"Meschler manuever.." Romano muttered angrily as he grabbed the surgical scissors and called for suction. His fingers worked quickly in the site, tying off the bleed as he began to repair the spleen.
"We have to take it out Robert. There's no other way.. She's lost too much blood. There's no other way." Elizabeth insisted.
"I can do it, Lizzie.." The surgeon's voice trembled and the light shone over the two doctors, the sweat gleaming on his brow. "I'm doing it.. Just work on trying to repair the kidney.."
"Her pressure's dropping again Dr.Romano." Shirley informed him again as she hung another unit."
"Dammit Shirley.. Hang another u-" He gazed over at the stand and sighed. "Good.. Add them as she needs them."
"Robert.. I really think-" Elizabeth shook her head sadly as Romano glared at her.
"Did I ask you what you think, Dr.Corday?" He snapped at her.
"No.. But.." She looked away from the table, vomit rising in her throat.
"Keep your eyes on your work, Dr.Corday." He said sternly. "Do as I say, Elizabeth. You are assisting me.. Don't forget that. Unless I ask your opinion, I don't require it. Got that? Now shut up and let me concentrate." Romano smirked, but there was a distinct disappointment and waver of the confidence and cockiness that usually dominated in his brown eyes.. The cockiness was gone.. In it's place, Elizabeth was certain it was fear. Lucy was slipping and he knew it.
***
"Good morning, David." Donald Anspaugh bowed his head in greeting as he entered the post-op recovery room.
"Where's Dr.Pete?" Dave murmured. "G-ginny said that Dr.Pete would be coming."
Anspaugh sighed, scratching his head as he shuffled into the room, closing the door behind him. "Dr.*BENTON* is downstairs in the ER.. Bus versus mini-van.. Driver was killed on scene, he's trying to save an eleven month old baby.. God help it.."
"Oh.." Dave sighed, thoroughly upset that he was missing a prime trauma. "Any other casualties?"
"Actually no.. You and uh.. Miss Knight.. Have been the biggest thing
we've had to deal with as of late.. The children on the bus were
un-harmed." Don replied, biting the inside of his cheek.
"Ohh. So.. How much of me did you take out, and how many scalpels and clamps did you forget inside when you stitched me back up?" A small, distressed smile passed Malucci's lips as he stared at the surgeon.
"Leaving surgical tools inside you? We did no such thing.. Dr.Benton and I..." Donald trailed off, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to be frank with you, Dr.Malucci. Your injuries were quite severe.."
"So I figured.." Dave muttered under his breath, his eyes closing as he remembered the knife coming down squarely into his stomach, Paul's face contorted in madness.
"David.." Anspaugh said, his tone, gruff, his hands rubbing over his face, tiredly.
"Sorry.." The doctor turned patient stared down at the blanket, pulling off the fluff and rolling it in his fingers.
"That's quite alright. Now then.. Your injuries. You had a stab wound to the abdomen, paraumbilical.. Two to the right flank, one to the right flank.. One of those stab wounds hit the midscarpel line... We tied off, and transected the kidney.. We had to remove it.. We saved your lower intestine though.. You were a few inches away from losing a large quantity of your lower intestine.." Anspaugh rubbed his eyes.
"Anything else?" Dave's eyes slipped closed and he groaned in relief as the PCA clicked, whirred and administered his next dosage of painkillers.
Donald Anspaugh watched the man shudder on the bed and turned away, staring at a blank spot on the wall. "David? Are you awake?" His patient nodded slowly, his eyes still closed. "I.. I'm afraid.. You may have lost use of your legs.. I just wanted to prepare you.. We tested in recovery after the surgery.. I'm sure the swelling isn't permanent.. A hematoma formed during surgery... We had to tie it off, David.."
"You paralyzed me!?" Dave yelped, staring down at his legs. He hadn't noticed it.. He'd woken up drugged.. He just figured it was the drugs.. It was just the drugs.. It had to be.. He could walk. "Let me up.. Help me up. I can walk goddamnit!"
"David.. I'd advise-" Donald started as he walked to Dave's side, wondering if he should run for help or just try to pin the man down himself. "You'll rip your sutures! Get back into bed now!"
But his terse words were not needed as Dave lay back in bed, sweating and breathing heavily. His breaths came in short gasps as he attempted to not pass out from exertion. "M-muh... my.. my legs.. My legs don't work... My legs don't work.. How.. How can my legs not work!?" Dave stammered defeatedly.
Donald swallowed hard, a knot in his throat, he looked away from his patient's obvious pain and stared at a blank spot on the wall. He knew the tears were there.. Making the man's eyes glassy and vacant.. Red-rimmed and aged. "I'm sure it's only temporary. Let's wait on it before we start over-reacting, Dr.Malucci.." He said softly.
His head snapped up at the sudden darkening of the doorway. "Dr.Anspaugh.. His family's here.." Ginny said softly as she looked at the tear-stained cheeks of the younger doctor.
"Your family's here David... Did you want me to send them in?" Don offered, pulling himself upwards out of the chair. "I'm sure they're very worried about you."
"I'm sure they are.." Dave murmured.. "I don't want to see them right now though... Tell them... Tell them I'm sleeping." He sighed, his eye opening as he stared blankly at the ceiling.
"Are you sure?" The surgeon looked out the doorway at the nurse who stood there expectantly.
"Yeah.... I'm sure.. I.. I just want to be alone right now.." Dr.Dave whispered sadly, staring outside. The meds were making him drowsy as his eyelids drooped and closed.
"Okay Dr.Malucci. I'll be back soon." His hand closed around the bandaged hands of the young resident.. Dave had defended himself.. He'd watched Paul stabbing him.. He'd watched the man's face and as tried to save himself and Lucy.. Don sighed as his hand gently tousled Malucci's hair. Anspaugh bit his lip and walked away from the gurney and outside to update Malucci's family on his condition.
"Dr.Anspaugh?"
"Yes, Dr.Malucci?" Don turned, standing in the doorway.
"Thanks.."
"You're welcome."
***
Dave lay in bed, half asleep. Everytime he closed his eyes, he saw Paul
lurking in the shadows. Being awake and in pain was better than being asleep
and terrified, he finally acertained as he lay in bed, staring blankly
at the ceiling. Slowly Dave attempted to sit up, beads of sweat on his
brow as he dug his elbows into the mattress and dragged himself backwards
on the bed into a sitting position. "Ungh....huuuhhhhhh.." He panted aloud
as he heard somebody in the doorway.
"I guess you found her."
The young resident moved his gaze from his lifeless legs up to the deep chocolate worried hue of Carter's eyes. "Hey.. Yeah.. I.. I did.." Dave murmured back, sighing as he sat back in the pillows. "I.. Found her.. Not before Sobriki did.. Fuck..." Tears welled up in the man's eyes and he blinked them away.
"She's okay, Dave.. Elizabeth and Romano are working on her right now.." Carter said as he walked into the room, pulling up the highly uncomfortable chair that Anspaugh had been seated in a few hours earlier.
"She is?! She's going to make it??" Dave said worriedly.
Carter stared at the pale, sweaty bandaged doctor. Should he explain the full extent of Lucy's injuries and how serious they are? Or should he leave the man in the dark with the hope that Benton or Anspaugh would fill him in? "I don't know Dave.." He replied honestly. "She still in surgery."
Dave stared at the man, his expression somber. "Is she going to die?" Carter stood up and sighed, shaking his head.
"CHRIST! I don't know!" He yelled frantically. "I don't know anything! I just came up here to see if you were okay! I don't know anything about Lucy.. I know as much as you do, Dave.."
***
"Robert.. I think she's thrown another clot.. Her rhythm's off.." Elizabeth murmured, glancing at the monitor.
"Run some heparin, Shirley.." Romano grunted as he tied off the spleen. Dammit.. He hated when Elizabeth insisted on showing off. He could have saved her spleen.. He was just doing it to please her.. It had no bearing on his surgical skills.
"I've already given her some, Dr.Romano." Shirley replied. "I can't give her anymore."
"Dammit Shirley.. Who's the doctor here!?" He glared at her, slamming the instruments down on the tray and advancing on the IV pole. "If you won't do it, then I will!"
"Robert!!" Elizabeth said worriedly. "Please.."
He sighed heavily, turning back to his suturing. "I mean it, Shirley. I didn't ask if you were giving her heparin already, I was telling you to give her more."
"Robert... I don't think that's wise.. We *did* just get her bleeding under control." Elizabeth said, coming to Shirley's defense.
Lucy's monitors blared and the surgeons glanced fearfully at the readouts. "She's thrown a clot! I'm telling you.. She's going to stroke out..." Elizabeth squawked tearfully.
"V-tach.. Dammit Robert! Please... I'm telling you.. We should have put in a Gree-"
"SHUT UP! Shut up and hand me the paddles." Romano scowled at her as Shirley handed him the internal paddles. "Charge to 20.. Clear.."
The two women backed away from the gurney and stared at the monitor for a glimmer of hope.
***