Chapter Fourteen
She was climbing the stairs slowly as she heard the phone ring. It was a horrible night for Nurse Dyer to have to go out, and she turned back to make sure that the young woman had everything together that she needed; the fog was too heavy for her to risk biking.
Nurse Dyer was still on the phone as she returned to the clinical room and opened the bag; then took a new set of tools from the table. The phone clicked and then she heard Nurse Dyer's voice. "An ambulance please."
There was a moment of silence and then the nurse sighed, Sister Julienne watched as she slowly put the phone down. "The ambulance may be several hours, there has been a serious accident due to the fog; its Mrs. Lake."
"I'll come with you." It would be an emotional delivery whether it went well or not but it could also be a difficult one; especially with the mother in law present. Nurse Dyer would need help, and that she could manage. She took the notes card and read the address. "Go wake Nurse Anderson. It is close, we will walk."
….
Valerie nearly sighed in relief as Sister Julienne volunteered to come with her; but concern struck her a moment later. She took the stairs quickly but turned away from Lucille's room and went to the one at the end of the hall, quickly opening the door and crossing to the bedside table to snatch up one of the bottles from the top drawer.
Gently she woke Lucille and then hurried back downstairs, Sister Julienne waited in the entryway; Valerie nearly offered her the bottle. But that felt like an insult, so she stuffed it deeper into her pocket and pulled on her own coat.
"I added a few things to your bag rather than bring mine. I hope that's alright." Sister Julienne twisted the dial on the torch, the light flickered a time or two.
Valerie frowned and took it, the thing was still flickering; she gave it a rap against the railing. It began emitting steady light as they stepped out into the dark, damp fog. She had walked these streets since she was a child, and she had seen more than one foggy night; but she made sure to hug the familiar buildings. There was already at least one accident tying up emergency services; she didn't want to be part of another.
The dampness settled right through her coat and it was a relief to step into the poorly lit building; at least they could see more than a yard or two beyond their faces. They climbed to the second floor and she heard a low moan and as it grew to a cry she glanced to Sister Julienne; they both knew that sound. "I don't think we'll be moving her before the birth."
"No." Sister Julienne raised her hand to knock before pushing it open as she called out. "Midwives calling."
Ilene Lake was in labor, and she wondered if they'd intentionally left it late to call; the baby would be born soon. Even if they had the means to transport her at this point Valerie wouldn't want to. The poor woman had lost each of her previous babies and was terrified now; as though she didn't even notice her mother in law holding her hand.
Pasting a reassuring smile on her face and forcing a calm tone she took out her tools as she greeted the two women. Sister Julienne didn't even hesitate as she took the patient's hand and told her to squeeze with the next contraction; expertly hiding her concerns.
She did the routine vitals and quickly checked to see how much time they had; leaving the fetal heartbeat for last. Pressing the pinard to Ilene's swollen belly she listened and swallowed hard. "Sister Julienne would you have a listen?"
The nun nodded and shifted, leaning down to listen only a moment before a contraction started; her hands moving to check the baby's position. "With the next one it might be time."
As Valerie turned for the tools she felt the nun touch her elbow; her voice still calm but low. "Heartbeat is slow, but we need to keep this room calm; let's get baby into her arms."
Sister Julienne turned her attention back to Ilene as Valerie laid everything out and took position. As the next contraction came the mother to be did push, and again with each one after that; but there was no progress.
Reassurances weren't going to keep the mother in law calm and when Sister Julienne sent her out to boil water; the woman in labor did relax a little. But they both knew it was time for the child to get here. "There we are, now let's meet baby, we are just going to try something a little different; if you can get onto your side."
Trying to help Ilene onto her side and get into a position where she could see to guide baby wasn't easy. Sister Julienne laid a hand on her back, effectively keeping her in position to aid the delivery while slinging the woman's ankle over her own shoulder and taking the hand grasping for an anchor.
Valerie didn't have time to question it as a contraction came and Ilene bore down, finally making progress. With a few more pushes the baby slid into the world and the new mother sagged in exhaustion as she took the mucus extractor; the child limp in the towel.
"Is it a boy?" Ilene asked quietly, head perked, no doubt listening for the child's first cry; hoping for it.
"No, a little girl Ilene. Just give us a moment and you can give her a cuddle." Valerie swallowed hard, willing the child to cry.
"Is it dead?" The grandmother demanded, setting a steaming pot on the dresser, her question raising a sob from Ilene as Valerie tried to clear the airways; she heard Sister Julienne speak firmly to the older woman.
Sister Julienne moved over, rubbing the little one's back and shifted the child onto her left arm as Valerie listened for a heartbeat. With no progress the nun shifted the baby, rocking her on her forearm and then using the mucus extractor again; then rubbing her back. It seemed to be a very long moment before the little girl let out an angry cry of protest and Valerie nearly laughed in relief; and they swaddled the baby and passed her to her mother.
It felt as though she was able to breath again too and as she glanced up at the nun who watched mother and child Valerie worried for a different reason; Sister Julienne was pale and there was a fine sheen of sweat on her skin. As she dug in her pocket, thinking to pass the woman the bottle she had tucked there the nun turned back to attending the patient, leaving her to her own tasks.
The afterbirth came, the bed changed, and room tidied as the new little girl, freshly named Elisabeth Hope, was weighed, examined, bathed and swaddled back into her mother's arms. At long last Dr. Turner arrived, there was a long silent look between doctor and nun before the man checked mother and baby while Valerie packed up her things. Finally, he proclaimed mother and baby healthy enough to stay in their home.
"I didn't see your bikes out front." Dr. Turner commented as they trooped down the stairs, and out into the early morning; not that one could tell with the lingering fog.
"We walked, it seemed the better option given the visibility." Sister Julienne answered, Valerie noticed the woman kept a hand on her side now; moving gingerly.
"Let me give you a lift home, it may be slow going but it is better than being out in this." Dr. Turner gestured to his car and pulled open the door; his eyes firmly on Sister Julienne.
"We would be grateful, I may need a moment of your time at the house." The nun eased into the passenger seat.
Valerie quickly climbed into the back as the doctor stowed his kit in the boot, digging in her pocket she finally offered the woman the bottle of medication. Sister Julienne just looked at her for a long moment and then took one; swallowing it dry.
"Who will be monitoring her?" Dr. Turner asked as he got in and they started back.
"Nurse Anderson will check on her later this morning, are there any extra notes that should be added?"
"I wouldn't mind an update, I'll try to stop by this afternoon. It has been a difficult road for the mother." Dr. Turner navigated the roads slowly as he took them back to Nonnatus house.
They nodded quietly and when Dr. Turner parked, pulling close to the bike shed to protect his car from anyone else trying to get around in this weather. Valerie stayed at the nun's shoulder as they walked up to the house, Dr. Turner hovered a few paces behind; assessing.
Valerie didn't need to assess, she had a fairly good idea what the nun had done, and she swallowed hard; it was partially her fault. Sister Julienne shouldn't have come with her to the delivery, she shouldn't have let Ilene use her as a brace; they should have traded places.
The house was empty, Valerie dropped her bag down in the clinical room and hurried after Sister Julienne. Dr. Turner waited outside the door as she helped her onto the bed, got her habit open and the woman decently covered and bit her lip as she saw that the stitches at the top of the incision had ripped out. Sister Julienne must have been in agony for the last part of the delivery and never complained; given very little indication at all.
"I'll tell Dr. Turner to come in." She whispered, the doctor wasn't going to be pleased; but she hoped he wouldn't be too hard on the nun. Did he know what she had done?
Silently she opened the door and the doctor needed no invitation to enter the room and set his kit on the edge of the mattress. His eyes carefully assessing the woman laying on the bed, she saw the tension in the way Sister Julienne lay; she was trying not to fidget.
"What have you had for pain?" Dr. Turner asked as he carefully touched the sides of the wound and the lower stitches that were intact. He had already known she realized, he wasn't the least bit surprised by seeing the incision; he must have known the whole time.
The nun gestured to the nightstand and Valerie handed him both the morphine and the tablets. "She had one tablet half an hour ago. I can give her a dose of morphine."
"I'll take care of it. Did you feel the stitches go sister?" Dr. Turner frowned for a moment and then took the bottles and carefully read the directions. "When is your next appointment?"
"Day after tomorrow." Sister Julienne only answered the last of his questions, Valerie had a fairly good idea it had happened during the delivery and the woman hadn't said anything.
"You haven't been taking these properly." Dr. Turner murmured, setting the bottle aside before opening his kit and drawing up a local anesthetic. "Nurse Dyer take the pressure off the right side while I suture."
Valerie moved around the narrow bed and knelt on it, gently lifting her hip and shoulder. The doctor probed the area before he began to remove the torn stitches and then replace them. Dr. Turner worked silently and dressed the wound rather than leave it for her to do.
"Now, you are to rest. I believe you promised to come home to rest and handle administration; not deliveries. I suggest you keep to that or we both know your side won't heal properly." Dr. Turner cautioned and then looked up at her. "I know Nurse Dyer will be happy to give you any assistance you need. Perhaps take her with you when you go to see the surgeon."
Sister Julienne knew that, and they had carefully felt out the boundaries of where the nun needed help and where she wanted her privacy to be respected. Valerie nodded and took the doctor's equipment, slipping from the room; just a few words were more effective than a scolding.
In the clinical room she first cleaned the doctor's tools and put them in the autoclave and then unpacked her kit, she looked up as the doctor entered. He set his kit on the bench and studied her before he spoke. "I believe you know what she has done, I suspect your assistance is how she has kept it a secret; and that is her choice. But be aware that the procedure has put her in a vulnerable state."
"I know that, and I know she wants to keep it a secret; but when she hasn't said anything everyone assumes she is strong enough for…."
"And she isn't denying it or taking time to rest because she is needed. Sister Julienne will work to the bone if required; and she was perfectly healthy the last time she worked herself to exhaustion. It was before your time here but if she does it now she could do herself real harm." Dr. Turner's voice held warning and Valerie felt something tighten in her gut. "Be glad of what she has done, respect her as sister in charge but right now, whether she likes the idea or not she needs a nurse; and someone needs to see that she rests."
"You've known this whole time?"
"I asked her to consider it in the first place." The man glanced at the floor, she knew Dr. Turner would feel responsible for that. "I am glad she has your help, I haven't told Shelagh; she is doing too much as it is. Shelagh would worry, and Sister Julienne would not like it but the Sister is dear to her."
Valerie nodded, and as his tools were finished she gave them to him. Then cleaned her own kit and wrote up her notes. As she documented the struggle of the baby's first breaths she was infinitely grateful to have had the experienced midwife with her; there had been a baby a year or so ago who she had thought stillborn and it had been horrible. But she knew another thing, Sister Julienne had wanted to be there, she'd wanted to be there from the moment the grandmother had bullied her way in the front door and demanded it. That might be the route to take in persuading the woman to rest a bit longer; it was patients who would wait if she prolonged her recovery.
Valerie had lived the whole of her life in the East End, there was no other place quite like it, good and bad she loved it here. But she knew despite all the hardships there were, what people had to do without and what they had to do to scrape out a living they were lucky. The National Health Service might be a good thing, but without effective professionals in the community it meant little; the Sisters of St. Raymond Nonnatus made the difference in Poplar.
Other boroughs might be safer, wealthier and they might be better run, but they couldn't have more diligent or dedicated district nurses and midwives; and it was the needs of the people here who had first brought the nuns to Poplar. Growing up she had heard it said often enough, the nuns had been here before the NHS and they'd given care to people terrified of hospitals struggling to carve out a life. During the war they'd stayed, they'd had the chance to go but they'd stayed with their community accepting the risks and surviving what came.
It was Sister Julienne who had brought her into this, and this, the way they did it here was the way she thought nursing ought to be done. Hospitals had their advantages and their purpose, but home was where people healed. If the East Enders knew what Sister Julienne had done the house would be as full of little gifts, cards and helpers as the Hereward's was; but that was more likely to put the nun on edge. Sister Julienne wasn't one to be the center of attention, just as she wouldn't like the idea of inconveniencing anyone; Valerie had figured that out the first morning she had helped the woman kneel.
She made a cup of tea, sweet and strong and took it upstairs. Sister Julienne glanced up at her as she entered. "I brought you some tea, but do you want breakfast?"
"No, thank you the medicine has made me tired." The woman was slightly unsteady as she took the cup. "Thank you for your help this morning. I over did it."
"You shouldn't have come." She was certain that was when it was done, the woman had put too much stress on her body.
"Nurse Dyer…"
"At this point I think you can use my first name. This isn't work, and I'm not going to pretend it is anymore than Phyllis is with Barbara. I'm off shift and you should be on sick leave." She sat on the edge of the bed. "You need to tell me what you need and when you need it because if you don't heal at this point I won't be able to face anyone here."
"Valerie my actions are hardly your responsibility, and I haven't been fair in asking you to keep my secret."
"I don't care about that, Sister Julienne what others know about your health is your choice. But we need you healthy." Valerie spoke with some strength, fair didn't come into this; if life was fair Barbara would never have gotten so sick.
Valerie didn't mind and wasn't even worried if she had to do the dirty work of keeping it. Sister Julienne maintained her secret through silence, she didn't complain and if one didn't watch her closely her pain wasn't evident; she looked like she was healing.
Instead the nun focused on the work, and on Barbara. Valerie had watched her dismiss concerns about her own health, simply saying that she was on the mend and continuing with her tasks. And she was getting stronger, there was no questioning that; the bottom half of the incision was healing well. But the top stitches hadn't set well since she first came home, Valerie had noticed but she hadn't pushed the issue; today there had been consequences.