Miles slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a small worn bottle containing herbal oil that his grandfather used for minor injuries.
“I sort recyclables every day so I notice when something does not belong,” he replied softly.
He then explained that earlier he had seen a broken charm on the baby carrier outside the hospital entrance with a missing red bead.
“Please let me try to help him,” Miles said with urgency in his voice.
The lead doctor immediately protested.
“This is completely outside medical protocol and absolutely unacceptable,” he stated firmly.
Elliot raised his hand and stopped all objections.
“You just told me my child is gone so I have nothing left to lose,” Elliot said with a broken voice.
Silence filled the entire room as the decision was made.
“Let him attempt it,” Elliot ordered.
Miles stepped forward carefully toward the crib while the entire medical team watched with disbelief.
The infant lay motionless while Delaney cried uncontrollably in the background.
Miles applied a small amount of herbal oil beneath the jaw and gently pressed along the swollen area.
Nothing happened at first and the monitor remained flat.
The lead doctor shook his head in frustration.