Chapter Seven: The Greatest of Gifts
Abby dropped her beeper at the sight of Susan's message. Then she started at a full out run. The hospital was a good twelve blocks away and the cold October air made her lungs burn. Abby tried to block out all of the thoughts that were flooding into her mind. She knew that Susan's message was bad. All that she wanted to focus on was getting to the hospital in time.
"Clear!" Carter's chest rose as the electric current raged through his body and shocked his heart. Elizabeth stood back as she watched a fellow surgeon call for the paddles to be set to a higher charge. She couldn't let her friend die, not like this. "Clear!" Carter's body was shocked again. Susan, who was standing outside the operating room, was horrified. She had seen many operations go badly, but all she could think of was Abby. "If Abby doesn't come," Susan thought, "She will never forgive herself." Then a tear fell from Susan's eye as the surgeon yelled again, "Clear!"
Abby's legs ached; her throat and lungs burned, and tears were falling from her face. As she went to get up onto the sidewalk she tripped and fell into the snow. Her face hit first, scraping her chin and cheek. Abby slammed her hand into the concrete. "Why!" she sobbed, "Why won't you let me get there?" She couldn't get up. Every muscle in her body froze as panic, shock, and fatigue finally set in. With all the will in her body she slowly brought herself onto her feet. Then, catching her second wind, she started at a slow jog again, her eyes fixed only on the red hospital sign that read, "Cook County General".
Romano paced. He was never good with words and certainly didn't wish to make the situation worse. He turned as he heard a noise from the door. He was shocked as Abby came in through it. Her face and hands were bleeding badly and she was almost blue. Romano walked over and caught her as Abby fell into his arms. He looked at her pain stricken face, "Abby come sit over here." Romano carried her over to a chair that was sitting in the hall. Abby looked through the glass that separated the operating room from the waiting hall. She could see Carter lying on the table being shocked, with hopes that his heart might start beating again. Abby just put her head into her hands as Romano kneeled down beside her. He tried to talk in a calm voice. "It is ok Abby, Lizzy is with John. It will be ok." Abby just sat and cried. She couldn't hear anything right then, she just wanted everything to go away.
"Clear!" Carter's chest rose again. Elizabeth's face was white as the real possibility of death finally came into her mind. She didn't want Abby to have to go through what she had when Mark had died. Elizabeth knew well that the death of a loved one is one of the hardest ordeals to go through, and she would never wish it on anyone. The surgeon sighed as he looked at Elizabeth. "Give them to me," she said. Elizabeth took the paddles and walked up to Carter's body. Reluctantly she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Charge to four-hundred." she called. Elizabeth, along with Susan, Abby, and Robert, who were looking on, knew that Carter had been down for a long time. If this last shock didn't work, they were going to pronounce Carter dead. Elizabeth placed the paddles over Carter's heart as a tear fell from her face, "Clear."
Carter's chest rose once again as the electricity surged into his heart. The whole room stared at the cardiac monitor waiting for the solid green line to have a blip in it again. As the flat line passed before her eyes, Elizabeth turned around. She could not bear to look at the monitor a second longer. The incessant beep was almost too much to take as Elizabeth's eyes met Susan's, who was standing in the hall with her hand pressed against the glass. Abby let out a cry; she was realizing that wouldn't get to say any final words to the man that she loved. As tears streamed from Elizabeth's eyes, her heart skipped a beat when she heard a beep from the monitor. She turned around and looked at the other surgeon in the room with her. "It was probably only a fluke." He said, with a hoarse voice. Elizabeth stared at the machine, willing it to beep again. The silence in both the room and hallway was shattered in an instant when the green line jumped again as Carter's heart finally beat by itself. "Beep.." more silence. It was almost too much to take. "Beep.Beep..Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep." Elizabeth almost collapsed as Carter's heart began a normal rhythm again. The other surgeon looked at his machines, "Stats and vitals are up. He just might have someone looking over him tonight." he said. All Elizabeth could do was turn around and give a thumbs up to Abby. Soon Elizabeth regained her focus and took charge again. "Ok, well let's finish this up then."
Within another hour Carter was out of the operating room and on his way to intensive care. Elizabeth walked over to where Abby, Susan, and Romano were sitting and tried to explain the situation to them as best she could. "Ok then, well here is the deal." Elizabeth had to stop for a second and clear her mind. She had to be in surgeon mode to be able to do this; otherwise she would break down in tears. "Carter is out of surgery. The transplant went well. Pratt is fine. He should recover in a few days. But. as you all know, Carter's brain was deprived of blood for a long time. Right now he is in a coma. Abby, you have to know, he might not wake up. The best thing for you to do now is to go and be with him." Elizabeth couldn't take it any longer. She had to walk away. As she did Abby spoke up. "Elizabeth. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
Abby made the long walk to the ICU alone. It was something she had to do. As she sat there, in the room by herself, she kissed Carter's hand and laid her head on his arm. "Please John," she began to say, "Please John stay with me." Soon she could not keep her eyes open any longer. She closed them and, in an instant, she was asleep.
Several hours later, Abby was woken by a doctor she had never seen. "Let me look at him." He said to her. "Why don't you go and get some coffee?" Abby reluctantly left and, by the time it took her to walk down to the end of the hall the doctor was calling for her to come back in. Abby ran down the hall and into Carter's room. As she looked at him she realized he was awake.
Two months later Carter and Abby sat at home on the couch they shared together. It was Christmas morning and they had both just woken up. Abby was curled up in his arms with her face in his chest. Carter sighed. "What a Christmas huh? Did you get everything you wanted?" Abby looked him in the eyes and nodded. "I got you. That is the only thing I want for the rest of my life." Carter smiled. As weird as it seemed, these past few months had really brought them together. "Good" he said, "But I still have one gift left for you." Abby looked around as Carter got up. He had already gotten her a bathrobe and one adorably cute puppy. She wondered what else he could possibly have. All she wanted was more days with him. He came back with a huge box and an even bigger smile on his face. Even though he limped a little, and tired pretty quickly, Carter had gotten over the surgery great. He had beaten the cancer and the odds. He sat down and handed Abby the box. "This is pretty light." She said with a smile. Abby set it on the ground and opened it up. She looked inside the box only to find a small envelope. She picked it up and began to read the letter inside. It said:
Dear Abby, You are my angel from heaven. I love you with all of my heart and cannot imagine a life without you. I wrote this letter because I can't say the words. You have saved me from certain death. Now I have to save myself from a life without you. I love you with all my heart. Merry Christmas.
Always Yours,
John
Abby looked up to find Carter kneeling on the ground. "I have waited far to long to realize one thing. In all my life I have been given many gifts, but the greatest gift of all was given to me by God. He gave me you Abby. Since you are my gift, this is mine to you." Carter took Abby's hand, and brought it down from her face. He gently kissed it and, with his own hands shaking, placed a sliver ring on her finger. "Will you be my wife?" Abby didn't even have to answer. She just knelt down on the floor with him and they held each other. Carter was glad he had finally realized the most important lesson in life. Sometimes the greatest of gifts, are the ones you receive in your heart.
There you go guys!!! I hope you liked my story, and thanks for sticking with me! I have plenty more of ideas for different ones so let me know if you want me to write again! Like I said, thank you for reading, you guys are the best!
Always,
Kathleen O'Pry
Abby dropped her beeper at the sight of Susan's message. Then she started at a full out run. The hospital was a good twelve blocks away and the cold October air made her lungs burn. Abby tried to block out all of the thoughts that were flooding into her mind. She knew that Susan's message was bad. All that she wanted to focus on was getting to the hospital in time.
"Clear!" Carter's chest rose as the electric current raged through his body and shocked his heart. Elizabeth stood back as she watched a fellow surgeon call for the paddles to be set to a higher charge. She couldn't let her friend die, not like this. "Clear!" Carter's body was shocked again. Susan, who was standing outside the operating room, was horrified. She had seen many operations go badly, but all she could think of was Abby. "If Abby doesn't come," Susan thought, "She will never forgive herself." Then a tear fell from Susan's eye as the surgeon yelled again, "Clear!"
Abby's legs ached; her throat and lungs burned, and tears were falling from her face. As she went to get up onto the sidewalk she tripped and fell into the snow. Her face hit first, scraping her chin and cheek. Abby slammed her hand into the concrete. "Why!" she sobbed, "Why won't you let me get there?" She couldn't get up. Every muscle in her body froze as panic, shock, and fatigue finally set in. With all the will in her body she slowly brought herself onto her feet. Then, catching her second wind, she started at a slow jog again, her eyes fixed only on the red hospital sign that read, "Cook County General".
Romano paced. He was never good with words and certainly didn't wish to make the situation worse. He turned as he heard a noise from the door. He was shocked as Abby came in through it. Her face and hands were bleeding badly and she was almost blue. Romano walked over and caught her as Abby fell into his arms. He looked at her pain stricken face, "Abby come sit over here." Romano carried her over to a chair that was sitting in the hall. Abby looked through the glass that separated the operating room from the waiting hall. She could see Carter lying on the table being shocked, with hopes that his heart might start beating again. Abby just put her head into her hands as Romano kneeled down beside her. He tried to talk in a calm voice. "It is ok Abby, Lizzy is with John. It will be ok." Abby just sat and cried. She couldn't hear anything right then, she just wanted everything to go away.
"Clear!" Carter's chest rose again. Elizabeth's face was white as the real possibility of death finally came into her mind. She didn't want Abby to have to go through what she had when Mark had died. Elizabeth knew well that the death of a loved one is one of the hardest ordeals to go through, and she would never wish it on anyone. The surgeon sighed as he looked at Elizabeth. "Give them to me," she said. Elizabeth took the paddles and walked up to Carter's body. Reluctantly she swallowed the lump in her throat. "Charge to four-hundred." she called. Elizabeth, along with Susan, Abby, and Robert, who were looking on, knew that Carter had been down for a long time. If this last shock didn't work, they were going to pronounce Carter dead. Elizabeth placed the paddles over Carter's heart as a tear fell from her face, "Clear."
Carter's chest rose once again as the electricity surged into his heart. The whole room stared at the cardiac monitor waiting for the solid green line to have a blip in it again. As the flat line passed before her eyes, Elizabeth turned around. She could not bear to look at the monitor a second longer. The incessant beep was almost too much to take as Elizabeth's eyes met Susan's, who was standing in the hall with her hand pressed against the glass. Abby let out a cry; she was realizing that wouldn't get to say any final words to the man that she loved. As tears streamed from Elizabeth's eyes, her heart skipped a beat when she heard a beep from the monitor. She turned around and looked at the other surgeon in the room with her. "It was probably only a fluke." He said, with a hoarse voice. Elizabeth stared at the machine, willing it to beep again. The silence in both the room and hallway was shattered in an instant when the green line jumped again as Carter's heart finally beat by itself. "Beep.." more silence. It was almost too much to take. "Beep.Beep..Beep.Beep.Beep.Beep." Elizabeth almost collapsed as Carter's heart began a normal rhythm again. The other surgeon looked at his machines, "Stats and vitals are up. He just might have someone looking over him tonight." he said. All Elizabeth could do was turn around and give a thumbs up to Abby. Soon Elizabeth regained her focus and took charge again. "Ok, well let's finish this up then."
Within another hour Carter was out of the operating room and on his way to intensive care. Elizabeth walked over to where Abby, Susan, and Romano were sitting and tried to explain the situation to them as best she could. "Ok then, well here is the deal." Elizabeth had to stop for a second and clear her mind. She had to be in surgeon mode to be able to do this; otherwise she would break down in tears. "Carter is out of surgery. The transplant went well. Pratt is fine. He should recover in a few days. But. as you all know, Carter's brain was deprived of blood for a long time. Right now he is in a coma. Abby, you have to know, he might not wake up. The best thing for you to do now is to go and be with him." Elizabeth couldn't take it any longer. She had to walk away. As she did Abby spoke up. "Elizabeth. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
Abby made the long walk to the ICU alone. It was something she had to do. As she sat there, in the room by herself, she kissed Carter's hand and laid her head on his arm. "Please John," she began to say, "Please John stay with me." Soon she could not keep her eyes open any longer. She closed them and, in an instant, she was asleep.
Several hours later, Abby was woken by a doctor she had never seen. "Let me look at him." He said to her. "Why don't you go and get some coffee?" Abby reluctantly left and, by the time it took her to walk down to the end of the hall the doctor was calling for her to come back in. Abby ran down the hall and into Carter's room. As she looked at him she realized he was awake.
Two months later Carter and Abby sat at home on the couch they shared together. It was Christmas morning and they had both just woken up. Abby was curled up in his arms with her face in his chest. Carter sighed. "What a Christmas huh? Did you get everything you wanted?" Abby looked him in the eyes and nodded. "I got you. That is the only thing I want for the rest of my life." Carter smiled. As weird as it seemed, these past few months had really brought them together. "Good" he said, "But I still have one gift left for you." Abby looked around as Carter got up. He had already gotten her a bathrobe and one adorably cute puppy. She wondered what else he could possibly have. All she wanted was more days with him. He came back with a huge box and an even bigger smile on his face. Even though he limped a little, and tired pretty quickly, Carter had gotten over the surgery great. He had beaten the cancer and the odds. He sat down and handed Abby the box. "This is pretty light." She said with a smile. Abby set it on the ground and opened it up. She looked inside the box only to find a small envelope. She picked it up and began to read the letter inside. It said:
Dear Abby, You are my angel from heaven. I love you with all of my heart and cannot imagine a life without you. I wrote this letter because I can't say the words. You have saved me from certain death. Now I have to save myself from a life without you. I love you with all my heart. Merry Christmas.
Always Yours,
John
Abby looked up to find Carter kneeling on the ground. "I have waited far to long to realize one thing. In all my life I have been given many gifts, but the greatest gift of all was given to me by God. He gave me you Abby. Since you are my gift, this is mine to you." Carter took Abby's hand, and brought it down from her face. He gently kissed it and, with his own hands shaking, placed a sliver ring on her finger. "Will you be my wife?" Abby didn't even have to answer. She just knelt down on the floor with him and they held each other. Carter was glad he had finally realized the most important lesson in life. Sometimes the greatest of gifts, are the ones you receive in your heart.
There you go guys!!! I hope you liked my story, and thanks for sticking with me! I have plenty more of ideas for different ones so let me know if you want me to write again! Like I said, thank you for reading, you guys are the best!
Always,
Kathleen O'Pry