Chapter
35
By
Rachel
Harold,
Jackie, and Harry all turned towards the waiting room as Brian was wheeled down
to surgery and out of their site. With heavy sighs, they walked through the
automatic doors that led from the surgical holding area to the waiting room
where everyone minus Nick's parents were waiting. "Where's Jane and
Bob?" Jackie asked as she took a seat next to her sister-in-law.
"The
doctors are allowing them to stay with Nick for awhile because they said he may
not have much longer," replied Ann sadly. Jackie looked down at the floor
as tears filled her eyes. Ann immediately noticed Jackie's change in behavior
and put her hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"It's
Brian," Jackie replied. "He told us he didn't want to live if Nicky
died."
Ann gasped, and
Kevin, who was sitting on the other side of his mother, listened intently.
"I'm sure he is just stressed about the surgery, Jackie, and that is what
made him say that to you just now. All the events that have happened to him are
probably taking their toll on him, I'm sure he will be fine," Ann
reassured her trembling sister-in-law.
"You know
what? Yesterday, he told Dr. Collins and I he didn't care if he never walked
again. He flat out refused the surgery, even if it meant he would never be able
to perform or play any sports again." Everyone who was listening in
gasped, including Brian's father and brother, who were never told.
"I'm sure
he will be fine, honey," said Harold as he put his arms around his wife to
give her a hug "Brian is too strong to give up, you know that."
Jackie nodded and welcomed the comfort her husband and son offered her as she
prayed that Brian didn't give up his will to live.
***
An hour after
Brian was wheeled into surgery, Dr. Collins came running into the waiting room
with a look of panic on his face. "Dr. Collins what is wrong?" asked
Kevin as soon as he seen the doctor come into the room, causing everyone to
look up. Jackie had a sinking feeling as she looked into the doctor's face. She
immediately knew something was wrong because she knew the surgery was going to
last about two hours, and it had only been one hour since Brian had gone in.
She grasped her husband’s hand tightly, and it felt like her blood was turning
cold within her from the worry and the feeling that bad news was about to come.
"We had
an unexpected problem in surgery," Dr. Collins started "Dr. Adams,
who is the hospital anesthesiologist, allowed one of the medical students
working at our hospital to give Brian anesthesia. The student thought the first
amount he gave wasn't enough because Brian didn't fall asleep right away and
gave him a larger dose of the anesthesia. During the surgery, Brian's heart
suddenly and unexpectedly stopped, and we had to do CPR and shock him for about
2 minutes before his heart started again."
"Oh my
god, will he be ok?" asked Harry as he watched both of his parents hug
each other as they sobbed. In response, Dr. Collins looked at the floor and
chewed on his lip.
"Because
of the cardiac arrest and the weak state of his body, he has slipped into a
coma, but because of the high amount of anesthesia which was given to him, he
will remain in a coma for an undetermined amount of time. We are uncertain if
he will ever wake up," he stated sadly. He finally lifted his eyes up from
the floor to look at everyone in the room. He noticed not one eye in the room
was dry and sighed. "If you all will please excuse me, we have to finish
the surgery up and get Brian moved back to his room where he can be monitored
closely," Dr. Collins announced as he walked out the door and made his way
to the operating room. Once he was gone, the room turned silent as the news
sunk in. It seemed another young life was going to be lost in the Backstreet
Family, and no one in the room knew if they would be able to take the lose of
two loved ones. In the hospital which was surrounded on the outside by the snow
on the ground, a large family sat in a waiting room, all praying that a miracle
would occur and allow their loved ones to live their lives again.
***
