CALIFORNIA DREAMS
Chapter 10—Emergency
After Maria Montez's visit, Gabriella continued to withdraw, and Troy's worry deepened. Sometimes she was fine, and things seemed perfectly normal between them. Other times, she would slip into a state of melancholy, which she blamed on missing her mother. Indeed, she was suddenly very intent on calling her mother every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Maria had lived out of state for more than five years, so it seemed strange that Gabriella was suddenly so clingy and concerned about her mom. Troy knew there was something else going on, but if he pressed her too much about it, she got upset and stopped talking altogether.
On Thursday, Troy was assigned to work with Dr. Overman in orthopedics. After assisting with a knee replacement surgery, he went with Dr. Overman on his rounds. They followed up with patients who'd had surgery earlier in the week, charting progress and modifying physical therapy orders as needed. Troy enjoyed orthopedics. It wasn't the adrenaline-filled, life-and-death roller coaster of the ER, but he liked the satisfaction of improving patients' quality of life, whether by helping a young football player get back on the field, or enabling a grandfather to play with his grandkids without joint pain.
Troy was going over post-operative instructions with a patient when his pager went off. He frowned when he saw that the page was from Kelly. She was working in the Cardiac Care Unit—Why would she be paging him? He finished his patient consultation and walked to the nurses' station to answer Kelly's page. The phone rang twice, and then she picked up.
"Cardiac Care, this is Kelly," she greeted.
"Hey, Kelly, it's Troy. What's up?"
"Hi, Troy," she answered. "I was just wondering if you'd talked to Gabriella this afternoon."
"No, why?" he asked.
"Well, I just talked to Mark… He's down in the ER, and he said the EMTs were out on a call to UC Hastings. That's where Gabriella works, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Troy replied. There were over a thousand students enrolled at Hastings, and nearly 200 teachers and staff. Probably just some kid who drank too much and did something stupid, he thought.
"Okay, well, I thought maybe she had heard what happened. I'll let you know if I find out anything," she told him.
"Yeah, thanks," Troy answered. He hung up, and then dialed Gabriella's cell number. No answer. He glanced at the clock. She has a class, that's why she's not answering, he told himself. He left a message asking her to call when she finished her lecture, and then busied himself updating patients' charts. About twenty minutes later, the phone rang at the nurses' station, and the nurse who answered handed it to him.
"This is Dr. Bolton," he greeted.
"Troy, it's Kelly," she answered hesitantly. "Um… Just wanted to let you know… the Cardiac Care Unit just got a standby call from the ER…"
"And?" Troy tried to control the impatience in his voice.
"Well," she continued, "They said there was a cardiac patient in the ER… a professor who collapsed…"
Troy felt all the air leave his lungs.
"I don't have any information about the patient," Kelly continued. "But I thought you should know… Troy, I'm sure it's not her. I'll let you know as soon as I hear…"
Kelly's voice in Troy's ear faded as his attention jerked to his vibrating pager. It was a message from Mark, four words that made Troy's blood run cold.
Come to ER stat.
He dropped the phone, cutting off Kelly's nervous rambling, and ran for the elevator.
To Troy, it felt like it took a lifetime to get to the ER. The Ortho unit was in a separate wing of the hospital, and several floors above the ER. Still, in his state of panic, he made it there in under five minutes. As Troy barreled into the ER, eyes wide with fear, Mark was waiting for him.
"Where is she? What's going on? Is she hurt? What happened?" Troy pleaded. He felt like his heart was about to explode in a million pieces.
"Dude, calm down," Mark told him. "Gabriella isn't hurt."
"Then why…?" Troy started to ask, but Mark cut him off.
"Troy, listen to me," Mark said sternly. "A professor collapsed—heart attack, followed by ventricular fibrillation. Gabriella was with him when it happened. She called it in and gave him CPR for almost 15 minutes until the ambulance arrived. She came in to the ER with him."
Troy rubbed his hand through his hair as his eyes scanned the hallway, looking for her.
"Man, when she came out of that ambulance, she was hysterical." Troy's eyes snapped back to Mark's, his relief short-lived. Mark's face mirrored his concern.
"Where is she?" Troy asked again as he started walking quickly, not waiting for Mark's answer as he began searching the labyrinth of the ER.
"Interview room, talking to the campus police," Mark answered, jogging to catch up with his friend. "Kelly's with her. She got here a couple minutes ago..."
Troy broke out into a run, dodging doctors and medical equipment along the way. When he burst into the interview room, the sight of her nearly broke his heart in two. Gabriella was huddled in a plastic chair talking to two campus police officers while Kelly rubbed her back soothingly. Tears flowed unchecked, and her arms were clutched around her shaking body. When her tear-filled eyes lifted and met Troy's, she let out a small whimper. Troy rushed across the room, kneeling on the floor in front of her, and she dove into his arms. The policemen closed their notebooks and left the room, and Kelly and Mark watched in helpless silence as Gabriella's sobs wracked her small body. She clutched Troy like a lifeline as he gathered her in his lap and held her, tightening his strong arms around her to make her feel safe.
Finally she quieted, and Troy tilted her chin to look at her. "Gabriella, sweetheart," he started. "Can you tell me what happened?"
She drew a long, shaking breath. "It's Dr. Lentz. He's my mentor," she added for Mark and Kelly's benefit, and they nodded. "We were going over an evaluation, and he started having chest pains. I tried to convince him to go to the hospital, I really did, but he said to wait a few minutes and it would pass. Then he collapsed, and a couple minutes after that his heart stopped. I had to do CPR until the ambulance came." Her eyes welled up with tears again. "Oh Troy, I was so scared. I should've called for help as soon as his chest pains started. What if he dies? It'll be all my fault! What if…?" She broke down again, and he dropped kisses in her hair, holding her face snugly against his chest.
"Shhh," Troy soothed. "It'll be okay. Don't cry, please, baby." He glanced up at Mark, nodding toward the door.
"I'm going to go see what I can find out," Mark said.
"I'll go with you," Kelly added. She shut the door on her way out, leaving the couple alone.
"He's such a good man," Gabriella cried. "Why did this have to happen to him? He's done so much for me. He needed me, and I didn't do enough to help him."
Troy eased Gabriella away from his chest, cupping her face in his hands. Even with her red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks, he thought she was absolutely beautiful.
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he told her earnestly. "I know how much he means to you, and I'm sorry you had to go through that. But you have to stop blaming yourself. You did everything you could. Once a patient goes into ventricular fibrillation, they'll die within five minutes if there's no medical intervention. Gabriella, you most likely saved his life. Mark said you did CPR for almost 15 minutes?" He paused, and she nodded. "Giving CPR is exhausting, especially unassisted… And giving it to someone you know, someone you care about… I can't even imagine. Baby, I'm so, so proud of you."
"But it won't matter if he doesn't make it," she argued softly.
"Hey, don't talk like that," he murmured, wiping lingering tears from her cheeks. "It does matter. Either way, you gave him a fighting chance. His chances of survival are far greater since he made it to the hospital. It's out of your hands now—you just have to have faith."
"It's so hard, Troy," she answered, dropping her eyes as tears threatened once again. "It's too much. Everything that's been happening to me…"
Troy frowned. "What else is going on?" She didn't respond. "Gabriella, what else? Sweetheart, please talk to me. You've been keeping this inside way too long. Please tell me so I can help you. Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together."
She lifted her eyes and drew a shaky breath, but before she could speak, Kelly knocked on the door.
"Gabriella, a few of your colleagues are in the waiting room," Kelly said. "Do you want me to bring them back here to sit with you?"
"No!" Gabriella retorted, startling Troy and Kelly with the sudden strength of her voice. "I'm sorry," she explained. "I'm just not ready to see them yet."
"Okay…" Kelly answered as Mark appeared behind her.
"How is he?" Gabriella asked anxiously, scrambling to her feet.
"Well, the paramedics were able to restore a normal heart rhythm, and he's having an EKG and blood enzyme test right now. When they isolate the blocked coronary artery, they'll take him in for emergency surgery," Mark explained. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Gabriella, he's in very critical condition, but he's alive."
She nodded soberly, and felt Troy's hand gently rubbing her back. She leaned back into his chest, needing to be close to him, to feel his strength. He understood, and pulled her closer, nestling his stubbly chin against the side of her head as he laced his fingers with hers.
"Now," Mark continued. "Does he have any family that we need to contact?"
"He has a daughter," Gabriella answered. "She lives in… Virginia, I think. Dr. Heller would know—She's the Dean, and they've worked together for years."
"Mark, there are some professors in the waiting room," Kelly supplied. "I'm pretty sure one of them is the Dean, but if not, they can tell you how to get in contact with her."
"Okay, thanks," Mark replied, giving Kelly a nod before returning his gaze to Gabriella. "I promise I'll let you know as soon as we find out anything, okay?"
She nodded again, and Mark spun and left the room. Troy turned Gabriella in his arms, tucking her head under his chin as she nuzzled back into his chest. The silence was interrupted by the sound of Troy's pager, and Troy muttered under his breath as he checked the message.
"Kelly, are you free to stay here for a little while?" Troy asked.
Kelly glanced at her watch. "Yeah," she answered. "Barbara said she'd call me if they needed me, but we're coming up on a shift change, so I should be able to stay as long as you need me."
"Good," Troy nodded. "I need to go back up to the Ortho unit and check in with Dr. Overman. Do you mind staying here with Gabriella until I get back?"
"Not at all," Kelly replied with a smile.
Gabriella lifted her head to look between Troy and Kelly. "It's okay, Kelly… If you need to go back to work…"
Troy reached up and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Sweetheart, you've had a lot to deal with today, and I don't want you to be alone, okay? I'll get my work done a lot faster if I know you're in good hands, and I'll be back as soon as I can. All right?"
"Okay," she agreed. He gave her one last squeeze and a lingering kiss on her forehead, and then reluctantly turned and left the room.
"You've got yourself one amazing man there, Gabriella," Kelly observed with a smile as she settled next to her.
"I know," Gabriella returned, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Trust me, I know."
A couple of hours later, Troy was still detained in Ortho, much to his frustration, and Kelly had persuaded Gabriella to leave the ER long enough to grab a snack in the hospital cafeteria. Mark had told them that Dr. Lentz was in surgery, and promised to keep them updated. The women chatted easily, as if they were old friends, and Gabriella realized that it felt good to get her mind off her worries, even for just a little while. Kelly had been telling Gabriella funny patient stories, enjoying the sound of Gabriella's musical giggles, but her mind began to wander and she abruptly sobered.
"Gabriella," she started cautiously. "Did Troy tell you about a domestic battery patient that Mark saw in the clinic a few weeks ago?"
"Jane Doe?" Gabriella asked, curious at the abrupt subject change.
Kelly nodded. "Well, she came back earlier this week. Mark called me—I did an internship at a battered women's shelter—and asked me to come talk to her. So I did, and… oh, Gabriella, she was such a mess. I feel awful for her."
Gabriella reached across the table to pat Kelly's arm. "Did she tell you anything?"
Kelly shook her head, frustration evident in her face. "Not much. She said it was her husband, and that it was her fault. I can only imagine the things he's said to her to make her actually believe that she deserves to be treated that way."
"You still don't know who she is?" Gabriella asked.
"No," Kelly replied. "Mark stalled as long as he could while I talked to her. He stitched up the lacerations on her face and back, and splinted her sprained wrist. But when he was done, she just thanked us and got up and left." Kelly stopped and looked across at Gabriella. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be telling you this—you have enough on your mind. But it's been bothering me so much, it just feels really good to talk about it. I wish I could've done more, maybe gotten her to stay or at least give us her name."
Gabriella smiled wistfully. "I know what you mean. But Kelly, you can't help her until she is willing to help herself. You did all you could, and you gave her a way out, so at some point, if she decides she's had enough, she'll know what to do and where to get help."
Kelly nodded reluctantly.
"Now," Gabriella continued with a devious smile, changing the subject again. "Tell me what's going on between you and Mark!"
Kelly's face split into a grin. "Well, actually…" She was cut off by the sound of her beeper. "Oh, saved by the bell," she joked before reading the number. "It's Mark. Come on, let's go."
When the women returned to the ER, they found Mark and Troy talking to one of the attending physicians. Troy was finally done for the day and had changed into his street clothes, though he still had his hospital ID clipped to his shirt pocket. He reached out for Gabriella and tucked her into his side, his arm holding her there securely. He searched her face and was relieved to see no sign of recent tears, though her eyes still betrayed her earlier distress.
"Dr. Richards," Troy addressed his colleague. "This is my wife, Gabriella."
"Nice to meet you, Dr. Richards," Gabriella said as she extended her hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well," he replied, shaking her hand. "I understand that you are the one who administered CPR to Dr. Lentz. He was very fortunate to be in the presence of someone with the necessary training to save his life."
Gabriella shrugged, uncomfortable with the accolades. "I worked several summers as a lifeguard when I was in high school and college," she explained. "But I've never had to perform CPR before. It was so much harder than I expected." She studied all three doctors' faces, trying to read in them what she wanted to know. "How is Dr. Lentz?" she asked quietly, afraid of the answer.
"His cardiologist successfully cleared the blockage that apparently caused his heart attack," Dr. Richards told her. "We won't know the extent of the damage until we run more tests. He's still in critical condition at this point. "
Gabriella nodded solemnly. "Were you able to reach his daughter?"
This time Mark answered. "Yes—She'll be here in the morning."
"Can I see him?" Gabriella asked.
Dr. Richards nodded. "He hasn't regained consciousness, but you can spend a few minutes with him."
"Thank you, Dr. Richards," she told him. He nodded again, and walked away.
"Come on, sweetheart," Troy said softly. "I'll go with you."
Gabriella nodded, and Kelly reached out to grasp her hand in a show of support.
"Thank you," Gabriella murmured, leaning over to hug Kelly. Then she turned to Mark, offering her thanks and a hug to him as well.
"We'll be thinking about you," Mark told her. "Let us know if you need anything, okay?"
"Will do," Troy answered for her. His arm slid protectively around her shoulders, and together they set off toward the ICU.