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Approximately two weeks later it was Elsie's surgery day. After long discussions Luke proceeded to schedule the procedure.

Elsie fought him on every aspect of it despite knowing he knew what was best.

On the day of her surgery they all had to be up by 4AM, not Eloise, Grandma came to babysit her so she was able to sleep in for a few more hours.

Elsie was cranky, tired, thirsty and hungry as she slid into the back seat of the car, her brother beside her giving her extra support.

"Why do we have to do early?"elsie groaned trying to keep her head up but she was so tired.

"Because the procedure is scheduled for 8:30AM and because they need to check you in and get you ready." Luke explained looking at his daughter through the car mirror.

The car ride was pretty much silent after that except for the radio faintly playing 90s hits in the background.

Soon enough they pulled up into the parking lot, the clock reading 4:48AM. The parking lot was slightly emptier than usually making it easier to find a spot near the front.

The four of them got out and made their ways inside, eventually getting up to the cardiac floor where Luke checked in his daughter, signing last minute consent forms on a clip board. Elsie rolled her eyes, she couldnt believe this was actually going to happen.

The front desk person handed Elsie a gown, a cap and booties to change into and snapped a bracelet onto her wrist with all her information before she walked away to the bathroom.

Luke, Sabrina and Elliot took a seat, as Elsie headed to the bathroom where she took sometime to change come out around five minutes later dawning the gown, cap and booties. "I look ridiculous" she blurted out, "no you don't, there's hundreds of people in this place right now with that exact attire on right now. you gotta wear it so they can make you better."

Now it was a waiting game. Elsie sat there on her phone texting, listening to music doing whatever she can to distract herself.

The clock went from 5:02am to 5:54am to 6:27am to 7:13am and eventually 8:09am.

At 8:10AM a nurse came into the waiting area "Miss Elsie Hemmings were ready for you in pre op."

The Hemmings family stood up, Elliot hugging his sister first. "Good Luck Sis, I'll see you when you get out."

Sabrina hugged her next and kissed her head, "good luck sweetie, everything is going to go smoothly. you're going to be in my thoughts the entire time. i love you"

"Thanks Mom." Elsie said pulling away from the hug.

Luke followed his daughter into the pre-op area, where Elsie got told to lay in the bed and Luke was handed a pair of scrubs to change into. If Luke wanted to stay in there and follow them into the operating room, he had to be in sterile attire.

Nurses established a set of vitals and got an IV on Elsie while Luke changed in the bathroom.

Luke came out a few minutes later dressed in blue scrubs, a blue scrub gown, and a cap. Elsie giggled seeing the get up on her father. "You look silly."

"It's called fashion Elsie look it up." He joked the two of them laughed for a little bit easing up the anxiety Elsie was clearly feeling.

At 8:51AM someone came out of the operating room "Miss Hemmings, we're ready for you." Elsie gulped hearing her name being called. Luke stepped back allowing the nursing to push the bed out of the room and into the next. He followed behind, the last one to be in the operating room.

          

He pre arranged to stay with her until the anesthesia took effect. He even got permission to help give the anesthesia.

The staff transferred Elsie to the table and left for now. Luke was now standing where Elsie's head was, the anesthesiologist behind Luke out of Elsie's view.

Luke wanted to keep her at ease, promising there'd be nothing scary happening until she was under.

The anesthesiologist handed Luke the mask ready to put it over Elsie's face.

"Elsie it's time now. I need you to be strong okay? This is going to go over your face. Take deep breaths. When you wake up it'll be all over." Luke explained, his daughter starting to freak out.

"You're okay, you're okay." Luke whispered now placing the mask over his daughter's mouth and nose.

"Take a deep breath. Relax you're going to be okay."

Luke began to count down, "10, 9, I love you Elsie. I'll see you when you wake up."

"8..7.." she was fighting the anesthesia gases real hard now. "6." Luke said, and she was out now.

"She's under." Luke announced removing the mask from his daughters face, kissing her forehead moving out of the way.

He watched the anesthesiologist intubate his daughter before leaving, pulling off the cap and gloves as he was exiting the door.

He walked back into the waiting area telling his wife and son that Elsie was under now and that procedure was starting.

Luke got the opportunity to observe the surgery from the surgical theatre and was allowed to bring a guest, he chose Sabrina, Elliot didn't mind staying behind in the waiting area.

His wife took his hand and held it following him to where they needed to go, climbing up a flight of stairs and into a small room with two chairs with a large glass window.

From where they were they were able to see everyone and everything a very surreal experience.

Luke saw them draping his daughter in surgical clothes and disinfecting her skin. He clicked the button for the intercoms. "How she's doing so far?" He asked waiting for a response as he watched the surgeon make a ten inch vertical incision down the center of his daughters chest.

the surgeon spoke as he did what he had to do "She's doing very well Mr Hemmings. Her vitals are perfect."

Luke had his arms folded standing at the glass, Sabrina was wrapped around his upper arm with her head resting on her husbands shoulder. She was taken this pretty hard because she was having flashbacks to Luke's surgery all those years ago and the waiting around killed her.

They saw the surgical team open up her chest, and clamp her arteries, the surgeon buzzed the upstairs intercom "what's up? is there something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to inform you that we're about to put her on cardiopulmonary bypass and we're going to give her potassium to induce diastolic arrest so we can repair the holes." The surgeon explained, Luke sighed before talking, "thank you for telling me." He said, him and his wife held onto each other even tighter.

"Please be okay Elsie." He whispered watching the surgeons and nurses work on his daughter.

Elsie was on bypass for forty five minutes, the holes bent successfully repaired.

Luke watched wide eyed as he saw them weaning her off bypass, and reversing the diastolic arrest.

Luke pressed the intercom button, "how is she now? Any updates?" He sounded very anxious at this point.

"She's doing very well. She's off bypass, removing the artery clamps as we speak, Mr Hemmings."

There was a few seconds of silence as the doctors worked, "Mr Hemmings your daughter is officially back in normal sinus rhythm we'll start closing her up now."

Luke was happy to hear that, no complications and he was beaming ear to ear along with Sabrina.

They saw each layer of Elsie's chest get closed up, including her ribs by steel surgical wires.

To end it all, a chest tube was inserted below the incision sight to drain any blood and excess fluids to promote healing. Sterile surgical dressings were secured on top of the would.

Luke saw them cleaning his daughter up. They buzzed him again. "Alright Mr Hemmings she's all good to go. We're gonna wean her off anesthesia and you'll be able to go see her in recovery."

"Perfect. Thank you so much." Luke took Sabrina's hand and they made their ways to the recovery room on the opposite side of the cardiac floor.

When they got there Elsie was already off anesthesia and waking up. Luke was thrilled. "Hey honey, I'm here."

She started crying out of nowhere, sometimes that happens to people, it's a reaction from the anesthesia medications given throughout the surgery.

"You're okay sweetheart it's all over now." He whispered rubbing her cheek with his thumb.

" I was there the entire time. Everything went smoothly, you're all good now." He explained kissing her and holding her hand getting her to calm down. "Mommy's here too." He pointed, Sabrina taking her daughters hand.

"It hurts." She whimpered, "I know sweetie, it's going to take some time to heal. You're so so strong, I know you'd make it through. I love you."

Luke gestured for the nurse to give Elsie a dose of pain meds.

"It's all over now, it's time for you to rest so you can get back t gymnastics." He wanted to make the conversation as positive as possible.

Sabrina texted Elliot letting him know that his sister was awake in recovery. He came in minutes later. "Hey sis." He spoke in a cheery voice in attempt to make her feel better.

"look whose here, Elliot!" Luke exclaimed pointing at the doorway. Elliot walked over pulling a chair up to sit down. "Why is she crying?"

"Adverse reaction from anesthesia" Luke mouthed because he didn't want Elsie to hear and get more upset.

"I know exactly how you feel baby girl, I was in the same boat as you all those years ago but I got through it and you will too. We'll get through this together. Whatever you need I'll get and help you with." He smiled rubbing her arm.

Sabrina always liked the way Luke was with Elsie, Elsie stole his heart from day one. He'd do anything and everything for her.

"I'm hungry and thirsty!" Elsie blurted out, Luke stood up. "Okay, I'll go down to the cafeteria and get you something, Mommy and Elliot will stay with you. You get some rest now."

He waved gently disappearing out the door. He was so relieved to know that his daughter was okay and on the road to recovery now.

divulgence // luke hemmings auWhere stories live. Discover now