Jericho went back and forth between needing oxygen and not needing oxygen. Just when Eric and Katrina thought they were on their way out the door, a whole new set of problems would arise.
The NICU staff was getting used to the couple being "different" from the other, more care free parents. Some times, the nurses would talk with the one who was awake to pass the time on their shift. The couple kept the fraternizing to a minimum with hospital staff.
After the first week, an older nurse stopped by Jericho's isolette and prepped a shot for him. "What's that?" asked Katrina.
Reaching out to unwrap Jericho, the nurse began to motion as if she was going to give the shot before she gave the explanation, "Oh, it's just an immunization," she said.
"No," the word flew out of Katrina's mouth before she could catch it.
The nurse didn't stop unwrapping the baby, "It's the law. Every baby in this hospital gets immunizations," she said matter of factly.
"No, uh-" Katrina panicked. "Only because we're getting all of his records at the same pediatrician and you know how important shot records are. Besides," she was grasping at straws, "he was early and we want everything on the right gestational track."
The next morning, the neonatologist, Dr. Johnston, came by Jericho's bed and sized Katrina and Eric up. "So," he began, "I see here you refused the immunization for young Jericho here."
Katrina regurgitated the same excuses she shared with the nurse and Dr. Johnston smiled and nodded through the entire pitch. She could tell by his microexpressions that he saw straight through her excuses. They were clearly hiding something. He nodded and agreed, "I see no problem in wanting to keep him on the normal track. He can wait for this shot until you can get him back home to see his regular pediatrician."
"Thank you, Doctor," Eric chimed in. He was eyeballing the doctor right back, protectively.
"Well, Dad, I'm thinking his progress has been significant enough to remove the oxygen. I think we can try this just for today and see where we sit with it." Dr. Johnston smiled big, "Whaddya say? Ya wanna be the one to do it?"
Eric nodded with a smile, "Yeah. I'd like that very much. They didn't let me cut the cord and, well, thanks."
Dr. Johnston slightly squinted at Katrina and pointed at her laptop, "Y'know, I get my news online, too. I enjoy my political section straight up: no spin," and with a wink, he was on to the next patient.
Katrina smiled as her eyes filled half way with tears of relief at hearing her paper's mantra, "Enjoy your political section straight up: no spin." She looked at Eric and nodded. He was a fan.
Writing for a local paper had helped them, after all. She had been concerned that being exposed would guarantee the loss of Jericho. A trip to the NICU would have gotten them ran through SACWIS even back in 2006. Now, a mere birth in a hospital at all guaranteed it. Maybe, this doctor would help them get out of here without being ran: maybe.
For the first time since they heard that Jericho would be okay, they breathed a sigh of relief. For now, there was hope. There were others out there: other truthers; however, they hadn't considered the possibility of people working within the system being truthers.
The NICU staff was getting used to the couple being "different" from the other, more care free parents. Some times, the nurses would talk with the one who was awake to pass the time on their shift. The couple kept the fraternizing to a minimum with hospital staff.
After the first week, an older nurse stopped by Jericho's isolette and prepped a shot for him. "What's that?" asked Katrina.
Reaching out to unwrap Jericho, the nurse began to motion as if she was going to give the shot before she gave the explanation, "Oh, it's just an immunization," she said.
"No," the word flew out of Katrina's mouth before she could catch it.
The nurse didn't stop unwrapping the baby, "It's the law. Every baby in this hospital gets immunizations," she said matter of factly.
"No, uh-" Katrina panicked. "Only because we're getting all of his records at the same pediatrician and you know how important shot records are. Besides," she was grasping at straws, "he was early and we want everything on the right gestational track."
The next morning, the neonatologist, Dr. Johnston, came by Jericho's bed and sized Katrina and Eric up. "So," he began, "I see here you refused the immunization for young Jericho here."
Katrina regurgitated the same excuses she shared with the nurse and Dr. Johnston smiled and nodded through the entire pitch. She could tell by his microexpressions that he saw straight through her excuses. They were clearly hiding something. He nodded and agreed, "I see no problem in wanting to keep him on the normal track. He can wait for this shot until you can get him back home to see his regular pediatrician."
"Thank you, Doctor," Eric chimed in. He was eyeballing the doctor right back, protectively.
"Well, Dad, I'm thinking his progress has been significant enough to remove the oxygen. I think we can try this just for today and see where we sit with it." Dr. Johnston smiled big, "Whaddya say? Ya wanna be the one to do it?"
Eric nodded with a smile, "Yeah. I'd like that very much. They didn't let me cut the cord and, well, thanks."
Dr. Johnston slightly squinted at Katrina and pointed at her laptop, "Y'know, I get my news online, too. I enjoy my political section straight up: no spin," and with a wink, he was on to the next patient.
Katrina smiled as her eyes filled half way with tears of relief at hearing her paper's mantra, "Enjoy your political section straight up: no spin." She looked at Eric and nodded. He was a fan.
Writing for a local paper had helped them, after all. She had been concerned that being exposed would guarantee the loss of Jericho. A trip to the NICU would have gotten them ran through SACWIS even back in 2006. Now, a mere birth in a hospital at all guaranteed it. Maybe, this doctor would help them get out of here without being ran: maybe.
For the first time since they heard that Jericho would be okay, they breathed a sigh of relief. For now, there was hope. There were others out there: other truthers; however, they hadn't considered the possibility of people working within the system being truthers.
