"Dr. Cole? We need to begin." "Yes, yes, Gene." "The ultrasound showed a rather large cyst that has ruptured. Her abdomen is full of fluid and blood. I'm most concerned about infection, and her blood pressure is fluctuating radically." "Sepsis?" "Maybe." "Ok. Cauterizing scalpel, please." A nurse handed Dr. Cole the cutting tool and she began to make an incision across Cara's belly, cutting precisely to cauterize the edges as she went. As the abdomen opened, they realized the amount of fluid in her belly. Using retractors, they immediately started to suction as much of the fluid and blood as possible. In order to see the right ovary and the tissue from the tumor, they manipulated the uterus out of the way, and . . . Cara's ovary was badly twisted. The large cyst had caused the organ and fallopian tube to twist inside of her. The doctors worked quickly to untwist it in order to restore the blood flow and function. They continued on, removing the tissue left from the cyst and cleaning out the fluid and blood which the rupture had caused. This was extremely critical to prevent infection. In the meantime, the blood flow was returning to the ovary. "Doctor's, her pressure is dropping.", said the anesthesiologist. "Increase the dobutramine by 50cc's, hang another unit of blood, start the antibiotics. Shane, she is still losing blood. We have to find it!" Shane was unable to speak. She was frantically working in Cara's belly to find where the bleeding was coming from. She gasped audibly. "Here.", she said, sounding as if she was praying. Profuse blood was coming from the peritoneal area. The doctors worked together tandomly to stop the severe blood loss, cauterizing and tying off blood vessels. "Where is she?", Dr. Cole asked loudly. "Her pressure is holding at 85/50." "Heart rate?" "Steady at 52." Shane stuffed a surgical rag into Cara's wound and Gene suctioned the remaining blood. They waited for a moment and watched. Prayed. No other signs of bleeding. They continued to work cleaning and suctioning the fluid as well. "Pressure is coming up. 90/60 now." "Thank you God.", Shane whispered to herself. Now, it had been three hours since they began. Cara was stabilized but still in critical condition. "Gene, we have to finish and get her closed." "Agreed. Think we're good?" "Yes. She's been stable, right Dr. Hemming?" "Yes. Pressure is up to 102/68. Heart rate has fluctuated but it's staying right around 58 to 60.", answered the anesthesiologist. "Closing now.", Dr. Cole announced to all in the operating theater. "Gene, would you?" "Sure, Shane." They worked together, Dr. Cole assisting, and closed the incision on Cara's abdomen. "Still doing okay.", Dr. Hemming said. Using surgical tape, they finished covering the outside of the wound. "Okay. Get everything switched to portables. Let's transfer her." A mattress under Cara's body began to inflate. At about four inches high, it stopped filling. The nurses and Dr. Cole slid it with Cara on it onto another gurney and Cara was securred and covered with blankets instead of surgical drapes. IV poles were attached to the ends of the bed, heart monitor pads were rettached to a portable machine, and a breathing machine was placed under the gurney.

"Directly to ICU.", Dr. Cole called to the nurses moving the gurney as she stripped off her gloves and gown and headed back to the scrub in area. She quickly threw her mask, cap and shoe covers and scrubbed her hands and arms again. "Shane!" "Yes, Gene?" "Thanks for coming down to help me out." She stopped momentarily and looked back at her friend. "I didn't know it was her.", she said softly. "I thought so. How . . . ?" "I love her."

Walking as fast as she could without breaking into a run, Shane entered the ICU, looking around frantically. There. Nurses and interns around Cara, getting her settled, heart monitor and blood pressure and breathing machines, IV pole with fluids, medications and monitor, blood transfusion. Shane stopped in the doorway. "Oh my little girl.", she said softly. A nurse turned to her. "Doctor?" Shane did not hear or acknowledge her. She walked slowly to Cara's side, touched her hair and kissed her lightly on the forehead. The others there watched silently, then looked at each other, unsure. One of the nurses said, "Okay, people. Martin, Chris, go to the desk and make sure everything is reading out.", the desk area being directly across the hall from Cara's room. Shane was still leaning over Cara, touching her face, rubbing her arm and holding her hand. She put her face next the Cara's, kissing her cheek and whispering "I love you so much." "Doctor?" "Yes?" "I'll be right across the hall if you need anything." Shane could only nod. As she left though, the nurse moved a chair alongside the bed. "Thank you."

Cara was asleep the whole night and Shane stayed right by her. The staff was wonderful, periodically checking on both Cara and Dr. Cole. Shane would stand and stretch her legs, use the restroom, wash her face, but she was never far away from her girl. The staff all urged her to go get something to eat and they would keep in close touch with her, but Shane would not do it. She needed to be close to Cara as much as Cara needed her now, even sleeping in the recliner chair that was moved as close as possible to the bed, holding her hand through the night. For that night and the next day, Cara did not awake. And Shane did not leave. During the second night, Cara began to run a fever. Oh god, no, thought Shane. An infection. Dr. Evans was called and the two doctors began to run tests and monitor all of Cara's vitals very closely. Shane would sponge Cara down with cool water and put a clean, fresh gown on her each morning. "I've never seen Dr. Cole so attentive and loving to anyone.", a number of the staff had commented. "This girl is someone very special."

On the third day, Shane had washed up in the bathroom and one of the nurses had brought her clean scrubs. She was sitting close to Cara as usual, resting her head on the bed, eyes closed. Then she felt it. A hand laying gently on her head. She jerked upward. Her little girl was smiling at her. "Cara! Oh, Cara. My girl. Thank god. Oh, thank god." Tears streamed down her face and she leaned in very close to her. Cara touched her tears and shook her head slowly. "They're tears of joy. I love you baby." "I love you too.", Cara mouthed the words. Shane had pushed the nurse call button and two staff members came into the room. "Oh my gosh! Look who's here!!" Cara and Shane were both all smiles. Word spread quickly and many hospital staff came to visit and congratulate the women, everyone curious about the formerly brusk Dr. Cole sleeping next to this girl and kissing her head. So far, Shane had not given an explanation, other than to say "I love her.", and her love and affection for Cara were obvious.

Cara slept off and on for the rest of the day, then asked Shane to bring her some things from home, not realizing that Shane had never gone home since she became ill. But Shane agreed, thinking it might be good to go home and take a shower and put on clean clothes. After she left, Cara had an evening tray of some tea, jello, and broth. A very pleasant intern kept her company. "So I imagine Shane, umm, Dr. Cole has been busy, huh?!", she asked Jason, her new friend. "Well, gosh. I don't think so." Surprised, Cara said, "Huh? Why?" "Well, she never really left you at all! She never went any further than the bathroom!", he laughed. Cara sat very still, not moving at all. Just staring at Jason. When he looked up from his sandwich, he stopped, feeling uneasy. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" "She never left here at all?" "Nope. Wouldn't even go down to the cafeteria. We brought her sandwiches. Tuna." Setting down her cup of broth, Cara bowed her head and closed her eyes. "Cara, you are okay, right?" She shook her head and said, "Never better."

Around 7:30p.m., when Shane returned, Cara was just laying in bed quietly, waiting for her. "Hi. You doing alright?" Cara had a shy little smile on her face. "I brought your artbook and pad." Cara just smiled. "Baby, what is it?", Shane chuckled as she touched Cara's cheek and sat down beside her on the bed. (The staff had thoughtfully turned the bed alarm off earlier so Shane could be closer to Cara.) "You never left me." "Of course not.", Shane answered softly. "But didn't people you know wonder why?" "Not really. I just told them I love you." No more words were needed as Shane slid around and crawled up to the top of the bed, put her arms carefully around Cara, and they layed back quietly together. "This is just like the first night I came and crawled into you bed." "Ummm. Yep. But even better."