Chapter 10

Two weeks later, Kayla walked into the ER; Luka was the first to spot her. "Kayla, how are you feeling?"

"Great, actually I was wondering if I could talk with you."

"Sure, let's step into the lounge"

"I was hoping you could get me back into work"

"Peter won't clear you?"

"He wants me to rest some more, but I'm going stir crazy"

"Sure, he's down on a consult right now" After talking with Peter he agreed to clear her for half shifts. Unfortunately a mass casualty incident in and she was working on a trauma patient when he woke and punched Kayla in the chest, stunning her for a few seconds during which her patient passed out again. At that moment Luka entered and saw Kayla was resting on a stool while the nurses worked to stabilize the patient. Chuny was keeping Kayla upright. "Chuny, move her into exam 4 and check her vitals."

"Sure Luka"

When Luka entered the room he was immediately worried as Kayla was still being supported by Chuny, "Kayla, where is the pain the worst?"

"Can't Breath"

"Increase the oxygen, start an IV and page Benton"

When Peter entered the room he was fuming, "Kovac, what was she doing working trauma?"

"We have a mass casualty"

"Damn it, push the drugs and let's intubate, then get a chest x-ray and page me when it's back" When the x-ray came back he realized that there was fluid build up in the chest and a broken rib so a chest tube was placed and she was admitted to the ICU.

A couple of hours later Kayla woke confused as to why she was intubated until she remembered what happened. "Kayla your okay just open your eyes" she slowly complied. "Are you in pain?" a nod was the response. "I'll get your meds and then you can get some more rest."

The next day

Peter was a little surprised that Kayla slept through the extubation until the nurses informed him that she had requested pain meds a half an hour before he arrived. "Page me when he wakes." Two hours later, having been paged he returned to Kayla's room "How are you feeling?"

"Sore, why was I intubated and why do I have a chest tube?"

"What do you remember about yesterday?"

"Getting punched in the chest"

"You ended up with a broken rib and some fluid in the chest. I placed the tube so you could breathe easier"

"How much longer until it can come out."

"Tommorrow if everything stays stable"

"All right, I'm just a little sore and tired, so I'm going back to sleep"

"Do you need anything for pain?"

"No"

"Get some sleep then" but Kayla was already asleep.

The next day, Peter was removing Kayla's chest tube when Luka entered. "How's she doing?"

"Well, I just removed the chest tube and in 12 hours if she stays stable she can go home."

"Is she sedated?"

"I thought it would be easier for her with the broken rib"

"She certainly will be in for a long recovery emotionally."

"She still has the trial to think about right?"

"She still has the trial to think about right?"

"As far as I know there is a trail, I just hope she is strong enough to handle it."

"When is the trail?"

"Tommorrow according to the police"

"I'll see if I can get her discharged early"