Honor Thy Mother & Thy Father Ch. 27

He told her to go ahead, because she hasn't seen the size of his bill.

This went on throughout his part of the operation.

When the plastic surgeon came in, Doctor Benedetti told Patty if she wasn't nice to her, she was going to put vertical frown lines all over her head.

Patty told her to go ahead, and she would set 'Timeless' loose on her, in retribution.

She asked, "Who the heck is 'Timeless?'?"

Patty replied, "She is an 18-year-old mare. She is my best friend and your worst nightmare if you harm me. If you don't believe me, ask my architect, Brad."

"What did she do to your architect?"

When Patty finished telling her, she said 'bullshit.'

Patty asked her if she wanted to bet.

Doctor Benedetti said "I just bought a Mercedes-Benz Convertible. It's paid for; I'll bet that.

"What would you like me to bet against it?"

"Your home will do."

"You have a deal."

"Holy shit, why do I have a feeling I just lost the car."

I said to her, "You should have spoken to Doctor Nall. She would have warned you against betting with my wife."

"That can't be you; Doctor Nall lost a bet to a woman called Patricia Parent. The whole hospital knows that story."

Patty laughed. "Doctor, have you ever heard of a thing called 'marriage?' It happens to people every now and again. Doctor Nall wanted us to see Doctor Pock, because she was sure the three of us were crazy."

"Dammit, I love that car. It handles like a wet dream."

"Keep your car, Doctor. I have an airplane, a helicopter, a forklift, a utility vehicle for the ranch, a motorhome, and a car to get us to town and back with groceries. I don't travel far enough on the roads around our area, to warrant a car that will make my pants wet."

"I'm finished with the good news. Why don't you tell me what you why you were crying when I got here?"

"Son, you have to be strong for both you and Patty. It breaks my heart to tell you this. Patty has a brain tumor. It is cancerous."

Stephano rocked back in his chair and screamed. "No, I just got her back. This can't be. Her mother promised us a long life together. We have only been married for a month and a half. This isn't fair William. People have tried to kill her for times. She barely escaped with her life. Now what are we supposed to do? Is it operable? Come on William tell me everything, please."

"Steph the tumor is located on an artery, in a portion of the brain that has been causing her to act so erratically. If the artery bursts she will die. If they get to it in time, and the artery doesn't burst, the operation could destroy the tissue surrounding the area that controls the higher brain functions. Her memory will be lost. She may not remember who we are. I am going to tell it to you the way the radiologist told me, so you will be prepared for what may happen to our Patty.

Doctor Cumagia said, "The operation may be successful, but the patient's brain will never be the same."

"Is there any possibility that this guy is wrong?"

"Yes there is, and he even admitted he missed the tumor the first time he looked at the scans. When he re-checked them, he positively identified it. There is no doubt as to what it is.

Steph, you got your way the first time, and brought her here when she went into the coma. I'm telling you she is going to Sloan-Kettering for this operation. I don't want to argue with you. I don't want any bad blood between us. We both want what is best for your wife, my daughter. This hospital is not it. Please let me have my way this time."

Jemma stood up, and handed Junior to his father. She hugged Stephano. "Steph, in your heart of hearts, you know he's right this time. They have only one doctor here who is qualified to do this operation. One doctor that isn't saying very much for the type of surgery that has to be done on Patty's brain. Let her father do what is best for her. All the money in the world is not worth having, if you can't use it to help the ones you love."

Steph shook his head. "When did you become so smart Jemma?"

"Since the day I started hanging around your wife. I have one unit of her blood circulating in my body, and apparently some of it is working in my head."

"And such a gorgeous head it is."

"Hey you, stop flirting with my wife."

"You're wife has been championing your cause William. We can take Patty to Sloan, as soon as she is able to be moved."

"Thank you Steph, it is the best thing for Patty.

A nurse came to the OR waiting room and told them that Patty had been transferred to the ICU. They can see her, as soon as the nurses have her settled in."

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

Patty's head was wrapped like a mummy. Only her eyes, nose, and mouth were visible. She was wrapped tightly, and she could barely speak. Everyone kissed her and told her how wonderful she looked in her new 'Habit.'

She mumbled, "Remember Steph, this was my first choice; not you."

He grabbed his heart and feigned falling down. "You really know how to hurt a man, don't you wife?"

"Steph, you know you are terrible at keeping secrets from me. You are hiding something. If you don't want me to take this needle out of my arm, and stick it in your ear, start talking?"

He looked at her, but no words came out of his mouth.

"Dad, you are worse than my husband. Do you want to tell me what's going on, or should I attack your wife?"

Steph looked at his father-in-law and said, "Dad don't do it. This is my responsibility. I think we should let Junior do it. She won't hurt him." He got hit with a cup of water as soon as he finished his sentence.

Stephano took her hand, sat on the edge of her bed. "Baby, I am just going to say it, because there is no other way to do this properly. While they were operating on you, the radiologist took a look at your MRI and CAT scans. He found a small tumor in your brain. He is sure it is cancerous."

Patty looked at him sitting there with a frown on his face. He was such a lousy actor. He continued staring at her, until she couldn't take it anymore. She started laughing.

"Come on Steph, you can do better than that. That's not funny. You could have said the twins were quadruplets. The Plastic Surgeon put my nose on upside down, or she wrote funny things on my bandages. That would've been funny. Brain cancer is not funny."

Stephano didn't react the way she thought he would. She looked at Jemma, whose eyes were downcast. Then, she looked at her father. His face was colorless, and his eyes were liquid.

She crawled back as far as she could in her bed, clutching her pillow. She cried out, "No, it's not true. This can't be happening to me. What about my babies. My mother promised me two healthy babies. What about them? What is going to happen to them? What's going to happen to you Steph? You need a woman in your life. You have to promise me you will not raise them alone. They need a good mother, just like I did. This is wrong, this is all wrong. Mom, mom where are you? I need you, where are you when I need you the most? This is not fair. You promised me a long life. What have I done to have God turn against me?"

She broke down and cried hysterically. Stephano held her close, as Jemma held her hand.

William was holding his son, while he cried for his daughter. She was so young and vibrant. She had gone through so much at such an early age. Now she found herself in a war against her own body. According to the experts, she might not even win one battle whose end was preordained.

William spoke to Patty's nurse and told her the news.

The nurse received permission from Doctor Barry to administer a strong sedative. She poked the needle into the intravenous line, and Patty drifted off into a deep, dreamless, sleep.

The three adults standing next to her wished they could do the same. Jemma took the baby from his father, and he continued to sleep serenely in his mother's arms. Jemma swore her child could sleep during a rock concert.

The nurse told them to get something to eat and some sleep. Patricia would be sleeping for at least twelve hours and probably much longer. If anything happened, during the night, either she or the nurse that replaced her at 10 PM would call them.

114. Nall-ified!

Patty was awakened at 6 AM, for the standard round of tests, and given her morning medications. Her blood pressure was very high, and her mood despondent. She did not eat her morning meal; even the thought of eating meat her nauseous.

The nurse was aware of her condition, and treated her with kid gloves. She tried everything she knew to lift Patty's spirits, but none of them worked. She called Doctor Barry and advised him of her condition. He ordered a psychiatric evaluation just in case.

Doctor Pock and his small staff were at a Psychiatric conference, in Philadelphia. The evaluation fell to the Neurology Department. Since this was such a high profile patient, the head of the department was selected to see her. She went to Radiology and discussed the scans with Doctor Cumagai. She agreed with his diagnosis.

She said, "If I were this young lady, I would rather die on the table, then have a bad outcome from this surgery. I would rather leave the tumor where it is, and take my chances of it growing slowly enough that I could live for five or 10 years. She should live each day, as fully and completely as she can, and enjoy her life. I would try the "Experimental Knifeless Surgical Technique combined with Chemotherapy, rather than surgery. If it doesn't work, and the artery bursts, she will die as the person she is, and not some lifeless automaton she wasn't."

Doctor Cumagai agreed. "Would you like me to go with you, and speak with her?"

"No thank you. This was a job for Pock. Naturally he skips town, and lets it fall to my office. Sometimes it sucks being the Head of a Department."

"You are preaching to the choir, Joyce."

*********

"Mrs. Valentino, Doctor Barry has asked for a psychological consult, before he gives you permission to move to Sloan-Kettering. The doctor is here speak to you. I will close the curtain to give both of you a little privacy."

Patty shouted, "They think I've gone crazy at the thought of losing my mind? How would you feel about it, Evie?"

"I would be pissed, just like you are; but you are the one who wants to be transferred to another hospital. Without this evaluation, you don't go."

"Evie, you don't know my father. If he says I'm going to Sloan, I'm going. Almighty God would not stand in his way."

"Here comes the Doctor, I'll leave you two alone. Try not to aggravate her; it will only hurt your cause."

Doctor Nall entered Patty's area and said, "Good morning Mrs. Valentino.

"What is this, some sort of a joke? Did the hospital administrator send you here to get even with me, because of what I did the last time I was here? Get out; I don't want to see you. Send in that asshole, Doctor Pock, you told me about. Is the hospital having a good a good time at my expense, because I am going to lose my mind?"

"Ms. Valentino you have me at a disadvantage. When was the last time we met? I can't see your face. I don't recognize you."

"Have you gone flying in a glider, Doctor?"

"Shit, I knew I recognized that last name, but I couldn't place it. Patricia Parent Valentino; you actually married that stud. Congratulations, I mean that with all my heart, Patricia. However, to answer your question, No, I have not gone for a ride in a glider. I made three appointments to go, and chickened out at the last moment. I swear if I can get you through this mess I will learn how to fly one of those things."

"Doctor, there is no getting through this thing. It's a death sentence in one of three ways: I could have a stroke and die. The tentacles of the cancer could have spread so far for the surgeons can't get to it all, and I die. Or, the doctors could get it all and I could lose my mind. I fear the last one most of all. I am nothing without my mind. All my memories, all my education, my behavior, everything I am will be gone. Someone new will emerge. I will not be me. It will be another person inhabiting my body. I won't know my husband, my father, my sister, or my brother. I may as well be dead, because I don't want to be that person."

Patty became very emotional, and started sobbing.

"Patricia, except for the day your mother died, yesterday had to be the worst day of your life. I need you to concentrate on what I'm going to say. You were the worst patient I ever had. You reminded me and this hospital about patient care and well-being. I want to thank you for that by saving you, and your mind."

"How are you going to do something the other doctors agree is impossible?"

"I just spoke with Doctor Cumagai, and we have come up with an alternate treatment plan. It may not work, but you will still be Patricia Valentino, while you are alive. You may live five days. You may live 50 years, but you will still be yourself."

"Go ahead Doctor I can listen to your bullshit, because in a few days I will not remember any of it."

"Patricia, this tumor can grow slowly or it can grow rapidly. We just don't know which way it will go. However, I don't want you to have this surgery. It is a lose-lose situation for you. Chemotherapy is only 20% effective on these tumors, but you will not lose your mind. If it works, you win, if it doesn't you die, somewhere down the road. However, you remain Patricia Parent Valentino for as long as you live. You will have your moments of erratic behavior; however we have medications that can control those behaviors. You will still be who you are, not someone else. Only God knows for certain how long you'll be with us. You have heard all the bad things that will happen to you if you go under the knife. There is no chance of this happening to you if you try it my way. However, there is a relatively new technique that you can have at Sloan-Kettering, but not here, because we do not have that equipment. It is called 'Knifeless Surgery.' It destroys the tumor without opening the skull. An MRI and CT scan pinpoints the exact location of the tumor. A single large dose of high-energy radiation beams are trained at the tumor site from different angles. Ninety percent of the time it destroys the entire mass. If it doesn't, we add chemotherapy to destroy remaining cells. This is a much better option for you. You will not lose your memories, your education, or yourself. As I said this is a new 'experimental' technique, but so far the results have been amazing. If it doesn't work, you are no worse off than you were yesterday, today, or tomorrow."

"What will happen to my babies?"

"He got you pregnant already?"

"I told you I was a 22-year-old virgin. Stephano had not gotten laid for a year and a half before we got married. I was not on birth control pills, and was in the middle of my cycle when we got married. My little egg did not stand a chance against all the sperm he pumped into me on our wedding night. I'm going to have twin girls, and I am 45 days pregnant."

"If I asked you the exact moment of conception, you could probably tell me that also."

"Yes, would you like to know?"

"Patricia, I don't want the world to lose you. You are too precious, and precocious to lose at such an early age."

"Doctor Nall, I will go along with what you want to do. I am going to fight my father and husband over this. It will be a battle of immense proportions. However, it is my body, my brain, and my life that is at stake. I have many things I want to accomplish before I die. The most important one is raising my girls. Let's get started, and whatever you do, don't hurt my little ones."

"You have my word, Patricia, everything I do to help you, will not harm them."

***********

Stephano was outside the curtain and asked if it was okay for him to in.

Patty smiled and said, "I'm naked."

"Then I'm definitely coming in."

He parted the curtain, found Patty sitting up in bed, fully clothe, with Doctor Nall standing beside her.

"You lied to me."

"I'm getting better at it."

Doctor Nall shook her head. "You men are so easy. Congratulations on your wedding Mister Valentino. I still think you're both nuts."

"Thanks Doctor, if it wasn't for you, I would never have gotten her back the first time, trapped her, and got her to marry me."

"Doctor, there is going to be some screaming in here. I think you should leave now."

"Okay Mrs. Valentino, I'll tell the nurses to call me when they finish cleaning up the blood. I'll come back later, when the bandages have been applied."

After the doctor left, Stephano asked, "What's up dear?"

"Just love me Steph. Hold me, and love me. Let's wait for my father to get here, because I only want to get yelled at once."

"Why would we yell at you?"

"Steph trust me; there will be yelling."

********

115. No You Are Not!

"Are you out of your fucking mind? You are not listening to that crackpot. You are coming with me to New York. The doctors at Sloan are the best in the world at removing tumors like the one you have. They will take great care of you Patricia; I'd stake my life on it."

"You two can scream at me all you want. This is my body, my life, and I will do with it as I see fit. I don't want to wake up and not know my husband, my father, Jemma, and Junior. I would rather die first. I would lose all my years of education. My love of computers would be gone. I could wind up staring at walls all day. You would look at me, and wish I had died, instead of making the decision to have them operate on me."

"Dad, could you live with yourself knowing that you did that to me?"

"How about you Steph, when our daughters look at me and ask you 'What happened to mommy.' How are you going to explain to them that you authorized an operation that killed my mind?"

William looked at his daughter and said nothing.

Stephano had 1000 things to say to her, but could not come up with a reasonable answer.

"Answer me dammit! If you want me to do it your way, give me a good reason to give up my mind for the rest of my life. If you can't, let me do it my way. At least I will know who you are. I will know, and love all of you, for the rest of my life, regardless of how long it is."

William looked at Stephano and shook his head. "I hate her when she beats me with a logical argument. How does Doctor Nall want to proceed?"

"I don't know. I kicked her out of here when Stephano arrived. I didn't want either of you to kill her, when I told you of my decision not to have surgery. It's almost an hour, she should be here shortly."

********

A nurse poked her head inside the curtain. "Doctor Nall is at the nurses' station. She wants to know if it's safe to come in."

Patty said, "Tell Doctor Nall to start taking 'Soaring Lessons.' I have approval from my husband and father to do it her way. When I am cured, I will be her first passenger."

From the nurses station, Doctor Nall yelled, "I hate you Patricia."

Stephano laughed. "I wonder where she heard that from dear."

"Be nice, Stephano, or you will never get laid again."

"Do you see, son, she beat you with another logical argument."

"Yes dad, I think I'll go home and watch Brad talk to 'Timeless.' He is close to winning an argument with her."

Patty said, "Take me with you, and I'll make Beef Wellington for dinner."

Doctor Barry walked in and said, "You can go home in two days, but tomorrow night you're making Beef Wellington at my house. Do use goose or chicken pate'?"

"No self-respecting chef would use anything on Beef Wellington except goose pate'."

"I am definitely going to enjoy dinner tomorrow night. Doctor Nall told me you memorized three cookbooks. This should be the experience of a lifetime."

"I need a pen and paper to give you a shopping list. How many people are we expecting?"

"When word gets around the hospital that you are doing this, I am going to have to use the raffle system to cut it off at around 24."