Karen Yuletide and her fiance Peter Talbot entered San Diego General and went directly up to the Intensive Care Unit, where her mother was recovering after a serious auto accident.
Upon reaching the ICU Nurses Station, Karen inquired as to her mother' status.
"Stable, but Doctor Alexander did leave a note saying she needed to talk to Miss Yuletide's family. I'll page her immediately," revealed the nurse on duty, as the couple were directed to the ICU Waiting Room.
Karen looked over her shoulder on the way there, and saw her mother resting about as comfortably as one could under the circumstances in the same room she occupied when they left last night.
It was an anxious couple of minutes of being alone where neither one spoke.
Karen looked at Peter a couple of times, hoping for an encouraging word or a soothing thought, but all the love of her life could do was just hold his lady close until the doctor arrived.
"Hi. Is Joanne with you?" Doctor Moria Alexander asked, referring to the lady that Karen's mother was engaged to.
"No. She's at work right now. Why?" said Karen.
"Well, besides the fact that she was asking for her earlier, it seems Monica listed Miss Howard as designate in case she was in a position unable to make any decisions for herself."
"I guess that's because of how close they are, both physically and emotionally, while I've been away at college," surmised Karen.
"Probably," agreed Moria. "Anyway, the problem is that we are going to have to go ahead and drain the fluid that's been building off the base of your mother's spinal column after all, but your mother's not legally competent to consent at the moment because of the pain medication she's on."
"Can't I do that?" Karen asked.
"Sure, but I wanted to observe legal procedures and attempt to get ahold of Joanne first. Let me go get the forms," Moria said, as she turned and left the room.
"Peter?" Karen said, turning to look at her fiance.
"It would be foolish of me to make any promises that I cannot keep, but your mother is in good hands," he told her, while gently caressing Karen's cheek.
Doctor Alexander soon returned with a metal clipboard full of paperwork for Karen to review and sign.
The younger Yuletide looked everything over rather quickly, more concerned about her mother getting the care she needed that making sure every I was dotted and T crossed.
But before she signed, Karen did ask, "What happens next?"
"Well, it's a relatively common procedure to drain the excess fluid," said Moria, before going over the details of what would be done in the operating room.
When she was finished, the doctor added, "With it gone, I still cannot say whether or not Monica will regain any or total use of her legs again, but at least she will not be as in much pain and discomfort as she may be right now with the fluid pressing against her spinal cord as it is."
"I see," said Karen, before she signed the forms.
After handing the clipboard back, Alexander said, "Okay. I've got an operating room on standby. Let me get everything in motion and we can be underway within the hour. You can go see Monica for a bit if you want to. But don't tax her or mention the surgery. The more calm she is, the better."
"I understand, and thank you," Karen said as the doctor turned to leave.
When they were alone, Karen turned to look at Peter, who just held her tightly against him until she was ready to see her mother.
TO BE CONTINUED...