Chapter 16 Flatline
Chris's House – Same Day
Chris was looking at movie scripts that other producers/directors had sent him. He had decided that if he and Bella worked on the movie that they were writing the script for that it was going to be his last movie production. He had already sacrificed two marriages for his career, he wasn't about to sacrifice a third marriage and the love of his life.
In fact, he was going to ask Bella to go away with him this weekend. He had already asked the parents of one of Zak's friends if Zak could stay with them for the weekend. He planed to whisk his wife away to a very nice, romantic weekend. Just as he was putting down the movie scripts, the phone rang.
"Chris, it's me. I'm at the hospital. Could you please come?" Isabella asks him.
"Is something wrong with Zak or the triplets?" Chris asks concerned.
"No, they're fine. It's me. I need you" Isabella says. She also tells him where to go in the hospital.
MRI Waiting Room
Isabella is sitting in the waiting room when Chris arrives. He rushes over to her side.
"What's wrong?" Chris asks as he sits down next to Isabella.
"The doctor's think that I have a brain tumor. I have to have an MRI", Isabella says.
"How bad is it?" Chris asks.
"I don't know", Isabella says as the nurse calls her to take the MRI.
Doctor's Office
After Isabella had the MRI, the nurse told her to go back to the doctor's office. The technician would interpret the MRI and send the results to the doctor immediately. The doctor had just received the results and Chris and Isabella were ordered into the doctor's office. Both of them were worried.
"Nice to meet you Mr. Smith", the doctor says as she and Chris shake hands.
"How bad is my wife's condition?" Chris asks as he and Isabella sit down. The doctor shows them a picture of Isabella's brain and the tumor.
"The brain tumor can cause headaches, nausea, and impact the decision making process. I know that you've had headaches and nausea. Basically, if we don't remove the brain tumor, it can grow and it may become fatal. We don't know if the tumor is cancerous or not until we remove it", the doctor informs them.
"What about my pregnancy? Is there risk to the children?" Isabella asks the doctor.
"If you don't have the brain tumor removed before childbirth, there is a possibility that the brain tumor could grow and either become fatal to you or cause you permanent brain damage. The stress of childbirth will affect the tumor. Due to your pregnancy, you can't undergo radiation to shrink the tumor or to slow the growth of the tumor", the doctor says.
"So, your recommendation is to perform the procedure? Is there a risk to the children?" Isabella asks.
"Yes, I recommend that you perform the procedure before their birth. Based upon the size and location of the tumor, we need to do this as soon as possible. There will be a risk to the children because you're undergoing surgery. If you don't have the surgery now, there is very strong possibility that the tumor will grow before the due date of the children. If you have brain damage, you may or may not survive the birth", the doctor says.
"I know that this is a very difficult decision for you to make. I'll let you think it over for 24 hours and then you can come back in and we'll discuss your decision", the doctor says.
Isabella and Chris leave the doctor's office.
"Chris, will you please stay with me tonight?" Isabella says. Chris is relieved that she wants him to spend the night with her and not Johnny.
"Sure. My neighbors will be relieved that I'm gone – they've heard 'Walkin' the Floor' and 'I'm so Lonesome I could cry' every night since you left", Chris tells her as he opens the door to his BMW SUV.
"I'll call and cancel my appointments for tonight. Let's order take-out on the way home and the three of us can have a nice family dinner". Chris and Isabella head to Isabella's house.
Isabella's House – That Night
Isabella, Zak, and Chris enjoy a nice family dinner. Isabella wonders if it will be their last family dinner together. Zak is excited that his dad will be staying the night. He hopes that a reconciliation is imminent.
After dinner, Zak and Chris work on his homework. Soon, it's Zak's bedtime. Chris puts him to bed and then he joins Isabella in their living room.
"What should I do?" Isabella asks him as he sits down beside her and wraps his arm around her shoulders.
"You know I love our children, but I can stand losing them. I don't think I'd be able to survive without you. Zak needs you and I need you, Bella", Chris says. That's the first time that her husband has told her that he needed her. He was so independent and self-sufficient that there were times that she didn't think that he needed her.
"If it were you, I'd say the same thing. I'll have the surgery. I'm so afraid", Isabella says as she sobs into his shoulder.
"You're going to be fine. You're a very strong woman. You're a fighter. You'll wake up from the surgery and everything will be fine. We'll get on with our life together", Chris says.
"Our life together?" Isabella says.
"Yes, Bella, we're going to go through this together. I'll be by your side every step of the way", Chris says.
"Thank you for sticking by my side. I don't deserve it, but I'm grateful", Isabella says.
Berlin Hospital – Next Day
Isabella had called her sister Jean and her other family members. Jean was en-route on Chris's private jet. Luckily, it was the weekend and Zak was staying with his friends. Chris and Isabella had informed Zak that his mother was going to have surgery.
Chris and Isabella were waiting in the pre-operating room for the doctor's to take Isabella to her surgery.
"I hadn't planned on spending our weekend this way", Chris says. He's sitting by Isabella's side on the hospital bed.
"What were your plans?" Isabella asks.
"I'd planned to take you on a romantic getaway. Just the two of us. How do you think I arranged Zak to be looked after so fast?" Chris asks.
"Well, you owe me a rain check on our romantic weekend. In fact, after this ordeal, I think that you owe me at least two romantic weekends", Isabella says.
"After you recover, I'm going to take you on a romantic weekend at least once per month", Chris says.
"Where did that decision come from?" Isabella asks.
"It was Susan's advice. There's something else. Once we're done with this movie, I'm retiring. I'm going to be all yours and Zak's", Chris says. Today, her husband was full of surprises. All she had wanted from him was his attention like she had when they were first married. She missed the man that she had fallen in love with, but now she was seeing glimpses of him again in her husband's dazzling smile.
"Retirement?"
"Yes, ma'am. You're be able to do whatever you like with me. I'll be able to help you with the kids. However, we're having a date night at least once per week and a getaway at least once per month" Chris says.
"I love you", Isabella says.
"I love you, too", Chris says as he leans down to kiss her. Just then, the nurse comes and takes her to her surgery.
The Hospital – 12 hours Later
Chris had been pacing the waiting room in the hospital. He never thought that Isabella could die first. It was very sobering to think that the love of your life could die before you. He always thought that he'd be the first one of them to die and not her. However, it was possible that she could die today. He didn't like to think about it, but it was possible. The doctor still hadn't come out of the surgery.
"Mr. Smith?" the doctor asks as he comes out of the double doors from the surgery room.
"Is she alright?" Chris anxiously asks him.
"She's fine. She made it through the surgery fine. We removed the tumor; it doesn't appear to be cancerous. However, we'll test it and let you know the results. All three of the children are fine, too. We're taking her to recovery now. Once we get her in her room, you can see her", the doctor says.
"When will she wake up?" Chris asks.
"It's hard to tell. It may take a week or more", the doctor says.
The Hospital – 6 hours Later
Chris was in Isabella's recovery room when the doctor came in.
"Mr. Smith, you need to know something. Please prepare yourself", the doctor says.
"What's wrong?" Chris asks.
"Normally, patients show brain activity after an hour or two. Isabella isn't showing any brain activity. The brain is still healing, but we hope that she'll show brain activity within the next 12 hours", the doctor says.
"What are you saying? My wife could be brain dead?" Chris asks him.
"I'm sorry, but yes", the doctor says as he leaves the room.