Chapter 7: The Night Watch
They kept us in the treatment area through the night. The fever responded slowly once the correct antibiotic was restarted and the sedative exposure was addressed with supportive care. I stayed awake for every check, every temperature reading, every small change in my son’s breathing. My daughter slept in the second chair with the teddy bear under her chin, waking only when the door opened and then settling again once she saw that the same nurses and the same doctor were still in charge.
No one from the waiting area was allowed back in. The social worker returned once to confirm that I remained the sole decision-maker for the baby’s care while the formal report moved forward. I signed the necessary papers without hesitation. The months of being overruled inside my own home ended at the threshold of that room.
