My Son Called Me From The Hospital. When I Arrived, The Doctor Went Quiet And Said, “You Know He’s Our Chief Of Surgery… Right?”

midnight and it’s getting worse every hour. I’m nauseous. I threw up twice. I’m sweating. I think I have a fever.”

The words snapped into place like a latch. Right lower quadrant pain. Nausea. Vomiting. Fever. Classic acute appendicitis—until proven otherwise.

“What’s your temperature?” I asked, and hated how steady my voice sounded.

“I don’t know. They continue reading …