Angel's Lullaby
Divine Help Needed
Disclaimer: I own no one!
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"How is she?" Trish asked, watching John and Randy walk into her hospital room. "Is she alright?"
"At the moment," Randy replied. John squeezed his hand. They were fathers. The thought still seemed unreal. "How are you feeling?" Trish sighed.
"Alright. They have me on Morphine,so, I can't feel much." she said. Chris squeezed her hand. It was all too obvious how bad her mental state was. "I have a present for you two,"
"We have a gift for you," Randy murmured. Trish handed each of them a black velvet jewlery box. Randy opened his box, to reveal a small gold medallion on a gold chain.
"It's a St. Joseph medal. He's the patron saint of family and fatherhood," she replied. "I know neither of you follow religion, but I don't know. It just seemed right,"
"No, thank you." John said, putting his medallion on. He helped Randy put his medallion on. "This is for you," He handed her a small box. She opened it and began to cry almost immediately.
It was a silver ID bracelet inscribed with MASON JAMES IRVINE 5/7/02.
"How did you know I wanted one?" she asked, glancing at the small piece of jewlery. "How did you know?"
"A little bird told us," Randy remarked. "Trisha, we can never thank you enough. The gift you've given us can NEVER be repayed," He jerked his head up, listening at a PA announcement. "John, come on!" He grabbed his husband by the arm and pulled him towards the NICU.
"Rand, what's wrong?" John asked, running to keep up. Randy refused to stop. Something had spooked him. What was it?
"There's a respitory therapist needed in the NICU," he said,glancing towards the NICU. He prayed to God it wasn't Rhiannon. God couldn't be that cruel. Could he?
Doctors and nurses were hunched over a warming table. Fear began to course through Randy's veins as he realized they were hunched over Rhiannon's warming table. What was wrong? Was she alright?
"Excuse me," John caught a nurse heading into the NICU. "What's wrong with our daughter?" The nurse glanced towards the warming table.
"She's not breathing as well as we'd like her to. Her lungs are having to work too hard. As a precaution, we're putting her on a ventilator. Did a doctor get your consent?" the nurse asked. Randy shook his head. "One second,"
She rushed into the room.
John turned to Randy. He was crying. Lovingly, John placed his arms around Randy. Then, he, too, began to cry. They were tears of sorrow, they were tears of worry.
"Alright," the pediatrician said, appearing, a clipboard in hand. "Rhiannon's blood oxygen began to drop. I want to put her on a ventilator,"
"Won't oxygen work?" Randy asked, not wanting to put his daughter through an invasive medical procedure unless it was absolutely necessary. The doctor sighed.
"It's standard procedure to put newborns with respitory problems on ventilators." the pediatrician said. Randy's eyes squinted in anger.
"I didn't ask what standard procedure was. I asked if oxygen would work," he said.
"Sir, I'm just saying," the pediatrician mumbled.
From the way the pediatrician was acting, it was obvious the middle-aged man wasn't used to people challenging his authority.
"Is she breathing on her own?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir. She is," the pediatrician said.
"Is her oxygen level the only thing that's irritating her?" he asked.
"Yes, Sir," the pediatrician said.
"Would oxygen work?" he asked.
"Yes." the pediatrician said. Randy sighed.
"Try oxygen, and then, if that doesn't work, put her on a ventilator," he said. Randy didn't have a medical degree. He had no idea what he was doing. He was simply a father who wanted to spare his child from pain.
"I'll do that, Sir. Sign the consent form." the pediatrician said, handing him the clipboard. After reading the form, Randy scrawled his name.
"Hon, tell Trish everything's fine. I'm staying here," he said, kissing John. Watching his husband enter the NICU, John knew, without a doubt, he had chosen the perfect man.
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Chapter 19 is up! 1 chapter away from 20, I can't believe this story has hit 20 chapters. Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews. I am grateful :)
JenLea
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