Chapter 54

"House?" she gasped,

"He's in a coma Cuddy. Why aren't you answering your phone?"

"My phone," she echoed mindlessly her eyes wide with fear and then remembered Rachel had gotten hold of it when she checked her when she came in, she had quickly retrieved it but her busy little finger must have turned off the ringer.

"How did you find out about House? Wilson?"

"Yes, apparently House's mother called him. She's still listed as an emergency contact along with you. Do you have someone to look after Rachel?"

"Yes, Marina, the nanny spent the night here. Let me throw something on and I'll be back down", she said going back toward her bedroom.

"When she returned Foreman was on the phone with Wilson discussing House's condition."

"What the hell happened Foreman? This was just supposed to be an in and out procedure? I thought it was just a safety precaution to keep him overnight?"

"Wilson's been on the phone with the surgeon and the pain specialist they think House had a bad delayed reaction to the anesthesia. He had a seizure then almost immediately went into a coma."

"What? But he wasn't even given anesthesia, it was basically twilight drugs because they wanted to talk to him during the lead placement. Then after surgery they gave him pain meds. Delaudet, I wonder if that's given him a reaction."

"It's possible," Foreman shrugged, even as he looked skeptical,"It's more likely something to do with the lead placement, though House does have a history of drug use, and brain injuries. The hematoma after the bus crash, the deep brain stimulation, the motorcycle crash, and that's just in the last few years. He was in a coma after he electrocuted himself and again after he had the seizure during the DBS.

"When they arrived at St. Anne's', Cuddy headed directly towards House's room, before Foreman forestalled her.

"He's been moved to ICU."

Wilson was already there, his head together with two men Cuddy recognized as House's doctors. Cuddy ignored them and made a bee line for the glass paneled room where House lay lay hooked up to monitors. Though he had an oxygen canula, he was breathing on his on his own his O2 Sats were good. Cuddy grabbed his hand leaned on the side of the bed, Her lips were so close to his ear that she almost kissed him.

"It's time to wake up! You have to wake up now, House." she insisted aggressively. "We need you to wake up all three of us, Rachel the baby and me" she said, raking his hair back from his face. She was not trying to be soothing, because she wanted him to wake up.

"How long has he been like this?" Cuddy asked the doctors as they entered the room, becoming the demanding clinician even while she maintained her hold on House's hand.

"Less than two hours, we tried to reach you Dr. Cuddy and when we couldn't get you we called Mrs House and Dr. Wilson. Mrs. House is on a flight here."

"So have you done any brain scans?" I know you are limited now that he has the implant."

"Yes, we did a CT and there is no sign of swelling."

"He feels a little warm. What's his white cell count?" Have you considered an infection?

"It's a little elevated but he's been on antibiotics since the surgery and that should take care of most infections. I'm sure this is just a minor reaction to the anesthesia and he'll wake in a couple of hours."

"He's in a coma, I'd hardly call that minor, doctor. I'd like to move him to PPTH if you don't mind. I'm not removing you from the case, but I think he would like his team to find out what is wrong with him. He trained them and he would want this."

"Dr. Cuddy, I know it is emotionally upsetting when this should have been a minor procedure, but I think you are being a bit premature." In fact I think it would be risky to move him right now. Once he wakes up and is more stable, then by all means."

"I'm not asking you, Dr. Tenant., I'm informing you that he will be moved."

"Dr. Cuddy, we are about to do a Lumbar Puncture, and after that, he should not be moved."

"I thought you felt sure there was no infection," she said narrowing her eyes.

"We still need to rule it out."

"All the more reason, to move him right away. He can be at PPTH within 15 minutes, where his team can do an LP, and investigate further.

"Perhaps we need to wait for Mrs. House since she is his medical proxy."

"She's his what?" Cuddy barked.

"His medical proxy. It's all in his paper work."

"It must be old paperwork, there has been a change in circumstances."

"I assure you, Dr. Cuddy, the paper work was checked and signed by Dr. House on the day that he was admitted for the procedure."

"I was here on the day he was admitted. I answered most of the questions, since they had lost the original paper work, which was from records that probably haven't been updated in the last 3 years. By the time they found the fax, he was too impatient to even read it and just signed it without checking. I know, I was there." Cuddy insisted.

"Look, Dr. Cuddy, I know your, uh position, in Dr. House's life," he said, looking down at the tumescent swelling under her dress, "and ordinarily we'd be led by the patient's significant other, if there was no next of kin in the vicinity or proxy in place, but in this situation, there is and we are required to get the consent of the medical proxy to authorize any move. I know as a hospital administrator you understand our position."

"I can get a judge to overturn this tonight, but that will hold up treatment."

"It doesn't have to, we can provide space for Dr. House's team, his reputation is exceptional, and I'm sure his team has been well trained. We will take seriously any suggestions they make. I'm afraid that's the best I can do." he said spreading his fingers helplesly.

"That, is the result of your best so far," Cuddy spat, pointing toward House's glassed cube. It was not like her to insult a physician, doctors bashed each other all the time, but as an administrator she was required to be more tactful.

"Dr. Cuddy, I know you don't want to change horses in midstream. I want to assure you, that I do my best for all my patients, but with a mind as valuable to medicine as Dr. House's, I won't leave any stone unturned to protect his faculties. Just hold tight. I'm sure a judge won't be necessary, Mrs. House should be here within the next hour."

"I'm Mrs. House" Cuddy said succinctly, seeing the doctors eyes widen even as she heard Wilson's quickly smothered gasp behind her. "Dr. House and I were married in a private ceremony 3 weeks ago."

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