Ch.34 - Charlie

"A cardiac arrest?" Charlie repeated after the doctor. He felt the color drain from his face. They were standing in the same Emergency Room he'd been a patient in only a couple days before, the stark white walls and smell of antiseptic all too familiar. "Is that the same as a heart attack?"

The doctor was young, about the same age as Charlie, with kind eyes and an easy smile. His jet-black hair was cut short and with his sharp Mediterranean features, he looked like he should be sipping cocktails on an exotic beach somewhere instead of standing here in the hospital.

"Not exactly. The term heart attack, or myocardial infarction, refers to the death of heart muscle due to a lack of blood supply. In other words, blood flow to the heart has been blocked for some reason. It's possible for the heart muscle to heal after an attack but scar tissue will form over the damaged area," he said, balling his hand into a fist to demonstrate. "And the new scar tissue will not be able to contract, therefore the heart's ability to pump decreases. Unfortunately, your mother's condition is more serious than that. Sudden Cardiac Arrest happens when the heart stops beating all together, without warning. It--"

Charlie cut him off mid-sentence. "But why would it do that? Mom's a healthy woman. And she's not even old! She's only in her early fifties."

"I understand," the doctor said patiently. "A person of any age can experience this. Sometimes we'll hear about it on the news. They will report a story about a young high school kid who's collapsed and died while on the football field. Most likely he's suffered from Sudden Cardiac Arrest. We even had an eleven-month-old baby in last month with the same thing. Age is irrelevant."

Charlie's eyes darted to Carter sitting exhausted in Talia's arms and his stomach twisted into knots. An eleven-month-old child with a cardiac arrest? He wanted to ask if the baby pulled through but found he couldn't bring himself to say the words out loud. Not because they wouldn't come, the question sat on the tip of his tongue, he just couldn't bear to hear the answer.

"The heart has an electrical system that controls the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat," the doctor continued. "When a problem occurs, the electrical system can create an arrhythmia. That means the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. The arrhythmia can then cause the heart to stop pumping blood to the body, which results in a cardiac arrest. Your mother was lucky she was with someone who knew CPR."

Charlie glanced at Talia before turning his eyes back to the doctor. "You mean the paramedics?"

The doctor shook his head. "The report I received stated she was with a man. After she collapsed, this man called 911 and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until help arrived. He most likely saved her life. She's extremely fortunate to have been with him."

Charlie felt Talia's hand on his arm. "Jackson."

He shook his head in disbelief. "Why didn't he say anything?"

Talia's voice was soft. "There really wasn't any time. He told us what happened and then we left."

The irony wasn't lost on him. Earlier that week Jackson had nearly killed him--something he still hadn't admitted to Talia--now he'd possibly saved his mother's life. "I can't believe this." Charlie moved a hand through his hair and let out a ragged sigh. "I just don't understand how this could have happen. She's never had any trouble before. I don't even think there's a family history of heart problems."

"It's hard to say," the doctor replied with a shrug. "Many conditions can cause the electrical problems that lead to cardiac arrest; such as severe physical stress, coronary heart disease, inherited disorders or structural changes in the heart. The doctors working on her case should be able to determine what happened. Eventually, they'll have some answers for you."

"Where's my mother now?"

The doctor cleared his throat. "She's in the middle of a cardiac catheterization at the moment. That's where a doctor inserts a thin tube into the blood vessel and threads it through to the heart. They'll be able to perform diagnostic tests that way, which will help us figure out what's going on." He hesitated and then took a deep breath. "She is also undergoing Therapeutic Hypothermia Treatment."

Charlie and Talia exchanged another look. "What is that, Doctor?" Talia asked.

"Hypothermia Therapy helps prevent brain damage during a cardiac arrest. The goal is to reduce the patient's body temperature as quickly as possible to avoid further injuring the brain. At this hospital, we combine a rapid cold-fluid intravenous infusion along with a cooling gel pad system, which basically means we're wrapping your mother in ice." He held up a hand before Charlie could respond. "I know that sounds harsh, but we need to slow down her body to prevent cell death. Your mom survived the initial attack, but she's not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot. Nine out of ten people never make it through a cardiac arrest experienced outside of the hospital. Right now, your mother is beating the odds."

"She's a fighter." Charlie swallowed hard. His throat felt like sandpaper. He'd just seen her that morning when they dropped Carter off at her house and she was fine! She was happy and chatting and acting perfectly normal. What had happened between now and then? "Will she feel it?" he asked. His voice was starting to shake. "Will she be cold or be in any pain?"

The doctor shook his head. "I promise, she's not feeling a thing. We're keeping her sedated to prevent shivering and discomfort. She'll also be ventilated for oxygenation."

"You mean she won't be breathing on her own?" Charlie felt a thick lump form in his throat.

"Not right now. A machine will breathe for her."

"For how long?" Talia asked.

"At least twenty-four hours. Then we'll slowly begin to warm her and see how she does."

Charlie blinked. Everything seemed so surreal, like a nightmare he couldn't wake up from. What if he could never speak with his mother again? What if he never got the chance to tell her how much he loved her, how much he still needed her? What if Carter grew up without her grandmother? Enid Wilson was the strongest woman he had ever known, aside from Talia. Surviving a divorce and raising a headstrong son all on her own, without accepting help from anyone. And he thought she'd done a pretty damn good job. He never wanted for anything. Ever. She'd been the best mother--and father--a kid could ask for. She ran The Ivy House single-handed and still managed to be an ever-present figure in his life. Every school function, every athletic event--she'd been in the front row cheering him on. She had to be strong enough to beat this. She had to be. "What happens then, after she's no longer sedated?"

The doctor inhaled sharply. "We'll test her brain function and see what we're up against. Then we'll go from there."

See what they're up against? That didn't sound good.

Charlie heard Talia sniffle beside him and he knew she was crying. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him. "Is there a chance she'll make a full recovery?"

"Anything's possible," the doctor said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a fresh handkerchief. He passed it to Talia. "She's just lucky she was with someone who was quick on their feet. Many people aren't that fortunate. Even when an attack like this happens in the middle of a crowd, people are afraid to use CPR. They're afraid they'll do it wrong or of the potential liability involved."

Jackson. He still couldn't believe it. He wasn't sure how his neighbor had ended up at The Ivy House but it didn't really matter. He saved his mother's life, or at the very least prolonged it until he and Talia had a chance to say goodbye, whether she was conscious or not. "If she's going to be sedated, will she be able to hear us? Will she know we're with her?"

"There's always that possibility, Mr. Wilson." He gave them an encouraging smile. "Talk to your mother, hold her hand. Tell her you love her. She may look like she's sleeping, but often times when a patient wakes up they claim they were aware of everything going on around them. If that's the case, you'll want to be upbeat and positive. Negativity could only hurt her during a time like this. Just talk to her casually about your day, or even the weather. Read from a book. And whatever you do, don't give up on her. She needs your support now more than ever."

Charlie's eyes drifted to Carter who'd finally fallen asleep, her cheek resting against Talia's shoulder. A red rash speckled her face as it often did after a particularly hard cry. How scared she must have been watching his mother collapse. She was only a baby, so tiny and helpless... Had Carter been in her arms when it happened? He had so many questions but very few answers. Thankfully Jackson had been there, maybe he could help him piece it together. Not only had he helped his mother but he'd been there for Carter as well. He wouldn't let himself think about what could have taken place if they'd been all alone.

"If you wait here I'll see if they have a room ready for your mother," the doctor said. "You can rest there and wait for the transporters to bring her up."

Charlie nodded, but he'd barely heard what was said. The doctor's voice sounded far away, like he wasn't even in the room. Charlie couldn't remember the last time he cried, but he sank into the closest chair, buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Hello and thank you for reading Secrets and Lies! Your votes and comments really do help, so if you enjoyed this chapter please hit that star!

Well, there you go. Jackson looks like the hero and you all saw it coming. Now will Charlie and Talia be able to see the truth before it's too late?

I'm hoping to have the next chapter ready to post by Tuesday or Wednesday. In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend! ♥

Love, Darly