Hey everyone! YES, it is already August and I can’t believe it myself. I appreciate your interest in my book AND I want to thank you for your patience. We had originally hoped that the book would be ready by spring or summer of this year, but much to my disappointment… it was not. In life we run into some unexpected road blocks. We have to roll with the punches and keep plugging away. My most sincere apologies for the delay. Thank you to those who are asking WHEN it will be ready. After recalibrating, we will be sharing a new release date and push to get it to you sooner. As a small gift to you, I am sharing the first chapter of I Guess a Drink is Out of the Question? I assure you that the book is REAL and I hope that you enjoy this excerpt. For the record, I am completely throwing myself under the bus with my editor, but you are all worth it! We are shooting for early 2024. Thank you again for hanging in there with me… I promise it will be worth the wait!
I Guess a Drink is Out of the Question?
Chapter One
After the second day in the hospital, things were not looking good. She lay there, completely out of it, fogged over by the anti-seizure meds. Her skin was sullen and seemingly turned more yellow by the minute. Jaundice. She had been perfectly healthy. Did this all happen yesterday? Or was it the day before? The numbers were all wrong, still heading in the opposite direction of healthy. Liver enzymes skyrocketed into the heavens, blood counts continued to dive deep into the abyss, and it was all happening far too quickly.
He sat in the sterile room at Lankenau Hospital, exhausted and hunched over, head hanging heavily in his hands. The constant beeping of monitors had become white noise. Flowers and cards lined the window sill. There had been blood tests and ultrasounds. The orderly had apologized profusely as he wheeled the hospital bed back from the last test. She looked horrible and had obviously been crying. Left completely alone in a hallway, for half an hour in severe pain. Alone. He was furious, why hadn’t they allowed him to accompany her? Alone. Crying. Severe pain. The anger had subsided and now, he was just plain exhausted. A feeling of desperation took over. Please God, help her! Help me. He glanced up at the hospital bed and grasped the cold metal guard rail, thinking this is not what I signed up for. Taking a deep breath, he slowly shook his head from side to side, trying to will it all away. The love of his life, here one day and gone the next…it’s just not supposed to happen this way.
Startled back to reality from the tap on the door, he jumped to his feet and the doctor entered the room. “It’s time” said Dr. Fox. They stepped just outside of the room and Dr. Fox walked through the procedures. He nodded understandingly and mentally prepared himself. The medical staff had already explained that this was their last option, a bit of a “Hail Mary”. He walked back into the room, slid the chair as close to her bedside as possible, grasped her hand, and began to pray silently. As the staff poured steadily into the room, they quickly hung the bag of murky dull orange liquid, hooked everything up and pure quiet took over the room. The blood transfusion was underway and all eyes were on her limp and almost lifeless body. He could smell the urgency and taste his own fear. The minutes felt like hours as he began to sweat, heart pounding loudly, panic setting in. In their heart of hearts, they all knew that if this was not successful, her final breath would follow shortly thereafter. And then he would be planning a funeral.
