"Nurse, help Kim get ready. She's the donor," Dr. Gordon announced. "I'll be in the theater with you," William said firmly, pulling on a pair of surgical gloves. "Whatever you say, sir," Dr. Gordon nodded.
"Mark," William added, turning to him, "the surgery will last approximately four hours. If there are complications, it could extend to six." Mark nodded slowly, his face tight with worry. "I think your friends should go and get some rest. It'll help them stay strong," Dr. Gordon suggested.
"You're right," Mark replied. He turned to the others. "Guys, you heard the doctor. I'll update you if anything comes up."
"But how can we—" Angel began.
"Angel, don't be stubborn," Mark cut in sharply. "Okay, fine," she sighed. "We'll just get something to eat and be back."
As they left, Mark let out a deep, shaky breath. He took a seat outside the operating room, his eyes fixed on the glowing red light above the door a sign that the surgery was in session.
Inside the operating theater…
"We'll begin with the donor," Dr. Gordon said, glancing at the prepared team."Nurse, insert the needle into the pelvic bone. We need to extract bone marrow from her bloodstream."
The nurse followed instructions swiftly and carefully. Minutes later, the samples were safely collected.
"Sir William, as you can see, we're done with the donor. Now we begin the real procedure."
"Nurse, check Kim's vitals," William said, anxiety flashing in his eyes. They're normal, sir," she confirmed.
"Good. Transfer her to another ward. I want her closely monitored." William then stepped to the side as the team repositioned Aurora, lying sideways on the surgical table. Her breathing was assisted, her face pale but calm under sedation. "Nurse, pass me the forceps," Dr. Gordon ordered. "Here, Doctor."
With a scalpel, the surgeon made a clean incision along her back. Wires monitored her vitals, and William kept his eyes glued to the screen. So far, everything was going smoothly until a sharp beep pierced the room. "Doctor, her heart rate is slowing down," William said, his voice tense.
"Change the airway device. Use the laryngeal mask," William added quickly.
"Sir, that's risky—"
"Just do it. I'm a neurologist I know what I'm doing. We don't want her to stop breathing. Remember, everything in the body is linked to the brain. Continue with the transplant. I'll monitor her heart and brain function."
Dr. Gordon nodded and continued. "Her chemotherapy doses were extremely high… why isn't her body responding to the transplant?"
"The abnormal cells have spread rapidly," William replied. "The new cells are struggling to adapt." A tense silence followed.
"We've completed the transplant," Dr. Gordon finally said. "Now we stitch her back and monitor the reaction." "Her bloodstream received the marrow without complications that's good news," a nurse added.
"Look at the monitor," William said, stepping closer. "The stem cells are attacking the cancer cells directly." One of the nurses gently wiped the sweat forming on Aurora's forehead. But there's something else," Dr. Gordon said quietly. "What?" William asked.
"There's a possible complication. Infertility."
William froze.
"What?!"
"I'm sorry, sir… but her body has been through extreme trauma. The radiation, chemotherapy, and now this surgery it's all taken a toll. She might only be able to conceive once in her life. Even that would be a high-risk pregnancy. If she attempts more, she could die during childbirth."
William clenched his jaw as tears welled up in his eyes. He turned away, wiping them quickly, unwilling to show weakness. Suddenly, one of the nurses called out, "Doctor, we need to open her back up!"
"What? Why?" William spun around.
"Look at the monitor the leukemia cells are spreading to her heart. It's starting to shut down." No!" William growled. "Hand me the scalpel." They reopened her incision and began the second procedure immediately.
"They're crowding out the normal cells," he muttered. "Turn on the ventilator."
A student doctor nearby looked confused. "Sir, why the ventilator?"
Her heart can still beat on its own, even without nerve impulses from the brain. But if her brain shuts down… she'll die. The ventilator will keep her lungs working."
"Sir, the nerve impulses are slowing," the student whispered. "Look…"
"Then turn on the extracorporeal machine!" William ordered. "We'll reoxygenate her blood outside the body and feed it back in. We need to catalyze the new cells."
They rushed to set it up. Blood flowed out, filtered and reoxygenated, before being returned into her system. "That was a smart move, Dr. William," Dr. Gordon said. "It's working… but—"
"Sir, we've lost her pulse!" a nurse cried.
"Damn it!" William shouted. "There's only one thing left to try." "Bring in the defibrillator," he barked. A nurse wheeled it in. William pulled on a pair of gloves and took a deep breath.
"Turn on the AED power. Expose her chest."
The nurse pulled back the hospital gown and applied the pads. William stared down at her pale body. His hands trembled slightly as he gripped the defibrillator paddles. "I've done this for years… and I've always succeeded," he said under his breath. "Don't be the first person to die in my hands."
He closed his eyes for a moment, drawing in strength. "You're my daughter," he whispered. "You're a Riverson. We don't give up. Fight this, Aurora. You have to come back…"
Then louder: "Charging… Clear!"
THUMP!! Her body jolted. The room went silent all eyes on the