Everly lay on a gurney in the orthopaedic ward of the new peds building with an IV in and tears running down her cheeks. She had her stuffed puppy tucked next to her and her doll sat on the nightstand.
They pushed the little gurney towards the operating room with Allison and Asher on either side holding their daughter's hands. Soon the reached the door to the pre op area, where Owen met them already in scrubs with his scrub cap on, the familiar green printed cap he had always worn. Allison tried to go after the gurney as they pushed it into pre op.
"You have to stay here," Teddy said, grabbing Allison's hand.
"Mom," Allison gulped.
"Mommy," Everly sobbed as they pushed the gurney away from Allison and Asher.
Asher wrapped his arms around Allison, feeling her trembling. The door closed behind Everly's gurney.
"It's okay princess," Owen soothed, "grandpa is coming with you and auntie Annie is going to meet us there. You're okay."
"Grandpa," an intern asked.
"My youngest granddaughter," Owen answered, "my wife and I have 5 grand kids."
"Your kids," the intern asked.
"Dr Grace Altman is our oldest," Owen said, "then Allison who is Everly's mom is 21 and Teddy and I have a 22 year old son as well."
"So you and cardio Altman," the intern said. Annie for years now had been peds Altman to distinguish her from Teddy and now that Teddy was just operating she was cardio Altman.
"Teddy and I, yes," Owen said.
"Ga pa," Everly asked, "is mommy coming?"
"No," Owen said, "mommy is in the waiting room. I'm coming and auntie Annie."
"Where's daddy," Everly asked.
"In the waiting room with mommy and grandma," Owen assured, "we're going to do a couple things here and then you're going to have a nap so Dr Linchon can operate on your hips."
"Scary," Everly whined.
"You're okay princess," Owen assured, "I'm right here."
He took Everly's hand and gave it a squeeze.
"Gapa hug please," Everly said, her voice sounding tiny and scared.
Owen lifted the tiny girl from the gurney and held her as she relaxed. He held her as the nurses did the last few pre op checks. Everly knew she was safe in her Grandpa's arms, Grandpa was her favourite playmate and protector.
They got into the OR and started prepping Everly for surgery, seeing the tears in the little girl's eyes Annie squeezed her hand and began to sing the French lullabies she had known her whole life, Owen joined in and they sang until Everly was fully under anaesthesia.
"I've never seen that," a resident said.
"You're new here," Annie said, "I often sing to my youngest patients when they're going under or coming out from anaesthesia. It gives them something safe to focus on."
"The song," the resident said.
"My grandmere was from the french speaking part of Manitoba Canada," Annie said, "she was a french immersion teacher and taught me and one of my brothers to speak french. I sing grandmere's songs to my kids, my nieces and nephews and my patients."
"Can you teach me," the resident asked.
"Not today," Annie said, "but when they're this young, have a go to lullaby and a few soothing kids songs, Disney always works."
In the waiting room Allison and Asher clung to each other.
"She'll be okay won't she," Allison asked.
"She will," Asher assured.
"If she isn't," Allison whispered.
"Not thinking like that baby girl," Teddy said, "she's going to do great. Dad is with her and Annie and you know they will step in if anything doesn't look good."
"But," Allison whined.
"No," Teddy said, "we think positive here."
"I'm scared," Allison whined.
"I know," Teddy said, "positive thoughts. She's got a great team. I know Megan hand picked the team with Arizona."
"She's my baby," Allison whined.
"I know," Teddy said, "it's hard seeing her hurt."
"My whole body hurts," Allison said.
"Have you eaten today," Teddy asked, "showered? Synthroid? Lexapro?"
"No, no, yes, yes" Allison said.
"Asher, shower, food, water," Teddy asked, "celexa?"
"No, no, no, yes," Asher replied.
"Okay here's what were going to do," Teddy said, "you both got your medications. Right now you're going to go to the attending's locker room and shower. I'm going to find both of you food."
"We both showered before bed last night," Allison said.
"So it's been less than 24 hours," Teddy checked.
"Yes," Allison and Asher said together.
"Food then," Teddy said, "are you coming with me or am I getting it?"
"I have to wait here," Allison said, "its too far from her to go."
"I'll go," Teddy said.
When Teddy walked away Allison turned to Asher, "she's our baby. Ash if something happens I can't deal with it."
"If something happens or she gets worse it'll suck," he said, "Allie I can't handle her hurting."
"She's going to hurt after this," Allison said.
"She will," Asher said.
"She'll remember this one," Allison said.
"She doesn't remember her shunt," he replied, "that's better."
"We won't leave her," she said, "she needs us both here."
"She does," he agreed, "but showers?"
"They have parent showers now," she said, "we can use the bathroom in Ev's room. I leave my hair in braids I can make it a couple days."
"But your mood sucks when you don't shower," he said.
"It does," she agreed, "Ash I can't do this. This has to be the last one."
"I hope so," he agreed, "waiting. I hate waiting."
"I hate waiting," she said, "can we get an update some how?"
"Your dad and sister are in there," he said.
"They're scrubbed they won't have their phones," she said.
"Call anyway," he said, "and your aunt."
Josh joined them, "do you want me to call for an update?"
"Please," Allison replied.
Josh called the OR and listened to the update before giving it to Allison and Asher.
"Link is in on the right side, he's working on the muscles so he can realign the hip joint."
"What does that mean," Asher asked.
"He's releasing the tight muscles as much as he can," Josh said, "she's doing well. Vitals are stable. Annie and Owen are right with her."
"Her heart," Allison asked, "the valve?"
"They did the echo before surgery and Annie is in there if needed," Josh said, "she will step in if needed. Allison they are all taking great care of her. Asher I've worked with them long enough to know they will take care of her like their own kid. Annie and Owen and Link they are some of the most compassionate surgeons I know."
"It's not Yang," Allison said.
"She's a great researcher and technician and you want her when things aren't going well but today to keep Ev calm you want Annie," Josh said.
"I want to do ortho," Allison said.
"Do it," Josh said, "I considered it but I'm better with trauma. Peds wasn't my initial plan either then I had kids."
"She changed everything," Allison said.
"She has," Asher agreed.
"Josh will she be okay," Allison asked.
"She will," Josh assured, "and we are all here with you. Our kids are really worried. Ellie wants to come later."
"Not today," Asher said, "just let the three of us be together and get her calmed."
"We understand," Josh agreed, "maybe tomorrow?"
"We'll let you know," Asher replied.
Megan stood in the gallery above the OR watching Everly's surgery.
"How's she doing," Megan asked.
"She's good," Owen answered, "vitals are stable."
"We're ahead of schedule," Link added.
"Why," Owen asked.
"I planned for about 20 minutes longer to get her under," Link said, "her age they fight it but there's the grandpa and auntie factor at play calming her down.
Link finished the surgery and they took Everly to post op, Owen and Annie sat with the little girl.
"How did it go," Asher asked as Link approached.
"Exactly how I planned," Link assured, "it was successful."
"Everly," Allison asked.
"Is in post op," Link said, "her vitals look good. I've realigned both hips and extended the shortened muscles. I didn't have to shave down as much bone as I thought so her recovery will be easier."
"When can we get her moving," Asher asked.
"Three to four weeks in the casts and splints," Link said, "then we get physio involved and she's not weight bearing for 4-6 weeks after that. Once we get the casts and splints off talk to physio but she can swim."
"The gait trainer," Allison asked, "adaptive equipment?"
"Yes," Link said, "we'll work with physio to do it."
"Her heart," Teddy asked.
"Nothing came up," Link said.
"Can we see her," Allison asked.
"Let's go," Teddy said, giving Link a look that dared him to challenge her.
Teddy led the way to post op.
"Dad," Allison asked.
"She's starting to wake up," Owen said.
"Dr Linchon said it went well," Asher said.
"It did," Owen agreed.
Everly began to whimper in the crib like bed.
"Can we hold her," Allison asked.
"Wait for Link to check the casts and splints," Owen cautioned.
"This isn't okay," Allison said looking at her daughter.
"What I did when Annie had her big surgery when she was 19 was to sit on the bed with her," Teddy said, "she was too old for me to hold but I would sit or lay with her when she was really upset. The bed will hold Allie's weight with Ev. Drop one side."
Owen dropped one side of the crib for them.
Allison curled herself next to her daughter in the tiny space making sure not to bump her legs or hips.
"Mommy's here," Allison said, "you're okay. I'm here. Mommy has you."
Asher reached over the other side of the crib and held Everly's hand.
"Daddy's here," Asher said, "we're here."
"Mommy," Everly cried.
"Shh," Allison soothed, "I'm here."
"Oww," Everly whined.
"We'll get more pain meds for her," Teddy said.
"Mom, she feels warm," Allison said.
"I'll get a nurse," Teddy said.
The nurse came and gave Everly a dose of pain meds then took her temperature finding it normal.
"She's sweaty," Allison said.
"Pain can do that," Owen said, "fear."
Link did his post op exam and sent Everly up to her room.
They lifted Everly into the bed carefully positioning her to cause minimal pain.
Everly whimpered.
"We're here," Allison said, "mommy isn't going anywhere."
"Daddy is here," Asher assured, "we're here."
"No," Everly said, trying to move her legs.
"The casts have to stay on," Allison said, "I know it's uncomfortable."
Everly continued to thrash.
"Ash, help me hold her," Allison panicked.
"We're going to sedate," a nurse said joining them in the room.
"Do we have to," Asher asked.
"We have to get her to stop thrashing," the nurse said.
"Pain meds," Allison said, "I don't want her sedated unless we have to."
"Let them today," Teddy said, "Allie it will take the pain away. It's just going to help her not hurt and sleep."
"No," Allison said, "they can control the pain."
"That is," Owen said, "munchkin let them. Trust the staff."
"It's just going to help her sleep," Teddy said, "it's not an anaesthetic."
"What does it do," Asher asked.
"It's a strong pain reliever that will relax the muscles," Owen explained, "her legs are going into spasm."
"We can massage that and heat," Allison argued.
"Not today," Teddy said, "the casts and the spreader bar have to stay on. You cant massage or get heat through the casts."
"Her braces and orthotics," Allison asked.
"They casted her feet into position," Owen reminded.
"Give her the medication," Asher said, "she needs it."
"She's all sweaty again," Allison said.
"Probably pain," Teddy said, "but we'll get it looked at."
Everly continued to whimper.
"Shh baby girl shh," Allison soothed, "it'll be okay. I know it hurts. Shh princess, I'm here."
Teddy moved to stand behind Allison and put her hand gently on her youngest's back.
"Mom," Allison whispered.
"You're doing the right thing," Teddy assured, "this is being a good mom."
They spent the rest of the day trying to soothe and comfort Everly.
"How's she doing," Leo asked slipping into the room.
"She's in a lot of pain," Allison said.
"Hey princess," Leo said sitting in a chair by the bed, "I brought a popsicle."
"Pop se cile," Everly whined.
"I have one," Leo said, "cherry your favourite."
"Can we," Allison asked.
"Hydrate her yes," Teddy said, "Allie and Ash I'm going to go get you two some food."
"Lets have your popsicle," Asher said, "can you thank uncle Leo?"
Everly shook her head.
"It's okay today," Leo said, he unwrapped the mini popsicle, "here you go. I dropped the box off at the nurses station for her it's in their freezer."
"Thank you," Asher said, "we didn't even think of it. She won't eat or drink today."
"Try this," Leo said, "there's a box of 48 of the cherry mini ones."
"Popsicle," Everly whispered before sucking on it.
"Eat your popsicle," Allison said.
That night Allison and Asher sat on the side of the fold out couch in Everly's room.
"I can't do another day of this," she whispered.
"Today was the worst," he said.
"If she has weeks of this," she whispered.
"We'll help her through," he said, "day one and is the worst every day will get better."
"If it doesn't," she asked.
"It will get better," he assured her, "you didn't sleep last night at all. I felt you tossing and turning all night. You need to sleep before you spiral."
"I can't," she whined, "I can't sleep when she's in pain and upset."
"They gave her meds to sleep," he said, "she'll sleep."
"She didn't eat," she replied.
"She's in too much pain and on too much medication," he said, "I didn't want to eat the first couple days after my surgery."
Allison began to cry.
"We're okay, she's okay," he soothed, "lets lay down. Let me hold you. You don't have to be strong right now. It's just us. It's you and I. Allie don't fake it for me."
He guided her back to lay down.
"She's not okay," she said.
"She will be," he replied, "I know seeing her and I in the hospital is hard. Seeing you in that bed having her was hard. Seeing how much pain you were in."
"I was scared," she whispered.
"So was I," he said.
"I'm scared," she whispered, "did we make the right choice for Ev?"
"We did," he said, "she's doing okay. She's asleep. No alarms are going off. We need to sleep so we can help her tomorrow."
"I'll try," she said, "I can't turn my brain off."
"Lay down and close your eyes," he said, "deep breaths."
"Can you hold me," she asked.
"I will," he agreed.
They tried to sleep, Everly woke up every couple of hours like a newborn needing to be held and soothed. Eventually Allison laid in the bed beside her daughter holding the little girl.
"Ash I have it," Allison said, "I think she'll stay asleep if I'm right here."
"Try," he said, "do you want anything?"
"No," she said, "she's resting. I'll stay here."
Finally Everly got some real rest and Allison drifted in and out of sleep.