In Hope?
Chapter 2
Dixie and Jeff were busy getting a patient unloaded from the ambulance when Tom walked over to see if there was anything he could do to help.
"Right guys, what have we got?" He asked, taking out his earphones.
"Unknown female, she's 37, her GSC is at 8, her resps are at 9 " As Dixie was talking she felt knew who the patient was, having been in a similar accident before.
"OK " Tom, now dressed in his scrubs, had his stethoscope around his neck. "RESUS" He said as the trolley was wheeled in.
"On 3 please ladies and gents " Dixie said as. he picked up a piece of the board and lifted it. "Over we go nice and gently 1, 2, 3 " Sliding her across on to the bed the paramedics left with the trolley.
Tom took the lead on the case as he requested "A full trauma series, blood, mobile chest x - ray stat and formal glucose "
In RESUS Tom and Nick had just gowned up, ready to start the operation. He adjusted the bed that the patient was lying in. "OK. Preparing the first cut. Scalpel please. Nick said as he cut her open and got the equipment ready. He sawed open her rib cage, just along her breast bone and suctioned away the blood. "Opening up the spreaders " . He said as he dipped them in water, he found his hands were starting to shake.
"I can't grip it " Nick said, watching as his hands shook.
"Nick!" Tom said with a warning, they couldn't lose this patient. "You've just opened her up, you can't just leave her "
"You do it " Nick handed Tom the scalpel and guided him through what he needed to do. "Locate the aorta and make the cut. Insert the aortic cannula, tighten the pear strings and we'll attach on to bypass " Nick stated as they watched the blood hoping it would flow through. "Come on, now. There she goes, it's working " He said as he looked at the monitor. "Ton will you get doctor Trueman for me please?"
"OK " Tom smiled, pleased that the operation was a success.
In the on - call room Adam had very little sleep. He wanted Jessica to live and the outcome of the operation would decide that. Tom knocked on the door not wanting to disturb his fellow doctor. He opened the door and looked at Adam. Who was waiting for news. News that Tom could give him.
"Her temperature is almost back to normal, her heart rate is 60, she's clearly in sinus rhythm. We'll be taking her off soon and sending her for a head CT " Tom said, slowly.
"And then she'll go to I. T. U. " Adam said.
"Sure " Tom replied watching the bed be wheeled out of RESUS. Adam walked over and spoke "Come on, sweetheart fight for me " He said to her unconscious figure who was lying so still on the trolley, ready to be transferred upstairs.
Zoe Hanna, meanwhile, had just been given her friends bag by Jeff who had pulled her from the ice, cold water. Zoe stared at the handbag as if it would give her some clues about what had happened. She unzipped the bag finding the normal essentials that a woman would have. Car keys, purse, lip gloss, phone. And what was this? Zoe pulled out a long, thin, white stick. A pregnancy test. Was It positive? Or negative? She turned it over. It was positive. Her heart sank for her friend. There was no way that the baby could have survived that serious operation. Zoe walked over to Tom and said "Tom?"
"What?" The doctor asked
"She's pregnant "
"OK " Tom said looking at the stick and picking it up pocketing it as Adam approached.
"How's Jessica?" Zoe asked
"She'll be fine " Tom replied quickly.
Adam nodded and took a large sip of his coffee as he walked to the lifts to see the unconscious Jessica.