Chapter 13

The next day, Natalie showed up at the hospital for her appointment. She showed the consent form and made a point to say, "My husband and I both put our signatures on it." Taking the form, the nurse looked it over, nodded, and started typing on the computer. "You're Natalie, right?" "Yes," Natalie responded. The nurse asked, "Is your family with you?" Natalie was taken aback. "Family?" The nurse shifted her attention from the screen to Natalie. "Of course. You'll definitely need someone with you for surgery. You'll be under anesthesia, so who is going to look after you when it's over?" "I came alone." "You need to have someone with you for us to proceed." Natalie sighed. It had been one hurdle after another. The form needed two signatures, and the hospital wouldn't allow her to go through surgery alone. She needed someone else, but she had no one. Natalie tried anyway. "Does it have to be family? My parents have passed away." The nurse asked, "How about your husband? He sign