I'm sorry for the massive wait, I have nearly all my deadlines this term in the last two weeks. Enjoy
Sacha POV
It has only been a few days since the extra security had been put in place, but it is already annoying me that it takes an extra 15 minutes to get into the building. I'm feeling apprehensive today as I am going to have to operate on my best friend to remove the remaining pieces of bullet that is in her body. The last few nights of sleep have been plagued with nightmares seeing Jac's lifeless body bleeding out, Raf's body in the lift, and Ollie dying on ITU. It's been almost a week since the shooting and the hospital is now open to new admissions. Finally I am through security and can take the lift to Keller to prepare for the day. I see Professor Gaskell at the nurse's station, we are going to work together to complete Jac's surgery.
"Good morning," I say greeting Gaskell with a smile.
"Good morning to you too Sacha, when you are ready we should talk to Ms Naylor about the surgery."
I quickly get changed into the traditional Keller berry red scrubs, and head up to Darwin. It had been a few days since I last saw Jac, and I was anxious to see how she was doing.
"Good morning Ms Naylor, we just need to go over today's surgery," Gaskell says.
"Go on," Jac replies.
"Sacha and I are going to remove the pieces of the bullet. The two pieces are located close to the spine which is why I am assisting Mr Levy. Due to the CT complications we are doing the surgery on Darwin. We were supposed to have Mrs Beauchamp on standby, but she has been taken ill. We should be fine without her expertise. Are you happy to sign the consent forms?"
"If I don't have this surgery then I could remain paralysed for the rest of my life, is that correct?" Jac asks.
"Yes, it is in your best interests to have this surgery as soon as possible. You will need physiotherapy, and you may get neuropathy after the tissue has healed, but it is better in the long run to have the surgery," Gaskell replies.
"Fine, I'll sign," Jac says.
"Perfect, I'll get a nurse to do your preoperative checks, you're first on the list," Gaskell states.
"Wait I'll do the observations," I say, knowing how Jac feels about semi competent nurses, and the fact that she doesn't like people touching her.
"Thanks," Jac says. "I'm getting sick of all these agency nurses. Jonny was the only somewhat decent one, the rest will probably never step on Darwin again."
"Are you nervous about the surgery?" I ask.
Jac doesn't reply, I guess she doesn't want me to think she is scared.
"Look it is okay to be nervous, but we all know that this is the right decision, it's the only way to get your life back. Gaskell and I saved your life once, and now we will help you walk again." With that I walk out of the room and get prepped for theatre.
Walking into the theatre side room I see Gaskell already scrubbing his hands.
"How are you finding Holby? You were thrown into the deep end on your first day, have you been put off staying here?
"I thrive under pressure, granted I did not expect to have to use experimental unsanitary surgery on a colleague in a life and death situation. I'm surprised that you and Jac are friends, you seem like oil and water."
"It was the clash of personality that brought us together. She used to work on Keller with me, one day we were both assigned to AAU, and we played a game trying to clear the ward as quickly as possible in two teams. In the end we forgot about the side room, and we had an argument in theatre. The patient survived but we were friends from that day onwards. She doesn't let many people in, only a few people really know her. Shall we start?"
We open the partly healed cut that we opened a week ago.
"She is going to have one hell of a scar," Gaskell remarks.
"I think she prefers being alive with the scar, then dead and without."
"Let's do a perfect job, even when she is weak and paralysed she is still scary."
Just as I see the first piece of bullet, I notice Mr Hanssen in the viewing gallery. I motion to Gaskell, letting him know we have company.
"Can you get the first piece?" I ask Gaskell.
"Just about, it's very close to the spine I have to be very careful. Got it."
"I see the second piece, it's lodged between the spine and the left lung. I think I can get it out." The swelling around the second piece meant it was harder dislodging the bullet piece, but I am successful in taking it out without damaging the tissue further. "Let's close her up."
As we finish the procedure I notice that Hanssen had left without a word. We both return to Darwin and wait for Jac to wake up. I decide to sit in the chair next to her bed on HDU.
"Welcome back," I say as she opens her eyes. "The surgery went without any complications, and you are now bulletless."
"Do you want a medal?" She smiles. "Thank you, I appreciate what you've done."
Gaskell walks in interrupting our moment, "The surgery went well, but the spinal swelling will only go down in a week or two. You should rest a bit." He leaves without any further comments.
"If Donna wants to visit me, I can probably tolerate her presence."
"I'll let her know, but I think we should wait until tomorrow as you need your rest. Zosia also wants to visit you. It will be a while until Ollie's awake, so she won't miss him waking up."
"I'll see tomorrow."
Jac drifts off back to sleep, it's easier giving in to the tiredness that anaesthesia makes you feel, although combined with the blood loss Jac would probably sleep the rest of the day. In the mean time I go and visit the ivory tower.
I knock on Hanssen's door, but I don't get a response so I walk in anyway. Hanssen is looking frazzled by his desk, the most recent newspapers piled neatly on the side. I see Fredrik's face, along with separate pictures of Raf, Ollie and Jac on the front page of the Holby Times.
"If I wanted you to come in, I would have answered."
I ignore his remark, "you watched the surgery," I comment.
"I wanted to see that it went well, which it did."
"Jac, and Ollie's predicament is not your fault. Why don't you visit Jac sometime in the next few days?"
"I'm busy."
"Yes I see that drowning yourself in guilt can be classified as busy. You need to talk to someone, I know Jac is not the most forgiving person, but she doesn't blame you. I know you don't want to open up to me, but my door is always open. I need to go back to Keller."
I leave Hanssen to mull over what I have said, and go to Keller to continue my shift.
