Chapter
55
A
mile-wide grin spread over Dr. Adele’s face as he found himself looking down
into Brian’s clear blue eyes.
“Welcome
back to us, Brian,” he said, smiling down at his patient.
Brian
looked utterly confused, and Dr. Adele didn’t blame him. After all, he had been unconscious for most
of the past week. He had no idea that he
had had a transplant or even that his brother had died. The smile left the doctor’s as he realized
how hard it would be for Brian to find that out. He decided he would leave that up to Brian’s
family.
“You’ve
been in a coma for the past few days, Brian,” Dr. Adele explained gently. “But you’re alive, and you have a new heart.”
Brian’s
eyes widened, and Dr. Adele smiled in relief, glad that Brian understood what
he had just been told. Although Brian
had awoken, which was a great sign, Dr. Adele had still been worried that he
might have suffered brain damage. But so
far, things were looking good.
“Yes,
you had a heart transplant. There were
some complications during surgery, and that’s why you were in the coma, but
your new heart seems to be working fine.”
Brian’s
eyes held many emotions, ranging from fear to awe. He opened his mouth, as if he were trying to
talk, but Dr. Adele quickly hushed him.
“You can’t talk right now because there’s a breathing tube down your
throat. For now, we have to leave it
there, but maybe later today I can pull it for you. Sound okay?”
Brian weakly nodded. “Now, how
would you like to see your friends?
They’re out in the waiting room, and they don’t even know you’re
awake. Do you want me to get them?” Brian’s eyes lit up, and once again, he
managed a weak nod. “Okay. Be right back,” Dr. Adele said, offering
Brian a quick smile before leaving the room.
***
Nick
looked up when Brian’s doctor entered the waiting room, a lump of dread
settling in the pit of his stomach. What
more could go wrong? he wondered, half angry. Why couldn’t this doctor make his friend get
better? He knew blaming Dr. Adele for
this was pointless, because the doctor was trying his best. Nick knew that really, he should be blaming
himself. Although, with the help of the
other guys and Brian’s parents, he had gotten over some of his guilt, the
feeling that he was responsible for this whole tragedy still hovered in the
back of his mind.
“Dr.
Adele?” Howie asked, slowly standing to meet the doctor as he approached them.
“Great
news, guys,” Dr. Adele said, smiling widely at them.
“He’s
coming out of the coma?” Nick asked hopefully, sitting forward in his
wheelchair.
“Even
better,” Dr. Adele replied. “He is
out of the coma.”
Nick
practically leaped out his chair in excitement, only to have AJ reach out to hold
him back. “Calm down, Nicky,” he said
with a laugh. Nick sat back, but the
excited gleam in his eyes never left.
“When?”
Howie asked.
“Just
a few minutes ago,” Dr. Adele said. “I
sent Nick out so I could check the monitors, and then he woke up. I talked to him, and he was unable to talk
back because of his breathing tube, but he understood what I was saying. That’s a very good sign.”
“Wow,”
AJ said, grinning. “What a turn
around. Yesterday, we all thought he
might now make it.”
“I
know,” Dr. Adele said. “I don’t know
what to make of it.”
“Can
we see him now?” Nick asked, fidgeting in his chair, his eyes hopeful.
“Of
course,” Dr. Adele replied, smiling warmly at Brian’s best friend. “I just told Brian I’d send you in.”
“Thanks,”
Howie said, smiling at the doctor. He
got behind Nick’s chair and pushed him out the door, AJ walking along behind
them. Together, they headed down the
hall to Brian’s room.