The Wonder of Your Love - By Beth Wiseman Page 0,59
doctor folded his arms across his chest. “Percentage about . . .”
Katie Ann bit her bottom lip and avoided his eyes. “What is the percentage that Martha will survive the surgery?” She glanced up at him as her heart thumped in her chest.
He paused. “Well, there are always risks when anyone has surgery, but I don’t foresee any problems. Martha should be able to go home tomorrow afternoon.”
Katie Ann gasped. “So soon? But won’t she have a large cut on her stomach that must be tended?”
“No. It won’t be a very big incision at all.”
“But if her tumor is the size of a grapefruit, that seems like—”
“What?” Dr. Lieberson pulled off a pair of dark-rimmed glasses and squinted. “Martha doesn’t have a tumor the size of a grapefruit. It’s no larger than a pea.”
“The kind you eat?” Katie Ann felt ridiculous the moment she said it, but she was more than confused already.
The doctor smiled. “Yes, like the kind you eat. We did a biopsy, and the cyst is benign, but it’s causing her some irritation, so we’re removing it. It’s a very simple procedure that should take less than an hour, plus her time in recovery.”
Katie Ann laughed out loud. “I’m sorry, doctor.” She put a hand over her mouth to stifle further laughter as relief washed over her. “This is very gut news. Martha must have misunderstood her diagnosis.”
She wasn’t sure if that was the case, or if Martha did what she usually did when it came to medical issues . . . embellished a bit. Either way, Katie Ann was glad to hear this.
Dr. Lieberson narrowed his brows. “I’m sorry if Martha didn’t understand. I spoke to her briefly after she met with her regular physician.”
Katie Ann smiled. “It’s all right. Martha must have been confused. I’ll go make sure she understands.”
“Do you want me to talk to her?”
“No.” Katie Ann was anxious to get back to the room. “When will they be coming to get her?”
The doctor scratched his cheek. “They should have already been to get her. I can check and see—”
“Katie Ann!”
Katie Ann swung around to see Martha approaching on a gurney with her arm stretched out and Arnold by her side. An orderly was pushing her along.
“They won’t let me take my quilt.”
“It’ll be in your room when you get back.”
Martha shook her head. “If I get back.”
“Martha, your cyst is very small. The doctor said this will be a very easy and quick surgery. You even get to go home tomorrow afternoon. Isn’t that wonderful?”
“Big. Small. Whatever. I have a foreign growth inside of me.” She scowled at Katie Ann, then turned to Arnold and batted her eyes. “I’m so glad you’re with me during this difficult time.”
Once again, Katie Ann put a hand over her mouth. She knew any surgery was risky, but she wasn’t sure she’d seen Martha quite this dramatic before. She leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you. I’ll pray that all goes well. And I’ll see you shortly.”
“Bye, Katie Ann.”
Something about the way Martha spoke her name made Katie Ann terribly uneasy, and she didn’t feel like smiling anymore. Instead, she stepped aside as Martha’s gurney rolled past her, then she slowly followed. Once Martha was settled, she wanted to find the chapel.
TWO HOURS LATER, Katie Ann was growing antsy, and she could tell Arnold was too. He kept getting up, pacing in the waiting room, then sitting back down.
“Didn’t they say it would only take an hour?” he asked Katie Ann for the third time.
She nodded. She’d found the chapel earlier and prayed for the Lord to place His healing hand on Martha, and now, as they waited, she prayed even more.
A few minutes later, Dr. Lieberson came out from behind the double doors that led to the operating rooms. Katie Ann stood up. When she saw him smile, she put a hand on her chest.
“Everything went just fine. She’ll be in recovery for about an hour, then she’ll be back in her room.” He chuckled. “She mumbled something about food when she was first waking up.” He stroked his chin. “I thought she said creamed celery, but I’m not sure.” He reached out and shook both Katie Ann and Arnold’s hands. “Anyway, she’s doing just fine.”
“Thank you.” Katie Ann turned to Arnold and gave him a hug.
After a prayer of thanks, she and Arnold grabbed a bite to eat before heading back to Martha’s room. Martha’s roommate was still facing the