"OH MY GOD! ZOYA!" Callen yelled as he quickly ran to the tub and pulled Zoya up. He pulled her out of the tub and lay her down on the floor. "Come on Zoya, wake up."
Callen checked if she had a pulse and was breathing. She had a pulse but she wasn't breathing. Callen grabbed his phone and called nine-one-one.
'Hey Esme, can you come over fast! It's an emergency,' Callen quickly texted Esme.
"Nine-one-one what is your emergency?" A friendly male voice on the other side of the phone spoke.
"I need help. I think my wife fell asleep in tub and slid under water, she's not breathing," Callen tried to sound calm but he was anything but.
"Okay sir, I'm sending help. What is your address?" Callen gave him the address. "Help is underway. Is she out of the tub?"
"Yes I have her on the floor here. I checked her pulse, she has a pulse but she's not breathing."
"Alright, do you know how to do mouth-to-mouth?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Blow twice and watch if the chest is rising. Keep this going until the paramedics arrive."
After a couple of breaths Zoya woke up, coughing heavily. Callen rolled her on her side so she could spit the water out.
"It's okay Zoya. I'm here."
"Is she awake sir?"
"Yes she is."
"Alright, the paramedics are almost there. I'll leave you with them."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Just as the paramedics arrived Esme arrived too. Esme opened the door and the paramedics followed her inside.
"Grisha?" Esme called into the house.
"Up here in the bathroom."
Esme went upstairs and showed the paramedics where the bathroom was. Callen had covered Zoya in a towel so she wasn't fully naked.
"What happened?" One of the paramedics asked.
"I think she fell asleep in the tub and slid under water. I did mouth-to-mouth and she came to about a minute ago."
"Alright, we'll check her over. How long has she been under water?"
"I don't know. She went up to take a bath about an hour ago. I just came up to check on her and I saw her lying under water."
Callen moved aside so the paramedics could have a look at her. Callen watched anxiously as they checked her over.
"You okay Grisha?" Esme asked as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, I'm good. Sorry to call you this late but someone needs to stay with the kids and I would like to go to the hospital with Zoya."
"Of course, no problem. Zoya needs you right now, I've got the kids."
"Thank you."
After doing some checks the paramedics loaded Zoya onto a stretcher and carried her down the stairs. Callen quickly grabbed some clothes for Zoya.
"Please update me as soon as you have some more information," Esme spoke.
"I will and thank you again."
"No worries."
The paramedics took her to the hospital and Callen followed in his car. They took her to Cedars-Sinai hospital. When Callen entered the ER Zoya was already situated on a bed. Callen stayed to the side as the doctors checked Zoya over. Zoya's vitals were all normal but they would keep her overnight for observation and to watch for secondary drowning. Zoya was transferred to a room. Callen waited until she was situated and the doctors left her room. He sat down next to her on the bed and pulled her in for a hug.
"You scared the hell out of me," Callen spoke to her. "I'm so glad you're alright." Callen couldn't help but let his emotions out. He was beyond relieved that Zoya was alright. "Don't ever scare me like that again okay."
For a moment Callen just held her in his arms and nuzzled his face in her neck. He needed to feel her close. He needed to ask her something but he dreaded having to ask this. Callen pulled out of the hug and looked her straight in the eye.
"What happened in the tub Zoya? Did you fall asleep in the tub or did you try to do something else?" Callen asked her seriously.
"No, I can promise you that I didn't try to do anything. I can't exactly remember what happened. I must have fallen asleep and I must have been so deep asleep that I didn't notice it or didn't notice it on time to get up or something. All I can remember is getting into the tub and the next thing I knew I was on the floor and the paramedics were around. But I can promise you that I didn't try to anything."
"Okay good. I'm just glad you're alright. You scared the hell out of me when I saw you lying under water."
"I can imagine. I'm sorry. I thought getting a nice bath would help, but it almost cost me my life. I just don't know what is going on with me," Zoya started crying. "What is wrong with me?"
Callen lay down next to Zoya on the bed and took her in his arms. He rubbed gentle circles on her back, trying to get her to calm down.
"Shh, it's all gonna be okay honey. We'll get through this. I'm right here with you. We'll figure it out together." Callen gave her a soft kiss on her head. "I've got you honey. I love you. It's all gonna be okay."
Callen continued to hold her until he noticed she had fallen asleep. Quietly Callen got up from the bed and walked out of the room. He pulled his phone out and called Esme.
"Hey Grisha," Esme answered after a few rings. "How's Zoya?"
"She's doing okay. They are just keeping her overnight for observation."
"Okay good. I am starting to worry about her. She's not herself."
"Yeah, I've noticed that too. She's asleep now so I'm just gonna ask the doctor for some advice, cus yeah something is definitely going on with her. Would you be okay to stay tonight? I'd like to be here with Zoya."
"Yeah of course, no problem. You stay there with Zoya, I've got the kids."
"Thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
Callen hung up the phone and went to the desk.
"Hi, how can I help you?" A friendly female nurse behind the desk asked.
"Hi, do you know if Dr. Kidd in OB is working tonight?" Callen asked.
"I can check, one moment." The nurse grabbed the phone and called to the OB floor. "Hi this is nurse Doris from General. Is Dr. Kidd working tonight?"
"Yes she is," the voice on the other end of the phone spoke. "Do you need her?"
"A patient here is asking, let me ask why he needs Dr. Kidd." The nurse turned to Callen. "Is your wife a patient of Dr. Kidd?"
"Yes she is, Dr. Kidd delivered our triplets a few weeks ago. I have a few questions for her regarding my wife's health."
Nurse Doris relayed the information to the other nurse. "Alright thank you." The nurse hung up the phone. "Dr. Kidd will be right down."
"Alright thank you."
Callen went back to the room and waited for Dr. Kidd. A few minutes later Dr. Kidd walked into the room.
"Hello Grisha, I heard you had some question regarding Zoya. Did something happen?"
Callen moved to the doorway so they wouldn't make up Zoya. "Well she's not been feeling well lately. She's really tired and she doesn't want to do anything but just lay or sit around and she just can't seem to enjoy being a new mom. She's not like yourself, I worry about her. Tonight she fell asleep in the tub and almost drowned."
"Oh yeah that's not good. It sounds like she might be suffering from postpartum depression. Some new moms have that, they are just feeling overwhelmed and it does happen more often when it are multiple babies. We have a doctor here in the hospital that specializes in postpartum depressions. I'll send her your info and ask her to contact you so she can assess Zoya to see what is going on."
"Thank you Dr. Kidd."
"You're welcome. How's everything else going at home with the babies?"
"They are doing very well. Eating very well. Sleeping goes okay one night and then not the other night. But in general they are doing very well."
"That's good to hear."
"I'm just worried about Zoya."
"That's understandably. Don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of what's going on with her. I will immediately send your info and ask that Dr. Harper will call you as soon as possible."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Dr. Kidd went back upstairs and Callen sat back down on the chair next to the bed. He hoped that Dr. Harper could figure out what was going on with Zoya. Callen managed to get a few hours of sleep. He was already awake when Zoya woke up.
"Hey honey," Callen spoke when he noticed Zoya was awake. He leaned over to give Zoya a kiss.
"Hey honey," Zoya replied.
"How are you feeling?"
"Better."
"Good."
"I'm sorry about last night."
Callen grabbed her hand in his. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I talked to Dr. Kidd last night and told her what's going on. She would send someone by to see what's going on with you. So we're gonna figure this out. It's all gonna be okay, I'm right here with you."
"Thank you. Is Esme with the kids?"
"Yes she is. I called her last night and she stayed with the kids. So don't worry, they are taken care of. You just focus on you right now."
After breakfast Dr. Kidd walked in with Dr. Harper in tow.
"Good morning," Dr. Kidd spoke as she walked in.
"Good morning Dr. Kidd," Zoya replied.
"How are you feeling Zoya? Grisha told me what happened last night."
"I'm okay. Just feeling really tired and crappy lately."
"Yeah Grisha filled me in. That is why I brought Dr. Harper with me. Dr. Harper is a specialist in postpartum. She's gonna help you to try and figure out what is going on."
"Thank you doctor. I just want to enjoy being a new mom."
"Of course," Dr. Harper spoke. "We will figure out what's going on. Don't worry this is actually pretty common in new parents, especially when they have multiple babies."
Dr. Kidd was paged back to the OB floor so she left the room.
"So Zoya, can you tell me what has been going on?" Dr. Harper asked.
"Well we had our triplets a few weeks ago. I love them and they are so cute but they are such a hand full, especially during the nights. I just wish I could get enough sleep and not having to get up almost every hour to be a human milk machine," Zoya started crying.
Callen sat down next to her on the bed and wrapped his arm around her.
"Sorry to have to ask this but are you getting enough help at home?" Dr. Harper asked, looking at Callen.
"Oh yes. Yeah no Grisha is helping a lot and he mostly does the nightly feedings but with triplets they do cry at the same time sometimes so then I'll help too. If it wasn't for Grisha I wouldn't be able to handle it."
"Recently I did have to go away on business for a few days so then Zoya did have to do most on her own. I could tell when I came home it had been hard for Zoya. I think that may have been the tipping point," Callen added. "We have custody of our five year old niece as well and we have a sitter that comes when I'm at work so she helps arounds the house and with the triplets as well."
"Okay good. Then I know that the support system is good. Have you had mental problems before?"
"No nothing. I just want to feel normal again and enjoy my babies."
"We will get there, I promise. I just have a few more questions for you. Are you eating well?"
"I haven't had that much of an appetite lately."
"What do you do during the day?"
"Well preferably I'd just like to lie on the bed or couch and do nothing and sleep. I tried to do things but I'm just not that interested in it."
"Alright. Do you have a good bond with the triplets?"
"I'd like to think so but lately I'm not that sure about it. It takes me longer to calm them down and before I could hear who was crying, now I can't."
"Also I have to ask this, have you had thoughts about wanting to hurt yourself or the babies?"
"No never. I know I almost drowned in the tub last night but that wasn't an attempt or anything. I still don't know exactly what happened but I must have been so deep asleep or something or my brain was fully working or something. I would never do something to hurt myself, my kids or Grisha."
"Okay, that's good. Do you feel like you're a good mom?"
"At the moment, no. I feel like I can't take care of them and I feel like I've failed as mom by not being able to gave birth to my kids myself. I failed cus they needed to be born via c-section."
"That wasn't your fault honey," Grisha told her.
"Your husband is right. C-sections are quite common and especially with multiple babies. I've read the reports of Dr. Kidd and up to that point everything was going fine. Babies getting stuck in the umbilical cord just happens sometimes. That doesn't make you a bad mom."
"I know she's a great mom," Grisha said. "I know she loves them and she'll do anything for them. Right now she's just not feeling like herself. This isn't the Zoya I know."
"Well taken all things into account here I think you might be suffering from postpartum depression. It's more common than you think and I happens more often with multiple babies."
"What can I do to feel better doctor?"
"What we do with postpartum depression is psychotherapy and if needed antidepressants but first we start with the therapy. You'll get some tools on how to handle it and get control back. We'll do that step by step and we'll get you back to your old self." Dr. Harper gave Zoya her card. "If you call this number you can set up your first therapy session."
Zoya took the card. "Thank you doctor. Will that therapy session be with you?"
"Yes it will be."
"Alright, thank you."
"You're welcome. Don't worry, we'll get you feeling better so you can enjoy being a new mom."
"Thank you."
Dr. Harper left the room. Callen put both his arms around Zoya and pulled her closer to him. Zoya snuggled against Callen.
"It's all gonna be okay honey. We'll get through this. I'll try to be home as much as I can to help and we've got Esme and I'm sure your parents wouldn't mind helping out either."
"Thank you for being here for me honey."
"Of course. I'm always here for you, no matter what." Callen lifted Zoya's face to his and gave her a kiss. "I love you."
"I love you too."
A little later the doctor came by and discharged Zoya. Callen packed up her things and took her home.
"Aunt Zoya!" Maya came yelling at them and hugged Zoya tightly. "Esme said you were in the hospital. Are you okay?"
"I will be fine sweetie."
"Okay good."
Maya went back to watching TV as Esme had joined them too.
"You feeling better Zoya?" Esme asked.
"Yeah I'm good. Thank you for looking after the kids last night."
"Of course, no problem. I'm just glad you're feeling better."
"Yeah I will be okay. Doctor said I probably have postpartum depression so she requested I go to psychotherapy to deal with it."
"Alright that's good. Good that you're getting some help. And you know that if there's every anything you need I'll just be a phone call away."
Zoya hugged Esme. "Thank you Esme. You really are the best. Thank you for all your help."
"It's my pleasure."
Esme went back home after a while and the family just sat on the couch. The triplets were lying peacefully in their playpens and Maya was watching TV. Zoya sat snuggled up to Callen. Callen was so relieved that Zoya was okay. It scared him so much when he saw her lying in the tub under water. He hoped that the psychotherapy would help her and that he would have his Zoya back soon. He needed his Zoya and so did Maya, Luka, Maksim and Elena.