Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 74379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 372(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Whatever she’d ingested, both orally and transdermally, had been enough to induce labor.
Seeing as she was thirty-two weeks, the babies, if born today, would have a long road ahead of them. And, since they were twins, they were already smaller than normal thirty-two weekers.
“It also says that the side effects of the pennyroyal could cause liver, kidney, and sometimes nervous system damage,” I told Torres.
“That would account for the odd kidney function test,” Torres said. “We attributed it to the pregnancy, but it’s more than likely due to the oil. I think it’s best to get the babies out, so that whatever affects it had on Krisney, the babies don’t have to have, too.”
I agreed.
When my eyes met Krisney’s, I saw resignation there.
Sorrow, regret and disgust followed soon after.
“It’ll be okay,” I told her. “We’ll get through this.”
Krisney looked away.
“Just get them out. Make sure they’re safe.”
***
The babies were born by Caesarian section two hours later.
Two hours after that, Krisney was in the first stages of both liver and kidney failure.
Chapter 16
Life sucks then you die.
-T-shirt
Reed
“The damage is too severe,” the physician, Dr. Albert Morris, that had taken over Krisney’s case said. “Her liver function, as well as kidney function, are at less than fifteen percent at this point. It’s been less than eight hours. I expect, by this time tomorrow, all function will be non-existent.”
“So, what does that mean?” I asked.
I knew the basics, of course.
I’d become an MD, after all.
But I was hoping, despite knowing, that he’d have an alternative that I hadn’t thought of yet.
“She needs a new kidney, and a new liver,” he told me bluntly. “There is no other option for her at this point. With one, or the other, we could’ve worked with it. With both, as well as her weakness from the birth…well, her prognosis is not good.”
With that heartbreaking, final news, he patted me sharply on the shoulder and left the room, leaving me looking at the broken woman who had just had her life taken away from her.
***
I slammed through the last of the hospital doors and came face to face with my entire family.
They were all standing there, looking at me expectantly.
“She’s dying.”
“What?” That was Travis.
“Dying. They expect her liver and kidneys to fail by this time tomorrow, if not sooner,” I told them, feeling numb.
“There’s nothing they can do?” Dante asked.
I couldn’t even scrounge up enough happiness to see Dante there. He’d been practically non-existent in our lives since his family had died…and now I knew how he felt.
I closed my eyes as tears threatened to take over.
“She can get a new kidney, as well as a new liver,” I said. “But the donor registry won’t accept her at this moment in time. She’s too high risk. They have other, more healthy candidates that would have a much higher percentage of surviving at this point that they won’t even consider her.”
“Test us,” my brother said.
I looked over at Baylor.
I closed my eyes and dropped my head.
“It’s not that easy,” I said. “There has to be an exact match. Exact.”
“How will you know unless you try?”
That came from Hannah, Travis’s wife.
She was right.
“But y’all have kids,” I said. “Young babies…”
“Test us.”
That came from Evander.
I dropped my head even further into my hands. “I’m headed down there myself.”
***
What felt like days later, but was likely only hours, the nurse walked in with a giant smile on her face.
“You’re a perfect match,” she said, handing over the papers.
I took the papers and scanned over them, making sure that they weren’t fucking with me.
Not that I thought they would, but this was better than anything I could’ve ever hoped for.
“I’m a perfect match.” I handed the page to Dr. Morris.
The doctor looked over my test on his own this time and nodded his head.
“Perfect,” he agreed.
My eyes closed, as relief poured through me.
The last eight hours, as we all waited for the results of our tests, had been agonizing.
Each hour that passed, I watched Krisney deteriorate just a little bit more.
“Do it now.”
“No!”
I looked over at my mother, not feeling a thing.
“Yes.”
“No.” She stood up. “I’m not losing another one of my children!”
The room went absolutely quiet.
Anger poured over me, though.
“You can’t mean that.”
My mother crossed her arms over her chest.
“I’ve had two of my children die, Reed Hail. I’m not allowing you to do this,” she persisted. “You won’t understand…”
I stood up.
“I won’t understand?” I asked. “I have two children, right now, fighting for their lives. The woman I love, the woman I’ve loved since we were young, is now fighting for her life and likely won’t make it until tomorrow without me. I’m doing this, whether you like it or not.”
She turned her back on me. “Well, then I won’t be here when you do it.”
With that she left, leaving me to stare at her in disbelief that she said what she did.