The Long Way Home by Phillip Overton
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Outside in the hallway, Doctor Hart was finishing the last of his rounds when he was stopped by the hospital chief of staff and two of the hospital’s top neurological surgeons. They had been notified of Simon’s recovery and were on their way to see him having just finished surgery.
“Doctor Hart.” The chief of staff stopped him. “Do you have Simon Small’s file?”
“Yes doctor, right here.” He said as he passed the folder to him.
“So will he make a full recovery?” The chief of staff asked him while reading the last of the notes Hart had added to the file.
“Yes, I’ve not doubt. There are signs of disruption to his memory, he has no recollection of how he ended up here or any immediate events leading up to that moment. It’s difficult to say at this stage if this is purely short term but his sudden recovery is quite remarkable.”
“Amazing.” The chief of staff commented as he read through Simon’s file. “He claims to vividly recall seeing Jesus?”
“Yes, that’s right. There is definite evidence of brain activity when all the monitors and tests have suggested otherwise.”
“And he had no knowledge of his grandparents death when he recalls being with them?”
“None whatsoever. Mrs Small is with him at the moment filling him in on what happened.”
“So in your opinion doctor are we talking about a divine heavenly experience?”
“Well it’s pretty amazing when you think about it. I mean we had only spoken to Mr and Mrs Small about organ donation last week and about the possibility of, well you know termination. After all, we had already declared the boy to be brain dead.”
“That’s right, so I guess we won’t need this anymore.” The chief of staff took a document out of his own folder and held it up for Doctor Hart to see.
“What’s this?” He asked bewildered. “I had no idea they had agreed to this, she seemed so against it when we raised the idea last week. When did they sign this?”
“Yesterday afternoon. I had everything arranged this morning Doctor Hart, after this weekend when her family had the chance to drive up to say their final farewells we were going to turn off the life support system and let the boy pass on naturally.”
“I can’t believe it!” Doctor Hart exclaimed. “And to think I just sat on his bed in there and had a conversation with him.”
“Believe it. I’ve seen this before doctor. We call it a miracle, that’s what I’ll be putting on his file anyway.”
“Kinda’ makes you want to go to church this weekend doesn’t it?” Doctor Hart laughed.
“I know I’ll be there Hart. After all we’re just doctors, science only answers so much.” The chief of staff patted him on the shoulder and then turned to walk towards the room Simon had called home for the last five and a half weeks.
Doctor Hart stood there thinking about what the chief of staff had just said.
“Doctor!” A voice shouted from the end of the hallway.
Hart turned around to see the figure of Doug Small running towards him. Business shirt unbuttoned at the top, tie hanging limply from his neck, trousers flapping about his legs as he raced down the hallway.
“I came as soon as I heard, is it true?” Doug spat the words out, desperation clinging to his face like tiny beads of sweat.
“Yes it is.” Hart beamed. “Your son is fine, he’s in there now talking to his mother.”
“Oh thank you, thank you!” Doug grabbed the doctor and hugged him tightly, losing his composure and breaking down into a sobbing mess on the doctor’s shoulder as he clung to him in the hallway. One of the nurses who passed by gave a teary eyed smile at the two of them as she tried to continue on with her work. “I’ll have to go home and get my Dad and my brother, but first I have to see him.”
“Then go for it man. Go see your son.” Hart sniffed, trying not to cry himself.
“Thanks doc. You’re the greatest!” Doug shouted over his shoulder as he ran up the hallway and stepped through one of the open doorways. As soon as he disappeared from Hart’s view there came a loud shout.
“Dad!”
Doctor Hart turned and walked up the hallway towards the staff canteen, tears spilling down his cheeks.