Page 76 of Pieces into Place
“We’re going to go ahead and get you into the OR. Alexis, Vera will help you get ready and bring you in as soon as we have Blake ready, okay?”
“Okay,” Blake nervously said, her mouth drier than she’d realized before. She squeezed Alexis’s hand as Alexis bent down to hug her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. I’ll be right there as soon as I can, okay?”
“Okay.”
“You got this, baby.” Alexis kissed her forehead, and Blake felt a tear fall from Alexis’s eyes onto her cheek. After another kiss, Alexis turned to look at Vera. “Can you stay with her? I can get ready by myself. Just… please. Stay with her since I can’t.”
Vera looked at Dr. Jacobs, seemingly not wanting to overstep anything. But Dr. Jacobs nodded her head as Vera turned back to Alexis.
“I can.” Vera pulled Alexis into a quick hug. “I got her.”
“I’ll help Lex,” Melanie firmly nodded her head.
Alexis kissed Blake one more time before Melanie escorted her away. Vera took Alexis’s former position at the side of the bed as Blake squeezed her hand as she was wheeled into the OR.
The room was smaller than Blake had anticipated, but it was probably because there were so many people and machines filling the room. She felt overwhelmed as Vera and another nurse helped her from the bed onto the operating table. It was cold and Blake felt overly exposed as she sat naked on the exam table. Blake had to take off her gown before the epidural to make the process quicker once the epidural was in place. Although she understood the reasoning, she still hated feeling so exposed to everyone in the room.
Even though the entire room full of people would be seeing inside of her in only a few minutes. Besides, they were all used to it, even if Blake wasn’t. Her feet swung back and forth off the bed as the anesthesiologist got ready behind her. Vera walked over to her, standing in front of Blake as she looked her in the eyes.
“I know this isn’t what you had planned, but I need you to know I’m so proud of you. You’ve handled a really hard day well.”
“I couldn’t have done this without you and Mom and Lex.”
“We’re all here for you, honey. Always.”
Blake noticed how Vera didn’t seem uncomfortable or uneasy at the fact Blake was sitting naked in front of her. Sure, Vera probably saw hundreds of naked women a week. But still. It was different for Blake when, ten monthsago, she never would have imagined being so comfortable in Vera’s presence.
“So, they’re going to do the epidural, then we’ll get you laid down and get started.” As she spoke, Vera gently squeezed Blake’s shoulders. “It’ll all happen pretty quickly, but I’m going to do my best to keep you and Alexis informed about everything going on as it happens, okay?”
Blake nodded.
“I got you, baby.”
“I know you do, Mama.”
“Okay.” Vera pulled something out of her scrub pocket. “I’m going to put this behind your ear. It’s an anti-nausea patch. I like my patients to have it and not need it than not have it and need it.”
Carefully, Vera placed the patch behind Blake’s left ear. Blake felt her fingers gently rub over it.
“Vera,” the anesthesiologist’s voice behind her startled Blake, “we’re ready when you are.”
She nodded, looking at the other doctor before back to Blake.
“Okay, honey. Here’s what I want you to do.” Vera took hold of the sides of her scrub top. “Grab on to both sides of my top and pull it to you. Then I want you to put your forehead right here.” She pointed to her chest. “That’s going to help your back arch, which will help get the epidural in the best place. As you’re doing that, just kinda curl around the baby and lean into me. Pull as tight and as hard as you want on my scrubs. Just try not to move, okay?”
“Okay,” Blake repeated, and Vera nodded to the anesthesiologist.
Blake did as she was told, holding tightly onto Vera’s scrubs as she rested her forehead on Vera’s chest. She could feel Vera’s fingers on the upper part of her back gently rubbing as the doctor inserted the epidural needle. The sensation was painful, but Blake tried to remainfocused on Vera comforting her not only with her touch but the gentle words she whispered in her ear.
“You’re doing great, Blake. I know it hurts. I’m right here. I got you, baby. You’re doing so good, honey.”
After the anesthesiologist had the epidural placed, Vera and another nurse helped get her laid down on the bed. They ensured Blake couldn’t feel anything as they turned up the medicine in the epidural. Staring up at the sterile white ceiling, Blake tried to keep herself from freaking out as doctors and nurses attached monitors and IVs to her. Vera never left Blake’s side, though. She kept stroking Blake’s hair or cheek to keep her calm. Blake shifted her eyes from the ceiling to Vera as she smirked.
“You know, you should really put a picture of a beach or something on the ceiling.”
Vera burst out laughing, as did a few of the other people in the room. “You know, you make a very valid point. I’ll bring that up at the next board meeting.”
