Too-Cute Family

Too-Cute Family

Back and forth, back and forth. Russell paced the OBED hospital waiting area awaiting news on his wife, Chrissy. She doubled over in pain at breakfast so was rushed here by ambulance. Doctors were working on her now.

“You might as well sit down and try to relax, Son. Wearing out the tiles and your shoe leather won't bring answers any faster.” Chrissy's nana, Anna, sat at a nearby table making phone calls canceling their plans for what started out as a perfect end of summer holiday. Plans were for an annual block party at which they were going to do a grand reveal as to the gender of the baby Chrissy was carrying.

“You don't understand how responsible I feel for bringing this on. I was playing too rough with her. What was I thinking? If anything has happened to our child, I can never forgive myself.”

“A little tickling wouldn't cause a miscarriage. Whatever has happened is not your fault.” Anna tried to reassure the flustered father.

Of course, Anna wouldn't know what other kind of play they engaged in before breakfast. The very activity that resulted in her condition. The same thing they engaged in nearly every morning since their whirlwind marriage five months prior. The way they usually said goodnight to one another, too. Maybe love making was too dangerous at this point in the pregnancy. If only he researched more.

He shouldn't have to apologize. He loves that woman. He'd been waiting on someone like her his whole adult life. Even though they seemed imperfect for each other at one time, once they got to know one another better, it couldn't get any more perfect. They were at the point in their lives they wanted to start a family immediately and were blessed. But now this.

This was tearing him up inside. He resumed his marching. Back and forth, back and forth in the small space. What was taking so long? Were they losing the baby? Was he losing Chrissy? Oh, Lord, let them be okay!

“The block party will go on without us but farther down the block. Chrissy's sonographer friend won't be coming after all to present the results. Her publishers, Douglas and Nora Conover, are concerned and still want to drop in to see Chrissy if they can but they may have to bring along little Carlson. That may not be ideal. I'll get back to them once we know more.” Anna gave her progress report to Russell but she doubted he heard any of it.

Finally, a doctor appeared, “Mr. Koolridge, would you like to step into the consulting room with me?”

Russell followed him to a small room down the hallway. “My name is Dr. Allen. I'm an appendectomy specialist.”

“Appendectomy? But she is pregnant!”

“That's the dilemma. So many conditions of pregnancy mimic acute appendicitis it has taken the gynecologists attending her this long to call me in to confirm if it may be her appendix causing the pain. We need your permission to do some tests on her to confirm one way or the other. There are minimal risks to her and the fetuses but there are risks. If confirmed what we think, we will want to go immediately into emergency surgery to remove the offending organ.”

“What kind of risks? Wait! Back up. Did you say fetuses? As in more than one?”

“”Why, of course. Did you not know she is carrying twins?”

“Twins! Twins! No! I didn't, we didn't know. How come nobody told us? Wouldn't somebody have known that by now? She is supposed to be twenty weeks along.”

“That's an issue you'll have to take up with the others. Right now it is imperative you give your permission to operate if necessary. Time is of essence or you may lose all your family.”

“Yes, yes! By all means, yes. May I see her before she goes in? She must be frantic.”

“Actually, she is as heavily sedated as possible in her condition. She may not know you are there. I'll check with the others and let you know. But it has to be quick. Sign here.”

Without reading any details, Russell signed the paper the doctor thrust at him. The doctor rushed out with Russell on his heels as far as the double doors that blocked the way to his wife's side. Through the window in the door he could see Dr. Allen talking with more doctors until a female one walked his way. It was Chrissy's regular gynecologist, Dr. Shaw.

“Come in, Mr. Koolridge. Maybe a touch and some calming words from you would help her but she probably can't respond. Then we need to begin.”

“Can you say why nobody told us it is twins?”

“Until the ultrasound Friday, we didn't know. At the first one done one embryo was shy hiding behind the other one. You understand how tiny they were then.”

At last, Russell was by her side holding her IV'd hand. Chrissy looked so small and helpless in that big bed with tubes snaking everywhere, beeping machines sounding alarms and personnel flocking around. He soothed her forehead and gently kissed it, whispered 'I love you and our babies' in her ear then mumbled a prayer as someone guided him away. They shooed him back to the waiting area as they wheeled her toward an operating room.

One hour stretched to two hours. Russell paced 'til he collapsed. Anna, bless her heart, canceled any visiting by the Conovers for now. She also had the good sense to notify the school that neither Chrissy or Russell would be able to start teaching tomorrow or the rest of the week. Possibly longer for Chrissy.

After what felt like forever, Dr. Shaw appeared with the good news that mother and babies had survived the ordeal. Unfortunately, Chrissy would have to be on pelvic rest probably for the duration of her pregnancy due to placenta previa which had caused the bleeding. This meant no teaching, no stairs or heavy lifting and a host of other no-nos. Not total bed rest but limited activity. Because twins being involved it would be an early Cesarean delivery.

Sounds like everyone in the household will have to make some adjustments. Anna may not want to move to Arizona yet so she can watch after Chrissy then help with the twins. They may have to switch bedrooms so Chrissy can stay downstairs. Russell, well, Russell will have to do without much longer than he would like. One bright outlook is Chrissy can write her sequel to her best seller.