12 She is Thirteen

The next morning Shi Ai went to the Imperial Hospital accompanied bu Auntie Wu.She had been told that there was a possibility that she could be cured.They needed to see her and study her heart more in order to decide.Nervously clutching the chain around her neck,she reminded herself that she needed to be brave.Only then she would be able to remain healthy and keep her promise. Auntie Wu also seemed nervous.She had never seen a hospital that did not look like a hospital.She had expected some extravagance as the hospital was mainly for the military and the elite but this place did not look or smell like a hospital.At the reception she was asked to name the patient and the doctor so she hurriedly said both.She felt the nurse look at her a bit oddly but saying nothing she showed her the way,telling her to take the lift and go to the top floor.

The doctor was a kind looking man with shrewd eyes.He saw the nervous girl and quietly asked her all sorts of questions about her likes and dislikes.Seeing her get comfortable the doctor offered them both a tour if the faculties.Looking around he showed Shi Ai all the machines and the labs.Once she was not as scared as earlier,he indicated the nurse to take the requisite signatures from the guardian and started with the blood tests.The next thing was admitting her into the hospital for an angiography. The procedure was an X ray imaging using angiograms to study the nerves throughout the body.This procedure had been done on the girl earlier as well but the results were not very clear as they had used older technology.

The doctor had carefully prepared the procedures as the nerves of children were thinner.They would be conducting the non invasive angiography tomorrow after deducing the girl's approximate age.

Same evening:

"The girl is at least 12 years or 13 years.Her growth is slower due to the defect in her heart and so she looks younger.Also I have done other tests on her.Captain,usually when one of our five important organs is damaged for a longer period of time,the others suffer as they have to over work to compensate for that.The other tests have come out clear so mostly no other complications should arise.This also indicates that it is not a birth defect as it had been indicated earlier.We will be doing a MRI scan also on her to check her brain functions tomorrow."

Ah Hai heard the entire summary and felt a sense of relief.Hearing the assurance in the doctor's voice,he further asked,"Then is it possible to have a treatment without surgery?"

"No.The surgery is going to be a must and so is the post operative care.In fact if you can I would suggest that you transfer her to country A's child cardiac specialist.His clinic provides not just the surgery but also the post operative care.The surgery is not the riskiest part.It is the chances of infection that pose a risk and usually cause harm to the patients.The child is currently living with many children and naturally the chances of infection are higher.So if as you said,money is not a problem so you can take her there.If you are willing I will forward all the reports to him and also accompany her there as the attending doctor. "

Ah Hai agreed to the doctor's suggestions and made his own arrangements to go there.His eldest brother would be travelling to country A soon for his sister in law's studies and he would go with them.His brother had asked him to protect Alicia when they were there and he had been worried that he would not be able to support the little girl.But now he could see her recover and be at peace.

Two Months later in Country A:

Ah Hai waited for his brother to return to the country so that he could hand over his sister in law's security back to him.He knew his brother had suffered a blow in the recent accident when fighting their ruthless and biological grandfather Wang Wei.So he was only returning now.Wang Wei had caused much damage to their family and Ah Hai hated the man with a vengeance.He was the best sniper in the country and could have taken down the man in a shot but his big bro had already called dibs.And now that the man was dead,Ah Hai hoped that his brother would have some peace in the future.

Ah Hai had been ordered to report back as some of the rumors that Wang Wei had spread before his death had almost branded him a traitor.Thankfully he had been able to provide sufficient explanation that he was not charged with treason.But the higher ups had received a chance to flex their muscles and show him who was in charge.So of course he was going to let them.

Anyway the reason he had come to country A was now safe.Shi Ai had undergone the operation last month and was now in post operative care.Her condition had been critical for some time as some medications had counter acted but she was now going to have a smoother road ahead of her.

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