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Mustard Seed: Faith Hope & Love

Chapter One ~ Discovery

By Sasha Zarya Nexus

Can Laura help Leira in her hour of greatest need?

One ~ April 1, 2008 ~ Discovery

“What is it, Sweetie?” said Mark with concern to his wife Leira.  He could see her discomfort as she writhed in the bed with pain showing on her face and in her eyes.”

“Darling, please call Dr Robin for me.  She’ll take care of me much better than if we went to the Urgent Care or the ER.  I can make it over in the car.”

“Sure, Sweetheart.  I’ll call Dr Robin to let her know we are on the way.  Should I call Laura too?”

“She’ll call us soon so maybe when she does we’ll have something more to tell her.” Leira shared an empathic link with her sister Laura.  There was a time when it had been telepathic when they both needed it.

Leira didn’t bother packing a bag and instead Mark helped her into the car.  Off they sped toward Dr Robin Lee’s office.  Mark was a very careful driver but could also be skilled at safely driving with speed on the few times that called for it. 

Leira’s discomfort was being eased because she could sense Laura’s emotion from an amazingly peaceful dream.  When Laura woke then she’d become aware of Leira’s situation.

Before Leira could realize that time had passed, Dr Robin had her in her special exam room and had made Leira as comfortable as she could.  Leira had taken a battery of tests after she’d seen Doctor Lee with her pain and some other unusual symptoms.

Thank goodness for Laura’s dream because the pure joy that had poured thru their empathic link melted the pain and discomfort away.  Once Mark saw the effects that Laura was having on Leira, He realized why Leira hadn’t let him wake her yet.

Dr Robin came into the exam room and smiled, “That must be some dream Laura had, Leira.”  Dr Robin had treated both sisters since they were nine years old when she had first begun practicing medicine.  There wasn’t much about the sisters that she didn’t know.  They both were very dear to her and she would do anything for either of them.

“Yes Dr Robin, Laura was there for me when I needed her most, again.”

“Well let me know when you need some help from me and I’ll do what I can to ease your pain.”

“I will Doctor Robin.  Do you know what’s causing this?”

“I have my suspicions but I’m going to wait to voice them until the results come in from the Lab.  I’ve put a rush on them so it shouldn’t be too long.”

Dr Robin believed in having all the lab facilities in house which made her care less expensive for her patients and shortened the time that they had to wait on tests. Leira was one of her special patients so she had her lab assistant put everything else on hold in order to process Leira’s test results.

“Leira, for now just summon your hope and faith that all this will turn out alright. I’ve seen the results of the faith that you and your sister have. It has worked miracles and I expect your faith to do so again.” Offered Dr Robin to Leira as she took her hand and looked into her eyes. She injected a sedative that put Leira into a very relaxed state.

Leira’s cell phone rang and Mark answered it for her. The phone notified them that it was Laura. “Hi Laura, We were expecting your call. Leira is in a really bad way right now but we are at Dr Lee’s office and she’s been checking Leira to see what is causing her pain.”

“Thanks Mark, May I talk with Leira a second?”

“Sure Laura.” Mark handed the phone to Leira.

“Hi Lori, I’m not feeling too good at the moment as I am sure you know.”

“Hi Leia, I’m sorry that you are not feeling too well, Sis. What can I do?”

“Please do just what you have been doing, Sis. The comfort coming thru our bond is working wonders for me. Thank you, it really has helped. I’m not sure what errands that I might need but we left so quickly that I didn’t pack a bag so if you would stay put for now, it would be a blessing. Dr Lee promised to come in and talk to us in a few minutes with the results of the tests that she has been doing on me. We’ll call you when we get Dr Lee’s results and we’ll know better what help that we will need.”

“’Kay, Sis. I’ll stay put and wait for your call. I hope you feel better soon!”

“I do too Lori. Bye Sis.” Leira hung up the cell and handed it back to her husband.”

“Bye Sis.” Laura hung up the phone and went back to her bed. When she was completely relaxed, she could send healing and comfort thru the empathic link that they shared. She knew that she could do this much better in the peace and comfort of the cottage and that her sister was right that for now it was best for her to stay put.

Right when Dr Robin Lee told them to expect her, she came thru the door to her office where Leira and Mark had been waiting for her. Leira and her husband, Mark, looked toward Doctor Lee with anticipation

Dr. Robin began, “Leira and Mark, I have results from testing that we did and they are conclusive. First, Leira, you are 5 weeks pregnant!” Smiles came to Leira and Mark’s faces because they had been trying for a child. “Second, Leira, you are in Stage 2 Lung Cancer. We were able to determine that all the symptoms that you have been experiencing have come from either pregnancy or cancer.”

Mark replied, “What is the prognosis for treating the cancer, Doctor?”

Dr. Robin answered, “Stage 2 cancer is advanced and active and if untreated leads to Stage 3 which has cancer spreading throughout her body and is very deadly. If Leira were not pregnant, I would recommend Chemotherapy but that would likely cause a miscarriage or irreparable harm to her fetus, perhaps even death. If Leira elected to not be treated for cancer in hopes of delivering her baby, cancer would render her incapable of carrying her child full term even if extreme measures were used to try to keep her body alive.” Leira began weeping as Mark lent his shoulder and tried to comfort her.

Dr. Robin continued,” I’m sorry but your best option is for Leira to have an abortion and start treatment for cancer.”

Mark held his wife but was able to ask,” Doctor what about a surrogate? Can we get her fetus transferred to another woman’s womb?”

Dr. Robin spoke with concern, “If there was some way to save her fetus’ life then I would try it. Her fetus is too large to be transferred. If we remove her fetus from her womb then her fetus would die.”

Leira suddenly stopped crying and snapped alert as if something amazing had occurred to her. “Dr Robin, if there were near perfect tissues match and my entire reproductive system was transplanted intact would my baby live? Is there a chance that would work?”

Dr. Robin answered her, “That might be possible. Keeping your fetus in your womb would protect it since there is no better incubator than a mother’s womb. However, I doubt any woman would be a surrogate in that fashion since it would require her own womb and reproductive system to be done away with. Even if a transplant were a success any future children would be from your eggs and not hers. It would be difficult to ask a woman to give up her ability to have her own children.”

Leira’s face came alive with hope. “So if she doesn’t have a reproductive system of her own to discard, she might be willing to be a surrogate? Let’s say I have a person to be a surrogate covered. How would we proceed?”

Robin’s face contorted with deep concentration and then with a sudden moment of understanding, she relaxed and replied.” If you have a surrogate, and I know who you might have in mind now, then it might work. Please tell me who you are thinking of for your surrogate.”

Leira replied, “My sister Laura. Since she is a transwoman, she doesn’t have a reproductive system of her own to dispose of to make way for mine to be transplanted.”

Mark answered, “Of course! Laura would do it and she’s a near match genetically for Leira. They would be identical twins except that Laura has a Y chromosome instead of a X.”

Dr. Robin exclaimed,” Laura could be our answer! We were thinking alike, Leira. When you proposed someone who was a near twin of you she was really the only candidate. In this case it is fortunate that she hasn’t had a chance to get her GRS done yet because that could have hindered the transplant taking having a second surgery so close to the transplant. The team will have more options starting with everything not touched by surgery.”

Leira smiled,” Great minds think alike! Laura is the only woman that I would trust with both my baby and my womb. So how would we proceed when Laura agrees to be my surrogate?”

Robin’s brow furrowed a bit as she concentrated then she began to speak. “We’d have to get John’s Hopkins involved and hope that our challenge would get them to throw research dollars into it. If so we’d get our best medical minds working on our problems of keeping our surrogate and your baby healthy and bring her to term so her child could be delivered by C section. Once your reproductive system was removed then we could treat your cancer. Trauma of giving a transplant should be negated by a greater effectiveness of cancer treatment without dealing with your reproductive system. “

“Dr Robin what about after I am over the cancer and the baby is born and we are sure that my womb is a permanent part of Laura? Questioned Leira.

Dr Robin answered. “Afterward she could carry another baby or babies for you and since you two are so close to identical, your eggs could let Laura be the mother of her own baby without anyone and especially her child noticing a discrepancy. It could work!”

“Dr Robin you have given me hopes both for myself and my baby. Thank you so much! What do we do now?” Leira had been uplifted by the faith that this could work.

Dr Robin answered with confidence, “Why don’t you contact Laura and have her come here so we can discuss it with her and while she is getting here I will see if I can get Johns Hopkins interested in this case. I’ll get our genetic test results that you two had me run while you were trying to help Laura cope and see if that speeds up our process.”

Mark answered, “I’m on it! Thank you Doctor!” Doctor Lee left her office and Mark pulled out his cell phone and said to Leira, “Are you up to talking with Laura or should I?” “I feel up to talking to her, Mark” Mark dialed Laura with Leira’s cell then handed her cell phone back to Leira when it began ringing.

Laura answered, “Hi Laura!”

Leira replied, Hi Sis. I need you here to talk to you about the results we just received from Dr Robin. Could you come join us in Dr Lee’s office?”

Laura replied, “Sure Sis! I’ll be right there. Say in about 10 minutes.”

Leira replied, “Make it 15 minutes sis. Its not an emergency and I need you here in one piece.”

Laura giggled, ”OK Sis. See you soon. Bye!” Laura was already out the door and to her car when she hung up. She got into her car, put on her seatbelt and drove down the winding driveway. Her cottage was visible in the rear view mirror as Leira and Mark’s home came into view ahead of her. The cottage’s driveway merged with their home’s driveway and she continued out into the street toward Dr Lee’s office.

Leira answered, “Bye Sis!” She hung up his phone, returning it to Mark, and said, "She'll be right here. She didn’t waste time asking why so we’ll have to fill her in when she gets here.”

Ten minutes later, Laura was escorted into Doctor Lee’s office where she joined Leira and Mark.

Leira began to speak to Laura while Laura listened carefully. Laura waited for Leira to finish before she replied. Laura sat across from Leira holding both her hands as she looked into Leira’s eyes and listened.

“Sis I have some bad news but we have a plan to deal with it and it involves you if you are game. Doctor Lee is checking out details to make sure we haven’t overlooked something. She will be back in momentarily to fill you in on details and let us know her findings. Sis, I have lung cancer and its bad… stage 2 … and I’m also pregnant. Doctor Lee suggested an abortion since my baby would die whether we treated my cancer or not since it’s so small now, five weeks. Transplanting her fetus to a surrogate womb would not work since my fetus is so large that it would kill her fetus to remove it from my womb. We brainstormed and thought that if there were a surrogate who received my entire reproductive system intact then my baby would be OK for a transplant especially for someone who was a near genetic match like you are. Mark and I would like for you to carry my baby if we can work out details.”

Laura enthusiastically answered. “Oh Sis yes… I’ll do it!” Laura was glad that a simple yes from her could open a way for her sister and baby to be healthy.

Leira squeezed Laura’s hand that was held in hers as they sat across from each other. “Thank you from both of us Laura. We have one more request, if this works out and you are up to it, Mark and I want you to be a surrogate for another child between us. Then you are free to have your own children. You know Sis that since we are near twins they will be as if yours were born from your own womb.”

Laura thought of everything that Leira had done for her and smiled, “Sure Sis and I will carry as many children for you and Mark as you would like for me to. It’s only fair for your gift that you will be giving me.”

Leira was relieved with the faith to know it would work out. “Thank you, Sis! Now all we need to do is wait for Doctor Lee to see her findings and find out a prognosis.”

Dr Robin Lee came into her office as if on cue with a clipboard full of documents cradled in her arm. She noticed that Laura had joined Leira and Mark since she had left her office.

Dr Robin was always glad to see Laura, who thrived in spite of her challenges. “Greetings, Laura! I’m so glad to see you again. Have your sister and her husband filled you in on our hopes and your contribution?”

Laura held Dr Robin dear for all of her help. “Hello Dr Robin, I’m glad to see you too. Leira and Mark have filled me in and I have agreed to be Leira’s surrogate. I want so much for Leira and her baby to be alright. It will be quite an adventure for me since I never ever expected to be pregnant. ”

Dr Robin realized how easy it would be for Laura to be swept away with this but she deserved to know what to expect. “Laura, I appreciate your enthusiasm but you must understand that Leira’s plan is very experimental and long term you bear a greater risk. Basically, Leira in not choosing an abortion has a poor prognosis for life and surgery gives her a chance to live. However Laura, you are healthy and even if a transplant withstands her pregnancy it isn’t any guarantee that you may reject it later and with so much more being transplanted than is ordinary, transplant rejection would likely cost you your life. Are you really willing to take that risk?”

Laura knew that she owed her sister to take the risk. “Doctor Lee, if I do nothing either Leira or her unborn child will surely die, and if this all works out then both of them will survive. I’m willing to take a chance on my own life to save both of their lives. Yes, I really want to do this, Doctor Lee”

Dr Robin was satisfied that Laura understood the possible consequences so she continued, “Leira and Mark that means that we are one step closer to saving Leira and her unborn child’s life. John’s Hopkins has a research team with funding that is willing to tackle a challenge like yours. They agree in principal to Leira’s plan. They are sending a private jet to take all of us to their research facility in order to start tests on both Leira and Laura to see if they can flesh out Leira’s plan to make it a reality. They sent contracts for both of you to fill out which includes all the paperwork they need to get started. All of the medical info has been pre-filled out from your records" Dr Robin handed Leira and Laura a contract packet.

Dr Robin continued, "They plan 3 days of intensive testing and then they will know whether our present technology can indeed perform a miracle that we all are hoping for to occur. Both Leira and Laura will be paid research stipends which should cover their expenses both for testing and implementation of our plan. I have arranged for a colleague to cover my practice during our tests so I’ll be able to help you during that phase. When it goes to implementation, I’ll leave you in the guidance of our researchers. Tomorrow we'll begin to find those answers at Johns Hopkins, so I would suggest you three make arrangements for a prolonged absence.”

Leira marveled at all the work that Dr Robin had done in such a short time. “Dr Robin thanks so much for putting this together so quickly! You are truly a miracle worker. And thank you for being with us thru our testing because it will put my mind at ease having you there.”

Dr Robin smiled and felt good at being able to help the twins again. “You are welcome, Leira”

Laura questioned, “Dr Robin, Can you explain why they decided in our favor so quickly?”

Dr Robin explained, “Your genetic workup that you two had me do for you on Laura when you hoped to prove that you two were identical twins so you could prove to your mother that you two were sisters. If it were now we’d get a brain scan for proof but our science hadn’t proven that out yet then. Even though it didn’t accomplish your goal then, now it proves that Laura is a close enough match to you to do a transplant without drug therapy to prevent rejection.”

“There is still one thing that has me baffled, Dr Robin. How could I be pregnant? I had my last period like always.”

“How was the flow your last period?”

“It was rather spotty but I have had light and spotty periods before. But I felt the whole PMS before and felt the same discomfort otherwise that I usually do/”

“Laura, how was your last period? I believe that you’ve told me that yours have been at the same time as Leira’s from the time that you started the special HRT that I prescribed.”

“Well I never have any of the messiness of course since I don’t have a uterus, but I feel the other symptoms including PMS and it was a normal period for me.”

“Leira, your spotting can be normal in a pregnancy, but the rest of the symptoms were you experiencing Laura’s period. Her brain is as female as yours which sends out autonomic responses to control the organs that should be present but are not. Coupled with that is the fact that she is fully hormonally female including the hormones would come from her uterus. Together it means she can experience anything about a period except the physical results from organs that she doesn’t have. The short of it was for once, that courtesy of your empathic link, you were experiencing a sympathetic response. So you thought that you were experiencing your own period but it was really Laura’s”

“I guess it’s only fair that after me experiencing yours from the beginning, that you should experience mine once, Leia”

“No worries, Lori! I was just curious and its something to file away for the future. Besides, if all goes well and you become pregnant with my child, neither one of us will be experiencing periods.”

“That’s true but I bet if you can experience my period then you’ll be in tune with me to experience pregnancy along with me.”

“That’s something that you both may have to deal with in the future, First things first, I’m off to get some details taken care of before we go get on that jet.”

“Thank you so much!” both sisters chorused in unison.

Dr Robin excused herself, “Meet me at Lulation General Aviation Field to board our Johns Hopkins Jet at noon tomorrow”

“We’ll be there!” both sisters chorused again and each giggled at each other.

Mark looked at the sisters having fun and just shook his head.  He knew better than to make any comment about their cutting up.  He was hopeful however that both sisters had the faith to make this impossible dream come true for both Leira and their unborn child.