Nickerson steps into the waiting area. She reaches out to shake Adam’s hand and introduces herself. “We have Avery stabilized and her core temperature is down to one hundred and two degrees. We will have to watch her very carefully. More seizures are a real possibility. We are moving her to the pediatric intensive care unit. The biggest concern now is if any organ damage occurred. Being subjected to such intense temperatures can be especially dangerous for the kidneys. We’ll do further blood tests as well as check Avery’s urine to look for muscle breakdown, infection and electrolyte abnormalities. Avery is in and out of consciousness right now and when she opens her eyes she appears to be quite confused.” Adam looks bewildered and keeps looking back and forth between Dr. Nickerson and me. I squeeze his hand trying to convey through my touch to be patient, that I will explain everything after Dr. Nickerson leaves. “This is a critical time for your daughter right now.
