"Hey Sam." Zoe greeted me as I walked into the ED to start my shift. My head was aching so much and I really didn't want to talk to anyone. "Rough night?" So it was visible that I wasn't feeling good.
"Yeah, something like that." I replied, and was lying. I just didn't sleep well at all.
"Well there is plenty of paracetamol in the staff room if you need it." Zoe laughed, and walked away.
I walked into the staff room to try and get some peace from the hustle and bustle of the reception area. Stepping inside, I was glad that no one else was in there just yet. I plonked myself down on the sofa and rubbedd my head to try and make the headache go away. I had already had some paracetamol that morning and it wasn't doing a very good job.
"Hey." Someone said as they walked in to the room. I didn't look up but I recognised the voice of Tom.
"Hey." I said, looking up and the light made me squint.
"Whats up?" He asked, looking at me. I sighed. He probably saw through me like Zoe did.
"Not feeling the best, thats all." I said, telling the truth. I really didn't feel the best. My stomach had been doing flips last night making it hard for me to sleep, and that feeling was there along with the added headache.
"Oh. Whats wrong?" Tom asked. I liked that he cared and sat next to me, but I really didn't want to talk as it wasn't doing my stomach any good.
"Headache." I said, keeping it quick and simple.
"Oh. Had any paracetamol?"
"Yep. Took it two hours ago and no change."
"Oh. Bad then." Tom told me and I nodded.
"We had better get started. Have you told Tess that you aren't feeling well?" So much for my peace and quiet...
"No. Its fine. She doesn't need to know." I told him.
"But she might send you home." He said to me, but I put my foot down.
"No. Im staying here." I said. "Don't tell her please. Just keep this between us?"
"Sure if that's what you want..." Tom said, looking at me funny. I turned away so I didn't see that look on his face.
"Yep."
"Well lets get started." He said. "Tess will wonder where we are."
"Fair enough." I said, standing up and shutting one eye because of the pain standing caused me.
I walked out of the staffroom in my scrubs with Tom and got stuck in, hoping to take my mind away from my illness. I got put in resus where middle aged couple had arrived after being involved in an RTC. The woman was in a worse state than the man. Both however were unconscious, and had been ever since they were found. I was given the woman to work on with Zoe.
"Dilated pupils..." Zoe read out whilst checking with the pocket torce. The light that flashed on made my headache flare up again and it was hard to me to concentrate.
"Um, pulse is weak..." I began, "And bruising to the chest looks..." I paused while trying to think of the right word. "Bad."
"Bad?" Zoe asked. "How bad?"
"Could be some broken ribs in there." I paused again while looking at the girl infront of me. "Make two or three broken?"
"Okay." Zoe said, watching me carefully. "What about the leg?"
"Er, ankle is swollen and there is a laceration to the upper thigh." I told her. "Laceration is not deep."
"Okay, can you dress it?" Zoe asked me.
"Sure." I said, getting the equipment and getting stuck in. Concentrating on the wound was hard as my head began to wander to other things. I kept bringing myself back to do the work I was supposed to, but I couldn't concentrate.
"Sam, are you alright?" Zoe asked me whilst watching my hands shake.
"Yeah.. just can't concentrate." I said, angry at myself for not being able to do something simple.
"Look, let me do it. You keep watch on her stats." Zoe told me, and I sighed while switching places with her. I watched her and she kept looking up at me.
"What?" I asked as she looked at me for the fifth time.
"Are you sure you are alright? You look a bit pale." She asked, and I rolled my eyes at her.
"Im fine." I said to her, and even faked a smile, but she didn't seem convinced. "Rough night remember."
"I said there were pain killers in the staffroom." She told me.
"I know. I had one before I got here." I said, and she raised an eyebrow at me.
"Are you sure you should be working?" She asked me, and I told her what I told Tom.
"Im staying here." I said with pleading eyes, hoping she would let me stay.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." I said sternly. I wanted to stay, not go home and have absolutely nothing to do.
"Okay then." Zoe said, giving up. "But if you feel worse, tell one of us, yeah?"
"Yeah, sure, fine." I said, but I wasn't going to burden anyone else with my problems.
"Good." Zoe said. "But go and work in cubicles. This can't happen again in here."
"But I'm fine! It was only the once."
"Cubicles." Zoe said, and I knew I had lost the arguement.
Instead of going straight into cubicles I went into the staff room and was happy to find it empty. I went to lay down on the sofa for a few minutes to see if it would help me. But before I knew it, I had drifted off, only to be shaken awake by Linda half an hour later.
"Hey, Sam." Linda said. "Wake up."
"Oh." I said, I hadn't realised I had fallen asleep until she woke me up. "How long was I asleep for?"
"Half an hour at least." She said to me and I groaned, partly because of my headache and that someone had to come looking for me. "Tess was wondering where you were and I saw you come in here before."
"Oh right." I said, and stood up shakily.
"Are you alright?" She asked me, noticing my shakes.
"Im fine." I said, just as my stomach began to roll.
"Okay." Linda said. "Tess will be looking for me now! Bye." She left me on my own and for once I was happy to be rid of her company. She was such a nice person and a great friend that I loved to talk to, but at the minute I wasn't in the mood for any socialising.
My stomach continued to churn dangerously and I knew what was coming. I ran for the sink and emptied my stomach of its contents. I jumped when someone put their hand on my shoulder. I span my head around and noticed Tom was there.
"Should you really be in today?" He asked me, and I sighed.
"I said that I was staying here." I said.
"I really think you should-"
"Im staying here." I cut him off mid sentence quite harshly. "Sorry but i'm fed up of people saying I should go home."
"I understand that you don't want to go, but maybe it is for the best if you do." He told me, and I sighed.
"It might be best if I do, yes. But i'm not going anywhere." I said.
"Alright." Tom said, backing off as he knew what I was like. "Im working with you in cubicles now anyway. Tell me if you need to go for a bit and I will stall."
"Thanks." I said, grateful for what he was doing. I followed him in to cubicles.
"There you are! I was beginning to wonder where you had gotten to." Tess said as I walked in.
"Sorry." I said to her, thinking of an excuse really quickly. "I was... getting a quick drink in the staff room. I was thirsty."
"Okay." Tess said. "Are you feeling alright? You look a bit pale."
"Fine thanks." I replied with another fake smile.
"Sure?"
"Yep." I said, getting annoyed with the constant questions.
As soon as she had gone, I turned to Tom.
"Do I really look that bad?" I asked, pointing to my face as my stomach began to roll a little.
"Well, you don't look what I would call well." He shrugged.
"Greaaaat." I said sarcastically.
"Lets just get started, yeah?" He said, and gave me a random patient file.
"A drunk?" I said, gawping at him. "Really?"
"Sorry." He said. "Its either that or someone constantly throwing up..."
"Okay okay." I had heard enough of the throwing up.
"I thought I would give you the better one." Tom said.
"Thanks." I said again. I seemed to be thanking him a lot lately.
I walked into cubicle 7, the one I had been given, and saw the drunk sat there on the bed. I sighed before walking in.
"Hello, i'm Doctor Nicholls, and you can call me Sam." I said, and he started shouting profanities at me.
"Your a slut, look at you!" He began to shout, and it was hard not to take it personally. "You slag, you bitch."
"Are you done?" I asked with my hands on my hips.
"No." He spat and slurred. "Witch."
"Now?"
"Yes." He said cockily.
"Good." I said. "Now what is wrong with you?"
"Nothing." He said, staring at me. "Absolutly nothing." I put my face right into his, as I was now sick of his attitude.
"Then why are you here?" I whispered into his face.
His face turned red.
"Get outta my face." He said, swinging his arm and I fell backwards, knocking my head on the wall next to me with quite a force.
I saw feet running towards me as the pain in my head grew and grew. Stars appeared in my vision just as he bent down and had his head right near the floor to be opposite mine. I was beginning to lose consciousness, I vaguely remember him picking me up before I fully blacked out.