Chapter Eight #2
“It could, depending on how things progress. Hopefully Henry’s lungs will clear on their own and the fever will calm down.
If the fever spikes further we will start on antibiotics and see how things go,” the younger doctor advised them.
He tapped a screen on the tablet. “A room will be set up shortly for you.”
“Thanks,” murmured Henry as the man left, closing the curtain behind him.
“Well, it’s not good but maybe it won’t turn into anything,” hopefully said Ben. “It doesn’t mean you’re off the list so the heart could still happen.”
Henry was quiet for a moment. “It’s what he’s not saying, Ben. That’s where the problems are.”
At Ben’s enquiring look, Henry explained.
“After a few years of dealing with doctors, I have learned that it’s what they don’t say which is as important as what they are saying.
If I get pneumonia and my lung capacity dwindles, I’m probably not healthy enough to heal.
I might need a lung transplant and a heart transplant.
That’s not going to happen. In the previous surgery, the doctors didn’t graph any of the blood vessels to my lungs, there was no need.
That means the blood vessels are too thin to touch near my lungs.
It would be suicide to do a lung transplant as I would bleed out.
I don’t have enough time for a third surgery to do lung graphs and it was a minor miracle it worked the first time on my heart.
So, if I get pneumonia, I’m done. I’m off the heart transplant list and I live out whatever time I have left. That’s the unsaid prognosis.”
“Henry…” It was obvious Ben was at a loss for words, uncertain of what to say.
“It’s okay, Ben,” Henry reassured him with a half smile. “We will know soon enough what’s going to happen. You should probably give Cora a call and update her, tell her I’m staying overnight after all.”
“It’s not going to be that way. You’re going to live and get the transplant,” quietly insisted Ben.
“I hope so,” Henry replied. He kept his voice calm for Ben’s benefit. “You should text Addison. She needs to know but I don’t want to wake her if she’s sleeping.
“Ben? I’m not likely going to be able to continue at Ramesly Hotels for a while. If you and Lincoln could step up to help Addison out, especially since she’s going to need time to be a mom, I would appreciate it,” added Henry.
“You know I will help her,” replied Ben. “But surely that’s not going to happen just yet. You’re going to get better.”
“My lawyer, Temple, has all my paperwork in order. His phone number is in my phone’s contact list. The passcodes for my phone and laptop are two one nine nine.
I have already gone over my end of life plan with the doctors so you don’t need to worry about making those types of decisions,” continued Henry.
“Stop it. You’re not dying,” declared Ben, his voice sounding rough.
“Maybe I’m telling you all this too soon?” questioned Henry with a smile, feeling fatalistically humorous. He also felt remorse for putting his younger brother through this. Ben obviously wasn’t ready but if Henry took a drastic turn for the worse, these were things he needed to know.
“Fifty years too soon,” retorted Ben.
Henry had a dry laugh. “You want me to live to almost a hundred? Only if you’re alive as well.”
“Deal,” solemnly said Ben, holding out a hand.
Henry looked at his youngest brother. He was struggling with the idea that Henry might not make it. Well, that made two of them. Henry shook Ben’s hand. “Deal.”
They both knew it was a promise Henry couldn’t possibly make.
Henry leaned back as a cough racked him. It took him a moment to catch his breath and the black dots swimming in his vision to clear.
“I will give Cora a call,” stated Ben before he got up, leaving the exam room.
Henry just leaned back, closing his eyes, and prayed.
At some point he drifted off because when he woke up, some orderlies were wheeling his bed along a hallway.
They settled him in a private room, gave him new clothing to wear, and asked him if he needed anything further for the night.
Henry replied that he just needed them to tell Ben where he was before closing his eyes again.
He was exhausted. All of his limbs felt like lead and he wondered if he wasn’t just a touch warm.
Not good things.
It was later that Ben was waking him up by shaking his shoulder. “Hey, Henry.”
Henry lifted open bleary eyes to look at his brother.
It took him a moment to remember he was in the hospital.
There was light coming in the window so obviously he had slept the entire night through despite the nurses coming in at odd hours to check on him.
Henry tried to clear his throat and coughed.
Ben waited for him. “Do you need a drink of water?”
Henry shook his head negatively. His voice felt raw as he replied, “What happened?”
Ben grinned. “When I called Cora it went to voicemail. I thought she was probably asleep so I left her a message. However, Addison told me Cora is at the hospital. Lincoln is watching Nick and Oliver.”
Henry frowned. He wasn’t quite following what Ben was saying or why his brother was so excited.
“Cora came in because she was having the baby. We have a healthy new nephew just this morning,” smiled Ben. He pulled out his phone, showing Henry a video of a red and squirmy baby in the glass bassinet of the hospital nursery. “Adam Bennet Ramesly.”
“That’s a good name,” replied Henry. He knew it was Cora’s father’s name with the Ramesly tacked on. It was a special name for her.
“The doctor says once your fever comes down, they can visit you. How are you feeling?” asked Ben.
“Good,” lied Henry as another coughing fit overcame him. This time, he couldn’t catch his breath. It was like he was gasping but there was no air. He could hear Ben frantically calling for the nurses.