Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Damien
I walked into her room and over to her bedside, laying my head on her arm.
Her head was covered in white gauze, and she was hooked up to several machines.
To see her like this was frightening, but she was here and alive.
I stayed with her for a while. I didn’t want to leave her side, but I had to check out of Casa Del Mar and find a closer hotel for the remainder of her stay at the hospital.
Scott drove with me to the hotel, where I gathered up all of London’s things and my own, packed our suitcases, and drove to the Four Seasons Hotel, where I was able to secure the Royal Suite for the next month, to be safe.
A week passed, and it was the longest week of my life.
I stayed by London’s side the entire time, leaving at midnight to go back to the hotel and get some sleep and back to the hospital by six a.m. I occupied my time by working.
Dr. Finn said that if I didn’t do something, I’d go crazy.
I also had Elvis Presley's music softly playing for her. Sometimes, I’d come home from the office, and she’d have his music on and sing to me when I stepped off the elevator.
It drove me nuts at first, but now it made me smile.
I leaned over and started singing “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to her.
A few more days had passed, and Dr. Finn walked into the room.
“The swelling in London’s brain is almost gone, so I’m going to start the process of waking her up. But I want you to know that it’s going to take time for her to come out of it.”
“How long?” I asked with concern.
“It could be a couple of days or even a week. It’s up to her when she’s ready, and then we’ll see what happens.” He sighed.
“You sound concerned.”
“I am very concerned because I have no way of knowing how she’s going to be.”
“Well, whatever happens, happens. We can deal with it. The only thing that matters is that she survived the surgery and is here.”
Dr. Finn took London off the ventilator and started the process of bringing her out of the coma. I tried desperately to settle my nerves by picturing the moment she opened her eyes. Another two days had passed, and she still lay there without any movement. She had still not woken up.
“Hi,” Ava spoke as she walked into the room.
“Ava, what are you doing here?”
“I came to see how London was doing. I overheard my dad telling my mom that he had brought her out of the induced coma. She hasn’t woken up yet?”
“No. Not yet.”
“It can take several days to weeks. Her brain is in the process of rewiring, and it’s going to take some time. She’ll wake up when her brain tells her to.”
“You are a very smart little girl. Do your parents know you’re up here?”
“They will once they find out I escaped the daycare center downstairs. This is always the first place they look for me.” She grinned. “You two got married?” she asked as she pointed to my wedding band.
“We did.” I smiled. “The day before her surgery.”
“Where’s her ring?” “In my pocket for when she wakes up.”
“Why wait until she wakes up? You can give it back to her now.”
“Ava.” Dr. Finn sighed as he walked in. “You know your mother doesn’t like it when you escape daycare.
“Sorry, Daddy. I just wanted to come and see how London was doing.”
“You’re lucky your mother was in the middle of a trauma, and they called me. Come on, let’s go back downstairs.”
“Can I do rounds with you? Please, Daddy,” she begged.
A wide smile crossed his lips. “Okay. You can come with me to see a couple of patients, but then it’s back to daycare. And don’t tell your mother.”
“I won’t.” She smiled.
I took London’s wedding ring out of my pocket and stared at it for a moment. Taking hold of her hand, I slipped the ring on her finger and then brought it up to my lips.
“I love you, baby. Please wake up,” I whispered.
I laid my head on the edge of the bed and held her hand in mine. Suddenly, I felt her fingers tighten around mine. I lifted my head, and she opened her eyes.
“London.” I jumped up. “Page Dr. Finn. She’s awake,” I shouted out the door.
Jamieson came running into the room with Ava in tow.
“London, welcome back. Do you know who I am?” he asked.
She slowly nodded her head.
“Do you know where you are?”
She slowly nodded her head.
“Can you tell me where you are?”
She tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out.
“Can you squeeze my hand?” he asked her. “Good. Very good.”
She struggled to talk but couldn’t, and I could see the tears swell in her eyes. Ava walked over and lightly grabbed her hand.
“It’s okay. Don’t be scared. Your brain is still rewiring itself. It will take time, but you will be able to speak again.”
“Ava, go get a notepad and a pen from the nurses’ station.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
As London lay there, she wouldn’t take her eyes off me as the tears streamed down her face.
“You’re going to be okay, baby.” I leaned down and kissed her forehead. Ava returned to the room with the notepad and pen and handed it to London.
“London, I want you to tell me how you’re feeling,” Dr. Finn said.
She slowly wrote on the notepad and showed him.
“Why didn’t you just let me die???”
“London, listen to me. I removed the entire tumor. Teaghan is completely gone, and she’s not coming back. It’s going to take time for you to recover from this,” he spoke.
She threw the notepad on the floor and looked away from us.
“Ava, go back down to the daycare center now.”
“Yes, Daddy.” She lowered her head in disappointment.
“Damien, let’s step out into the hall. London is confused and angry right now.
This type of behavior is common after brain surgery.
She may even feel depressed for a while because a part of her is gone.
A part of her that had been there for the past fifteen years.
Some patients feel it as a type of loss. ”
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“It’s not for us to understand. She will get through it with your love, patience, and support.
As far as her speech, Ava is right. Her brain is rewiring, so it will take time for it to return.
Just keep talking to her and make her hear your words.
So far, if this is the only deficit she has, it’s a miracle and can be corrected. ”
“Thank you, Dr. Finn.”