Don somehow or other managed to stagger home. He convinced himself that it couldn't have been his little brother that he swallowed. It was probably a mouse or maybe a salamander with the tail cut off. Sometime around 4 am, Don awoke screaming.
Paul DeSoto and Brett were still up worrying about Bryan. The police had said that Bryan had to be missing for 24 hours before they would get involved. The rushed in and found Don in bed doubled over in pain. Paul, who'd had his own appendix out years ago, immediately recognized the symptoms.
He gently touched Don's abs on the right, asking, "Does this hurt?"
The screamed reply, "YEOW! YESSSS! STOP IT!"
The ambulance raced Don to the ER.
After confirming the blood tests, and a basic exam, Don was prepped for surgery and wheeled into the OR.
Forty five minutes later, as the doctor was stitching Don up, a nurse screamed. The appendix was moving! As the operating team watched in amazement, a tiny man covered in blood and muck crawled out of the discarded organ in the metal tray.
On nurse grabbed a mallet, but the doctor stayed her action.
"Nurse, finish suturing. I have to examine this..."