By My Hands (33 page)

Twenty minutes passed before Rachel appeared.

“Sorry to be late,” she said. “I was asked to help
with a problem patient.”

“A problem patient?” Adam asked.

“Yes,” she said with disgust. “She’s with some
religious group that doesn’t believe in medical treatment.
Jehovah’s Witness, I think.”

“Are you wanting to give her blood?”

“That’s right.” Rachel replied. “How would you
know?”

“It’s one of their beliefs. It has something to do
with a verse in Leviticus about not eating meat with the blood
still in it, because the life is in the blood. From that they have
determined that blood transfusions are sinful. They’re even willing
to die, if need be.”

“Well, not only is this woman going to die, but so
is the baby she’s carrying.”

“She’s pregnant?” Adam was shocked.

“That’s why she needs the transfusion. She’s
suffering from placenta previa.” Adam looked puzzled so she
continued. “That means that the placenta is located too low in the
uterus and causes hemorrhaging. With prompt treatment the bleeding
can be stopped, but she’s refusing treatment. She began to
hemorrhage hours ago and has lost a dangerous amount of blood. If
she doesn’t let us treat her soon, both she and the baby will be in
real trouble.”

“Are there others with her?” Adam asked.

“Three of them. They stand around her bed guarding
her. They’re polite enough, but they encourage the mother to refuse
the needed blood.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“There’s nothing I can do,” Rachel said. “She’s not
even my patient. I was called in because they thought a female
doctor might help. Unfortunately, it didn’t. Her regular doctor is
helpless. The only thing he could do is declare her mentally
incompetent. Unfortunately, she’s very competent.”

“Why not let me try?” Adam said. “It can’t
hurt.”

Rachel looked at Adam. “Are you serious?”

“Sure, why not?”

“I don’t know if that’s wise,” Rachel said
reluctantly.

“Rachel,” Adam’s voice was serious, “we’re dealing
with a life here, maybe two. Even if the mother survives, she’ll
live the rest of her life knowing that she let her unborn baby
die.”

“I’d have to clear it with her doctor.” Rachel
paused and thought for a moment. “Okay, I’ll ask. Let’s go, maybe
we can still catch him at the room.”

Going to the maternity ward and then walking quickly
through the corridors, they arrived at room 288. As they did, a
chubby, balding man in a white smock stepped from the room.

“Dr. Abrams,” Rachel said, “do you have a
moment?”

“A moment.” His face, drawn and creased with a
frown, revealed his weariness.

Rachel took him by the elbow and led him out of
voice range from the room.

“I want you to meet someone,” she said. “He might be
able to help. This is Reverend Adam Bridger and he’s asked for a
chance to speak to your patient in 288.”

Dr. Abrams peered at Adam as though analyzing every
feature of his face. “Just what do you have in mind?”

“Just a simple conversation with the woman alone,”
Adam said.

“And what do you hope to accomplish by speaking with
my patient?”

“I hope to save her and her baby’s life,” Adam said
matter-of-factly.

“What kind of minister are you?” Abrams asked.

“I pastor a community church not too far from
here.”

“You’re aware that she’s a Jehovah’s Witness?”

“I am.”

Abrams took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.
“I don’t suppose it would hurt. Go ahead. Her name is Angela
Pierce. I’ll be waiting at the nursing station. You said, however,
that you’d like to speak to her alone. I’m afraid her friends may
make that a little difficult.” Abrams turned and walked away.

“Do you mind if I watch?” Rachel asked.

“Not at all.”

“What are you going to do?”

Adam shrugged and said slowly, “I don’t really
know.”

Adam entered the room, followed closely by Rachel.
Inside, he was greeted with the stares of three individuals: two
middle-aged women and an elderly man.

“Hello,” Adam said cheerfully, and a broad smile
crossed his face. The smile was not returned. The only
acknowledgment was a slight nod by the man. Looking at the patient,
Adam saw a pale, slim, and very young, pregnant woman.

“You must be Angela,” Adam said. He moved to the
edge of the bed and gently took her hand. “I hear you’re not doing
so well.”

“Are you another doctor?” Angela asked softly.

Adam could see fear in her eyes. He wondered how
committed she was to refusing treatment.

“Me? No. I’m just here doing what I do best,
visiting people like you. People who want someone to respect them
and care for them.”

Looking past Adam, Angela said, “I know her. She was
here earlier.”

“Dr. Tremaine?” Adam said. “She’s a good friend of
mine. We were just about to go to lunch, but I wanted to stop by
and see you first.”

“Why?”

“Because you are special and because your life is
about to change.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m not sure I can explain it.” Adam didn’t
want to pursue that thought yet, so he changed the subject. “I hear
you’re a religious person. Is that true?”

“I’m a Jehovah’s Witness.”

“How long have you been with them?”

“Two years.”

“Is your husband a Jehovah’s Witness?” Adam
continued to hold Angela’s hand, even though she made no pretense
of holding his.

“No,” she said averting her eyes.

“Angela,” Adam said softly. “Where is your husband
now?”

A solitary tear rolled down her face. “He’s very
angry with me. He thinks I should have the blood transfusion.”

“But you don’t think you should, do you?”

Angela shook her head. “I must have faith. If I take
the blood, Jehovah will think I don’t have faith. Besides, the
Bible says not to.”

“Does it?”

“Yes, it does,” said a stem voice behind Adam. Adam
turned toward the man who looked to be near seventy. He had a
dignified air about him. “The Bible says that the life is in the
blood, and we are not to take the life. We are not to eat meat with
the blood still in it.”

Adam smiled nonchalantly. “Thank you. I’ve read the
Book of Leviticus too.” Returning his attention to Angela, Adam
continued, “Do you like reading the Bible, Angela?”

“Yes, very much.”

“And you believe the Bible is the authority for your
life?”

“Of course,” she said. “So long as it is properly
interpreted.”

Adam had heard that line many times before. It was
usually used by those who felt certain portions of the Bible might
be contrary to their thinking. The best way to deal with those
passages was to declare them improperly interpreted.

“I love the Bible myself,” Adam said. “It’s been my
companion for a long time. Tell me, Angela, what’s your favorite
part of the Bible?”

Angela thought for a moment. “I have so many
favorites it’s hard to choose. I like the Old Testament a lot. I
like the story of Joseph.”

Adam smiled. “That’s a favorite of mine too. What
part of Joseph’s story do you like best?”

Angela perked up, thankful to have something to
distract her from her troubles. “I like the part where he’s sold
into Egypt and rises in power because of his hard work and
dedication to Jehovah.”

“He was a faithful man, wasn’t he?”

“Oh, yes. Because of that, Jehovah could use
him.”

“All right, Angela, how about a trivia question? How
did God use Joseph’s captivity in Egypt?”

“Lots of ways, I guess. One of the most important
things was to save the Egyptians and his own family from the famine
that was to come.”

“Did it work?”

“Oh, yes. Jehovah revealed that a famine was to come
to the land, and so Joseph commanded that all the people bring in a
portion of their crops to be saved for later. Because of that all
the people, including Joseph’s family, were saved from
starvation.”

There was more to the story than Angela was telling,
but that didn’t matter. She was describing the portion he had hoped
she would.

“I have always loved that story,” Adam said. “I’d
like to ask you something about it.”

Angela looked at him suspiciously. “What?”

“Well, why did God use Joseph to save the people
from starvation? Why didn’t God just stop the famine?”

“Because that was Jehovah’s choice. He could have
stopped the famine, but He chose to work His will through
Joseph.”

“You mean that Jehovah God sometimes works His will
through people?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Do you know what I think, Angela?” Adam said
quietly. “I think your unborn baby and you are just like the
Egyptians, and Dr. Abrams is your Joseph. I also believe that
Jehovah God can work His will through people like Dr. Abrams.”

“Now just a minute here, Mister,” the old man said.
“I don’t think you know what you’re talking about.” The ladies
talked simultaneously. The room was filled with chatter. Adam never
took his eyes from Angela.

“I think it would be better if you left, sir,” one
of the ladies said coldly. “You’re not going to change her
mind.”

“Angela,” Adam said kindly, “I have a story to tell
you; a joke actually, but if you want me to leave, I will.”

Angela paused for a moment and stared at Adam. Then
she gently squeezed his hand. Adam’s smile broadened.

“There was this man who lived in a small town. One
day a big storm came through. It rained so hard that the dam
overflowed and the town was flooded. The man escaped the rising
water by climbing onto the roof of his house. Pretty soon the water
had risen all the way to the eaves and he was trapped. Then a man
in a small boat came by and said, ‘Hop in and I’ll take you to
safety.’ But the man refused, saying, ‘God will save me.’ Despite
the pleas of the boat owner, the man would not come off the roof
and the waters continued to rise. A little while later another man
came by in a rubber raft. He said, ‘I’ve got room for one more; get
in and I’ll take you to safety.’ But the man refused, saying, ‘I
have great faith. God will save me.’ The waters continued to rise.
Finally, a helicopter hovered overhead and a man with a bullhorn
shouted down, ‘I’ll lower a rope. Tie it around you and we will
save you.’ But again the man refused and waved the helicopter off,
shouting at the top of his lungs, ‘God will save me.’ So, do you
know what happened next?”

Angela shook her head.

“Well, the waters kept right on rising and the man
drowned. Suddenly, he was standing before God and he was upset. He
said, ‘I don’t understand, God. I had faith that You would save me.
Why didn’t You save me from drowning?’ God answered, ‘I tried—three
times!’ ”

Angela laughed, and Adam laughed with her. A moment
later and in a solemn tone, Adam said, “Angela, you and your baby
are on the roof and the water is rising. When you stand before God
and He asks you why you let your baby die, what will you say? If
you ask, ‘Why didn’t You save me,’ God will reply, ‘I tried, but
you refused My help.’ ”

Angela’s eyes filled with tears.

“Angela,” Adam said. “Letting the doctors help you
is not a sin. You need to be like Joseph in Egypt; let God pick how
He will perform His miracles.”

The three objected again, but Adam held up his free
hand. “And you three—what will you tell your God when He asks why
you encouraged someone to die?”

“It is our faith,” the man said. “I don’t expect you
to understand.”

Adam ignored him, and returned his attention to
Angela. “Angela, you won’t be alone. If these folks leave you, then
I’ll be here. I’ll visit you every day that you’re in the hospital.
You won’t be abandoned, not by me. Angela, there is no reason for
you and your baby to die. Choose life, Angela; choose life.”

Nodding her head in agreement, Angela burst into
tears of relief. The three visitors silently left the room. Adam
leaned over the bed and took the sobbing young woman in his arms
and held her while she wept. Rachel stepped from the room and raced
down the hall to find Dr. Abrams.

Rachel and Abrams returned a few moments later.
Seeing Dr. Abrams enter the room, Angela wiped the tears from her
eyes and said, “I’m ready, Doctor. But please call my husband.”

Stepping away from the bed, Adam said, “I’ll check
in on you tomorrow.”

Abrams patted Adam on the back and said, “Someday I
want to hear all about how you did this.”

“It was nothing really,” Adam whispered. “All I did
was tell a joke.”

“You’re amazing,” Rachel said, as she and Adam
stepped into the empty elevator.

“Not really. When I first looked into her eyes, I
could tell that she was scared. I don’t think she really believed
she was doing the right thing. All I did was help her understand
that it was all right to accept help.”

“Well, you did what none of the rest of us could
do.”

“I’m glad I could help. Now how about some lunch,
and then off to Martin’s.”

Rachel and Adam stepped from the elevator into the
lobby. Once again the swelling crowds shocked him. Without looking
at the crowd around her, Rachel said, “Let’s get going.” Quickly
she turned and, with her sight fixed to the ground, she walked out
the lobby doors with Adam close behind.

Once outside, Adam said, “They make you
uncomfortable, don’t they?”

“Who?” Rachel asked evasively.

“The people in the lobby. The sick.”

“Yes, I suppose they do.” Rachel seemed slightly
embarrassed. “I suppose you think it’s silly for a doctor to be so
ill at ease with sick people, but there’s nothing in our training
to prepare us for such an onslaught. The hospital has some training
for emergency care after an earthquake, or some other disaster, but
this is different.”

“Well, if it’s any comfort,” Adam said, “they make
me uncomfortable too, and helpless. I even dream about them.”
Suddenly it occurred to Adam that he had not seen the crooked
little boy. Had he just overlooked him, or had his mother given up
and taken him home?