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~ I take zero credit for anything medical. That is all doctor google. I know very little, and don't have any kind of medical background at all.
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May 3, 2017
8:30pm
Columbia Presbyterian Hospital
New York City, New York
"Knock knock, is it alright if we come in?" Richard Gilmore's voice was heard from the doorway of Rory's and Honor's hospital room.
"Hi Grandpa!" Rory called out.
"Can we come in?"
"If you don't you are going to completely miss the party."
"We come bearing gifts." Emily said as Richard held the door open for his wife to enter.
"It's called bribes, Mother!" Lorelai chuckled.
"Grandma, those flowers are gorgeous!" Rory exclaimed, seeing the large bouquet in her grandmother's arms.
"A beautiful bouquet for a beautiful Granddaughter. We are so proud of you, Honey!"
"Thank you Grandma! This is very sweet of you."
"Honor, these flowers are for you." Richard said, carrying a bouquet over to the other bed.
"Thank you, Richard. You guys are too kind." Honor smiled, taking the offered flowers.
"You are very welcome, my dear! And I'll have you know that your home has been secured. Your parents are getting ready for bed with the help of 3 nurses, and you have two security officers at the bottom of your stairs. Collin has everything ready to go in the morning. I will escort your parents to their apartment myself, and see that they get settled. Emily will oversee Rosalinda packing their things, but Bradley and the other two nurses are getting started on it tonight. Finn and Collin got some boxes, and things are being packed up as we speak. Your parents will be out of your home before 9am."
"Thank you all so much! I appreciate all of your help so much! This means a lot to me."
"Don't even mention it." Emily told her. "You just rest up, and get to feeling better. You and I have a little girl to spoil."
"That we definitely do! I feel so bad, I had all these plans to snuggle her as much as I can, but I'm just so exhausted right now."
"Well don't you worry because we aren't going to stay very long. You all need to get some rest, you've had a very exhausting day. We just couldn't go to bed tonight without coming to see the new baby for at least a few minutes."
"That is absolutely right!" Richard agreed. "Now, where is my perfect little angel at?"
"Luke has her." Logan told him.
"Hey, someone take a picture of the two Grandpas together." Honor told them.
"Yes, that is a great idea!" Emily agreed.
"I'll get it, Mom." Lorelai told her, quickly grabbing her phone from her purse. "Dad, stand with Luke so I can take a couple pictures."
"She is just perfect, isn't she?" Richard asked, as he stepped up next to Luke, and looked down at the little baby in his arms.
"She really is. I always think that babies are cute, but this little girl is the most beautiful baby that I've ever seen." Luke beamed.
"She's already got Luke completely wrapped around her little finger." Rory beamed.
"Like mother like daughter." Logan told her.
"For real!" Honor agreed. "Mother, daughter and granddaughter! Oh, that's what you need to do. Logan, make sure you get a picture of Ayribella and Rory with both Lorelai and Emily."
"Yes! We definitely must do that!" Emily agreed. "We should get some professional family portraits done of all of us. And we need to do newborn portraits. Maybe we can do them all at the same time."
"Mom, let's not get ahead of ourselves. I'm not sure how up to doing things Rory is going to be feeling for the next few weeks."
"Newborn portraits really should be done within the first week. I'll have someone come to the house, maybe this weekend."
"Mom, why don't we let Rory get settled before we go jumping on the picture band wagon." Lorelai told her.
"It's fine Mom. Grandma, newborn portraits sound good. I was thinking about doing something like that anyway."
"Perfect! I'll take care of everything!" Emily chirped excitedly.
"Alright Dad, Luke, look at me for a second." Lorelai instructed, holding her phone out to take a picture. "Perfect! I love it! Can you tilt Ayribella up just a little bit? Excellent! I've got it!"
"Can I see?" Richard asked.
"Richard, would you like to take her?" Luke asked him.
"I would be delighted to!" Richard answered excitedly.
"She is so precious!" Emily cooed, moving toward her husband. "Rory, your baby is absolutely gorgeous!"
"Just like her mother." Logan smiled, as he sat next to his wife, placing a kiss on the side of her head.
"Mom, Dad, look at me." Lorelai told them, as she snapped more pictures. "Now that is gorgeous!"
"Mom, you will have to send me all of those pictures." Rory told her. "I need to send some to Lane."
"Oh, speaking of, we video called your sisters when we showed the family pictures earlier. They are both absolutely in love!"
"Oh, thank you! I haven't gotten around to calling or texting anyone yet."
"That's ok, that's what Mommy is for. I sent out a group text earlier to everyone that we talked about. They are all very excited for you, and are looking forward to hearing from you whenever you feel up to it."
"Have you told the whole of Stars Hollow yet?"
"I have not. I figured that is your news to share, and you would rather wait on spreading the word, until you are ready for the entire world to know."
"Stars Holly is tiny, Mom. I highly doubt that by telling them, the entire world is going to find out."
"Let's not put it past Taylor to publish your daughter's birth in the town paper, the way they did my appearance there when you were a baby. The readership may be low, but it's way higher than it was 30 years ago, and who knows who reads that paper anymore. For all we know, there are already media creeps stalking the town for information about you. You guys are being super cautious right now, and I think that it's a good idea to continue that plan until you are comfortable with going public with your news."
"How is that even going to work with you living in the Hollow though? Everyone has to know that you and Luke are out of town by now."
"Of course they know, and most of them know that we are with you. But they don't all know when your baby is due, or that you were being induced today. All anyone really knows is that Luke and I are here for a long visit, which we do a lot."
"You don't think that they will figure it out?"
"Well, if they do, I'll deal with Taylor."
"Rory, I'll make sure that your news is kept out of the paper until you are ready to share." Luke told her. "Taylor wouldn't dare cross me. Even if they figure out that you've given birth, we don't have to share any information with them until you are ready. We'll keep all of this as quiet as we can."
"I've never been worried about information being spread around the Hollow about me. It's just the Hollow. That place is like 2 miles in every direction, and no one really goes there unless they absolutely have to."
"Unless they are going to the Inn." Lorelai added.
"That's true. The Inn has become a pretty big tourist destination." Luke agreed. "But even so, the Hollow has stayed small. People come for a short visit, and then leave. They like that it's quiet, and they respect it. It's been nice."
"We should buy a second home there." Logan spoke up.
"Why?" Rory asked.
"Because then we wouldn't have to crash with your parents or at the Inn every time we are in town."
"Hey, I love you guys crashing with us!" Lorelai told them.
"And we love crashing with you. But realistically, there are 3 of us now. And what happens if we decide to expand our family down the line? I love your small house, it's the perfect getaway, but I don't want to overcrowd you. If Rory and I were to get our own place nearby, we can be close enough to see you all the time, but still have enough space for everyone to breathe, without overcrowding you. Plus, you've got April too. What happens when she gets married and starts a family?"
"Logan has a point." Luke agreed. "The more people we add to our house, the smaller it gets."
"You guys are always welcome to stay with us in Hartford, you know." Richard spoke up.
"I know Grandpa. And next time we come down for a weekend, I promise you that we will." Rory told him. "We've just been so busy that we haven't had much time to visit anyone."
"That is completely understandable. You two both have very important careers, and we would never dream of shunning you for being so busy. We are simply stating that you've got two homes to choose from when visiting. You can even take over the pool house, if you want your own space. After all, it was decorated specifically for Rory." Emily told them.
"This baby is just too perfect." Richard smiled as he cradled his tiny great granddaughter.
"She really is." Logan agreed. "She's hardly cried at all since she was born."
"She squeaked a little bit for me." Honor told them.
"But other than that, she's been very mellow." Rory agreed.
"Rory was like that as a baby too." Emily reminisced.
"Rory has always been really mellow. Well, until she met Logan." Lorelai chimed in. "Logan taught her how to get into trouble."
"Leave it to my brother to teach the good kids how to be derelicts." Honor chuckled.
"That is definitely something that Logan is good at." Josh agreed. "But I think that Rory mellows him out nicely. He hasn't really gotten into too much trouble since meeting her."
"Do you not remember our super short honeymoon? Boy genius jumped off a cliff and nearly died."
"That's right. I did forget about that little stunt."
"Hey, that was a stupid drunken decision that never should have been made. It wasn't Rory's fault at all. That was all me being a complete moron and trying to prove that I didn't need anyone to make me happy. Nearly dying taught me a HUGE lesson!" Logan told them.
"And what might that have been?" Josh asked.
"Not to take half assed trips with Collin, Finn and Robert."
"I would think that you would have learned that lesson after sinking Dad's yacht, or even getting kicked out of Argentina with the Bush twins." Honor laughed.
"Yeah well, Rory wasn't there to yell at all of us for being so moronic. She slapped some sense into all of us after the Cosa Rica trip. We haven't done anything that stupid since."
"And you had better not do anything that stupid EVER again!"
"Don't worry, I have every reason in the world not to." Logan assured her.
"I would hope so." Emily commented. "Because this little girl needs her Daddy around."
"And that is exactly why I've calmed down. I haven't done anything stupid in several years."
"So Logan, I have to ask this." Josh started. "Was all of this worth giving up Doctors Without Borders for?"
"Most definitely! I've never been happier. I wouldn't trade any of this for the world."
"Do you ever wish that you could have gone?"
"Not even once in the last 8 months. I applied for that when I was all alone, lounging around your house, being depressed. I had honestly forgotten all about it, until Honor handed me the acceptance letter."
"So you don't wish that you could have gone?"
"Not even a little bit. I have an amazing life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
* ~ * An Hour Later * ~ *
"Hey Logan, which one do you want, the recliner or the couch?" Josh asked as they all got ready to finally go to bed, their family having left a few minutes earlier.
"Neither one."
"Well it's either one of these, or the floor. You don't exactly have an office here anymore, with a plushy couch to sleep on."
"You can take whichever one you want."
"Well, where are you planning to sleep?"
"In the bed, with my wife."
"You are going to sleep in that tiny hospital bed, with another person?"
"Yep. And it's not even the first time that I've done it either."
"That doesn't sound comfortable."
"It's not. But I would rather be there than on the couch."
"Have you ever even slept on a couch? Other than while working a 36 hour shift in the ER?"
"Oh course I have, just not since getting married. Why would you even ask that?"
"It's a valid question, rich boy." Josh chuckled.
"Really? Because last time I checked, your last name is Rothschild. You grew up just as rich as I did. Have YOU ever slept on a couch?"
"I was raised completely different than you were. I wasn't raised by nannies. My mom knows how to cook, and we did normal things like camp out in the backyard. I've slept on the couch hundreds of times. I've also slept outside, on the ground, without a tent."
"I've been camping."
"Where, at the Four Seasons?"
"I've slept in a tent. I had a cot and everything."
"You had a cot . . . That's not real camping, rich boy."
"Whatever you say, Josh. Enjoy your couch."
"I will. You enjoy your tiny, uncomfortable bed."
"I will. Would you like me to get you some extra padding for that rock hard couch?"
"Seriously you two, stop having a spoiled child battle. It's really unbecoming." Honor scolded as she walked out of the bathroom, and headed back to her bed.
"Your husband asked if I've ever slept on a couch before." Logan told her.
"Usually only when you've passed out drunk."
"I've done it a few other times too."
"Outside of the ER?"
"Yeah, I was in college."
"Were you too drunk to drive home?"
"I was always too drunk to drive home." Logan laughed. "But I slept on your couch a few times too."
"Usually while passed out drunk."
"Or I fell asleep studying."
"Why are you two arguing over who was the more spoiled child anyway?"
"Josh was asking where I am planing to sleep."
"Josh, they're still newlyweds, and Logan is in denial about the reality of marriage. He's doing everything he possibly can to prove to me that it's not normal to not act like horny love sick teenagers every day."
"Logan, you're still stuck on that?" Josh chuckled. "It's only been like 8 months . . . Give it another year or so, and then talk to me. Although, you do have a kid now, so talk to me in 6 months and let me know how it's going."
"Oh I will. Because in 6 months an even in another 6 years, everything will be exactly the same. I refuse to live in your statistic filled world."
"Well have fun in delusion land while the rest of us live in reality." Josh said as he rolled his eyes.
"Did you ever consider that maybe I'm just a little bit more committed to my relationship than you are? I know that you love my sister, but maybe you should try a little harder."
"Logan . . ." Honor warned.
"It's fine Honor." Josh told her. "Like you said, Logan is still a newlywed. He hasn't been married for 11 years like we have. Give him some time. Reality will hit him eventually. And then we can sit there while he's complaining, and tell him that we told him so.
"Whatever you say, Josh." Logan commented as they heard a knock at the door.
"Hey Guys, I'm getting ready to head home, do you need anything before I go?" Veronica asked as she stuck her head into the room.
"We're ok, but you can help me check vitals before you go, if you want to. Rory and the baby are already asleep, but the rest of us are getting ready to go to bed, so I was just going to get everything charted for the night."
"Sure, I can help with that. What do you need me to do? Your test results are in by the way."
"Oh, good! Would you mind getting my sister back up on the monitors for me, and I'll check the computer?"
"No problem. I'll get her number for you as well." Veronica smiled as Logan quickly moved to the computer and logged himself in. "Hey Veronica, do you have a phone on you?"
"A hospital phone, or a cell phone?"
"One of the hospital phones."
"Here you go." she said, pulling a small black phone out of her pocket and holding it out toward Logan.
"What's going on?" Honor asked as she watched her brother take the phone, and quickly press buttons.
"Hey, it's doctor Huntzberger, can I get one unit of A negative L&D please? . . . That's correct . . . Patient is Lorelai Huntzberger . . . Correct . . . Doctor Gellar, but I'm assisting . . . That's correct . . . Alright, thank you." Logan said, then disconnected the call. "Veronica, do you know where the saline stash is up here?"
"I do. Do you need me to get you some?
"Go ahead and grab me two bags for right now. I'm not sure what else we need yet, but that's a start."
"What's going on?" Honor asked again.
"Rory is dehydrated and her counts are low, just like I suspected. She's also anemic."
"So you were right about something being off then."
"I'm always right. It's called being a good doctor."
"What about your sister?" Josh asked.
"I'm pulling her up right now . . . Veronica, would you mind getting me Honor's Bp?"
"No problem. Honor, I'm going to need your arm."
"Are you going to call Paris and tell her that you were right?" Honor asked her brother.
"Nope!"
"So what's your plan then?"
"I just put in for a blood transfusion. I'll give her blood and fluids, then run another set of panels in the morning, and go from there."
"What about Ayribella? Do you think that maybe she could be having problems, like Rory is?"
"And now I feel like a complete dick. Thanks Honor! Veronica, is there a pediatrician on call around here? Who is upstairs in Peds?"
"I'm not sure, but I can find out for you." Veronica answered.
"Is Wendy still here?"
"Only for a few more minutes. I believe Billie is taking the night shift."
"Honor, hit the call button for me, please?"
"Can I help you?" a voice came over the intercom.
"Would you mind sending either Wendy or Billie in please? And I need a pediatrician. Is there someone on call around here, or can we get someone to come down from Peds?"
"One moment."
"Honor, it looks like you are just dehydrated. How's your pain, on a scale of 1-10?"
"I'm fine. I don't have any pain at all. I'm just exhausted."
"Your blood pressure is back to normal, you definitely need to stay away from stressful situations. No more fighting with Mom and Dad."
"As long as they are out of my house, I'll be fine."
"Veronica would you mind grabbing that saline for me and getting Honor going? I'm going to work on Rory and Ayribella."
"Do you know how to check a baby?"
"I did a couple Peds rotations."
"That's Peds, not newborn."
"Hence why I called for help. And I have google."
"So doctor google can tell you that your daughter is on death's door? Yeah, that's just great, Logan!" Honor told him.
"No, because I'm smart enough to not actually use google for more than a link to a legitimate website. Really Honor, I know I play the cocky know it all asshole, but I do actually know a thing or two about medicine, and I know when and where to go for help."
"As your older sister, I feel that I need to remind you that you have no experience with babies, and therefore, it is my duty to inform you that waking a sleeping baby isn't a good idea. You won't ever be able to get them back to sleep, leaving the rest of us unable to sleep as well."
"I promise you Honor, you will get to sleep tonight. If for whatever reason, Ayribella decides to scream for the next several hours, I will take her to the nursery and sit there rocking her alone, while the rest of you sleep." Logan said as he stepped up next to the small baby bassinet. "If anyone doesn't get to sleep tonight, it will be me."
"Doctor Huntzberger, what's going on?" Wendy asked as she walked in the door with another woman. "Billie, this is Doctor Huntzberger. He used to work in the ER and now runs the employee clinic."
"It's nice to meet you Doctor Huntzberger. I'm Billie, I'll be taking the night shift tonight."
"Hi Billie, it's nice to meet you." Logan said, giving her a brief smile as he picked up his daughter.
"What's going on?" Wendy asked again.
"Have you seen Rory's test results?"
"I have not. I saw that they came in, and asked Veronica to let you know. I haven't had a chance to look at them yet. I knew that you would want to know right away, and that you would call me if there was a problem."
"Earlier, Rory was in pain, feeling off, and she's been bleeding a lot. I wasn't sure how much blood was too much, so I ordered a full count. Her platelets are low, she's anemic, and dehydrated."
"That would explain why she is feeling off. As far as pain goes, she just had a baby."
"I ordered a bag of blood from the blood bank, and I'm going to start her on that and a bag of fluids. My genius sister over here just asked that with everything going on with Rory, would that have an effect on Ayribella? Could she be suffering from the same thing? And now I feel like the absolute worst parent and doctor in the world, because none of that ever occurred to me."
"Well the good news is that Rory wasn't anemic during pregnancy, right? So most likely your daughter is just fine, and Rory's deficiency would be a post-delivery complication. However, you are right to question it because there could possibly be a legitimate concern to the baby. We usually wait about 12 hours to start doing blood work, and test bilirubin, unless there is an underlying concern, which in your case would normally be done tomorrow morning. We normally wait because babies get their blood supply from their mother, via the placenta, and a lot of that can be lost during birth, and we choose to not take any more blood right away, allowing the baby's body to play catch up before we take anything from it. The good news is that you guys chose to delay cord clamping, which gave your daughter extra time for blood to transfer to her body, meaning that she would have a higher count and more iron than some other infants, who were clamped right away. However, because you are concerned, we can definitely start running those tests tonight. It could take a couple of hours to get results back, but we can definitely do it." Wendy explained.
"I don't want to put my family through anything that isn't necessary, and I am definitely not very well versed in pediatrics, especially when it comes to infants, but I know enough to know that an iron deficiency can be deadly."
"Your wife is breastfeeding, right?"
"She is."
"Most of the time, babies are protected through breast milk. However, because Rory is already deficient, it could cause an even greater deficiency in her, and the baby could end up receiving even less. What we can do is start her on iron supplement drops, or even an iron fortified formula, if you want to go that route."
"Rory doesn't want to go the formula route. We talked about it, and it's just not something that we feel is best for our baby. If we absolutely need to at a later point, then we can revisit the idea, but as of right now, as a medical professional, and as a husband and father, I feel that breastfeeding is what is best for my daughter."
"So then I would suggest starting the iron supplement drops. You just put a couple drops under the baby's tongue, and make sure that they swallow it. It doesn't taste very good, and most babies will try to spit it out, so it could be a little bit of a challenge to get her to swallow it down, but I think starting the drops is a good idea. We can do the blood tests tonight, then repeat before you are released to see where we stand. A lot of the time, with postpartum anemia, it can last for several months, so Rory could end up needing several transfusions, as well as extra supplements herself. You will need to monitor her iron levels daily."
"Ok, how soon could we do the tests for Ayribella?" Logan asked as a knock came at the door.
"Doctor Peterson." Billie greeted, seeing an older man enter the room.
"I was paged?" the man asked.
"Doctor Peterson, you remember Doctor Huntzberger, right?" Wendy asked.
"I do. How are you doing Doctor Huntzberger?"
"I'm doing alright. Thanks for coming down."
"What's going on?" Doctor Peterson asked.
"Doctor Huntzberger's wife gave birth to their daughter this afternoon, and is now suffering from postpartum anemia, and dehydration." Billie started.
"And her blood count is low." Logan added.
"Doctor Huntzberger is worried that his wife's condition could possibly be affecting his daughter as well. Wendy explained that normally the baby is fine as they get their blood supply from the mother, via the placenta. Doctor Huntzberger and his wife chose to delay cord clamping, so the baby received more blood in that extra time than most other infants. But he's concerned that there could possibly be an iron deficiency, which could be fatal if not treated."
"We normally wait 12 hours after birth before taking blood from newborns for testing, but we can definitely do those tests tonight since there is a concern." Doctor Peterson agreed.
"Wendy was just explaining about giving the baby iron supplement drops and testing tonight and then again prior to release, just to see where we stand."
"I think that is a good plan. And you will need to keep an eye on your wife for several months, as postpartum anemia can last 6-12 months."
"I've already ordered a transfusion. I'm just waiting for the blood to be brought upstairs." Logan told him.
"What other concerns do you have Doctor Huntzberger?" Doctor Peterson asked.
"I did a couple of rotations in Pediatrics, but I am not at all familiar with newborns. What do I need to know to be able to check my daughter's vitals? Older kids I've got tons of practice on, but Ayribella is my first newborn."
"Hey, what's going on?" Rory's soft voice was heard from the bed behind the group.
"Hey, everything is ok." Veronica smiled, moving through the room to Rory's side with a bag of fluids in her hand. "We got your blood work back. Doctor Huntzberger is just discussing treatment plans with the pediatrician from upstairs. Did you sleep ok? We didn't wake you, did we?"
"I just heard loud voices."
"Doctor Peterson, this is my wife, Rory." Logan said, turning toward Rory, introducing the doctor who had joined them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Huntzberger. You've got a beautiful little baby here."
"Thank you." Rory said softly, trying to stifle a yawn.
"I was just about to teach your husband how to check vitals on a newborn. Would you like to learn as well?"
"Sure, I guess that couldn't hurt."
"Very well then. Let's put the baby down here on the bed." Doctor Peterson suggested, then began to teach them how to check the baby's vital signs.
"Doctor Huntzberger, I'll go put the orders in for the blood tests, and be right with the supplies." Wendy told him, then gestured to Billie to follow her out of the room.
"I have to do more tests?" Rory asked.
"Not right now. We're going to run a blood panel on Ayribella. Your tests came back showing a low blood count, anemia and dehydration. We are starting a transfusion as soon as the blood is brought up from downstairs. But I'm concerned that because you are anemic, Ayribella might be too, and she is so little that it could cause other problems. So we are going to run the tests tonight to find out where we stand, and also start her on iron supplement drops. Everything is going to be just fine. I have it all under control." Logan explained.
"But there could be a problem with the baby?"
"Usually newborns are completely fine, and postpartum anemia doesn't affect them. You chose to delay cord clamping, so there is a good chance that your daughter is perfectly ok. At the moment, the testing is just precautionary. We would rather run the test now and be assured that your daughter is just fine, than not do them until later, and possibly find out that she needs a little bit of help. Regardless, anemia is 100% treatable. You and your little girl are in great hands, and there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about." Doctor Peterson told her.
"But there is a chance that she's not ok?" Rory clarified.
"A very slim chance yes. But we are going to know for sure within the next couple of hours. I can assure you thought that everything is going to be just fine. I have 30 years of experience with newborns, and iron deficiencies. This isn't anything that I can't handle. You are in very good hands."
"Do you only treat patients in the hospital, or do you have your own practice somewhere else?"
"I do rounds here in the hospital two days a week, and the other three days, I am in my office treating patients at the children's clinic."
"So we can bring Ayribella directly to you then?"
"If you would like to, I would be more than happy to have you."
"The Children's Clinic is where we were planning to go anyway, but we hadn't picked a specific doctor yet. I know everyone there is very good." Logan told him.
"That is true. Everyone at the Children's clinic has at least ten years of experience treating young children. I am the senior pediatrician here. If you would like for me to be your daughter's doctor, I would be honored to do so."
"That would be great." Rory answered. "I would rather stick with someone who has a lot of experience, and you being here tonight, I won't have to explain to someone new what is going on. You are already familiar with our situation."
"Well I am happy to help out whenever you need me. Before you are discharged, make sure that you set an appointment with my office, for your first checkup."
"I will definitely do that."
"Let's get the tests take care of tonight, and I'll check back in with you guys in a couple of hours, if that is alright?"
"That would be great." Logan answered.
"I'll go let Wendy and Billie know that I will be back down here in a couple of hours to check in with you guys. If you receive the lab results before I get back, have me paged, alright?"
"Will do. Thank you Doctor Peterson."
"It's not problem at all. I will be here until after morning rounds tomorrow, so if you need anything at all, please don't hesitate to call."
"Thank you, we won't." Rory agreed. "Thank you for being here. We really appreciate it."
"You are very welcome. I just have one other question for you."
"What's that?" Logan asked.
"You have a second patient in VIP?"
"Oh, yeah, that's my sister. There was some family drama at home, and she is 8 months pregnant, and her blood pressure shot up."
"Do you mind if I check her out?"
"Honor? Do you mind if Doctor Peterson checks you out?" Logan asked.
"No, not at all." Honor spoke up, as Doctor Peterson headed her way.
"Hi Dear, I'm Doctor Peterson. I am a pediatrician here at Columbia. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you, I just didn't see you all the way over here."
"Don't be sorry, it is completely understandable. I should be in my own room, but my brother is kind of a control freak and he would be going back and forth between the rooms all night and wouldn't get any rest, so we thought that sharing a room would be better."
"I completely understand that. So your blood pressure shot up tonight?"
"It did. We had some family drama, and I kind of got in a yelling match with our parents. Everything is fine now. They've been dealt with, and it won't be happening again."
"Honor's blood work showed that she is dehydrated, but otherwise just fine. We are giving her fluids and keeping her overnight for observation." Logan said as he moved across the room to Honor's side.
"You've got triple duty here tonight."
"I do, but I don't mind it at all. Doctor Peterson, this is Honor's husband, Josh." Logan said, holding his arm out for Josh to join them.
"Hello Josh. You've got quite the family here."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir." Josh commented, holding his hand out toward the doctor.
"The pleasure is all mine. So let me ask you, Honor, how are you feeling?" Doctor Peterson asked after shaking Josh's hand.
"I'm ok. I was feeling a little faint earlier. I was told that I looked pasty and worn down. I'm doing alright though. Mostly just tired. I had some Braxton Hicks contractions, but they've stopped now."
"Honor received one bag of fluids when she got here, and is on her second bag now." Logan explained. "She ate a good meal, and she's just been hanging out."
"Good, you need to get as much rest as you can. It looks like your baby is moving very well. Have they done an ultrasound to check your fluid level?"
"We have not. That honestly never occurred to me. I'll have Wendy do one when she comes back in."
"Why don't you go grab me a machine, and I'll do it while I'm here."
"You know how to do that?"
"I double majored in Obstetrics and Pediatrics."
"Smart man. I majored in Immunology and Internal Medicine."
"And I bet that double major helps you out a lot, doesn't it? Everything you learned with both of those cross paths all the time, don't they?"
"Every day."
"That's why I did obstetrics and pediatrics. I cover all areas of the child spectrum starting with conception. It does me a world of good when it comes to understanding underlying health conditions."
"I'll go grab you an ultrasound, Doctor Peterson." Veronica offered.
"Thanks Veronica." Logan said, turning toward her for a moment.
"So Doctor Peterson, since you will be treating my brother's new baby, would you mind treating mine as well?" Honor asked.
"I would be happy to. Who is your OBGYN?" Doctor Peterson asked.
"Doctor Gellar."
"Wow! How do you like her?"
"She's been friends with Logan's wife since high school. Logan has known her since he was in college at Yale."
"So you are used to her bluntness then?"
"She's blunt, bossy, kind of a pain in the ass." Logan told him.
"She knows what she is doing, but a lot of people find her hard to get along with."
"She's hated me since the day she met me."
"That has to make things hard for you."
"Like you wouldn't believe."
"Well if you ever decide to switch doctors, let me know. I don't like to poach other doctors patients, but if she makes things too hard on you, I would be more than happy to step in."
"Thank you, we'll keep that in mind. Paris isn't too bad most of the time. Rory controls her pretty well. I'm irritated with her right now, over my wife's blood work, but otherwise, she's been fine."
"What happened with the blood work?"
"Rory was feeling dizzy, light headed, and has been bleeding heavier than normal post-delivery, and Paris was only ordering a full count. I had several other tests added on, which we argued about, and it turns out that I was right, and Rory is having complications."
"How was her pregnancy?"
"She had gestational hypertension and tachycardia. She been on a heart monitor for both her and the baby for the last several months."
"The anemia shouldn't be too surprising then, considering the hypertension. That is pretty common. You need to keep an eye on the bleeding though."
"I ordered a coagulation panel. Everything looks normal."
"Do you mind if I take a look at her records when I'm finished with your sister? I'll give her an exam as well."
"That would be great, thank you."
"I don't want to step on Doctor Gellar's toes, but she isn't here tonight, and your family clearly has some additional needs."
"Don't even worry about Paris. I'll deal with her myself if she gets upset. I already have a few choice words for her."
"Doctor Gellar is a good doctor. I can see why she wouldn't order the additional testing, but I agree with you that with your wife's history, covering all of your bases was in her best interest."
"Thank you!"
"Can you give me access to both your wife and your sister's records in the computer?"
"I would be happy to." Logan agreed as Veronica came back into the room pushing an ultrasound cart.
"Here you go Doctor Peterson."
"Thank you for your help." Doctor Peterson smiled, pulling the cart over to Honor's bedside. "Alright Miss Honor, let's see what you've got going on here."