Chapter 10




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Two weeks later, the results came back. Claire, Mark, Anna, Nicky and Shane were in the doctor�s office. �We have got the perfect match. If we go ahead we can do this within the next few weeks. Katie�s marrow cells have nearly all died off. We may be able to do the transplant next week.� �So who is it?� asked Mark. �Emily.� Said the doctor. Nicky looked at Anna with a worried expression on his face. Anna looked back with a look that said: �We have to do this�. �You don�t have to go through with this. We can always find somebody else.� Said the doctor. Anna nodded at Nicky. �We�ll do it,� said Nicky. A huge sigh came from Mark and Claire started to cry. �It could be ages before we can find someone else and Katie really needs this.�

Later that day, Claire was sat outside the hospital with Anna. She had Nathan with her and he started to cry. It was like he could sense what was going on. �I�m really grateful for you doing this. I don�t know how I could ever thank you,� said Claire starting to cry. �I don�t think I could do it for just anybody. I saw the pain she was in after the test and that hurt me knowing it was me that let them do that to her. But I know your hurting more and I want to help to make that better. You�re my best friend, Claire, and there�s nothing I wouldn�t do for you when you need it most.� Anna started to cry too. �I better get Nate home. Will you be alright?� Asked Anna. �Yeah. Me and Mark are going to go soon.� �Ok. See you tomorrow.�

That night, after the boys had gone to bed, Claire sat with Mark on the sofa. Mark was reading a book on leukaemia. �She�s so small. Her body can�t cope with this stress,� Mark said to Claire almost dictating from the book. �I don�t want to lose her Mark.� �We won�t lose her. The only time we�ll lose her is when she get�s married and is too busy to visit her old folks anymore.� This made Claire laugh. Mark smiled at her. �What? Have I got something on my face?� She asked him. �No. It�s just�I haven�t heard that laugh in ages.� �She will be alright won�t she?� Mark hugged her. �She will. She�ll be fine.� Tears rolled down his cheeks.

When Katie and Nathan were three months old the doctor decided to do the transplant early. Katie was getting weaker and weaker each day and if they didn�t do it soon it may be too late. Emily was admitted to hospital the day before the operation. Nicky stayed with her all that day. Emily was asleep that night when the nurse asked if he wanted to stay with her that night. �Could I?� �Sure. I�ll get a bed from the storeroom.� �Thanks.� So he did. First thing in the morning Anna came in. Josh, Nathan and Jordan were with Nicky�s parents. Anna walked through the door of Emily�s room in the children�s ward. Nicky was sat in the armchair by the bed with Emily on his knee. He was reading her a book about a girl who goes into hospital when she was ill then he explained to her that not everybody who goes to hospital was ill. Anna watched quietly from the door where she was unseen by either of them. �So people who are not sick can make people who are sick better?� Asked Emily. �That�s right. Just like you and Katie.� �Daddy?� �Yeah?� �I want to make Katie better. She�s my friend.� The little girl was looking at her father, who had tears in his eyes. �Why are you crying daddy?� �Because I have a very brave little girl.� Emily wrapped her arms around Nicky�s neck and kissed him on the cheek. Nicky squeezed her.

Mark was with Katie in the baby unit. �Today�s the day kid. You may not know it yet but there is a lot of people around here that love you so much.� Mark started to cry. �You have to get through this. I don�t know what I would do without you.� Katie kicked her foot against Mark�s hand. It seemed to take all her strength to do that. Mark sat there for the rest of the morning just stroking her head.

In the afternoon Nicky took Emily down to theatre again. Anna and Claire went outside for some fresh air. �Katie had her line put in last night into her left leg,� said Claire. �So they can just transfer it straight away. Thank you so much Anna. I could never have such good friends.� �You shouldn�t be thanking me. You should have seen what I did this morning when I first got here. Emily was telling Nick that Katie was her friend and wanted to make her better.� �I�ve never known a four year old to have such a big heart,� said Claire.

Emily was taken to recovery where she was kept asleep overnight. As Katie slept that night the marrow was slowly going down her line and into her little body. Every few hours the nurses came in to check on Katie and changed the marrow bag twice. When the sun shone through the curtains onto her face Claire woke up. She looked over to her little girl who was still asleep and saw she had a pinkish glow to her normally pale body. She went over to Katie�s cot and touched her hand. Katie�s hand squeezed Claire�s little finger and she woke up. �Morning honey,� she whispered. Katie started to cry but Claire couldn�t pick her up. �Hey you�re ok. Daddy will be here soon. He�ll be pleased to see you�re looking so well.�

Nicky walked into Emily�s room just as she woke up. She screamed and the noise rang through Nicky�s ears. He ran over to her and picked her up. �What�s wrong sweetie?� �It hurts!!� Nicky sat down in the armchair with Emily. �It will stop hurting soon,� he choked out. A nurse came in with a needle. �What�s that?� Nicky asked her. �Morphine. It will take away the pain for a while.� Emily screamed again as the nurse gave the injection. Nicky held her tight. �All done,� the nurse said then left.

A few days later the Doctor ran some tests on Katie. Claire, Mark, Anna and Nicky waited in his office. Finally he came in and told them the results. �Well, the transplant has been a success. All we have to do now is wait for Katie to get stronger. There is a chance she may get weaker first.� �What will happen if she does?� asked Mark. �If she does she may need to go onto a ventilator. Her body might not be able to cope with all the stress.� Day in, day out Mark and Claire took it in turns to stay with their daughter. At first she had some really bad days where she was too weak to move then gradually she began to grow stronger.
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