Part 2 of 5 of a little series I am drawing where Ion, due to his serous injury where he went into cardiac arrest and almost died years ago, left some permanent damage to the left side of his heart, causing irregular heart beat that required a pacemaker to make it function somewhat normally. Over time though the left side of his heart weakens causing both aortic and mitral regurgitation, to a point where he has to undergo open heart surgery to replace both.
The mood was silent on the train back to the capital, Ion just seamed overly stressed and no matter what Zephyr or his father did, noting seamed to help. After a few hours, the train arrived in the station and Ion's group departed, meeting Meeka just outside where she drove them all to the Hunter's Hospital. Ion was checked in, having to undergo a minor physical and then having to change into a hospital gown. Ion then was placed on a gurney and taken to a private hospital room, where he could rest and relax while awaiting his surgery the next afternoon. His vitals were taken again and since his heart rate was getting a little bit too high, they inserted an IV with some stress relieving medication to help him relax more. Ion tried to get some rest over the night but his mind was still racing and sleep was almost non-existent. In the morning, Meeka came in to help get Ion ready for his surgery at about quarter after one in the afternoon and while she had to perform one operation before she got to his, Meeka told him that she would still do his pre-operation physical before his surgery started and that she would see him latter. Zephyr and Ivan still tried to cheer up Ion in the hours leading to the surgery but still to no avail.
At noon, nurses came in and took Ion to the surgery waiting area. Still lying on the gurney, Ion now alone still tried to calm himself down, he has been through many surgeries before and some on his heart but it was still hard for him to go through all this. Meeka came in a bit latter, in her more cheery mood, which Ion didn't want any part of at the moment. Closing the curtains around him, Meeka did Ion's final physical before his surgery, deeming him fit to undergo it. For safety reasons, Ion's mechanical arm was now removed and Meeka gave him the option of either being wheeled into the operating room or having him walk with her into it. Ion wanted to walk and Meeka help him get off the gurney as he struggled a bit with only having his one hand. She attached the stress relieving medicine bag to a portable dropper an they headed through the double doors, into the corridor leading to the operating room. Ion used the dropper as support with his one hand while Meeka putting her arm around him for additional support as they walked down.
Meeka was still in her cheery mood, trying all things to get Ion to cheer up a bit but he still wanted no part of it, pouting all the way down the hallway at her "insufferable" mood. Just as they entered the operating room, Meeka stopped and tried one last time to brighten Ion's mood, but even she could see that Ion was just getting annoyed with her. Ion was then greeted by Oliver, who was a young and up and coming surgeon who was a heart specialist. He would be helping out Meeka with Ion's surgery, as with her getting more involved with the medic knight, she wanted him to eventually take on Ion's case in regards to his heart. Ion did like Oliver, as he was very knowledgeable in his craft and wasn't as overbearing and restrictive during his recovery process, letting Ion do things that Meeka would not allow, which was the most annoying thing about surgeries to Ion, being forced to stay in bed and rest for longer than he needed with Meeka, but it was only because she really cared and worried about him but even in her mind she did sometimes take it too far. Oliver was more understanding of Ion's figgitness while recovering and would let him do some minor training and such, as long as it was monitored and he didn't over exert himself or tear his stitches.
Oliver helped Ion undress from his gown and get up onto the operating table. After inserting a catheter into a little embarrassed Ion, he quickly pulled the blanket over him, leaving his chest exposed. Next was another part Ion didn't like, when Oliver inserted a metal tool into his mouth that helped guide a breathing tube down his throat. Ion always gagged a bit while this happened as the tube went deep down and after the ventilator was turned on, Ion relaxed a bit letting the breathing tube do it's work. Electrodes were placed on Ion's chest and the ECG monitor was turned on, showing all of Ion's vitals which were still a bit elevated at this point. An anesthetic bag was added to Ion's drip but the valve was not opened yet as Meeka and Oliver still prepared for the surgery. Ion was able to relax a bit more as he tried to slow his heart rate while he was still getting hooked up to all sorts of machines and monitors. At about twenty after one in the afternoon, Meeka signaled that they were ready to begin as the valve on the anesthetic was released, giving Ion a warm feeling in his arm that spread throughout his body. Ion's eyes got heavier as Meeka placed a comforting hand on his head, which helped him relax as he fell into his deep sleep as his surgery was about to begin. ~
