Emma stared down at her trembling hands, her mind far away. The curtain to the small cubicle moved aside as a tall doctor wearing a white lab coat and light green scrubs shuffled into the room. Emma found it hard to not let her jaw drop when she noticed the crutches the doctor used to move around. He shuffled with amazing speed to the foot of the hospital bed and withdrew her chart from its holder. As he began speaking the doctor moved to the head of the bed. His compassion overflowed from his blue eyes. His voice was soft and reassuring and Emma found herself relaxing despite her nervousness. He explained how he would be the one giving Emma the medicine to make her go to sleep before her surgery and walked her through the process from start to finish then invited her to ask any questions she might have. Emma felt safe to reveal her apprehension to the kind doctor and even ventured a few questions. He answered each patiently and treated Emma, as she was his only patient for the morning. When all of her questions had been answered he took his leave, promising he would be waiting in the operating room for her.
As she waited to be taken to surgery, Emma found herself feeling more relaxed since the news of her impending surgery had come. She still remembered standing in front of the light box, viewing the latest round of x-rays. The news was not hopeful. As she stared at the black and white images in front of her even Emma could see the deterioration in her spine. She knew surgery was her only hope to maintain her already limited mobility. The decision had been made to operate and a date was set before Emma left the doctor’s office.
The days leading up to the operation Emma felt her trepidations growing. She knew it had to be done, there was no way around it but she couldn’t help wondering if she was making the right decision. Her doctor had already told her without the surgery her condition would continue to decline and the damage would be irreversible. He had also warned the surgery itself could do irreparable damage.
As the decision loomed over Emma she felt unprepared to make this choice. She wished she could go back to the days when such choices would have been out of her hands and in her parents’ job to decide. Many agonizing hours were spent weighing the pros and cons of both sides and regretfully Emma finally decided going ahead with the surgery was the best decision.
Even after her mind was made up, Emma didn’t find any peace. She fretted and worried as she tried to put the upcoming surgery out of her mind and go about her daily routine. Despite her best efforts her own mother was unable to comfort her daughter and her reassurance she was doing the right thing seemed to fall on deaf ears.
The day of the surgery dawned bright and sunny. As Emma dressed to go to the hospital she thought how ironic is was the sun would be shining on a day that was so dark for her. The drive to the hospital was quiet. Emma sat in the back seat of her parents’ car and tried to take her mind off of the things to come. Her parents tried desperately to pull her from the silence but Emma stubbornly refused to open up what was going through her mind.
Emma fought to keep her composure as she went through the all too familiar hospital admittance process. This was not her first experience with this situation. She had been through it many times before. Most other ten year olds would not be able to keep themselves together as well as Emma. Her calm exterior completely contrasted what was going on inside. She didn’t like for her parents to know she upset. They were always praising her and bragging on her ability to act mature in situations like this. She felt she would be letting them down if she admitted she was scared. Emma did not want to disappoint her parents.
As she was wheeled into the operating room, Emma felt her calm exterior beginning to crack, showing her true feelings. Nurses and doctors busied themselves preparing, not taking notice to the girl on the gurney. A man appeared above Emma and she recognized the stunning blue eyes above the green surgical mask to be the ones she had first noticed in the pre-op room.
Emma relaxed despite her nerves as he began speaking. His voice soothed her into sleep. She closed her eyes when he placed mask over her face and didn’t resist the sleep sucking her under. Her last thought was of his calm voice reassuring her.
When she awoke, Emma felt like she had been run over by a truck. Her parents were at her side, anxiously watching their sleeping child. She smiled weakly at up at them as the sleep sucked her under again.
The recovery was slow and at times painful but Emma was relieved to have the surgery behind her. Relief flooded her when her doctor reported the surgery had gone off without a hitch. Dr. Wright also took time from his busy schedule to personally check in on her a few days after her surgery. Emma thanked him for all he had done and even insisted he let her give him a hug. She fought the stabbing pain from her back and wrapped both of her arms around his neck as he bent over her bed.
Even after Emma went home from the hospital, she never forgot the talented doctor who had calmed her nerves before hand and eased her into sleep before her surgery by his incredible bedside manner. She prayed in the future when surgery was looming again, as it was sure to be, she would cross paths with this remarkable doctor.
