Heart Transplant

Chapter 1

1

On the morning of Shona’s life changing news, she sat up coughing in bed and her parents came running in. “Shona! Can you breathe? Talk to me!” She stared up into their worry filled eyes. Her dad picked her up and climbed into the first taxi he saw. “Please take us the hospital.” The driver stepped on the gas and wove through traffic. He had been through this procedure many times before and knew how dire the situation was. Shona clawed at her throat and chest. Her heart thumped wildly and she couldn’t breathe. Tears ran down her dad’s cheeks making Shona feel guilty. Maybe one day she’d just pass away in the hospital and finally end their suffering. She heard her own wheezing and wished it would all just stop. A tear rolled down her own cheek as she realized how badly she wanted to die.

In the hospital, a doctor saw to her immediately. A nurse performed CPR as they rushed her down a brightly light hallway on a gurney. They wheeled her into the OR, where the gurney stopped moving and the doctors surrounded her. The last thing she remembered was a doctor putting an oxygen mask on her mouth as she welcomed the darkness of unconsciousness.

 When she woke up, no one was hovering over her like vultures. She took a deep breath and realized how much she had missed being able to breathe. She gasped at the air gratefully. Her head was throbbing and her heart ached. She looked around and saw three sleeping figures. One was her dad, another was her mom, and the last was her brother Daniel. She felt a wave of disappointment wash over her when she didn’t see Ty. Daniel stirred and his eyes fluttered open. Shona put a finger to her lips. He tiptoed to the side of the bed. “How are you feeling?” “Betrayed by my own body.” His eyes grew sad. “Shona…” he warned. “Right, no death talk. But would it really be so bad if I passed away one day?” “Yes. We all love you.” “Not all.” he knew what she meant. “Shona, he probably doesn’t even know you’re in the hospital yet. He’s on a ski trip with his family. He’d be here if he could be.” “I know, but he always seems to be gone when I need him most.” Daniel looked back at their dozing parents. “They were worried about you.” He says. “The doctors took blood tests and are still trying to figure out exactly what it is you have.” “I’m not going to take medication.” She said for what seemed like the hundredth time. “I don’t understand why not!” He threw his arms up in frustration. Shona looked at the blank wall behind him and shook her head. “Nature will take its course even if we try to intervene.”   A shiver runs though Daniel’s body. “I hate it when you talk like that.”

Daniel sits on the side of the bed and rubs his eyes. Shona could tell she was stressing him out. “Why’d you come back?” she asked him. “What do you mean?” “Why’d you leave your perfect life in New York to come down to Florida?” “I heard you were in the hospital again.” “You can’t afford to hop on a plane every time I have a fit.” “This wasn’t a fit Shona. You were having seizures. And I will be here every time to talk some sense into you.” “I wish you wouldn’t.” “I know.” Suddenly the door flings open, and someone stood in the doorway breathing hard. Their sleeping parents were startled awake. “Shona?” a familiar voice calls. Shona’s eyes watered happily. “Ty.” The boy ran to the side of the bed and kissed her. Daniel and her parents leave to give them some privacy. “I was going up the ski lift when I heard you were hospitalized again and things looked serious. I came as soon as I could. How are you?” “Drained.” Shona replies. “I was so worried. The plane just didn’t fly fast enough.”

“How was Colorado from what you got to see?” Shona asked curiously. “Oh it was great! There was snow everywhere! I’ll have to take you sometime. It was beautiful.” “I’m sorry to have cut your trip short.” She said looking away guiltily. “Hey.” He takes her chin in his hand forcing her to look at him. “It wasn’t your fault, and don’t think for one second that I’m not glad to be back here with you. I missed you and I’m glad you’re ok.” Ty hugged Shona and went out into the hall to let her family back in. Her mom grabbed her hands. “How are you honey?” Shona looks at Ty. “Fine.” He smiles.

The doctors came in a while later with the results of Shona’s blood tests. “Nothing is popping up yet again.” He said exasperated. Everyone’s faces were strained as they listened to the report. “She should be as healthy as a button.” “But she’s not.” Shona’s dad snapped. “We’re working on that.” “Her heart is failing.” Another doctor said. “She doesn’t have long. The shocks are coming harder and harder each time. Soon her dear little heart will give out and we won’t be able to revive it.” She let the news sink in. “There has to be a way around this!” Shona’s mom cries. Shona’s dad held his wife tightly. “There is.” They all look up in surprise as a new doctor walked in. “Why are we just hearing about this now?” Daniel accuses. “We haven’t tested it out yet.” The doctor says defensively. “What is it?” Shona’s dad demanded. “A heart transplant.”

“No!” Shona said. Her frustration levels rising with each minute in the car. “Why not?” her mom yelled back with a hint of desperation in her voice. “I don’t want to have surgery!” “This is huge. It could change your life forever. Make it better.” “No.” “Why not?” Daniel asked. “I already said why not. I don’t want to have surgery.” “You’ll be out. You won’t even know it’s happened.” Frustrated tears ran down Shona’s face. “Maybe we should just wait and let the day’s events sink in. She’ll come to a conclusion all on her own time.” Shona looked at Ty and smiled. ‘Thanks’ she mouths. He nods.

At home, Ty helped Shona out of the car. He led her inside, sat her on the couch, handed her the remote and she turned on the TV. He studied the program intensely. “You think I should get the heart transplant too.” “I didn’t say that.” “You didn’t have to. I know you well enough to know you want whatever my parents want.” “Well they want what is best for you and believe it or not I do too.” “But maybe it’s not the best thing for me. Maybe I’m supposed to die. It’s not natural to have a heart transplant. Have you even thought about how they’d get the heart? Someone has to die to donate it. They don’t grow on trees. I’d be killing someone if I agreed to have it done.”

Ty considered this for a moment. Turning the idea over in his brain and getting a feel of it. “I really can’t make the decision for you.” “But you think I should do it.” “Yes.” “But don’t you think we’re being selfish?” “I enjoy being selfish if it means not losing you.” He took her hands. “You’ll make the decision sooner or later. Just give it some thought before you say yes or no. I’m serious.” He adds when Shona opens her mouth to protest. “Promise?” She looked into his two deep pools of misery. “I promise.” He tilts her chin up and kisses her. “I’ll see you tomorrow as planned?” Shona sighs. “Yes.” Ty kisses her forehead and walks away. Shona’s fingers fall out of his palm and she watches him leave.