The Gift
Part X
"Hey there sweetie," Sami said coming into the room after observing EJ and Madison talking together.
"You're back Mommy," Madison smiled watching her mother come into the room.
"Yes, I'm back," Sami nodded her head as she pulled up a chair beside Madison's bedside.
"When can I go home?" Madison asked looking at both of her parents with expectancy.
"Well Dr. McAllister wants to run another test to see what is making you feel so weak and tired," EJ answered touching her forehead and still feeling how hot Madison was temperature wise.
"I feel better," Madison began although both EJ and Sami could see that she was trying to convince them to take her home. "I don't think we need any more tests."
"Maddie, I know you want to go home, but we have to listen to Dr. McAllister," Sami began to explain, not wanting her daughter to be frightened, but knowing they had to let her know that she was going to have a procedure done sometime today.
"I don't want a test, I want to go home," Madison stubbornly maintained, her spirit as feisty as Sami's was when faced with something she did not want to do.
"Sweetheart, we want you to be able to go home too, but first you have to do this test."
Before EJ and Sami could say anything else, Dr. McAllister came into the room, giving Madison a big smile, but Madison didn't return one to him.
"Madison, I'm going to do another test on you," Dr. McAllister began, his voice comforting and soft so as not to alarm her.
"I've already told Mommy and Daddy that I don't want to do a test," Madison's lip started to pout and she crossed her arms over her chest.
"Madison, I wish I didn't have to run the test either, but sometimes doctors have to gather information to help them with their jobs. Do you think you can be a brave girl and help me?" Dr. McAllister didn't want to push too hard, but it was imperative that the test was run.
"Come Mommy and Daddy come with me?"
Dr. McAllister was in a quandary, hospital policy was against such practices, but he couldn't let Madison be upset either. He decided to do what was best for his patient; he would allow Sami and EJ to accompany Madison. "Yes, your parents may come with you."
Both Sami and EJ felt relieved, they did not want their daughter to be alone during the procedure. Each took one of Madison's hands and held them while Dr. McAllister continued to talk.
"Madison, may I speak with you mom and dad alone for a few minutes? I can have Nurse Jasmine come in to talk with you while we are gone."
"I like Nurse Jasmine," Madison smiled as she took her hands from her parents to reach for her doll. "Maybe she and I can play with Molly."
"I bet she would love it," Dr. McAllister agreed and went to speak to Jasmine. He returned a few minutes later with Jasmine who started talking to Madison while Dr. McAllister led EJ and Sami out of the room.
"Thank you for allowing us to accompany Madison," EJ said after they went back to Dr. McAllister's office.
"I'd rather Madison not have a fear of me or being at the hospital if I can possibly help it," Dr. McAllister explained, hoping that this small infraction of the rules would help their state of mind. They had been given quite a blow and he was afraid more bad news about Madison was to follow if his assumptions of her medical condition were correct.
"Thank you Dr. McAllister," Sami did her best to smile, but at the moment she was scared.
"I need for you to know what to expect during the procedure. First off, we are going to give Madison a slight sedative in her juice so that she will relax. When we take her to the room, we are also going to numb the hip area that is to be the biopsy site, so that when I insert the needle into the site for the extraction it will not hurt as much."
"This is going to hurt her?" EJ asked, his heart constricting over the thought of his child going through pain.
"She will feel a slight burning sensation at the beginning when the needle is inserted; a larger needle will be used for the collection of the marrow and bone fragment. The most painful part of the procedure is when the marrow is extracted. The good news is that is a very brief part of the procedure and it only takes a few seconds to complete. Madison is going to feel some pressure during the procedure. The reason we are going with the bone marrow extraction is for confirmation of the disease. Believe me, if I didn't have to do this procedure, I wouldn't."
"We understand Dr. McAllister," Sami was trying her best to stay calm although her emotions felt like they were on a roller coaster ride. "How long will the procedure last?"
"Normally about twenty minutes. After the procedure, we will keep Madison lying down for at least a half hour. Then if she feels like it, she can get up and move around the room. We have readied her suite per Mr. Wells request and after the procedure, Madison will be going back to that room."
"Will there be side effects from this procedure?" EJ asked wondering what to expect after the bone marrow extraction was completed.
"Usually there are not many side effects from the procedure, in some cases there is a mild soreness in the area, but hopefully nothing beyond that will occur with Madison." Dr. McAllister informed them.
"How soon are you going to do this?" Sami asked, wanting it to be done quickly before she could think about it.
"We are going ahead in the next hour," Dr. McAllister arose from his seat, giving them both a look of assurance.
EJ and Sami looked at one another, knowing the next few hours would determine what lay ahead for their daughter Madison. Together they walked back to Madison's room in silence both trying to ready themselves for the upcoming test.
The Gift
Part XI
Sami and EJ's presence seemed to calm Madison, although they could tell by looking at her she was scared when she saw the room with all the equipment readied for use that was necessary for the bone marrow extraction. Having to witness their daughter going through the procedure was difficult enough even with Dr. McAllister mentally preparing them for what would happen.
Mercifully the procedure ended quickly, then Madison was taken to her new room. The new accommodations were very spacious and would allow for Sami and EJ both to be able to stay with her comfortably. A few hours had passed, but no word from the doctor yet about the test results. Dr. McAllister had promised to do a rush on the results for them as anxious as they were to know the outcome.
By the time Madison was settled in her new hospital bed, with her doll Molly placed securely beside her, she was finally able to doze off to sleep. Sami and EJ were both quiet, neither of them really knowing what to say. For now they had to wait for the results.
EJ decided to go home to change since he'd been at the hospital as soon as he had arrived in Salem the evening before. Sami stayed and said if she Dr. McAllister came around before EJ came back to the hospital she would call him immediately.
An hour after EJ had left, Belle entered Madison's room, her shift as assistant head nurse had started earlier, but she had not had time to come see Sami until this moment.
"Hey," Belle reached out to touch Sami's shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze, "sorry I wasn't able to see you sooner, but we've been swamped with patients. I've just gotten a breather and headed right up to see you."
"It's okay," Sami replied, nodding her head, she knew her sister's workload was extremely busy. Ever since Belle had graduated from nursing school she had taken charge of her life. Sami was proud of her younger sister, she had really grown up over the past few years. Long gone was the spoiled little sister who seemed to get everything she ever wanted in life and she and Sami had become very close.
"Are you holding up all right?" Belle asked, knowing full well the fear Sami was going through by all the things her own daughter Claire had faced.
"The not knowing is what is killing me," Sami sighed and got up from her chair to move away from Madison's bedside. "You don't know anything yet, do you?"
"No, and I know for a fact Dr. McAllister will tell me that I'm too emotionally involved to deal directly with Madison's case."
"I figured as much, but I thought I'd ask," Sami looked forlornly at Madison who was sleeping peacefully. "Would you do something for me Belle?"
"Anything Sami, what do you need?"
"If EJ and I get bad news concerning Madison, will you call Mom and the rest of the family for me? I just don't want to fall apart talking to them on the phone. It will be hard enough to face them if things are looking bleak."
"Sure thing, I'll make all the necessary calls. By the way, where is EJ? I thought he would be here with you."
"He left a short time ago," Sami twisted a strand of her hair around her finger hoping the Belle wouldn't ask her any more questions about EJ. It wouldn't do for Belle to realize that Sami was thinking of EJ far too much as it seemed because then Belle would be relentless in trying to get Sami to admit her feelings for him. Right now she couldn't even voice what was going on with them, much less trying to sort it out by speaking of it out loud.
"Where is Lucas? I thought maybe Lucas was here and EJ didn't want to be in the same room with him or something."
"So far I haven't had to play referee with Lucas and EJ, then again the day isn't over. Lucas is at work. I told him to go on to the project site that I'd be fine without him being here."
"Well if things get too intense between EJ and Lucas, please let me know," Belle requested as if she fully expected the two men not to get along with one another. Their history of animosity towards one another was common knowledge.
"Why so you can enjoy the show if they get into a fight?" Sami asked, knowing how well Belle loved keeping tabs on whatever was going on in the hospital.
"Of course, because EJ and Lucas disliking one another only places a close second behind Shawn and Philip," Belle replied as she thought about the two men in her life who constantly tried to outdo the other in regards to her.
"Belle, I have you know that I like everyone in Salem," EJ said catching the tail end of Sami and Belle's conversation. He had changed into a pair of blue jeans and a button down, opting for comfort instead of the corporate power suits he usually wore.
"Sure you do EJ," Belle winked as she teased EJ with an ease Sami wished she herself could obtain with him once again.
"I'm the epitome of kindness in this town," EJ replied back with a smile of mischief of his own, then surprising Sami by drawing her into the teasing mode. "Isn't that correct Samantha? No one outshines either one of us do gooder's, do they?"
"We're definitely paragons of virtue," Sami quipped back more easily that she would have thought, slipping into an easy camaraderie with the man that used to be the best friend she had ever had until circumstances drove them apart.
Belle rolled her eyes and they all laughed together until Dr. McAllister entered the room and in that moment even before he spoke a word Sami knew without a doubt that the news she had been hoping for was not going to come true. It was just something in the manner in which the doctor had entered the room. As Sami looked to EJ, it was almost as if he was contemplating the exact same thought.
"Sami, EJ, I need to see you both in my office." Dr. McAllister spoke as he held Madison's file in his hand, the file both knew would clearly predict what was in store for their child's future.
The Gift
Part XII
"Please take a seat," Dr. McAllister motioned to EJ and Sami after they entered his office. He opened the folder and laid out several pieces of paper upon his desk. "I wish I had better news for you both, but after running the bone marrow test, there isn't any doubt about the results. Madison does has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia."
Sami took a deep breath, and shook her head in denial, it just couldn't be so, and this wasn't supposed to be happening to her baby girl.
EJ reached over to grab her hand, he didn't really know if he took her hand to keep his from shaking so or to calm Sami down. Whatever the reason, she allowed his hand to grasp hers.
All was quiet in his office, as a doctor he hated giving parents this type of news about their child. "I'm going to bring in Dr. Lykens, I called him as soon as the test results were verified. He will be meeting with you sometime tomorrow for you to talk to and also for a second opinion on this diagnosis. We will need to do a spinal tap on Madison also."
Somehow EJ found his voice, "Why do you need to do a spinal tap?"
"The spinal tap, or lumbar puncture, checks for leukemia cells in the cerebrospinal fluid-the fluid that fills the spaces in and around the brain and spinal cord. There are many different subtypes of ALL and we need to determine the exact subtype so that we can treat Madison with the best possible course of treatment."
"What are Madison's options for treatment?" EJ asked, fear evident in his tone, he couldn't even look at Sami, only continued to hold onto her hand.
"The primary treatment for ALL is chemotherapy. We will design a specific group of drugs that we feel will be treat her type of cancer. We will have a schedule of treatments that Madison will undergo. I'm going to give you both some literature to look over if you decide to do a clinical trial, which is a method that involves using experimental drugs to aggressively treat the cancer."
Finally Sami spoke up, "Are there any alternatives to chemotherapy?"
"Depending on the type and extent of the disease, patients may also have biological therapy, radiation therapy, or bone marrow transplantation. If we need to go the route of bone marrow transplant, does Madison have any siblings?"
"Her half-brother Will," Sami answered softly.
"He needs to be tested to see if he is a match," Dr. McAllister said, his voice solemn.
"If he doesn't match?" Sami asked, her heart sinking with each minute that Dr. McAllister continued talking to them.
"Siblings are usually a better match, but you all need to be tested."
"We will," EJ affirmed, finally looking over at Sami.
When Sami saw the despair in EJ's eyes she couldn't take it any longer. She shook her head again and grabbed her hand away from EJ's knocking over her chair in the process, "I can't do this," was all EJ heard before she escaped out the door.
"Excuse me Dr. McAllister, I've got to go find her," EJ was up and out of the door behind Sami before the doctor could say another word.
EJ looked down the hallway, searching for some sign of Samantha when he saw a door close to the ladies restroom. Without hesitating he went in to find her.
"Samantha, sweetheart, are you all right?"
The sounds of her retching were evident, along with the broken sobs in between ragged breaths. EJ pushed opened the door to the last stall in the restroom to see Sami on her knees. He kneeled down beside her on the floor uncaring if anyone came into the restroom, she needed him and he wasn't going to leave her no matter what. When she finished being sick, he pulled her into his arms.
"It's okay Samantha,": was all EJ said to her over and over as he held onto her rocking her gently while he stroked her hair.
When she finally calmed down, Sami looked at EJ and said, "Nothing is ever going to be okay again."
"We can't give up, we have to be strong for Madison," EJ reminded Sami, while he continued to rock her against him, not even realizing he kissed the top of her head in an effort to calm her.
"I can't do this," Sami said in a daze, as the words Dr. McAllister had told them replayed over in her mind.
"You're the strongest person I know Samantha, if anyone can get through this, it will be you," EJ said with a conviction that helped clear Sami's mind. "We just have to calm down and try to come up with a way to explain all of this to Madison without scaring her."
"We'll do it together right?" Sami asked, trying to recall their conversation from earlier, it seemed like ages ago since they had agreed upon working together to do what was best for Madison.
"I promise," EJ replied as they both became self conscious of their surroundings. Sami arose first, noticing for the first time since she had escaped into the restroom that EJ had followed her in there, no questions asked.
EJ walked over to the sink to get a paper towel to wet it. He handed it to Sami so she could wipe her face, then stopped before giving it to her and gently washed at her face. "We'll get through this Samantha, somehow, someway."
"I hope you're right," Sami took the paper towel from him and they proceeded out of the restroom amid stares from people watching them as they left the room to go back down the hallway. Neither one of them caring, they had more important things to worry about, they had to get ready to fight for the life of their child.