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Chapter VI
Once Neil, Miss Alice, David and Bird's Eye had taken Christy to Neil's clinic they set her on the table and Neil began to give orders to everyone. Water needed to be boiled, instruments must be sterilized, the table needed to be covered with a sterile sheet, Christy's head needed to be shaved in the area of the wound, among other things. Bird's Eye remained close by and helped as he could.
Neil, who was all physician now, would not allow emotion to cloud his judgment. Christy needed him more as her physician at this moment then she did a worried fiancé!
When Neil began the surgery Bird's Eye and David had to leave. Dr. MacNeill never allowed anyone to remain in his clinic when he operated, except Alice Henderson.
David, Bird's Eye, Ida and Ruby Mae, all waited impatiently inside the mission house for word of Christy's condition.
Alice came rushing in at one point to use the telephone. Calling the El Pano railroad station. "This is Alice Henderson, Cutter Gap mission. I'm calling on behalf of Dr. MacNeill. I need to know when the next train to Asheville will be leaving?" Alice paused as the station manager answered. "This is a medical emergency. Hold the train at the station until we have our patient on board. We will need a place to lay our patient down on the train, as well as having the area clean and away from people. We do not want to contaminate the patient with any germs." She paused again. "Yes, that would be fine. We'll ready everything here and be in El Pano as quickly as possible." She hung up the phone. "David, get the wagon out immediately. The train for Asheville is on it's way in right now. There was more damage then Neil anticipated. We need to get Christy to the hospital in Asheville as soon as possible. They're going to hold the train for us in El Pano. She can't wait for the next train to arrive, it would be too late by that time." Alice declared as she raced out the door back to Neil's clinic.
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The wagon ride was excruciatingly long for Neil! He wanted to have Christy in Asheville 'yesterday', but that was impossible. He watched over his bride to be, keeping an eye on her health as they rode along. If only he had the proper facilities he could give her the immediate care she required.
Alice noticed the worried expression on Neil's face. "Neil, we must seek faith. Do not give up hope for Christy. She needs you to remain strong during this period. No matter what happens, you need to leave it in God's hands and allow Him to have His way in this matter."
"I don't want to lose her Alice! That's what worries me the most. I cannot fathom life without her any longer! When Margaret died I swore I would never love anyone again. But with Christy, I've found love such as I didn't know was possible in this world. I didn't think I could ever be so happy as I have been since I've been in love with Christy."
"Then hold on to her Neil! Don't let her go! If you let her go then she will let go herself! You must be strong for her once again. She told me about the night you prayed for her when her life was slipping away during her bout with Typhoid. I truly believe from what she told me that she was already gone and it was your love which brought her back and convinced her to remain! Your love brought her through before, when she wasn't even aware of the fact that you love her, you can only imagine what the love you two have between you *now* can accomplish! You have a very special relationship with Christy. I don't think she will leave you easily. If there is any way God will allow her to continue, I am convinced she will remain here, holding on to the love you are extending toward her."
**Neil gripped my hand, I could hear them talking, but it sounded as though they were miles away. They were talking so slowly, I wondered why--'My head hurts Neil! Please take the pain away! I can't stand the pain! It hurts terribly!' Whether Neil could hear me or not I wasn't sure, but I wanted so badly for the pain to go away and stay away!! I wish they would stop bouncing me, it only makes the pain worse!**
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David prayed all the while he helped Alice and Neil.
Once Christy was on the train and all of Neil's supplies were set up as he might need them. "I'll continue to pray for you." David stated as he turned to leave.
Alice remained on the train awhile longer to get Neil situated before she left. "My prayers go with both of you, Neil. Please contact us if there is anything we can do for you. Christy is very special to all of us, we will be praying for her and for your strength as well. Godspeed Neil!" Alice said as she gave Neil a quick hug before leaving.
"Thank-you Alice." Neil said to her back.
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Miss Alice had telephoned the hospital in Asheville upon her return to the mission to tell them what time the train would be arriving. They would have a vehicle waiting at the station when the train arrived.
All I can remember is the pain in my head! I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't get anything out of my mouth for that matter I couldn't even open it.
Neil tended to my needs. He held my hand, kissing it occasionally. I heard him speaking to me, telling me to hold on, just as he had when I was dying of Typhoid. I wasn't about to leave him, if I had any say in the matter. I tried to squeeze his hand, but I don't know if he could feel it or not. I could hear him crying occasionally--I wanted to reach out and hold him close, to tell him I had absolutely no intension of going *anywhere*!
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When the train arrived it was met by people from the hospital who were awaiting them. Neil was hoping Alice had thought to contact the hospital when he had forgotten in his rush to leave the mission and get Christy to the help she desperately needed.
They were greeted at the hospital by Mr. And Mrs. Huddleston and George. Neil filled them in on what had happened, but didn't discuss with them his reasoning for bringing Christy to Asheville. It may have been that he didn't want to alarm Christy, or it might have been that he didn't want to worry her parents.
"You'll all have to wait in the waiting room." A man in a white coat told Neil, Mr. & Mrs. Huddleston and George.
"But I'm also a physician, and surgeon. I did the preliminary surgery." Neil offered. "I can help you, I've been with her all the while."
"I have no doubt that you are a competent physician, and surgeon. But you are too emotionally involved to be totally objective in this case. I know you want to be in here, but I cannot allow you to come in. I'm sorry." Then the man turned and left.
Neil knelt down before a chair in the waiting room while Christy's Mother and Father sat together on the chairs. George paced back and forth. Neil began to cry as he prayed. George's heart went out to his brother-in-law-to-be. So he knelt down beside Neil and put his arm around Neil's shoulders. Neil wept until he felt he couldn't anymore. All the while George was speaking words of comfort to him, in hushed tones. Then as Neil looked up he saw Mother and Father holding and comforting each other as a stab of realization hit him…would he ever hold Christy like that? Would he ever be able to tell her again that he loved her? Would he be able to make her his wife as they had planned?…
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The man in the white coat, whose name was Dr. Wagner, came in and said Christy was being sent to surgery. The bleeding was continuing and they needed to drain it once again.
"Dr. MacNeill, you did an excellent job. Without the Trephine which you performed, she would never have survive, I'm sure of it." Dr. Wagner stated. "Don't be offended, Doctor, but where did you learn to do that operation?"
"University of Pennsylvania Medical School, sir. A professor of mine did one. I've only performed one other, but both that I've seen, the one by my professor and the other which I did, were successful. I knew I had to relieve the pressure in her brain." Neil paused. "Do you think she'll survive?"
"It's still too early to determine that. I'll be able to tell you more after the surgery. The next few days will tell us more."
"We were supposed to be married next Saturday." Neil said sadly.
"I'm afraid that will have to--be delayed, Doctor. I'm very sorry. From what I can see at the moment, I find little to be hopeful about. I tell you this only because I don't want you to get your hopes up too high. I'll tell you plainly, I don't see anyway she will be the same woman she was just a few days ago. Maybe we could have done more for her, had she had been brought in immediately, but the blood clots and the swelling have had too much time to wreak havoc on her brain…" Dr. Wagner paused. "I'm very sorry." Julia burst out sobbing and William took her in his arms. Neil's tears fell freely again, as did George's this time as well.
"I've got to go to the operating room. I'll speak with all of you when it's over. Once again, I can't tell you how sorry I am." Dr. Wagner turned and left.
Neil closed his eyes as the tears fell harder. He retook his place, kneeling on the floor once again. George beside him. William and Julia once again sat comforting each other.
Neil was grateful to George. It was very difficult for Neil to fathom all of this! He didn't want to question God, he wanted to lean on Him, but it was very difficult to understand how God could have blessed him with Christy, and her love, and now just take her away! He had already lost his wife and only child…how could God take away his chance at happiness again? Christy's love is what kept him going--how could he go on living without it?
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End of Chapter 6
Chapter 7 Coming Soon.