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Chapter 6: Back To The Present
Dana knew that Lu had been fighting a cold since walking in the rain a couple of weeks earlier. But as usual, Lu would not admit that she wasn't feeling well, and continued to work long hours at RWHC.
And now, here she was, lying in the emergency room, fighting for her life.
"Here are the x-rays you ordered, Dr. Stowe." Dana was brought back to the present with a jolt. 'Thank you." Dana hurried from the room and went into the radiation room to read the x-rays.
"Oh god, Lu. It's a wonder you could breathe at all." The x-rays showed that Lu's lungs were full of fluid. Dana carefully examined the x-rays.
"Bacterial Pneumonia." She whispered. Dana grabbed the x-rays, then went to the reception desk.
"How is she, Dr. Stowe?" Lana questioned.
"Well, right now she is resting. But she's not out of the woods yet. The breathing tube is helping somewhat, but I'm thinking that we will have to admit her and put her on oxygen. Her lungs are really full right now."
"How did this happen? And it happened so fast."
"She was sick yesterday, Lana. I tried to get her to go home. But instead, she spent all day working in ER. She was coughing and had a temp. She insisted it was just a cold. You know how she is."
"Ya know, she is constantly telling her patients that they need to listen to their body. But yet, she doesn't listen to hers. She will never admit when something is wrong. Look at what happened after she…well, you know." Dana nodded.
"They say doctors make the worst patients. I guess Lu proves that. I'd better get back to ER." Dana started to walk away, then stopped and returned to the desk. "I think it would be a good idea for someone to get in touch with Marc at school. He might want to be here." Lana nodded.
"I'll call the school."
"Thanks, Lana. I'll keep you posted."
"Lana, where is she? Where's Mom?" Lana glanced up as Marc came running into the clinic. "She's in the ER. Dr. Stowe is with her."
"I don't understand. What happened? She was going to call Dr. Stowe right after I left for school this morning. Why didn't someone call me sooner? Has she been here all day?" Lana walked around the desk and put her arm around Marc.
"Marc, you need to calm down and catch your breath for a moment. I'll tell you all I know. Your mom didn't call this morning. When she didn't show up for work by around noon, Dr. Stowe went to your place to check up on her. She found her in the bedroom, lying on the bed and gasping for air. She called the ambulance and had them bring her here."
"She…she couldn't breathe?" Marc asked softly, quickly realizing how much more serious the situation could have been if Dana hadn't taken the time to go to their apartment to check on her. "Lana…"
"Come on, Kid. Let's go see how your mom is doing." Marc nodded as he followed her to the ER. Dana was just coming out of the exam room. "Dr. Stowe?" Dana glanced up.
"Marc, hi."
"Where's Mom? Is she okay?" Marc questioned.
"She is resting now. Her lungs filled with fluid, and she had trouble breathing." Dana answered.
"Will she be okay?" Marc asked.
"I'm doing everything I can, Marc."
"Can I see her?" Dana nodded.
"Of course. I know she would love to see you." Marc followed Dana into exam room 8. "Lu, there's someone here to see you." Dana said softly. Lu slowly opened her eyes. "Hey…" she whispered.
"Hi Mom. How do you feel?" Lu opened her mouth to speak, but the breathing tube made speaking difficult. Marc looked at Dana.
"It's hard for her to talk with the breathing tube. I'm going to admit her for a few days, and run some tests. Marc, I think it would be a good idea for you to stay with your dad." Marc shook his head.
"No, Dr. Stowe. I want to stay here with Mom. She would want me here with her."
"But Marc, I think…" Marc interrupted.
"Please. I need to be with her." Dana's heart went out to the young boy. These past several weeks had been difficult for him as well. After learning of his mother's rape, he had blamed himself for not being home to protect her. Dana sighed. "Okay, Marc. You can stay with her. We'll put up a cot for you in her room. Is there anything you need at home?" Marc shook his head.
"No."
"Just let us know if you need anything, okay?"
"I will. Thanks." Marc replied.
"How about going upstairs to the cafeteria and grabbing a bite to eat?" Dana suggested. "I'm going to get her settled into a room, then you can stay with her."
"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Dr. Stowe."
Chapter 6: Back To The Present
Dana knew that Lu had been fighting a cold since walking in the rain a couple of weeks earlier. But as usual, Lu would not admit that she wasn't feeling well, and continued to work long hours at RWHC.
And now, here she was, lying in the emergency room, fighting for her life.
"Here are the x-rays you ordered, Dr. Stowe." Dana was brought back to the present with a jolt. 'Thank you." Dana hurried from the room and went into the radiation room to read the x-rays.
"Oh god, Lu. It's a wonder you could breathe at all." The x-rays showed that Lu's lungs were full of fluid. Dana carefully examined the x-rays.
"Bacterial Pneumonia." She whispered. Dana grabbed the x-rays, then went to the reception desk.
"How is she, Dr. Stowe?" Lana questioned.
"Well, right now she is resting. But she's not out of the woods yet. The breathing tube is helping somewhat, but I'm thinking that we will have to admit her and put her on oxygen. Her lungs are really full right now."
"How did this happen? And it happened so fast."
"She was sick yesterday, Lana. I tried to get her to go home. But instead, she spent all day working in ER. She was coughing and had a temp. She insisted it was just a cold. You know how she is."
"Ya know, she is constantly telling her patients that they need to listen to their body. But yet, she doesn't listen to hers. She will never admit when something is wrong. Look at what happened after she…well, you know." Dana nodded.
"They say doctors make the worst patients. I guess Lu proves that. I'd better get back to ER." Dana started to walk away, then stopped and returned to the desk. "I think it would be a good idea for someone to get in touch with Marc at school. He might want to be here." Lana nodded.
"I'll call the school."
"Thanks, Lana. I'll keep you posted."
"Lana, where is she? Where's Mom?" Lana glanced up as Marc came running into the clinic. "She's in the ER. Dr. Stowe is with her."
"I don't understand. What happened? She was going to call Dr. Stowe right after I left for school this morning. Why didn't someone call me sooner? Has she been here all day?" Lana walked around the desk and put her arm around Marc.
"Marc, you need to calm down and catch your breath for a moment. I'll tell you all I know. Your mom didn't call this morning. When she didn't show up for work by around noon, Dr. Stowe went to your place to check up on her. She found her in the bedroom, lying on the bed and gasping for air. She called the ambulance and had them bring her here."
"She…she couldn't breathe?" Marc asked softly, quickly realizing how much more serious the situation could have been if Dana hadn't taken the time to go to their apartment to check on her. "Lana…"
"Come on, Kid. Let's go see how your mom is doing." Marc nodded as he followed her to the ER. Dana was just coming out of the exam room. "Dr. Stowe?" Dana glanced up.
"Marc, hi."
"Where's Mom? Is she okay?" Marc questioned.
"She is resting now. Her lungs filled with fluid, and she had trouble breathing." Dana answered.
"Will she be okay?" Marc asked.
"I'm doing everything I can, Marc."
"Can I see her?" Dana nodded.
"Of course. I know she would love to see you." Marc followed Dana into exam room 8. "Lu, there's someone here to see you." Dana said softly. Lu slowly opened her eyes. "Hey…" she whispered.
"Hi Mom. How do you feel?" Lu opened her mouth to speak, but the breathing tube made speaking difficult. Marc looked at Dana.
"It's hard for her to talk with the breathing tube. I'm going to admit her for a few days, and run some tests. Marc, I think it would be a good idea for you to stay with your dad." Marc shook his head.
"No, Dr. Stowe. I want to stay here with Mom. She would want me here with her."
"But Marc, I think…" Marc interrupted.
"Please. I need to be with her." Dana's heart went out to the young boy. These past several weeks had been difficult for him as well. After learning of his mother's rape, he had blamed himself for not being home to protect her. Dana sighed. "Okay, Marc. You can stay with her. We'll put up a cot for you in her room. Is there anything you need at home?" Marc shook his head.
"No."
"Just let us know if you need anything, okay?"
"I will. Thanks." Marc replied.
"How about going upstairs to the cafeteria and grabbing a bite to eat?" Dana suggested. "I'm going to get her settled into a room, then you can stay with her."
"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Dr. Stowe."