March 27, 1953
Elizabeth woke up in the middle of the night. Her stomach was hurting her very badly. She thought that maybe if she sat on the toilet for a while, she would feel better. She stealthily crawled out of bed, as not to disturb her husband, and hurried to the bathroom. She got into the bathroom just in time to throw up.
Drew aroused.
"Honey, are you okay?" he compassionately asked.
"No," she said between gags.
He stood in the bathroom with her, there to help if she needed him.
She quit vomiting just to begin again. This time, she was vomiting up blood.
"That's not good." Drew quietly said to himself. He then spoke to Elizabeth. "Baby, I'll be right back. I need to call the hospital. I'll be right back."
Drew called the hospital and quickly returned to the bathroom. He explained to Elizabeth that Dr. Spencer would be there in about an hour.
"I'll put a trash can by the bed for you." Drew said.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said. But she then began throwing up again.
After five vomit sessions in a row, things finally stopped for a while for Elizabeth. Drew helped her to bed. He gave her small sips of water.
"Don't drink it quickly. Just a little at a time." He gently reminded her.
"Thank you Honey. You take great care of me. Do you think it's the flu? I know a lot of people have had it."
"Well I'm no doctor, but I don't think that flu usually involves throwing up blood." Drew said. "I could be wrong, but that's what I was always told. We'll see what Dr. Spencer says."
"You know my sister was engaged to Dr. Spencer for a while?" Elizabeth asked, smiling.
"I didn't." Drew smiled.
"We don't talk about it very often. Mary Ellen was engaged to him. She was actually engaged to him when she met Curt. But Curt showed up and wowed Mary Ellen and the rest is history."
"I wish I could have known Curt, he sounds like he was a great guy."
"He was." Elizabeth smiled. "Jonesy reminds me of Curt a lot actually. Only thing is Jonesy is gentler and more diplomatic with what he said. Curt just spoke his mind and didn't give a flip if he hurt your feelings or not."
Drew chuckled.
There was a knock at the door.
"There's the good doctor now." Drew said. He went to the door.
"Come in Dr. Spencer." Drew said.
"Thank you. When did these episodes start?"
"About 45 minutes ago. She's been throwing up blood." Drew said.
Dr. Vance went into the bedroom and examined Elizabeth.
"We need to take her to the hospital. Get her my truck."
"Can I come too?" Drew asked.
Dr. Spencer nodded. Drew quickly called John and Olivia. Then he went out to the truck.
Once at the hospital, Dr. Spencer concluded that Elizabeth had severe flu.
"I'll have to keep her here for a while." Dr. Spencer said.
"How did she get so sick?" Drew asked.
"There's a bad stomach bug going around. Sometimes people get very sick from it."
Drew nodded.
"Would you like to stay with her?" Dr. Spencer asked.
Drew nodded.
"We can fix you up a room here."
"Thank you Doctor." Drew said.
"You're welcome."
John and Olivia came up to Drew.
"We came as soon as we heard Son." John hugged his son-in-law.
"How is she?" Olivia asked, hugging Drew.
"She has a really bad case of the stomach bug that's going around." Drew answered. "She will have to be kept here for a few days."
"I hope she gets better soon." Olivia said. "I hope she didn't catch something being around everyone at our house?"
"I doubt it." Drew said. "She hasn't been sleeping well lately. She's probably just really tired."
"Did she say why she couldn't sleep?" John asked.
"She said she just felt restless." Drew replied.
"I hope the doctor will find out what's wrong." John said.
"You and me both." Said Drew.
April 4, 1953
A week later, Elizabeth was still in the hospital. Her condition hadn't improved any.
Drew was visiting her.
"No matter what this hospital says, I'm taking you to the Easter service tomorrow." Drew said.
"Maybe you and my nurse sister can sneak me out of here." Elizabeth winked at Mary Ellen.
Mary Ellen smiled. "I would if I knew I wouldn't get in big trouble with my boss."
"Thanks for trying Mary Ellen." Drew smiled.
"Drew, will you come out here with me for a minute?" Mary Ellen asked.
Drew followed his sister-in-law out into the hall.
"I'm gonna try and get the doctor examine Elizabeth again. I'm not so sure it's the flu. It may be something else." Mary Ellen said.
Drew gulped. "Okay." He whispered.
Mary Ellen squeezed Drew's hand. "I'll be right back." She whispered.
Those minutes waiting for the doctor to examine Elizabeth were some of the longest of Drew's life. Mary Ellen was inside with the doctor and Elizabeth.
Elizabeth threw up during the examination.
"I'm so tired of being sick! I just want to feel good again!" she sobbed.
Mary Ellen put an arm around her.
Dr. Spencer looked into Elizabeth's eyes. "You're feeling sick for a reason. Elizabeth, I never thought I'd say this, but…" his face lit up with a smile. "You're pregnant!"
Elizabeth gasped. She began sobbing. Tears streamed down Mary Ellen's cheek as she hugged her younger sister.
"You're an auntie again!" Elizabeth sobbed.
"Well you're a mother!" Mary Ellen cried.
After regaining composure, Mary Ellen went to get Drew.
"You need to be the one to tell your husband."
Elizabeth sobbed again. "I don't know how I can. I can't stop crying!"
"Raw emotion is the best for moments like this." Mary Ellen smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek again. She wiped it away and went out into the hall.
"Drew, Elizabeth wants to see you." Mary Ellen said.
Drew went into his wife's room.
"Hi." She smiled.
"It's good to see you smile."
"I have a lot of reason to be smiling." Elizabeth said. "Sit down Honey."
Drew sat on the bed beside his wife.
"Andrew, they misdiagnosed me." Elizabeth smiled. "A miracle has happened. A miracle we've been praying for for a long time."
Drew listened intently.
"Andrew, you're going to be a daddy!"
Tears filled Drew's eyes. "Are you sure?"
Elizabeth's smile turned into tears. She nodded. "You're gonna be a dad!"
Drew burst into tears and hugged his wife. They sobbed in each other's arms.
"There's a little miracle baby inside me!" Elizabeth sobbed.
"I love you Baby!" Drew bawled into his wife's shoulder.
"I love you too!" she cried.
That evening, Dr. Spencer came back.
"Good news Elizabeth, you'll be feeling better very soon. The first trimester is a rough one for some women. But you are quickly approaching the end of your first trimester. The second trimester is the favorite for many pregnant women. You're past the morning sickness of the first trimester but aren't uncomfortable from the large stomach of the third trimester yet."
"When will the baby be born?"
"Well, it's a rough estimate this far out, but I would guess sometime in late October."
Elizabeth squeezed Drew's hand. "I could have a birthday buddy."
Drew smiled.
"The best news yet, you're going home tomorrow Elizabeth!" Dr. Spencer smiled.
Elizabeth hugged Drew.
"You're going to be at that Easter sunrise service, Honey!" Drew smiled.
Dr. Spencer smiled.
"Thank you Doctor. Thank you so much!" Drew said tears of joy in his eyes.
Once Dr. Spencer left, Drew and Elizabeth decided to tell the rest of their family the next day. Mary Ellen promised to keep the secret from everyone, even Jonesy and her children.
"Tomorrow's gonna be the best Easter ever!" Elizabeth smiled.