Will He Be Alright

CHAPTER TEN

Jeffery's parents stood fixated to the spot both saying nothing just looking at the doctor. Tears steadily streaming down his mother's eyes.His father's eyes were red, obviously from fighting back his own tears.

What could the bad news be, what terrible thing has happened to their son?

''Mr Ademola, are you with me?''

''Yes of course, what was it you were saying?''

''Please come with me to my office''.

Mr Ademola lead his shaken wife to the doctor's office, he tried to assure her everything will be fine. His assurance did nothing to pacify her; instead she only cried the more. He couldn't blame her; he doesn't even believe everything will be fine himself. What if their son was dead?

Jane couldn't help but wonder what the bad news was. Why didn't the doctor just say it in her presence? How long would she have to wait? The more she waited, the more agitated she became. Nurses kept going in and out of Jeffery's ward none saying a word, they all wore a grim look.

She tried asking one of them what was wrong with him and she wouldn't say anything; instead she just gave Jane a weak smile and walked past her.

She would have to wait for his parents to come out of the doctor's office before she can know what has happened to Jeffery.

She took to pacing the hallway herself, hoping it will help to calm her troubled nerves. Her phone rang and she picked; it was Vivian.

Jane had called to inform her the situation of things on their way to the hospital.

''Jane any news, how is he?''

''I really don't know Vivian, the doctor is talking to his parents right now, hopefully when they come out I will know the situation of things''.

''So sorry dear, I really hate that you had to be put in this situation''

''It's ok Vivian, none this was your fault''

There was a pause.

''Maybe you should go home and rest you really sound tired''

Indeed she was tired; her back aches really badly from sitting in one position for long and she could really do with a bath and a change of clothes.

''I will go home, but first I need to know the situation of things here''

''Alright dear, do let me know of any new development okay?''

''Alright, thanks Vivian''

Jeffery's mother sat in the doctor's office looking at him but not hearing a single word of what he was saying. She sat there remembering how she sat in a similar office thirty one years ago with her husband awaiting the result of the test that was carried out on her. She had been feeling sick and constantly throwing up; so Adams suggested they go see the doctor. She remembers the doctor sitting on his chair with a wide smile on his face.

''Congratulations Mr and Mrs Ademola, you are 4weeks pregnant''

Their joy knew no bounds, after having their first child Erica three years ago, the young couples were glad to welcome another child into the family. Nine months later she gave birth to Jeffery. She remembers her husband embracing her and filling her face with kisses.

''Thank you for birthing me a son'' he said with a broad smile on his face as he looked adorably at the tiny bundle of joy in his crib.

The contrast now is no one was smiling, the doctor's face held no emotion; it was as if he was trying hard to hide his emotions. He was flipping through the files before him as if trying to find a better way to break the news to them.

''Doctor please go straight to the point what is wrong with our son?''

His father asked.

''Well with the series of test conducted on him, it shows that he has cerebral malaria''

''How can he have cerebral malaria? Cerebral malaria is not something you just go about having like that''

His father was trying to wrap this information around his head, their son lives in one of the best houses in the suburb part of the island in Lagos and it is well protected against mosquitoes. How come he now has cerebral malaria?

''Well cerebral malaria is a severe illness caused by complication of infection by the malaria parasite''

This information panicked his mother all the more; she has heard and seen people die from having cerebral malaria. What if her son ends up being one of them??

''But he was fine until recently, how did this happen?''

''Well sometimes some parasites can remain dormant in the liver for several months after one has been infected before manifesting.''

''Will he be alright, do we need to fly him out of the country?''

''There will be no need for that, we have everything under control, good news is that his organs are still in good shape so we can still fight it''

''Thank God, can we see him?''

''Well you can, but the thing is..?''

''The thing is what doctor?''

His mother was beginning to dislike the doctor's approach of dropping the information bit by bit; he should tell them everything so they might as well know what they are up against.

''Please calm down madam''

''Runke calm down, our son we be fine, put your mind at ease''

Her husband knew she was beginning to lose her patience with the doctor; he is her only son after all so he couldn't blame her.

''The thing is, he is in coma''

''He is in what?''

''Will he wake up anytime soon?''

''Well it all depends, some patients come out of coma after a few hours while others take a bit longer''

There was silence in the room no one was saying anything, both parents were processing what the doctor just told them.

They followed the doctor into their son's private ward, where he lay on the hospital bed, there was an oxygen machine fixed to help him breath. Different electrodes were attached to his scalp which recorded his brain's electrical impulses. The doctor checked his pulse and decided to leave his parents to have a moment with their son.

''Do you think he will be fine?'' his mother asked, looking to her husband for reassurance.

He put his right hand on her shoulders and gave it a tiny squeeze.

''He will be fine, he is a fighter remember?''

''I have heard of how people don't wake up from….''

''shh…. Runke don't say such negative things, be positive remember?''

''I'm trying, I just don't know how we got here, what if something happens to him?''

''Nothing will happen to him, except he will wake up and recover from this''

She said nothing in reply only nodded and placed her head on her husband's shoulders and let the tears she has been holding since on seeing her son in such condition fall freely down her cheeks.

CHAPTER TEN

Jeffery's parents stood fixated to the spot both saying nothing just looking at the doctor. Tears steadily streaming down his mother's eyes.His father's eyes were red, obviously from fighting back his own tears. What could the bad news be, what terrible thing has happened to their son?

''Mr Adams, are you with me?''

''Yes of course, what was it you were saying?''

''Please come with me to my office''.

Mr Adams lead his shaken wife to the doctor's office, he tried to assure her everything will be fine. His assurance did nothing to pacify her instead she only cried the more. He can't blame her; he doesn't even believe everything will be fine himself. What if their son was dead?

Jane couldn't help but wonder what the bad news was. Why didn't the doctor just say it in her presence? How long would she have to wait? The more she waited, the more agitated she became. Nurses kept going in and out of Jeffery's ward none saying a word, they all wore a grim look. She tried asking one of them what was wrong with him and she wouldn't say anything; instead she just gave Jane a weak smile and walked past her.

Guess she would have to wait for his parents to come out of the doctor's office before she can know what has happened to Jeffery.

She took to pacing the hallway herself, hoping it will help to calm her troubled nerves. Her phone rang and she picked; it was Vivian.

Jane had called to inform her the situation of things on their way to the hospital.

''Jane any news, how is he?''

''I really don't know Vivian, the doctor is talking to his parents right now, hopefully when they come out I will know the situation of things''.

''So sorry dear, I really hate that you had to be put in this situation''

''It's ok Vivian, this is none of your fault''

There was a pause.

''Maybe you should go home and rest you really sound tired''

Indeed she was tired; her back aches really badly from sitting in one position for long and she could really do with a bath and a change of clothes.

''I will go home, but first I need to know the situation of things here''

''Alright dear, do let me know of any new development okay?''

''Alright, thanks Vivian''

Jeffery's mother sat in the doctor's office looking at him but not hearing a single word of what he was saying. She sat there remembering how she sat in a similar office thirty one years ago with her husband awaiting the result of the test that was carried out on her. She had been feeling sick and constantly throwing up; so Adams suggested they go see the doctor. She remembers the doctor sitting on his chair with a wide smile on his face.

''Congratulations Mr and Mrs Ademola, you are 4weeks pregnant''

Their joy knew no bounds, after having their first child Erica three years ago, the young couples were glad to welcome another child into the family. Nine months later she gave birth to Jeffery. She remembers her husband embracing her and filling her face with kisses.

''Thank you for birthing me a son'' he said with a broad smile on his face as he looked adorably at the tiny bundle of joy in his crib.

The contrast is now no one was smiling, the doctor's face held no emotion; it was as if he was trying hard to hide his emotions. He was flipping through the files before him as if trying to find a better way to break the news to them.

''Doctor please go straight to the point what is wrong with our son?''

His father asked.

''Well with the series of test conducted on him, it shows that he has cerebral malaria''

''How can he have cerebral malaria? Cerebral malaria is not something you just go about having like that''

His father was trying to wrap this information around his head, their son lives in one of the best houses in the suburb part of the island in Lagos and it is well protected against mosquitoes. How come he now has cerebral malaria?

''Well cerebral malaria is a severe illness caused by complication of infection by the malaria parasite''

This information panicked his mother all the more; she has heard and seen people die from having cerebral malaria. What if her son ends up being a casualty?

''But he was fine until recently, how did this happen?''

''Well sometimes some parasites can remain dormant in the liver for several months after one has been infected before manifesting.''

''Will he be alright, do we need to fly him out of the country?''

''There will be no need for that, we have everything under control, good news is that his organs are still in good shape so we can still fight it''

''Thank God, can we see him?''

''well you can, but the thing is..?''

''The thing is what doctor?''

His mother was beginning to dislike the doctor's approach of dropping the information bit by bit; he should tell them everything so they might as well know what they are up against.

''Please calm down madam''

''Runke calm down, our son we be fine, put your mind at ease''

Her husband knew she was beginning to lose her patience with the doctor; he is her only son after all so he couldn't blame her.

''The thing is, he is in coma''

''He is in what?''

''Will he wake up anytime soon?''

''Well it all depends, some patients come out of coma after a few hours while others take a bit longer''

There was silence in the room no one was saying anything, both parents were processing what the doctor just told them.

They followed the doctor into their son's private ward, where he lay on the hospital bed, there was an oxygen machine fixed to help him breath. Different electrodes were attached to his scalp which recorded his brain's electrical impulses. The doctor checked his pulse and decided to leave his parents to have a moment with their son.

''Do you think he will be fine?'' his mother asked, looking to her husband for reassurance.

He put his right hand on her shoulders and gave it a tiny squeeze.

''He will be fine, he is a fighter remember?''

''I have heard of how people don't wake up from….''

''shh…. Runke don't say such negative things, be positive remember?''

''I'm trying, I just don't know how we got here, what if something happens to him?''

''Nothing will happen to him, except he will wake up and recover from this''

She said nothing in reply only nodded and placed her head on her husband's shoulders and let the tears she has been holding since on seeing her son in such condition fall freely down her cheeks.