Being Arizona chapter twenty three
Hello, people of earth! I'm sorry it's been a while since I updated, but school is cu-ray-zay.
And, if you want to see something perfectly awesome, check out Kelly Clarkson's live cover of Breathe by Anna Nalick. It's AMAZING.
Anyway, this is more of a light and fluffy chapter, so I hope you all enjoy it.
Happy Existing!
"It's today! Today!" Callie exclaimed in excitement as I helped her stand; although I knew that she no longer needed my help.
"Is it really today? Today?" I mimicked in the same tone, albeit much more sarcastically.
"Arizona. I have been stuck in this bed, in this room, in this hospital for three whole months. I repeat, three freaking months. I am extremely close to going stir crazy." She replied in a deadly serious tone, and I wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug.
"You're going home today." I stated with an excited smile.
After twelve long weeks full of stress, surgeries, tears and recoveries, Callie was finally cleared on all grounds to be discharged. It was a given that she would have to be watched over closely and that she would have to take things easily, but she was finally going home.
The only downside to this occasion is that Sofia was still confined to the NICU. She was doing extremely well though- her brain bleed had vanished, her heart, after the original trouble, hadn't caused any more problems, her lungs were working normally, and her apnoea spells had cleared up weeks ago. She was now thriving at 5 pound 8 ounces. However, she hadn't been discharged, but I wasn't too worried because being a doctor, I could see from her charts that it was only a matter of time before she too was cleared to leave this place.
"I'm going home today!" Callie said before frowning. "You know, but maybe I shouldn't. I'm her mother; I should be here for her…" She trailed off.
"Calliope." I said sternly, looking her straight in the eye. "You know as well as I do that even if you have been discharged, you're hardly going to leave this place. Not until Sofia's discharged. We'll be back here every day, and we both know it's only a matter of time before she gets discharged. I'll even talk to Stark."
"You will?"
"I will." I confirmed, placing a kiss on her temple. "Now, let's stop worrying and go and see our daughter, shall we?"
"Our daughter." She sighed dreamily. "I love the sound of that."
I also loved the sound of it. The first time I'd ever seen Callie hold Sofia was one of the best in my life. When I saw her holding our daughter, I knew that we could do this. I knew that years down the line we'd maybe have more babies, and that we could make it through this.
Once we reached the NICU Callie immediately gravitated towards Sofia's incubator. I shared a smile with Mark and a respectful nod towards Stark as I walked over and started cooing at my baby girl. I watched as she opened her dark brown eyes and started kicking her little legs and waving her arms. Small might she be, but she definitely had a lot of energy. Whenever I was around this little girl I could never wipe the massive smile off of my face.
"I really don't want wanna go until she goes… And clearly, she's not ready, so-" Callie began but I cut her off.
"Shh." I said. We had been waiting for the moment when Callie could go home for weeks now, and there was no way she was being admitted any longer.
"She can go." Stark said casually, never once looking up from her charts. Callie, Mark, and from the corner of my eye I saw April, snapped our heads round simultaneously to look at him.
"What?" We all said.
"Most parents I'd say no, but since she has three doctors at home, so if she passes the infant carrier test she-"
"Uh, the what test?" Mark cut in. I turned to face him.
"She has to sit in an infant carrier test for an hour without any apnoea or bradycardia." I explained. I'd seen many of these throughout my career, and I had no doubt that Sofia would pass with flying colours.
"Huh. She'll nail that, I'll go get it." Mark said proudly, moving away presumably to get the carrier. I turned around to Stark and gave him a kiss on the cheek. I smiled as I saw him blush slightly.
"Thank you." I said.
"Well, it's okay. If she passes the test, it's okay." He said dismissively as he walked off, taking Sofia's chart with him. I smile and turned back to my daughter, my heart swelling. Twelve weeks ago, I would have never in a million years guessed that we'd be taking her home at all, never mind without any long term complications and a clean bill of health. My gaze caught Callie's and we leaned in to share a kiss before turning back to admire Sofia.
"Got it!" Mark announced as he walked back into the NICU, this time with both Bailey and April following him. All of these doctors had watched with their own eyes the progress of Miss Sofia, so it was no surprise that they were all gathered around to see this. As we placed her in the carrier several more nurses left their stances to come and watch it. I took the timer that Sark was holding out to me and pressed start. I took Callie's hand in mine and she took Mark's.
For the next hour all we did was stand and watch Sofia, who stared innocently back at us. At only twelve weeks old she had no idea what was going on, or why all of these people were gathered round just watching her.
"For, three, two one…" We all counted in unison. I smiled wide- the hour was up, she'd passed the test and she could go home.
"That's one hour!" Mark announced proudly, and everyone started clapping and cheering.
"You did it, big girl!" I smiled, heading off to get what she would need to go home.
I rushed around taking pictures for the next few minutes, my heart swelling with pride at the sight of my baby girl all ready to go home.
"Its small features and oversized eyes trigger a hormonal response in humans- it's autonomic. It's what keeps us from eating them." I heard Cristina to Owen from the corner of the room and I chuckled.
"I have got an apnoea monitor in OR two." I said. "Ooh, and Callie- you need to steal one of those NICU blankets because they're the best-" I said but it was clear she wasn't listening. Actually, she looked like she was about to cry. I frowned.
"Okay, everyone just stop! Stop!" She ordered, waving her hands. "She's not ready. No, she can't leave. S-she's been watched by doctors 24 hours a day-"
"Well, she still will." Mark pointed out.
"Okay but what about her lungs, she could get RSV-"
"Any kid could get RSV."
"She's not getting in a car, it's not safe!" She shouted.
"Callie..."
"It's not safe! The last time she was in a car she nearly died- we both nearly died! Get her- get her out of that thing! I'm not kidding Mark, give her to me!" She said, obviously panicking now. I tried to wrap my arm around her to calm her down but it was no use as she brushed me off and moved forward.
"Okay, Calli- Callie!" Bailey said, grabbing Callie's hands gently to stop her. I relaxed on my feet, seeing clearly that Bailey had this. "Yes, you are absolutely right- cars are not safe for children. And neither are bookcases, or squirrels, or strong winds- people who sneeze! They're all gonna get your baby! But honey, you don't feel this way because you were in an accident, you feel this way because you are a parent." She told her firmly.
"Mmm." Callie mumbled, clearly a lot more calm. I smiled, making a mental note to thank Bailey for this.
"It'll pass, mostly. But some of it never will." Bailey assured her, before turning round to redo the straps on Sofia's carrier that Callie had already undone.
Callie turned to me. "We're taking her home." She stated with a wide smile. I walked over to her and wiped the tears that had fallen down her cheeks.
"We're taking our baby girl home." I repeated, giving her a soft kiss on her lips. "I'm gonna get changed from these scrubs, and then I'll be right back. And then we'll get out of this place and be with our girl for a while, okay?"
"Okay." Callie nodded. I kissed her temple before walking away, smiling as I saw April posting the photo of Mark, Sofia and I that was taken yesterday up on the graduate board. She smiled when she saw me and walked over to me.
"So, how does it feel to be going home?" She asked as we continued walking in the direction of my office.
"Amazing. I feel like I can breathe again." I told her with a wide smile.
"You know, Sofia has your dimples." She told me and I laughed.
"You know that's not possible." I laughed but she shook her head.
"You're her mother. Of course it's possible." She sad before walking back the way she came. As I walked her words replayed and replayed again in my head. I was a mother. I had a daughter. She was my baby girl and I was her mom. Holy crap.
"Are we ready to do this?" I exclaimed excitedly as I walked back into the NICU about ten minutes later, o see Callie and Mark having a debate over a wheelchair.
"I am not sitting in that thing." Callie said in disgust, pointing towards it and taking a step back.
"Yes, you are." I said firmly. Taking her shoulders, I guided her firmly but gently into the chair before she could protest. "You know as well as I do that it's hospital policy."
Mark let out a low whistle. "Blondie's gonna make one hell of a mother…" He trailed off and we all laughed. I grabbed the diaper ag filled with everything we needed to take from here in it and slung it round my shoulder. Mark gently picked up Sofia who was wrapped in a pink blanket and carefully handed her to Callie.
"We're doing this!" He exclaimed loudly, handed the discharge forms to one of the nurses and then wheeling Callie swiftly from the room and out through the main entrance. I laughed and followed them.
As we walked out of the door I couldn't keep the smile off of my face, because for the first time since the whole ordeal we were actually doing something normal. I smiled and looked around me at Mark, Callie and Sofia. As unconventional as it was, this was my family, and I found myself thinking that I wouldn't have it any other way.