Chapter 31
Isla
2012
E verleigh Claire Mackenzie had made her grand entrance into the world almost six months ago and yet Isla still couldn’t figure out how so much time had passed. It seemed like only last week that her water was breaking and Vera was helping her deliver their child into the world. The birth had been slower and harder than her previous two and even when Everleigh was born Isla couldn’t believe she was actually done pushing and holding her baby girl for several minutes after.
And six months later, Isla still couldn’t believe their new baby girl was upstairs asleep in her crib while their six-year-old twins slept in the room beside her. Although Mason had a dorm at the local college she was attending, she often spent her weekends back at home with them. Not that Isla was complaining. She would never complain about having all her babies under one roof.
Well, almost all of them…
Isla sighed as she sunk into the couch as she cuddled up closer to Vera. Mason was asleep on the recliner a few feet away while her service dog in training was asleep by the fireplace. Nala was a one-year-old black Labrador that Mason had been raising since she was six weeks old. She had thrived under the added responsibility and Isla was beyond proud of her. Letting Mason work with the service dog organization out of Connecticut had been the best experience for Mason.
“The husband totally did it,” Vera commented as she put more popcorn into her mouth. The murder documentary they were watching wasn’t keeping anyone’s attention but Vera’s apparently. “It’s always the husband.”
“Thank God we don’t have one.”
“Amen to that.”
The quiet moment at home with her wife and daughter was exactly what Isla needed. Both Brayden and Ellie had brought home the flu the week before and Vera had caught it as well. Thankfully, Isla had avoided it but it meant she had to care for all three kids and her wife while trying not to expose her breastfeeding baby to the virus. It had been stressful, to say the least. But finally, everyone was starting to feel better and Isla could finally relax.
Nala perked up and sniffed the air. Hopping up, she walked into the kitchen and out of sight. Isla assumed she was getting a drink of water or using the doggie door she and Mason had installed a few months ago. But the ear-piercing bark that echoed through the house a few moments later proved that wasn't the case.
Vera, Isla, and Mason all scrambled to their feet. Nala was still in training, but she knew that barking without a reason wasn’t okay. They all ran into the kitchen toward the barking as Nala came charging down the stairs. She barked a couple more times before running up the stairs again.
“Something’s wrong.” Mason bolted up the stairs behind Nala.
Isla’s heart was in her throat as she and Vera followed behind her. Ellie and Brayden were awake and in the hallway, wondering what was going on as well. But all Isla could focus on was the loud barking coming from Everleigh’s bedroom.
And the lack of crying.
“Mom!” Mason shrieked as Isla and Vera rounded the corner into the bedroom.
Inside the crib, Everleigh was lethargic. She wasn’t moving or responding to anything, and Vera immediately stepped into doctor mode. Vera picked up the baby, checked her airway, and looked at Isla.
“She’s breathing.”
“Thank God,” Isla cried out.
“We need to get her to the hospital. Now.”
“What about an ambulance?”
“We can drive there faster.”
Vera was already on the way down the stairs with Everleigh as Isla turned to Mason. “Can you watch Ellie and Brayden?”
“Mom, go. You don’t have to ask. Keep me posted.”
“We will, sweetie.” Isla quickly kissed Mason’s cheek as she darted down the stairs, grabbed the keys off the counter, and ran outside. Vera was bouncing Everleigh in her arms and talking to her, but it wasn’t until Isla was closer she could hear she was actually reciting the Lord’s Prayer.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s probably the flu.”
“Yeah,” Isla nodded to reassure herself and Vera. “It’s probably the flu.”
Isla sped toward the hospital as Vera cradled Everleigh in her arms. She kept checking her breathing and her pulse and Isla tried not to let her mind go to the bad place. Everleigh was going to be okay. It was probably just the flu.
After arriving at the hospital, Vera instructed the doctors what to do before Isla finally had to remind her that in this instance, she was the parent. Vera reluctantly let the doctors work on drawing blood and taking vitals from Everleigh as they stayed close by her side. She was hooked up to an IV and in a small bassinet when the doctor finally came in with the results.
“Sit down,” Dr. Donna Barnes, the pediatrician, motioned for them to take a seat. Isla knew that wasn’t good. She braced herself for what was about to happen as she held tightly onto Vera’s hand. “I want to start off by saying Everleigh is okay.”
Isla felt like she finally let out the breath she’d been holding for the last few hours.
“Thank God,” Vera whispered as she squeezed Isla’s hands. “So, is it the flu?”
“Yes, but,” Donna took a deep breath. She unclipped a piece of paper from the clipboard in her hand and handed it to Vera. Although Isla couldn’t understand what she was looking at, she knew it was the results of the blood test. “Everleigh has Type 1 diabetes.”
All the air left Isla’s lungs as her heart and stomach hit the floor. “What?”
“How did I miss this?” Vera let go of Isla’s hand as she stood. She walked over to Everleigh’s bassinet and looked down at their baby girl. “I’m her mom and I’m a doctor. I should have caught this.”
“Vera,” Isla went to her, putting an arm on her lower back as she covered her hand on the edge of the bassinet with the other. “This isn’t your fault.”
“Isla’s right, Vera.” Donna joined them by the bassinet. “You know how Type 1 diabetes works. We can’t predict it. There wasn’t anything you or anyone else could have done to prevent this.”
“But it’s genetic.” Vera’s blue, tear-filled eyes looked at her. “We used my egg. I could be a carrier of the gene.”
“Baby, stop. You didn’t do anything to cause this. Do you hear me?”
Vera nodded, but Isla wasn’t sure she was listening.
“Our baby girl is okay. She’s alive and well and we are going to navigate this new hurdle like we do with everything else in life: together. Okay?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Was she lethargic when you put her down tonight?”
“No, she was fine. I fed her like usual and she drank a lot, but that’s been normal.” Isla looked at Vera, who nodded. “We didn’t know anything was wrong until the dog started barking.”
“Dog?”
“Our daughter Mason has a service dog in training.” Vera sadly laughed. “I guess Everleigh was giving the dog first-hand training.”
“Well, the dog probably saved Everleigh’s life. If her blood sugar had gotten much higher, it would have had serious consequences.”
Vera leaned into Isla as they listened to Donna tell them what the next steps would be. There was so much information that Isla wasn’t sure how they were going to remember it all. Thankfully, Donna gave them plenty of pamphlets and scheduled an appointment in a few days to learn how to care for a toddler with Type 1 diabetes.
Donna kept Everleigh overnight as Isla and Vera stayed by her side. They called Mason to keep her updated, but Isla could tell by her voice she was as shaken as they were. Isla couldn’t wait until they were able to go home so she could check on her other kids.
But for now, Everleigh was the only thing on Isla’s mind.
Isla sat on the couch with Everleigh nursing as Vera sat beside her. Everleigh looked more alert than she had earlier, and Isla breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t care it was after midnight and Everleigh might be hard to get back to sleep. Her baby was okay, at least for now.
As Everleigh nursed, she wrapped her tiny hand around Isla’s finger. Vera had carefully positioned her so the IV she was hooked up to wasn't in the way of her feeding. But it did little to stop Isla’s overactive mind.
“Do you think this is because I had a home birth?” Her fear was out in the open before Isla could stop it. Vera looked at her with confusion, so Isla continued. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Baby, no.” Vera put her arm around Isla’s shoulder and held her tight. “This isn’t your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong. Evie’s birth was beautiful and there is nothing we could have done differently to prevent this.”
Isla nodded her head, leaning into Vera more.
“And you didn’t either, Mama. But we’re going to fight this with Everleigh. Every step of the way. Together.”
“It is the Mackenzie way.” Vera kissed her cheek.
While Isla and Vera barely slept, the same couldn’t be said for Everleigh. She took turns sleeping in their arms or on their chests because they refused to put her back into the bassinet.
After being discharged the following morning, Isla and Vera took Everleigh back home. Mason had gotten Ellie and Brayden off to school and quickly met them at the car. She went into Isla’s arms immediately as she started sobbing.
“I was so scared, Mom.”
“I know, baby. We all were.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“She is.” Isla rubbed her back to calm her down. “Mama and I have to learn a lot, but that’s okay. We can do it.”
“I want to learn too.” Mason nodded firmly. “And I’ve been reading. Did you know that service dogs can detect low blood sugar? Maybe I can train a dog for her.”
“We’ll talk about it, okay?”
“Okay.”
Vera carried Everleigh inside as Mason and Isla followed behind them. Sitting on the couch, Isla unbuttoned her top to feed Everleigh. Everleigh latched on quickly, and Isla let out a sigh of relief. While Vera went into the kitchen to get them coffee, Mason sat beside Isla.
“I can train her a dog, Mom. I know I can.”
“I know you can too, sweetie. I have no doubt in you whatsoever.”
Returning from the kitchen, Vera sat a mug of decaf coffee down on the end table beside Isla before sitting on the coffee table in front of them. Nala came into the room behind her, wagging her tail. She rested her head on Isla’s lap as she sniffed Everleigh.
“You saved her,” Vera cooed as she hugged Nala. Isla could see the tears streaming down her face. Mason reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t think we need a service dog. We already have one.”