Chapter
36
The next day, Brian broke out in a rash. Dr. Benson was worried because
that was the first sign of rejection.
By the end of the day, Brian was running a high fever. Dr. Benson ran
many tests on him and determined that he was rejecting the new marrow. He
increased his dosage on immune suppressant drugs, hoping to turn it around.
But, just in case, he checked Nick into the hospital and started running tests
on him, for they would try another transplant using Nick if this one didn't
work.
They waited a week to see if the rejection stopped. It didn't. Brian
still ran a fever constantly. He drifted in and out of consciousness. Dr.
Benson decided to try the transplant again.
The next morning, Nick was scheduled to go into surgery to have his
bone marrow removed. An hour before the surgery, he went down to Brian's room.
Brian was still unconscious. Nick held his hand and talked to him, not knowing
if Brian could hear him or not. Before he went into surgery, Nick prayed to God
that his bone marrow would work.
***
Brian's family stayed in the room with him, while the guys sat in the
waiting room with Nick's parents, waiting for Nick's operation to be done.
About an hour and a half after Nick had gone in, Dr. Benson came out into the
waiting room.
"How's Nick?" Nick's mother asked. Dr. Benson took a deep
breath and looked at her and her husband.
"I'm very sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Carter," he began. "Nick
had an allergic reaction of some kind to the anesthesia. He flat-lined during
the surgery. We tried, but we weren't able to save him."
Nick's mother began to cry. Bob, Nick's father, pulled her into his
arms and tried to comfort her. The guys were shocked. Finally, Kevin spoke.
"Did you get his bone marrow out?" he asked.
"Yes. Brian is receiving it now," Dr. Benson said. He turned
back to the Carters.
"I'm very sorry," he said. "We tried out best."
"Thank you," Mr. Carter managed to say.
"I'll leave you alone now," Dr. Benson said. "There's a
small chapel down the hall if you'd like to a be alone."
"Thank you," Mr. Carter said again as Dr. Benson walked away.
Once he was gone, the guys began to cry too. They couldn't believe
their little Nicky was gone.
***
