Let Him Live by Lurlene McDaniel Read Free Book Online Page B

moment.
    “Name it.”
    “I need you to find out if the money from the Wish Foundation is really mine to spend on whatever I want. When I got sick, I started thinking I could die and never spend the money, and that wouldn’t be right. My family needs the money.”
    “I’ll see what I can find out,” Meg assured him, even though she hadn’t a clue as to how to go about it.
    “You have to figure out a way of getting the information without telling anyone I received it.”
    “I’ll take care of it.” She hoped with every fiber of her being that the money would be his completely. Donovan deserved it. JWC must think so too, or why else would Donovan have been chosen?
    Meg returned to work, determined to find out what she could. She hung around the hospital after her shift ended, until she knew that her father was alone in his office. Meg hurried to corner him before some medical emergency called him away.
    “Are you busy?” she asked, stepping into his office and closing the door.
    “Not at the moment. Come on in.”
    He was all smiles, obviously in a good mood,and she didn’t want to ruin it. “You look happy,” she said.
    “My heart transplant patient is doing so splendidly that I’m going to release her at the end of the week. I love it when things go off without a hitch.”
    “That’s super.” Meg felt her heart hammering against her ribs as she struggled with a way to phrase her questions on Donovan’s behalf. “I was wondering if you could tell me something.”
    “I’ll try.”
    Meg took a deep breath. “Can someone who’s been accepted for your transplant program be kicked out of it?”

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    “K ICKED OUT ?” M EG ’ S father sounded puzzled. “It’s not a social club, Meg. We don’t admit people into the program lightly. We conduct medical as well as psychological tests—interviews with psychiatrists and other doctors to determine if a person can handle undergoing a transplant. Not everyone is a candidate, but once a patient is admitted, he stays until either we find a matching donor or he dies waiting for one.”
    “And so if the money part’s already handled, it won’t matter if someone waiting to get a transplant gets rich all of a sudden? What I mean is, what if someone needs a transplant and he’s accepted and the cost is already covered and then that person wins the lottery or something. Will hehave to pay for his own transplant just because he’s gotten filthy rich?”
    “Once funds have been allocated for a patient, his medical procedures are covered, no matter how rich he gets. But there are many costs following the transplant that the patient will incur,” her father replied.
    “Such as?”
    “A changed life-style. The immune-suppressant drugs. They can run upward of ten thousand dollars annually.”
    “That’s a lot of money.” Meg’s elation over Donovan’s being able to keep his Wish money quickly vanished.
    “But those drugs allow a patient years more of life. How can you put a price on that?” He steepled his fingers together and eyed her quizzically. “Why all this interest in finances?”
    Meg thought quickly, then replied, “I’ve been noticing things this hospital could use.”
    “Such as?”
    “For instance, why isn’t there a hotel nearby for a patient’s family to stay at while they wait around for a transplant?”
    “I admit it would be very helpful, but land around here is at a premium. This area was all residential until Memorial was built, but slowly, over the years, people have moved to the suburbs. Ever since the transplant program’s come in, Memorial’s grown even more.”
    “It bothers me that people like Mrs. Jacoby have to live so far away. I’ll bet Donovan wouldlike to have her closer. And it must really be hard on littler kids. I see their parents sleeping in their rooms in chairs, or even on the couches in the waiting rooms. They don’t look very comfortable.”
    “You’re right. I wish we had a special house for