Written by Danna Colman and Thom Garrett
Dr. Amy Brooks placed the stethoscope on the dog’s chest and closed her eyes, listening intently for what they hoped she wouldn’t hear. Seconds ticked by, and she repositioned the chest piece, focusing all of her attention on the telltale sounds. Suddenly the doctor’s eyes flew open.
They both leaped out of their seats. “What? What is it?”
The doctor looked from the girl’s eyes to the boy’s, clearly taken aback by something. She put the chest piece back on the little pup’s furry chest and listened again. Her eyes slowly raised to meet theirs.
“Your pup definitely has a murmur,” she said slowly.
The girl dropped into her seat, tears already flowing. “Oh, no! How bad is it?”
“It’s not bad at all. I can barely hear it. It’s not how loud it is. It’s what it’s saying.”
They turned to the cardiologist with identical confusion on their faces.
“Her mitral valve seems to be — Well, it seems to be saying Mommy.”
“Seriously?” The boy stepped forward, and the doctor allowed him to insert the earpieces into his ears. “Wow!” he said. “You have to hear this,” he said to the girl.
