Chapter 11 - The Pediatric ICU
At five in the afternoon, Dr. Aris, a pediatric intensivist with tired eyes and graying hair, entered the room.
I stood up instantly. "How is he?"
"Leo is stabilized in the Pediatric ICU," Dr. Aris said, gesturing for me to sit.
I stayed standing. "Is he awake?"
"No," Dr. Aris replied gently. "He is on a ventilator, completely sedated."
"His oxygen levels dropped dangerously low for an extended period."
"Because of his severe asthma attack, his airways swelled completely shut."
"When his heart stopped, his brain was deprived of oxygen."
My stomach churned, a nauseating wave of horror washing through me.
"Is there... brain damage?" I managed to ask.
"It's too early to tell," Dr. Aris explained. "We are keeping him cooled to protect his neurological function."
"We won't know the full extent of any injury until we reduce the sedation and try to remove the breathing tube."
"Can I see him?"
Dr. Aris nodded. "Follow me."
We walked through a set of double glass doors into the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.
Room 4 was cold and dim, illuminated mostly by the glowing screens of heart monitors and IV pumps.
Leo lay in the center of a large hospital bed, looking impossibly small.
A thick plastic tube was taped into his mouth, connected to a machine that hissed and clicked with every mechanical breath.
Sensors were attached to his forehead, monitoring his brain activity.
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I walked to the side of the bed, reaching out with trembling fingers to touch his hand.
His skin was no longer burning hot; it was cool, pale, and unnaturally still.
