Ch 10 Fever
The kid was lying on his right side now. The tube was still in his throat and Hardcastle could barely stand to look at it. He rested one hand on Mark's head and the other on his shoulder, almost encircling him in an embrace.
"How're you doin kiddo?" he whispered, glad to be back so he could know what was happening. Of course there was no answer.
"He's been stable since you've been gone," Shirley offered as she approached. "Now that you're back, I'd like to try decreasing the dopamine again and see if he can maintain his blood pressure.
"What can I do?"
"Just talk to him," she answered and punched the buttons on a machine attached to the IV tubing.
Over the next hour, each time the dose was decreased, McCormick's blood pressure would drop, and Milt would talk to him until it stabilized.
"Judge, I think you should sit down and rest for awhile," Shirley announced at 6 o'clock. McCormick had been quiet since the last adjustment to the dopamine drip, so Milt nodded and settled into the reclining chair Shirley had brought in earlier. He wasn't planning on sleeping and would get up at the first sign of trouble if there was any. McCormick wasn't out of the woods yet, and it looked like it was going to be a long night.
Shirley smiled and stood back, surveying her patient for a moment. Satisfied with what she saw, she approached him again and began her next assessment.
Forty-five minutes later a monitor beeped and Milt jerked awake and moved to the bedside. But McCormick was quiet, so he shook his head to clear it and rubbed his face. "What happened?" he asked Shirley.
"It was the next bed, sorry it interrupted your rest."
Relief flooded through him, then concern as he watched several staff members bustling around a patient in the next bed. Then relief again when he looked back at McCormick.
"How's he doing?" he asked, placing his hand on Mark's forehead, "still feels hot."
"His BP and pulse have been stable, his fever is up a little," she answered.
"How high?"
"102.2, Dr Bell ordered another antibiotic through the IV and I hung it 10 minutes ago."
"Thanks for all you've done, all you're doing."
"Why don't you rest some more?" Shirley suggested.
The judge shook his head, despite the short time he'd rested, he felt surprisingly fresh. It must be because of the adrenaline rush that had woken him up. It felt good to be on his feet and close to the kid. He leaned on the side rail and watched Mark's chest rise and fall, as, despite his best intentions, more memories came to mind.