"Congratulations, Dr. Kepner. You've done very well for your first month as our Chief Resident. I'm impressed by the organization of the residents, and how things are being handled." He extends his hand to April as he rises to his feet.
"Good work Dr. Kepner. Keep it up."
April smiles to herself as she exits Chief Webber's office and heads for the residents lounge.
"Everything's good!" she announces happily to Jackson, slipping off her lab coat and hanging it up in her locker. "Everything is… good, great, Chief is happy, and I'm off this weekend. Thank God."
"Are we off to Joes?" Jackson looks up suddenly. "Please say we're going to Joes. I need a drink after this week."
"Oh come on geriatrics can't possibly be that bad of a rotation." April shakes her head. "I survived it."
"Yes and you also have the patience of a saint. This was my last week of that rotation and I can safely say If I never see another bed sore again, It'll be too soon."
April chuckles. "Alright I'm almost ready, I just need to go check in on a patient and then we're all set. Head over, I'll meet you there."
"There she is! Okay, now we can sing." Noah smiles as April tiptoes into the NICU.
"Sorry I'm late, I got held up downstairs."
"She's made it one month. We have to sing happy birthday to her." Noah reminds her pulling out a birthday hat for her to wear.
"Oh gosh, okay!" April smiles as she slips it on.
"Alright are we ready?" Noah smiles down, 1…2…3."
"Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to Presley…
happy birthday to you."
Noah smiles at April. "Nice harmonizing Dr. Kepner"
She shrugs, "Vocal ability. Runs in the family."
"Well well! A celebration and I didn't get an invite?" Arizona fake pouts as she walks into the NICU a moment later.
"Sorry Dr. Robbins, I didn't know you'd be here tonight." Noah says sheepishly as he and April remove their party hats.
"It's okay, I'm actually not here for very long but I just wanted to come by and give you some good news Noah. Tomorrow, we're going to take Presley off the ventilator, and see how she does breathing on her own."
Noah's face goes pale. "Are you sure she's ready for that?" He glances nervously at April.
Arizona nods. "She's gained enough weight, she's approaching a little over 2 pounds at this point, I'm encouraged by her vitals, and I think we're ready to try this."
Noah exhales slowly. "And what if she doesn't do okay? How hard is it to get her back on the ventilator?"
"It's going to be okay, Noah. Don't worry. Basically what will happen is, she'll be taken off, and given supplemental oxygen and monitored round the clock for the first 24 hours off the vent to check for apnea and bradycardia, those monitors will stay on for the next forseeable future, and if she stops breathing, We'll jump in. But I'm confident in her. If she can make it for those first 24 hours, her odds of survival will double. We don't want her on the vent for any longer than she has to be."
Noah turns to April. "What do you think?"
April avoids looking at the confusion on Arizona's face, and nods confidently while looking directly at Noah. "Dr. Robbins is right. It's time to see what Presley can do on her own."
Finally, Noah nods. "Okay. Alright, lets do this."
"Okay, Dad. You need to get your rest, I'm ordering you off the NICU tonight to rest up. Okay?" Arizona raises an eyebrow that Noah has learned in the past month not to argue with.
Noah nods. "Message received."
Arizona waks with April out of the NICU and turns to her.
"What was that about in there?"
"What do you mean?"
Arizona raises her brow at April. "He's looking to you for an opinion on If what I'm suggesting is the best course of treatment, that's what. What's going on there Kepner?"
April shakes her head. "Nothing. We've just developed a… bond, being in the NICU the past month, that's all. Nothing more than that Dr. Robbins. We've just spent a lot of time together, because of Presley. That's all."
Arizona nods slowly. "If you say so, I have no reason not to believe that Kepner."
"I am so stoked for my day off tomorrow!" It's my first day off in a month, and I plan to… to sleep in, and make breakfast and finally catch up on all the things I've missed on Oprah. It's going to be great."
"I think your Oprah stuff got bumped off the DVR." Lexie crinkles her nose. "Meredith reprogrammed it all last week."
April grimaces for a moment. "Okay. Change in plans. I… am going to sleep, and make breakfast and…finally visit the botanical garden!"
Lexie shakes her head again. "It's supposed to rain all weekend."
Fine. I'll just sit on the couch and watch bad TV and fold laundry." She grumbles.
"Now she's talking like a resident with a day off!" Jackson chuckles, joining the ladies at the bar.
"where on earth did I put it?" April mutters to herself, digging through her bag the next morning.
"what are you looking for?" Lexie asks as she puts her dishes in the sink.
"my stupid phone charger" April sighs. My phone is about to die and I can't find it. I bet I left it in my locker at work.
"so much for not seeing the hospital on your one day off, huh? Come on, I'll give you a ride in, and then you can pick me up later. "
"Ah ha! there you are!" April declares, triumphantly holding the white cord in her hand. The contents of her locker are strewn at her feet. She quickly shoves the mess back into the locker, and leaves the lounge.
"Dr Kepner?" a med student calls out as she leaves the residents lounge.
"Nope!" she calls back over her shoulder. "Not today, no Dr. Kepner in the building today!"
Just as she is rounding the corner, She finds herself nose to nose with none other than Noah.
"Noah! Hey! Are you ready for the big day?" April smiles, eyeing the door behind him.
Before he can answer her, Noah covers his nose and let's out an embarrassingly large sneeze.
"Noah are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah in fine. He sniffs. "I just… I woke up like this. Im fine though. It's nothing."
April shakes her head. "No, no you aren't okay Noah...you haven't been in the NICU yet today have you?"
He shakes his head. "No, I was just on my way up now actually."
"Noah, you...can't be in the NICU with a cold." April says sadly, "I'm sorry."
Noah shakes his head. it's fine, it's just allergies, I'm not sick."
April sets her bag down. "Sit. On that gurney." She instructs.
"I'm fine." he insists.
"We'll see." She wheels over the vitals machine, and pulls out the thermometer. "Under your tongue. Now."
Noah rolls his eyes. "fine."
After a moment, the thermometer beeps and April raises her eyebrow. "101.4."
Noah grimaces, they're taking her off the vent. You heard what Dr. Robbins said, said the next 24 hours are critical Dr. Kepner. I need to be there.
April sighs. "I'm sorry Noah. She's doing really well but I can't put her at risk, and neither will Dr. Robbins. Her immune system is non existent right now. You know that."
"what if something happens and I'm not there?"
April glances at the door one final time, and hesitates for a moment.
"I'll go up there." She finally says, looking back at Noah. "I'll sit in with her."