece of paper came out of the machine. Joe took it and studied it. "Hmm. I'm going to have my colleague look at this."
Frank immediately asked. "What is it?"
"She could have a valve problem." He left the room. He went to the desk and called radiology. "I need that echocardiogram in observation 4 done STAT." He then showed his nieces EKG to Dr. Pike. He said. "Looks like a valve problem. Have you ordered an Echo?"
"Yes, and a chest x-ray."
"Depending on the results of the Echo she may need to go to the cath lab"
Joe was afraid of that. "Man...the hits just keep on coming. My dad just got out of open heart surgery, her mother is in the hospital with postpartum psychosis, her best friend died in that school shooting. Now this."
Dr. Pike patted his hand. "Wow that is a lot to deal with. But from what I know about you and I assume your family is like you. You roll with the punches."
"Yeah we do."
Joe went back into the room and was pleased to see the Echo about to be done. He went and watched the screen and after a few minutes he could see the aortic valve was not working properly. He was very worried. It appeared as if the aortic valve hadn't developed properly. Thank god she wasn't athletic, this could have been a disaster.
When the technologist was done. She left the room. Frank could see the worry on Joe's face. "Okay Joe what did you see?"
"I'd rather wait and have the pediatric cardiologist confirm but it looks like she has a problem with her aortic valve. Kiddo have you had chest pains, any fatigue, shortness of breath, any sweating?"
Claire bit her lip. "I have chest pains off and on. I feel tired all the time but I usually just push through it. I've had to breathe more in band. I didn't think anything of it."
Frank kissed her forehead. "You need to tell us when you aren't feeling well kiddo."
"But it's been happening for years. I mean it's gotten worse over the last three months but."
A man came in. Joe didn't recognize him. "Hello Claire I'm Dr. Mark Snead. I'm a pediatric cardiologist."
Joe introduced himself first. "Dr. Joseph Hardy emergency medicine. This is my brother Frank, Claire is my niece."
"Nice to meet all of you. Claire I have to do one more test to confirm my diagnosis."
Frank interrupted. "I need to facetime my wife. She's in the hospital." Frank dialed his mother on facetime. "Mom give Callie the phone. Claire has a heart problem and a pediatric cardiologist is here."
Callie appeared moments later pale. "Oh my god!"
"Mrs. Hardy, I'm Doctor Snead. I am going to do a catheterization of your daughter's heart." Then he addressed Claire. "I suspect you have a condition called aortic stenosis. Which is usually a developmental defect. Your aorta didn't form properly before birth, but it was a minor defect and wasn't caught. Now it has worsened."
"How long will the catheterization take?" Frank asked?
"The test itself takes thirty minutes. But she'll be in recovery for a couple hours minimum after that. I may do a Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty while I'm in there which will widen the valve. But in my experience based on the echo I suspect she is going to need an aortic valve replacement."
Claire's lips began to tremble. "I don't want surgery."
Frank soothed her. "Claire bear I know it's scary but it will help you get better."
Claire started crying. Joe crossed to the computer and ordered her a dose of ativan IV.
The cardiologist came and listened to her heart. He said. "Good catch Dr. Hardy."
"It's what I do." Joe said.
Callie said. "If she has to have surgery when will that happen?"
"I will consult with our heart surgeon in the office. His name is Dr. Adrian Androau. Depending on the results of the catheterization and if my balloon aortic valvuloplasty can be done."
Callie said. "Frank I'm coming down there."
"Honey…"
"We can come to your room and tell you the results Mrs. Hardy. You need to worry about your own health. I promise I'll take good care of her."
Callie narrowed her eyes. "You'd better."
