Taking Chances (Official Second Draft)

Chapter 18

"What?!" Me and Lily yell in unison. The students jump, but Dr. Piccard stands sturdy as a deep rooted tree trunk.

"H-how is that possible? They've said it's been irreversible for years. T-that if you tried to take it out, no matter what she would die." I proclaim.

"I truly believe I can take it out." he ponders for a moment. "But, also I can't confidently say that my method will work. With this surgery she has about 25 percent of success. But that is better than doing nothing. It would be our best shot."

"So you're saying there is 75 percent chance that she could die?"

"Ms. Lee, if we do nothing I'm afraid she won't have much time left."

"So either way I'll die." Lily chimes in. We both look to her.

"Or you have a chance of living Lilian." He says softly.

"It just seems too risky." I cut in. Lily looks at me with soft eyes.

"I feel like this could be my last chance at life Naiomie...weren't you the one that said life is all about taking chances?"

"We're talking about your life."

"Yeah my life, one that I've been fighting, for four fucking years!" I sigh sitting back in my wheelchair. The room is quiet.

"Can you explain the possible complications." I asked him.

"Dr. Pavery, please step up." Piccard speaks. A young man with a chart in his hand steps forward from the crowd of students.

"Lilian Marie Lee, Diagnosed with Malignant Ependymomas, which grew oversize for the past..." he takes a moment. "Four years. Um- possible complications of the surgery are Cerebral Edema, Cerebral Hemorrhaging, global aphasia, subdural hematoma, and brain death-" I cut him off

"Okay stop, can you speak in English?" I ask in a bitchy tone. "Sorry." I proclaim softly.

"It's okay." Piccard speaks. "It means that when I try to take out the tumor, many different things can go wrong, brain bleeding, swelling, and even death."

"Again, either way I die Naiomie." Lily pipes in and she lets out a sigh. I look up to Dr. Piccard.

"How do you think you can get it out? If all her other doctors and surgeries were not successful?"

"Well, Lilian would be my first patient to use this certain technique on."

"Which is?" I say dragging out the 'is'

"Well before surgery, we would give Lilian steroids, which will relieve swelling or edema. We also have been thinking of giving her an anticonvulsant medication to prevent seizures during surgery."

"Okay that makes sense, then what?"

"I'll start with the basic craniotomy, or in your terms opening of her skull, I will then attempt to remove the entirety of the tumor without damaging vital brain tissue, and other segments of her brain. If suddenly something goes wrong, we can go one of two ways, If I can't get out the whole tumor in one surgery because of swelling or bleeding I can control the bleeding and we can leave her skull open in the ICU to see if swelling goes down enough to be able to go back in and remove the rest. Or I'll be able to take it out the whole tumor the first time, which is what we are aiming for in the first place."

'And if none of those work, she dies."

"Ms. Lee, this is her best shot."

"He is right Naiomie, this could be it for me. I want it." She looks at Piccard.