Chapter 356 – Scary Times
Faith, Robin, Frank and Abigail got to the infirmary. Faith told Frank and Abigail to wait a moment, while Robin and herself went in. Faith immediately went to Carson.
"Frank and Abigail are outside." Faith said.
"Have Abigail step in a moment." Carson said.
Faith brought Abigail in.
"Abigail." Carson said. "Can you take Jessica Thompson to your place? She is still a bit groggy from the ether. She is going to be fine, but she doesn't need to see or hear this. Maybe check her breathing once and awhile"
"I can do that." Abigail said. "Frank can carry her."
"Sounds good." Carson said. "Mr Thompson, please take your daughter and go with Abigail. She will let your daughter rest at her house. Then you can come back and wait outside."
Issac nodded and picked up his daughter. Carson stopped them to speak to the girl.
"I want you to rest." Carson said. "I am sure that Mrs Hogan has a ginger ale that you can have. I need to take care of your Mommy right now."
Carson winked at Abigail and she smiled. She knew that he was wonderful with children, but the extra moment he took to make a child feel better always warmed her heart.
"Is my brother or sister coming?" Jessica asked, her voice rough.
"Yes." Carson said. "So you go with Mrs Hogan, okay. And no more talking tonight."
Jessica nodded.
"I will come let you know as soon as I can." Carson said.
"I will put some coffee on." Abigail said.
"Thank you." Carson said.
Abigail left with Mr Thompson and Jessica. Frank walked with them to the cafe and then took Mr Thompson back to the infirmary to wait. That was when Frank remembered that Cody was still at the dance.
"I will be right back." Frank said.
Mr Thompson nodded.
… … … …
Carson asked Faith to get Mrs Thompson into a gown and another set of vitals. Faith went around the curtain and then Carson looked at Robin.
"How experienced are you with a breech birth?" Carson asked.
"It has been awhile." Robin said. "My middle SJ was a footling breech and I had to talk my sister-in-law through the delivery. I have also assisted with one other beech birth in the years I have been working with the midwife back home."
"We don't have time, but why didn't you ever take the test to qualify?" Carson asked.
"Simple answer is money." Robin said. "I will explain later."
Carson nodded and moved on to the matter at hand.
"Mrs Thompson is measuring over forty-five." Carson said. "But I have no reference as to what she started as. The baby feels big and as far as I can tell, it is face up and breech. I have only seen this one other time and the baby didn't survive because the head got stuck. I have the instruments and ability to go in and get the baby or do we risk it and try to let her deliver. When I checked her, she was five, but she didn't even realize she was in labor."
"And the baby is too big to turn?" Robin asked.
"Definitely." Carson said.
"Let me examine her." Robin said. "But if you are comfortable doing a surgery, it might be safer. I have only ever seen one."
"I am a trained surgeon and have done a handful and seen several more." Carson said.
Carson and Robin moved around the curtain. Carson explained to Esther who Robin was and asked if she could examine her. Esther nodded and Robin checked her over, including listening to the baby's heart. She then checked how dilated Esther was and found a foot.
"We have a footling." Robin said.
"Faith." Carson said. "Hot water and sterilization of my instruments."
Faith looked at Carson wide-eyed.
"Go." Carson said. "We don't have time to waste."
Carson and Robin explained to Esther what was going to happen and she got scared.
"Please don't let me die." Esther cried.
"I will do everything I can." Carson said. "But unfortunately you will experience quite a bit of pain and it will take a couple months to recover."
"I will do everything I can to help you to recover." Robin said.
"Is there any other way?" Esther cried. "We can't afford for me to be laid up. I have been helping at the laundry."
Carson looked at Robin.
"We could allow you to deliver." Robin said. "But the baby could become stuck and die. I have delivered a footling breech a couple of times, including my own. However this baby feels quite big and you are measuring big."
"I was big with Jessica and she was barely five pounds." Esther said.
"Any other problems with her delivery?" Robin asked.
"No." Esther said. "Just long. Over twenty-seven hours. My water broke but she just didn't want to come."
Robin felt Esther's stomach again. She then looked at Carson.
"Want to try and deliver?" Robin asked.
"Okay." Carson said. "But first sign of trouble and I am going in."
"Agreed." Robin said.
"Esther, you okay with that?" Carson asked.
Esther nodded. Carson helped Faith set up in case he needed to do an emergency c-section while Robin helped Esther labor. Carson said a prayer and hoped that they were making the correct decision.
… … … …
Frank jogged across the way, just as Jack stepped out with Cody.
"Abigail is at home." Frank said. "Jessica Thompson's mother went into labor and Carson said it is difficult. I need to sit with Mr Thompson. Jessica is at the cafe."
"Go." Jack said. "I will walk Cody home."
"Thank you." Frank said.
Frank jogged back over to the infirmary. While Jack and Cody headed to the cafe. Even from a distance, Frank watched Jack walk Cody home.
"Your boy?" Issac asked as he saw where Frank was looking.
"Yes." Frank said. "My wife and I adopted him and his sister. She is away at school and now my wife is expecting one of our own."
"How wonderful for you." Issac said. "Children are a blessing."
"They are." Frank said. "I will sit and wait with you, Mr Thompson."
"Please call me Issac and you don't have to do that. You have your own family to be with."
"This is what Hope Valley does." Frank said. "Besides, it is my job as pastor to make sure people are okay."
"But we don't attend your church." Issac said.
"Don't matter to me." Frank said. "You are a part of this community and just because we have different views on God and religion doesn't mean we can't be friends."
"You are not what I expected." Issac said.
"What do you mean?" Frank asked.
"The priest back where we came from." Issac said. "He always preached how pastors of other religions were evil and didn't care about us. They only cared about filling their own pews and lining their own pockets."
"While I don't fully understand the Catholic religion." Frank said. "I respect it and would never put it down. There are many things I have learned over the years from different churches and different pastors and have incorporated into my own services. Besides that, we are all members of this community and we need to love and respect each other. I might not have been in Hope Valley long, but one of the first things that I learned was that we all pull together and help each other. Background and circumstances don't matter. What matters is you are a member of Hope Valley and we all walk the same streets."
Before Issac could say anything, Carson stepped out. Both men stood.
"Mr Thompson." Carson said. "I am not going to lie to you. Your wife and child are in a delicate situation. I also promise I will do everything I can to save both of them, but I can't promise anything. Nurse Carter and Robin O'Brien, who is a midwife in training, and I will all do everything we can, but we don't know. I have suggested going in for the baby, surgically, but that carries its own risks and your wife has rejected that idea. I promise I will keep you updated as much as I can."
"Thank you." Issac said. "If the choice needs to be made, please save my wife."
"I would like to save both your wife and child." Carson said. "But I understand your request."
Issac nodded and sank down to the bench and pulled out his Rosary beads and began praying. Frank motioned that he had it and Carson nodded before going back inside.
"Let me pray with you." Frank said.
Issac nodded.
"Heavenly Father." Frank prayed. "We come to you right now and ask for Your protection around Issac's wife and unborn child. Give Carson, Faith and Robin the wisdom that they need to help both mother and baby. We pray for the safe delivery of the child, but if that is not Your will, help us to accept it and understand. Be with us as we wait for news. Also be with Issac's other child, Jessica, as she recovers from a scary moment earlier tonight. Be with us all and keep us close to You. We ask these things in Your Most Holy Name. Amen."
"Amen." Issac said. "Thank you."
Issac went back to his Rosary beads and Frank sat next to him, just so he had someone with him. Frank was not only concerned for the Thompson family, but he was also concerned for the three people trying to deliver the child.
… … … …
When Carson stepped back in he took a deep breath and went to wash his hands again. He donned a surgical gown and made sure everything was ready if he needed to do an emergency procedure. When Carson was ready, he stepped around the curtain.
"How is the patient doing?"
"Progressing fast." Robin said. "She is almost ten and says she feels the need to push. I have been having her hold off."
"Good." Carson said. "We need to control the delivery so the head doesn't get stuck."
"Her vitals are good." Faith said. "Blood pressure is a little high, but not concerning."
"Keep an eye on it." Carson said.
Faith nodded. Robin looked at Carson and motioned for him to step over toward the curtain for a moment.
"While I have done this and assisted." Robin said. "I feel more comfortable if you take the lead. Please, I just don't have a good feeling about this."
"I will take the lead." Carson said. "But you need to push those negative thoughts away. Both my grandmother and mother taught me that we need to be positive no matter the situation."
Robin nodded and they stepped back toward the table.
"Let's see how this little one is doing?" Carson said.
He felt Esther's abdomen and said she was doing well. He then took a seat at the end of the table and lifted the sheet. He could clearly see the foot coming out. Carson closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he visualized what he needed to do.
… … … …
Jack got to the cafe and Cody was still sulking. He didn't say anything to Abigail, but just went upstairs. Jack looked at Abigail.
"Frank said we will need to reconsider letting him spend time with Robert unsupervised." Abigail said.
Jack nodded in understanding.
"Piece of advice." Jack said.
"Sure." Abigail said.
"He will get over it." Jack said. "There are other boys he can hang out with. Robert is learning the consequences of his actions. Maybe have Rune say something to about how much trouble he could have been in had he been out there. Gabe wasn't smoking and was caught with the boys and is in serious trouble. I don't know the full consequences that Cat will hand down, but she did mention something about taking his ball and glove until spring. She also asked if I had wood that needed chopping. So I have a feeling that Gabe is going to have extra chores for a long time."
"Thank you." Abigail said. "It is hard. Peter was never like that at that age. He was always so good. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of boys that got into trouble and plenty of opportunities for Peter to join them, but he knew that his father and I wouldn't be happy."
"I think that once Cody sees how much trouble the other boys are in." Jack said. "He will change his attitude. I know you won't say anything, so I will tell you. Each of those boys are facing a five dollar fine and if they are caught with tobacco again when they are not supposed to have it, they will need to go before a judge. They will also receive at least a temporary ban from being able to buy tobacco and I know that Ned will comply because he doesn't want the fines that would be associated with not following the law."
"Were there other school age boys?" Abigail asked.
"Six as far as I could tell." Jack said. "That includes Robert. From what Joe and Bill were saying when I was addressing the boys, they think a couple boys also ran off, but the older brother was caught. So we might have one or two that we have to deal with later."
"Okay." Abigail said. "I am sorry that it ruined your night."
"I am not worried about it." Jack said.
Jack looked over at Jessica who was sleeping on the couch. He took a moment and went over to cover her again as she had shifted and the blanket fell.
"How is she doing?" Jack asked.
"She will be fine." Abigail said. "Thank God Carson was there and acted fast. It could have been bad. From what I understand he had to physically remove the piece of candy. Her throat is sore and she is sleepy from the ether and I assume the whole thing."
"I am sure." Jack said. "But I should be going. I want to check in at the jail before heading to the house. We have a long day tomorrow and we are traveling this week as well."
"Can you take those to Frank?" Abigail asked, pointing at the two thermoses and his Bible.
"I can absolutely do that." Jack said.
Jack gave Abigail a kiss on the cheek and wished her a good night. He grabbed the Bible and tucked it under his arm and then grabbed a thermos in each hand. He left the cafe and headed toward the jail with a stop at the infirmary.
… … … …