Some Days Are Just Meant To Be
By: A Luka Kovac Fan
John Carter was sitting in the ambulance bay on a break, just thinking about the day and evening, and wondering what he was going to do that night, not aware of a ambulances out of control, all of the sudden the ambulance hits him where he's sitting on the bench, he's in to much pain as the ambulance made the noise, but he wonders how bad it was because he was bleeding as well. He couldn't believe the scene, and he was trying to breathe.
Luka had just arrived at County for his shift. He had been working three twelve hour shifts straight and was starting to get burned out. When he approached the bay doors he noticed Carter in a lot of pain, as well as bleeding. "Carter, what happened?" "The ambulance....crashed right here and hit.....me," he said as he was nearly out of breath as he pointed to the crash, worried about the other paramedics.
"They're.....hurt.......to," he said not sure how bad he was hurt. "Ok, don't move. Don't try to talk either, save your breath," he said as he went over to the doors of the ER and yelled inside, "I need some help out here."
Luka then went back out and tried to help both the paramedics and Carter. He asked the paramedics, "What do you have here?" Carter nodded as Luka went back in, and the paramedics talked to Luka. "We have a pregnant...female, not sure if she's conscious now," Doris said.
"Our breaks went loose. Is anyone else hurt," she asked him. Haleh and Susan ran out with a few gurneys. "What happened," Susan shouted to Luka as others came to assist. Carter was starting to turn blue, his lips mostly.
"Yes, Dr. Carter is hurt," Luka told Doris just as Susan and Haleh came out.
"Can you take her? I will take care of Carter," Luka asked Susan as he ran back over to Carter seeing that he was starting to turn blue. "Help me get him on a gurney and I will get him inside," he said as he used the bag to give carter air to help him breath. He didn't think his shift was going to start out this bad, and he only hoped it would get better.
Susan nodded. "Sure Luka," she said as she went to help Doris and the other paramedics. Haleh went to help Luka get Carter on a gurney. He was bleeding pretty badly. Carter just watched as things were going back in a hurry. The last time he was on a gurney he had been stabbed, and now this. Pressures dropping," Haleh said.
"Let's get him inside....we may have to intubate, but first let's concentrate on this bleeding," he said as he started to push the gurney inside and to an open trauma room. He also kept pressure on the bleeding.
"Carter, Carter...can you hear me?"
Haleh nodded and watched the scene. This wasn't the first time she saw Carter like this, and she was bagging him. Carter didn't open his eyes. They needed to find the source soon. Susan had just finished with the paramedics. Doris had a scratch on her knee, and Zadro had stitches, the pregnant lady didn't make it, or the baby, she had just called it. "Hey you need help in here," she asked Luka. She wondered how Carter was doing.
"Yeah, I could use another pair of hands," he replied when Susan walked in. "Your patient didn't make it," he said when the monitors starting beeping all over the place just then. He grabbed an intubation tray, "We have got to intubate, he isn't moving much air, and we have to find the source of the bleeding."
Susan nodded as she grabbed the intubation tray, just as Carter spit up. "I need suction," she shouted. She was trying to keep her cool, but this was Carter. Haleh had then found the source. "It's his back and mid-section," she said to them. Susan successfully got the tube in. "I'm in and his stats are rising. Anyone contact Abby," she asked knowing Abby needed to know.
Luka was relived to see that stats were rising. "Ok, let's roll him to see how deep the wound is and page surgery and Abby," he said as he helped Haleh roll Carter over on his side. Susan helped them roll him over, and watched as the wound was pretty deep, Haleh had paged surgery. How could this be happening? Haleh Paged Abby as well, a 911 page. "Surgery should be on its way," she said to him. Luka just kept as much pressure as he could on the wound. He was also trying to keep his cool. He didn't like the fact that a co-worker was his patient, but he did what he had to do. He took a few deep breaths and kept working.
He then saw Abby running down the corridor and into the room, "Oh my god, what the hell happened."
"There was an ambulance crashed outside the bay, Carter got caught in the middle of it," Susan said to her. "We're waiting for a surgeon to come down," Susan said to her softly. Elizabeth then came down. "What we got Luka," she asked him. Carter was still unconscious.
"Carter was stuck in the middle of an ambulance crash outside in the bay. He is intubated, which brought his stats up. There is a deep wound in the mid-section of his back."
Elizabeth looked at them. "All right, I'm taking him upstairs now, I will call you guys when there are changes," she said to them. "Let's go," she said grabbing the gurney and taking him upstairs. "Good work," she said. Susan couldn't believe this all was happening. She watched as Abby walked out. "Hey Luka, you might want to talk to Abby," she said to him.
He took of his gloves and gown and threw them in the trash. He caught up to Abby, "Hey, Abby, you want to talk."
Abby turned to him, "How the hell did the ambulance lose control," she asked as she looked at her ex boyfriend. She was still friends with him, but Carter was her boyfriend and this was scaring her. "I just want him to be ok," she said as she took a cigarette to light up. She needed one at the moment.
"I am not sure of all the details. When I was just arriving, I saw Carter on the ground and he was hurt pretty bad. Doris said that their breaks went lose and that's all she said. I am sorry Abby, but he is going to be fine," Luka said as he just stood there for a moment as she went outside to have a cigarette, but minutes later followed her.
Abby couldn't believe it, Carter made her happy, and she was still glad she was friends with Luka. "I won't know until he's out of surgery," Abby said to him.
"It's scary to think that he died, it's not the first time he's had surgery, he told me once that he's scared to even be a patient again, and here he is a patient. I just need the cigarette and then I need to wait and see if he's ok," she said to Luka. "I know, we are all scared. He is a friend of all of us, but we have to be positive on things like this. Do you want someone to take you up to surgery and be with you until he is out," he said to her as he quickly gave her a hug.
Abby looked at him and he was right everyone knew Carter, they were friends with him. "Yes please," she said to him as she took the cigarette and put it out. She gave him a hug back, "Can we go up there now," she asked him. "Sure.", he said to her as he knew that how hurt she was inside. He knew the pain she was going through, for he had had this pain before.
Abby went upstairs and smiled at him as they waited for news, she just kept pacing, and she wanted to be there when he woke up. "Why him? He doesn't deserve this does he," she asked out loud.
"No, he doesn't deserve this," he said to her as he just comforted her and kept her calm.
He didn't like seeing her like this, as a matter a fact, he hated seeing her like this. He sat down and just waited to hear from the surgeons. "He's been through a lot of hell, "she said just as Elizabeth rolled the gurney out, he was hooked up to a vent. "How is he," she asked as she ran over there as she saw him.
Luka stood up as Elizabeth rolled by with the gurney and Abby ran over to him. "He is stable. He had lost a lot of blood, but we got the bleeding under control.", Elizabeth said. Luka was happy to see that Carter was going to be okay, for that made him happy for Abby as well. "Abby, if you need to take the rest of your shift off, you can, I will just find a nurse to finish your shift."
"Thanks Luka, that's what I'm planning to do," she said to him. "What, wait, why he is on a vent," she asked confused. "Does he have to learn to walk again, since he was hurt in his back side," she asked her. "You're welcome Abby. Tell Carter to get well soon from all of us in the ER," Luka said to her as he started to head back downstairs. There was so much on his mind right now. "It will take him awhile to get his strength back again. He will have to go through physical therapy for awhile. As for the vent, he still wasn't moving much air while he was in surgery, his stats dropped, but they are back up now," Elizabeth explained.
Abby nodded. "Thank you, both of you, really thanks," she said to them. "I will," she said to Luka as she watched him leave. As they got Carter in the room, Carter opened his eyes to see Elizabeth and Abby standing there. Susan saw Luka come down there. "Hey is he out of surgery, is Abby ok," she asked concerned for her friends and him to.
"Carter came out of surgery okay. He is on a vent, and it may take a few days for him to get his strength back. Abby is okay, she is going to take the rest of the day off. Haleh, can you finish the rest of Abby's shift," he asked as he saw Haleh walk by. He just wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed heavily. Haleh nodded. "Of course, "she said. She didn't mind. "That's good," Susan said to Luka. Carter looked around again a little disoriented from the surgery.
"Yes, it is very good. This day has just been crazy, and I have only been on for a few hours. I think I am going to take a little break, unless you guys need me for anything," he said sounding much stressed out now.
"No, go for a break Luka, I have you covered," Susan said to him. She smiled as she actually understood.
"Thanks." he replied as he went into the lounge and sat down on the couch for awhile. There were a lot of things on his mind that he could not get rid of. "He seems really stressed out. There must be a lot of things on his mind," Haleh told Susan. While in the lounge, Luka found himself slowly falling asleep, but managed to keep himself awake.
Susan nodded. "Yea I noticed," she said to her. "Right now let's just let him be, he's had a hectic way of starting this morning," she said to her. "So what patients do you have for me," she asked Haleh. Abby walked downstairs, and into the lounge. "Hey Luka, someone wants to see you," she said to him. "Are you ok," she asked.
Haleh handed Susan a chart, "Yeah, your rape victim from yesterday is back, she thinks she may be pregnant." Luka looked up to see it was Abby who had walked in. "Is he awake? How is he doing?" "Yeah, I am alright, just a lot of things went on this morning and a lot of things on my mind," Luka replied to her.
Susan groaned "Great," she said to her, "Lets go." "Yea he's awake and he's the one that wants to see you," Abby said to him "Ok, if you need to talk let me know," Abby said to him.
"Okay, thanks Abby, are you going back upstairs too," he said as he stood up and walked out of the lounge with Abby. "I'm going to get some food, he kind of kicked me out telling me I looked awful and needed to eat," she said to him. "You mind if I join you, I am kind of hungry myself. My treat," he asked smiling at her. "Nope I don't' mind," Abby said to her. "Okay, where do you want to go? I will go see Carter when we get back," he asked. He was happy to have a good friend like Abby.
"Anywhere's fine, but not to far from here, I told the nurse to page me if anything out of the blue happens to him," she said to him. She needed to talk, and Luka seemed like the right person right now. "Okay, how about just across the street," he asked as he put on his coat and told the desk clerk where he was going. "Hey Frank, I am stepping out for a few minutes, page me if anything happens."
He turned to Abby, "Shall we go?" Frank nodded. "Yes, let's go," she said to her as they headed to the new place across the street that used to be Doc's. He opened up the door for Abby and let her walk in first. "This place is nice; I haven't been here since Doc's burned down."
"Me neither, Doc's has been here for a long time up until last year, and then everything went down. "So what's on your mind," she asked Luka , she was worried about him too.
"A lot of things, just having to take care of a good friend this morning, worrying about him, worrying about you, stuff like that.", he said as they seated themselves. He started to look at a menu to see what they had to eat, "I think I am just going to have a turkey sandwich, some chips and a coke."
Abby nodded. "I worry about you to," she said to him, she smiled a little. "That sounds good, but I just have some coffee," she said. The waitress wrote the order down, "ok, I will have that ready for you in a few minutes and I will bring you your drinks," she said as she went and got the coffee and coke. All Luka could was sit there and smile at Abby, for she was on his mind a lot lately.
"Penny for your thoughts," she said to him. "John really wants to thank you for saving his life, and he said to tell you, that you two are even," she said not sure what that meant, or was it when John went to the Congo to find Luka.
Luka just laughed, "yeah, I guess we are even, because he did save my life we he came back to the Congo. I will have to go see him when we get back." Abby laughed. She had hated how she had asked John to stay, when he felt responsible for Luka being dead, when here he was alive. "Well you two are both really important to me here, and I don't want to lose either of you," she said to Luka, she said that like she meant it.
"Thanks Abby, that really means a lot to me. You are important to me too, and I don't want anything to happen to you. I too don't want to lose you," he said smiling as their food and drinks arrived. "You won't lose me," she said to him. She took a sip of her coffee and smiled at him. if you really need to talk things out, I be here for you, you and John came into my life at the right time, and you two are my most best friends, and to have Susan as my girl best friend even helps," she said to him.
Luka took a drink of his coke and a bite of his sandwich. He was at lost for words for a moment. Everything that Abby was saying to him was just what he needed to hear. Sometimes he regretted not having her as a girlfriend anymore, but in other ways, was still glad to have her as a great friend. He loved spending time with her, and talking to her. "I will be there for you always and forever...if you need to talk, I will be there to listen and help you," he finally said to her as the waitress laid their check on the table.
Abby smiled. "Thanks Luka, you were there for me today when I needed someone, knowing that someone that means something to me was hurt. I see you and John found a new bound of friendship and I like that," she said to him.
"You are welcome. Yeah, I feel me and Carter have really gotten to know each other and how one another is, and started a brand new friendship. I feel at times we are like brothers sometimes," he said as he finished his meal, and noticed that Abby was almost done as well. The waitress came by to pick up the check, and Luka paid for both he and Abby and left the waitress a tip as well.
"Yea, you do have some things in common," she said to him. "You're both really supportive," she said to him as she finished her coffee. "You might want to go see him now," she said to him. "Yeah, I will, I will definitely do that. Were you ready to go or did you want to stay here and talk for awhile," he asked. "Nope I'm ready to go and see him again," she said to Luka. "You ready," she asked him. Meanwhile Carter was just staring at the wall blankly, Luka had saved his life like he had saved Luka's life; they were even.
"Yeah, I am ready to go," he said as he got up and put his coat back on, and motioned for Abby to go first and they both headed back to the hospital and upstairs to see Carter. Once they got up to his room, they both noticed him staring at the wall. "Hey Carter, how are you doing?"
Carter turned his head slowly, they had extubated him. "I'm a little bored," he said to him. "Luka.....thank you," he said to him from the bottom of his heart. "I'll leave you two to bonding more," Abby teased them and left. Carter smiled at her as she left the room. Luka laughed and smiled at her. "No problem. I do what I have to do to save a good friend's life. But I guess we are even now aren't we," he said watching as Abby left. "She is quite the person, Abby is, I am happy for you both....you are lucky to have a girl like her."
"Yea and I'm glad we have a common bond. I love her, even though we left things at first in a rough patch," he said to him. "What a way to have a break in the ambulance bay today," He joked. "I keep telling the nurse I don't want pain meds," he told Luka.
"Yeah, you and I both have had one heck of a day. You being on your break and me just coming to work. It is good to see that you came out okay though, that is the best thing. Are you having a lot of pain? Maybe you should take at least some Tylenol...to help relieve the pain."
"A little bit," he said to him. Carter laughed a little. "Yea nice way, I hope the ambulance is ok," he said to him.
Luka laughed a bit too, "I am not sure, the ambulance may not have made it. Well, the patient inside didn't....Susan took care of them." Just then Abby walked back in. "Are you two done bonding yet," she laughed.
Carter laughed at that. "Yes were still bonding," he joked to her, he laughed and looked at Luka. "Poor patient," he said to him.
"Okay, you want me to stay or leave again. Maybe I should stay, so you two don't pick on each other so much, although I could help with that," she joked as she kissed Carter on the forehead. "Nah, you're not a poor patient. Now, when I came back from the Congo, you talk about a poor patient," Luka said.
Carter laughed at Abby. She had a good sense of humor. "Yea, Luka was the poor patient here, not me," he said to her. He tried to sit up in the bed.
Abby helped Carter sit up on the bed, "Are you sure you are up to sitting up like this? You need anything," she asked. "Just wait until you get back to work, and it will be good to have you back to work. I mean, we are short enough as it is...with Mark not here anymore, Romano not being able to do much and Kerry sitting up in her office all day. That leaves, me, Susan, you, Pratt, Gallant and a few 2nd years," Luka said as he explained to carter the situation downstairs. Carter looked at her. "I'm fine, and Romano needs to be watched more closely, he's lately diagnosed a few patients wrong," he said to them. "Pratt's getting better, and Gallant is good. "I don't think Romano is ever suited for the ER," he said to him. "I agree, I mean, just today Chen told me he wanted to discharge a patient that was complaining of severe pain on the right side of the abdomen. He said it was just the flu going around, and a few minutes later, Chen was sending the patient up to surgery for a hot appy," Luka said. "He can't be trusted," Abby replied. Luka looked up at the clock, "Well, I better be getting back downstairs to whatever mess is down there," he said as he headed towards the door. "Yea you better save Susan from Romano, I think Weaver thinking of firing him soon, I wouldn't be surprised," Carter said. "See you later," Carter said
"Yeah, take care and see you later. See you later too Abby," he said as he left and headed back downstairs. As he got off the elevator, he saw what he figured he would have seen; a mess. He saw three critical patients in the hall, both trauma rooms full, and Susan, Pratt and Haleh running their butts off, and Romano screaming at everyone as usual. He headed over to the desk, where Romano was, and knew he would probably get screamed at too. "What is going on," Luka asked.
"We have multiple MVAs, three masses of casualties," he said to him. "Where the hell you been," he asked. "And you accepted all of them. Why didn't you close to trauma when we got too many," Luka scolded at Romano, "I was up visiting with Carter and Abby."
"Because we could use the extra workload," he said to him. "Fine, whatever," he said jumping right in. He noticed Susan having trouble in the trauma room and went to help just walking away from Romano, whom was not too please at him he could tell that. "What have you got Susan," he asked.
"I got a twelve year old girl, fractured rib, and pulse ox dropping and trying to get the intubation in, and what the hell was Romano thinking of accepting all these traumas when were short," she said.
Kerry had just gotten into work and had heard the rumors. "Robert my office now," she shouted.
"I don't know, but I don't think he is very happy at me since I was gone for a long time. I can take over the intubation," he said taking the tube from Susan as he looked up and saw Kerry at the desk. "Dr. Weaver, we could use another pair of hands down here," Romano told her.
"Thank you. He's not happy with everyone at the least," she said thanking him for the tray. Kerry looked at him. "Robert you are fired, you no longer work here, this is too many patients since were down a doctor etc.," she said. She went to help the others leaving Romano standing there.
"Give me some cricoid pressure; I can't get this tube in," Luka replied as he saw Kerry come in. Meanwhile, Romano just stood at the desk for a few minutes and then walked to where Kerry was. "What the hell are you talking about? You are firing me, this ER will fall a part with out me. Dr. Kovac was gone for more than an hour, I have now idea where in the hell Abby is. You need more staff Kerry," Romano replied.
Luka laughed a bit under his breath as he got the tube in, "Got it. Bag her."
Kerry turned to Robert, "You're a screw up in the ER Robert, you don't know how to run it and this is no longer your job so get out, and you're fired. Maybe if you asked you would know where everyone was. NOW GET OUT ROBERT, GO PACK YOUR STUFF, I CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE, '' Kerry said screaming at Romano, and went back to helping with the patient. Susan smiled as she got the patient ready, "She's ready to go up."
Romano stormed out of the trauma room swearing up a storm. "Good work Kerry. He needed that," Luka replied as the surgeons took the patient up.
Kerry turned to Luka and Susan. "Yea he did, I had gotten reports about him from other attendings and staff down here, today he blew it, but I don't know who I should have as the new ER chief. I have a few of you as attendings now, and you're all friends so it's hard to decide, since I'm chief of staff. Please you two decide and make a decision and let me know at the end of the day, Haleh told me what happened this morning, so I knew where Abby was," she said. And with that she headed up to do more paperwork.
Luka looked at Susan, "We have to decide, this is going to be hard, but I already think I know who deserves to be ER chief," he said to her as he walked to another area to help clear the board.
Susan turned to him and looked at him. "And who would that be," she asked thinking about the same idea he had, but she wanted to hear from him first.
"I think Carter deserves to take it. He has been through a lot and he is already chief resident. He has also been here the longest. What do you think? Were you thinking him too or someone else? I am open to anyone, because, anyone is better than Romano."
"I was thinking of Carter to, hell he's been here for ten years, he's been here longer then Romano. I was here before Romano came, Carter's good, and I was watching him before the accident today, and he was taking patients from Romano, because he had made mistakes. So I guess it's final," she said to him, "It's Carter." "But you know that means he be in charge of us to, but I know he's gentle," she added and teased.
"Yeah, it is done...it is carter. So he'll be in charge of us two. I think he could handle it as I think we could too. You want me to go tell Kerry," Luka said smiling.
"Yea, I'll stay down here, and cover, looks like were getting slow now," she said to him.
"Okay. Page me if anything happens that you need me, but I shouldn't be long," he said. He then went upstairs to Kerry's office and knocked on the door.
Susan nodded; Kerry was doing some paperwork when she heard the knock. "Come in," she said to them.
Luka entered her office, "Is this a bad time?" "No it's not, come on in, what's up," she asked Luka. She felt please for firing Romano. "Well, me and Susan came up with someone already for the ER chief position," he started off, "We both think carter deserves the job. He has been here the longest and he works hard and sometimes even harder than any of us."
Kerry smiled, she knew Luka was right on the dock, she was thinking that, but she wanted the attendings decisions too. "I agree, he's really skillful, he should of already been attending, and well should I tell him he's the new chief of ER, or you, or us together," she asked him. "I think the news coming from both of us would really brighten up his day. I mean, he has had a rough day, as have I, but his is the roughest," he told Kerry. Kerry smiled. "All right, let's go," she said to him. They headed to Johns room, Carter was playing a game with Abby when they came in. "Hey Dr. Weaver, Luka what brings you here," he asked them.
"Well, we both have something to tell you. Don't worry it is good news," Luka said. "First thing, Romano is fired, second thing, is Kerry had me and Susan decide who was to be ER chief and we both decided that you deserved it the most. You have been here longest and work very hard," Luka replied.
"Yes, John, you indeed deserve this position. You not only work hard or have been here longest, but you are a very skillful doctor. I was just telling Luka that you should have already been attending. Congratulations," Kerry replied.
Carter looked up shocked. "Wow, Romano fired and me the new chief of ER. Thank you," he said to them. "You are welcome John," Kerry said, "How are you feeling?" Luka snuck out after telling the good news because he didn't want to leave Susan down in the ER alone.
"I'm doing the best as I can be Kerry," he said to her. "I'll be out of here in no time," he added, "And I told them no pain meds."
"That is good to hear, but take your time to recover. We can cover until you are back on your feet, but I must be getting back to loads of paperwork I have," Kerry said.
"All right," John said to her
Luka came back downstairs after telling carter the news. He saw that there was hardly anyone waiting in chairs, the board almost clear and Susan discharging the last patient from the traumas. "What the hell? Is this the same ER I work at? It is so...how do I say it...quiet." "Don't say a word or you'll be getting more patients," Susan teased him. "How did she take the news, "she asked.
"She took it well, as a matter a fact she agreed and then we went up and told him right away. He was shocked, but thanked us for choosing him. He is doing much better. He still isn't taking any pain meds, and he and I are even now, and what I mean by even is he saved my life in the Congo and today I saved his," he told her. Susan laughed, "I know what you meant, and I understand why he isn't."
A few weeks Later Carter was making some new charts and schedules in the lounge. He smiled as Luka walked in. "Hey there, I written some new schedules out, so all of us won't have to be tired, I'm handing them out, so here is yours," he said to him. "Thanks carter. Are you glad to be back at work," Luka asked as he looked over the schedule. "Oh and if you need me to cover any shifts, I would be happy too," he added. "I'm actually glad to be at work," he said to him. "But its weird of being in charged of the whole ER, for a change, "And thanks and I will let you know; Susan's already joked with me about her schedule, saying I'm putting her on too much.
"I don't mind my schedule. Have really nothing else to do outside of work so I am glad to be working," Luka joked a bit with Carter before heading out into the realm of the ER. He saw Dr. Chen at the desk, "How was the night?"
Chen smiled, "It was pretty good, I like my schedule, and John has a fair way of working the schedule, and we're not overdoing it, but I'm worried he'll overdo it himself instead," she said.
"I know, I told him that I could pick up any other shifts that he needed me to so he doesn't overdue himself," he told her, "So, what patients are still left for us day people. Chen smiled, "Um a fractured leg in one, a pelvic in two and a man thinking that a worm can eat him in five. Luka laughed a bit when she told him about the last patient, "That last one sounds like fun, I think I will take that one first." Chen nodded. "Well, then you can have that one, you can help Abby in there," she said to him
"Okay, have a good day Dr. Chen.", he said as he went to help Abby with the patient. "Good morning Abby, need any help."
Abby smiled at Luka. "Morning, "Mr. Hanning is having the idea that a grass worm can eat him, he was screaming early, he ate something that makes him hallucinate and he's had a few of Valium to help," she said. "Good morning Mr. Hanning, I am Dr. Kovac. The nurse says you think a worm can eat you and you are having hallucinations," he said to the man. The man nodded. "Yep, that's right mister," he said to him. "Mr. Hanning saw the doctor looking at him. "What's wrong with me docs," he asked them. "That's what the doctor is going to try and figure out Mr. Hanning," Abby said as she handed the chart to Luka. Luka looked over the chart and then asked the man, "Did you eat anything that looked suspicious today?"
"Some little black bacon," he said. He smiled at the nurse. "Just don't let them eat me," he said. "Nothing is going to eat you. You probably just have a case of food poisoning from the bacon," Luka told the man as he turned towards Abby. "Let's get a CBC, dip a urine, and scan the belly and a stool sample if we can get it, "he told her as he wrote it all down on the chart. "Mr. Hanning, we are going to run a few tests and I will be back to check on you later," he said. "All right, thank you doctor," he said to them.
Abby got the tests ordered. "All right there clear," she said, "So ready for the next patient?" Carter walked. "Hey, multiple MVAs coming in," he said to them. "We took as many as we could," he added. He was also gowned up and walked to the ambulance bay.
He stood there, but didn't go out yet, he was afraid the ambulance would crash into him again. "Okay," he told Carter as he picked up a gown and gloves and got ready for the multiple MVAs that were coming in. He noticed that Carter did not walk outside, and he knew he was still shook up from his incident. "Carter, I can bring them in if you want me too," he said to Carter.
Carter looked at Luka. "Yea that would be good. I'll be in here waiting," he said to him.
None of the nurses or anyone would force Carter, and they didn't blame him. Abby went outside with Luka. "I'm worried about him," she said to Luka, "He hasn't slept that well, and he keeps insisting on working," she said to him. She needed to tell someone, and felt it was Luka's right to know.
"Yeah, I am worried about him too. I think he needs to take some time off, but I know he won't. He wants to work, he wants to keep busy," Luka said to Abby just as the ambulance pulled up and Doris opened up the back doors. "What have you got," Luka asked.
Abby nodded. "Yea that's what I'm talking about, but you know he won't listen," she said. "A man with severe head injury, pulse is low," Doris said.
"Okay, let's get this man inside and to trauma," Luka said as he wheeled the gurney inside. It was starting to snow harder than it was before and the wind was really starting to pick up now. Through the mist of the blowing snow, he noticed the other ambulance pulling up and saw Susan and Haleh come out. "Susan, take this one that is rolling up now," he told her. Luka got the man inside and into Trauma 1. Once they were in the trauma room, Luka began his assessment right away. The man was losing a lot of blood from his head injury. "Get me some four by fours, we have to try and stop this bleeding. And page surgery," he said.
Abby nodded, as she watched John walk in. "What we got Luka?" He asked coming to assist him. Susan with the other patient, watched Carter closely lately to, he seemed to be out of it lately. They were all worried.
"Severe head injury, pulse is 35, BP is 90/55 and dropping rapidly. I am trying to get this bleeding under control. Airway is still clear as of now, but we may have to intubate later on," Luka told Carter. He knew Carter was out of it, but he could also tell that he, himself was getting really stressed out lately. "Good, good," Carter said to him. "Surgery's on their way," Abby announced to him, "I got a few bags of O- Neg, but the blood bank said were on shortage again," she announced to them. "Okay. Thanks Abby. Hang the O-Neg on the rapid infuser, this man needs blood and he needs it now," Luka said as the monitors started to beep.
"Abby did as she was told and hung the O-Neg, thank god she was on nursing shift today, but later she would be on med student shift. She was almost done with her rotation. "Charge the paddles," Carter said to the other nurse in the trauma.
Chuny charged up the paddles and handed them to Carter. Luka, on the other hand, was busy trying to get the tube in for intubation. "I need cricoid pressure," he said having trouble with the intubation. Abby gave him the cricoid pressure for the patient. She looked at Luka. "You need help with that," she asked him. "Clear," Carter shouted.
Luka moved his hands away when Carter said clear and then continued to try and intubate him. "Yeah, I may need a little help....wait....there, got it. Bag him," he said finally getting the tube in. He then listened to his chest, "Good breath sounds bilaterally." "All right, let's get surgery in here now and we're not going to lose this guy," Carter said. Abby watched Luka.
"Are you ok," she asked as she watched the surgeons take up the guy. Carter walked out and went to the admit desk to do some charts. As he was doing the charts he sort of fell asleep at the desk. "Yeah, I am fine," he said as he hoped the guy would make it through surgery since he had a lot of blood loss. He then walked back to the desk and looked to see what else there was on the board. He only had a few more hours left of his shift, and that made him glad unless Carter needed him to work longer, and then he would.
: "Ok, you two are the worst liars to me," Abby said to him, "I know you say your fine when you're not, please tell me what's wrong," she asked him.
Luka turned towards Abby, "I guess I have just been a little stressed lately. With all that happened with Carter, working late, stuff like that. But don't worry, nothing serious is wrong," he explained to Abby with a smile on his face.
"Well, maybe you need a break," she said to him. Randi heard the two. "Hey you guys want to get drooling beauty over here up," she asked. "You know I'm here to talk, and don't ever think I'm not going to turned you down for a talk," Abby told Luka. Luka just smiled, "Yeah, you're right, I think I do need a break. I think I will take 15 minutes just to sit and relax. I will let you wake Carter. Tell him, if he needs me, I will be in the lounge." "Yea don't worry," she said to him, "You two should get off shift soon, why don't you guys do some more male bonding time," she suggested. She walked over to Carter. "John," she said. Carter stirred. "Hmm," he asked her as he looked up.
Luka walked into the lounge and sat down. He needed to sit; he hadn't sat ever since he took his supper break. He had been running all day, and all he wanted to do is relax. Abby was right, he and Carter should go and do something for awhile, but he didn't know what to do. After a few moments, he realized that the 15 minutes were almost up, so he grabbed a cup of coffee and headed back out into the ER and finished what hours he had left on his shift.
Carter had liked Abby's suggestion and turned to see Luka working as well, "Luka , why don't you finish up with your patient and then you and I go out and maybe see a basketball game," he said to him. "Sure. I think I need a fun night out for a change. Maybe it will lift some of this stress off my shoulders," he said as he finished writing the discharge orders for his patient. "Yea I know what you mean, anyways we can get to know each other more," Carter said to him.
"Yeah, that sounds good. Is your shift almost up," he asked. "It was up a half hour ago," he confessed that he had stayed over his shift. "I wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere, and we had that trauma then," he said to him. "Yeah, well, mine is almost over...only about 20 minutes left," he told him as he put the charts he had in the discharge rack. "Ah, put the charts down, you can sign out early, want to get good seats to a basketball game," he said to him "Okay," he said as he signed out and went to the lounge to grab his coat. "Ready," he said. He turned towards Abby, "Now, are you going to survive without Carter for a few hours," he said joking with her. Abby smiled. "Have fun you two, and be careful," she warned them, they laughed knowing what she meant.
"I'm all set," Carter said to Luka. "Alright, let's go," he said, "Have a good night Abby. Don't have too much fun." He laughed, he liked joking around with Abby, and at least she joked back unlike other people.
Abby watched them leave. She was also serious. John walked with Luka. "To the el," he asked him. He hadn't driven any car in awhile. "Yeah.", he replied as they walked up to the El station and waited for it to arrive. "So, you and Abby seem to be getting along just fine," he said to him. "Yea, we had are little arguments once in awhile," he said to him. "She's really great, and you know she's fun to be around with. I'm glad your still friends with her," Carter said to him. "Yeah, she is really fun to be around with and she is a good listener. I am really happy for the two of you," he said as the El pulled into the station. "Thanks Luka, that means a lot coming from you, I know you're her ex, but I was always worried you wouldn't like me because I was dating her," he said to him. "Well, it was hard at first, but then I saw how happy she was with you and I suddenly became happy. I knew that you would take good care of her the way I did, and so I told myself to let go and that she is in good, loving care being with you," Luka told him as they boarded the El and it was off again.
By: A Luka Kovac Fan
John Carter was sitting in the ambulance bay on a break, just thinking about the day and evening, and wondering what he was going to do that night, not aware of a ambulances out of control, all of the sudden the ambulance hits him where he's sitting on the bench, he's in to much pain as the ambulance made the noise, but he wonders how bad it was because he was bleeding as well. He couldn't believe the scene, and he was trying to breathe.
Luka had just arrived at County for his shift. He had been working three twelve hour shifts straight and was starting to get burned out. When he approached the bay doors he noticed Carter in a lot of pain, as well as bleeding. "Carter, what happened?" "The ambulance....crashed right here and hit.....me," he said as he was nearly out of breath as he pointed to the crash, worried about the other paramedics.
"They're.....hurt.......to," he said not sure how bad he was hurt. "Ok, don't move. Don't try to talk either, save your breath," he said as he went over to the doors of the ER and yelled inside, "I need some help out here."
Luka then went back out and tried to help both the paramedics and Carter. He asked the paramedics, "What do you have here?" Carter nodded as Luka went back in, and the paramedics talked to Luka. "We have a pregnant...female, not sure if she's conscious now," Doris said.
"Our breaks went loose. Is anyone else hurt," she asked him. Haleh and Susan ran out with a few gurneys. "What happened," Susan shouted to Luka as others came to assist. Carter was starting to turn blue, his lips mostly.
"Yes, Dr. Carter is hurt," Luka told Doris just as Susan and Haleh came out.
"Can you take her? I will take care of Carter," Luka asked Susan as he ran back over to Carter seeing that he was starting to turn blue. "Help me get him on a gurney and I will get him inside," he said as he used the bag to give carter air to help him breath. He didn't think his shift was going to start out this bad, and he only hoped it would get better.
Susan nodded. "Sure Luka," she said as she went to help Doris and the other paramedics. Haleh went to help Luka get Carter on a gurney. He was bleeding pretty badly. Carter just watched as things were going back in a hurry. The last time he was on a gurney he had been stabbed, and now this. Pressures dropping," Haleh said.
"Let's get him inside....we may have to intubate, but first let's concentrate on this bleeding," he said as he started to push the gurney inside and to an open trauma room. He also kept pressure on the bleeding.
"Carter, Carter...can you hear me?"
Haleh nodded and watched the scene. This wasn't the first time she saw Carter like this, and she was bagging him. Carter didn't open his eyes. They needed to find the source soon. Susan had just finished with the paramedics. Doris had a scratch on her knee, and Zadro had stitches, the pregnant lady didn't make it, or the baby, she had just called it. "Hey you need help in here," she asked Luka. She wondered how Carter was doing.
"Yeah, I could use another pair of hands," he replied when Susan walked in. "Your patient didn't make it," he said when the monitors starting beeping all over the place just then. He grabbed an intubation tray, "We have got to intubate, he isn't moving much air, and we have to find the source of the bleeding."
Susan nodded as she grabbed the intubation tray, just as Carter spit up. "I need suction," she shouted. She was trying to keep her cool, but this was Carter. Haleh had then found the source. "It's his back and mid-section," she said to them. Susan successfully got the tube in. "I'm in and his stats are rising. Anyone contact Abby," she asked knowing Abby needed to know.
Luka was relived to see that stats were rising. "Ok, let's roll him to see how deep the wound is and page surgery and Abby," he said as he helped Haleh roll Carter over on his side. Susan helped them roll him over, and watched as the wound was pretty deep, Haleh had paged surgery. How could this be happening? Haleh Paged Abby as well, a 911 page. "Surgery should be on its way," she said to him. Luka just kept as much pressure as he could on the wound. He was also trying to keep his cool. He didn't like the fact that a co-worker was his patient, but he did what he had to do. He took a few deep breaths and kept working.
He then saw Abby running down the corridor and into the room, "Oh my god, what the hell happened."
"There was an ambulance crashed outside the bay, Carter got caught in the middle of it," Susan said to her. "We're waiting for a surgeon to come down," Susan said to her softly. Elizabeth then came down. "What we got Luka," she asked him. Carter was still unconscious.
"Carter was stuck in the middle of an ambulance crash outside in the bay. He is intubated, which brought his stats up. There is a deep wound in the mid-section of his back."
Elizabeth looked at them. "All right, I'm taking him upstairs now, I will call you guys when there are changes," she said to them. "Let's go," she said grabbing the gurney and taking him upstairs. "Good work," she said. Susan couldn't believe this all was happening. She watched as Abby walked out. "Hey Luka, you might want to talk to Abby," she said to him.
He took of his gloves and gown and threw them in the trash. He caught up to Abby, "Hey, Abby, you want to talk."
Abby turned to him, "How the hell did the ambulance lose control," she asked as she looked at her ex boyfriend. She was still friends with him, but Carter was her boyfriend and this was scaring her. "I just want him to be ok," she said as she took a cigarette to light up. She needed one at the moment.
"I am not sure of all the details. When I was just arriving, I saw Carter on the ground and he was hurt pretty bad. Doris said that their breaks went lose and that's all she said. I am sorry Abby, but he is going to be fine," Luka said as he just stood there for a moment as she went outside to have a cigarette, but minutes later followed her.
Abby couldn't believe it, Carter made her happy, and she was still glad she was friends with Luka. "I won't know until he's out of surgery," Abby said to him.
"It's scary to think that he died, it's not the first time he's had surgery, he told me once that he's scared to even be a patient again, and here he is a patient. I just need the cigarette and then I need to wait and see if he's ok," she said to Luka. "I know, we are all scared. He is a friend of all of us, but we have to be positive on things like this. Do you want someone to take you up to surgery and be with you until he is out," he said to her as he quickly gave her a hug.
Abby looked at him and he was right everyone knew Carter, they were friends with him. "Yes please," she said to him as she took the cigarette and put it out. She gave him a hug back, "Can we go up there now," she asked him. "Sure.", he said to her as he knew that how hurt she was inside. He knew the pain she was going through, for he had had this pain before.
Abby went upstairs and smiled at him as they waited for news, she just kept pacing, and she wanted to be there when he woke up. "Why him? He doesn't deserve this does he," she asked out loud.
"No, he doesn't deserve this," he said to her as he just comforted her and kept her calm.
He didn't like seeing her like this, as a matter a fact, he hated seeing her like this. He sat down and just waited to hear from the surgeons. "He's been through a lot of hell, "she said just as Elizabeth rolled the gurney out, he was hooked up to a vent. "How is he," she asked as she ran over there as she saw him.
Luka stood up as Elizabeth rolled by with the gurney and Abby ran over to him. "He is stable. He had lost a lot of blood, but we got the bleeding under control.", Elizabeth said. Luka was happy to see that Carter was going to be okay, for that made him happy for Abby as well. "Abby, if you need to take the rest of your shift off, you can, I will just find a nurse to finish your shift."
"Thanks Luka, that's what I'm planning to do," she said to him. "What, wait, why he is on a vent," she asked confused. "Does he have to learn to walk again, since he was hurt in his back side," she asked her. "You're welcome Abby. Tell Carter to get well soon from all of us in the ER," Luka said to her as he started to head back downstairs. There was so much on his mind right now. "It will take him awhile to get his strength back again. He will have to go through physical therapy for awhile. As for the vent, he still wasn't moving much air while he was in surgery, his stats dropped, but they are back up now," Elizabeth explained.
Abby nodded. "Thank you, both of you, really thanks," she said to them. "I will," she said to Luka as she watched him leave. As they got Carter in the room, Carter opened his eyes to see Elizabeth and Abby standing there. Susan saw Luka come down there. "Hey is he out of surgery, is Abby ok," she asked concerned for her friends and him to.
"Carter came out of surgery okay. He is on a vent, and it may take a few days for him to get his strength back. Abby is okay, she is going to take the rest of the day off. Haleh, can you finish the rest of Abby's shift," he asked as he saw Haleh walk by. He just wiped the sweat from his forehead and sighed heavily. Haleh nodded. "Of course, "she said. She didn't mind. "That's good," Susan said to Luka. Carter looked around again a little disoriented from the surgery.
"Yes, it is very good. This day has just been crazy, and I have only been on for a few hours. I think I am going to take a little break, unless you guys need me for anything," he said sounding much stressed out now.
"No, go for a break Luka, I have you covered," Susan said to him. She smiled as she actually understood.
"Thanks." he replied as he went into the lounge and sat down on the couch for awhile. There were a lot of things on his mind that he could not get rid of. "He seems really stressed out. There must be a lot of things on his mind," Haleh told Susan. While in the lounge, Luka found himself slowly falling asleep, but managed to keep himself awake.
Susan nodded. "Yea I noticed," she said to her. "Right now let's just let him be, he's had a hectic way of starting this morning," she said to her. "So what patients do you have for me," she asked Haleh. Abby walked downstairs, and into the lounge. "Hey Luka, someone wants to see you," she said to him. "Are you ok," she asked.
Haleh handed Susan a chart, "Yeah, your rape victim from yesterday is back, she thinks she may be pregnant." Luka looked up to see it was Abby who had walked in. "Is he awake? How is he doing?" "Yeah, I am alright, just a lot of things went on this morning and a lot of things on my mind," Luka replied to her.
Susan groaned "Great," she said to her, "Lets go." "Yea he's awake and he's the one that wants to see you," Abby said to him "Ok, if you need to talk let me know," Abby said to him.
"Okay, thanks Abby, are you going back upstairs too," he said as he stood up and walked out of the lounge with Abby. "I'm going to get some food, he kind of kicked me out telling me I looked awful and needed to eat," she said to him. "You mind if I join you, I am kind of hungry myself. My treat," he asked smiling at her. "Nope I don't' mind," Abby said to her. "Okay, where do you want to go? I will go see Carter when we get back," he asked. He was happy to have a good friend like Abby.
"Anywhere's fine, but not to far from here, I told the nurse to page me if anything out of the blue happens to him," she said to him. She needed to talk, and Luka seemed like the right person right now. "Okay, how about just across the street," he asked as he put on his coat and told the desk clerk where he was going. "Hey Frank, I am stepping out for a few minutes, page me if anything happens."
He turned to Abby, "Shall we go?" Frank nodded. "Yes, let's go," she said to her as they headed to the new place across the street that used to be Doc's. He opened up the door for Abby and let her walk in first. "This place is nice; I haven't been here since Doc's burned down."
"Me neither, Doc's has been here for a long time up until last year, and then everything went down. "So what's on your mind," she asked Luka , she was worried about him too.
"A lot of things, just having to take care of a good friend this morning, worrying about him, worrying about you, stuff like that.", he said as they seated themselves. He started to look at a menu to see what they had to eat, "I think I am just going to have a turkey sandwich, some chips and a coke."
Abby nodded. "I worry about you to," she said to him, she smiled a little. "That sounds good, but I just have some coffee," she said. The waitress wrote the order down, "ok, I will have that ready for you in a few minutes and I will bring you your drinks," she said as she went and got the coffee and coke. All Luka could was sit there and smile at Abby, for she was on his mind a lot lately.
"Penny for your thoughts," she said to him. "John really wants to thank you for saving his life, and he said to tell you, that you two are even," she said not sure what that meant, or was it when John went to the Congo to find Luka.
Luka just laughed, "yeah, I guess we are even, because he did save my life we he came back to the Congo. I will have to go see him when we get back." Abby laughed. She had hated how she had asked John to stay, when he felt responsible for Luka being dead, when here he was alive. "Well you two are both really important to me here, and I don't want to lose either of you," she said to Luka, she said that like she meant it.
"Thanks Abby, that really means a lot to me. You are important to me too, and I don't want anything to happen to you. I too don't want to lose you," he said smiling as their food and drinks arrived. "You won't lose me," she said to him. She took a sip of her coffee and smiled at him. if you really need to talk things out, I be here for you, you and John came into my life at the right time, and you two are my most best friends, and to have Susan as my girl best friend even helps," she said to him.
Luka took a drink of his coke and a bite of his sandwich. He was at lost for words for a moment. Everything that Abby was saying to him was just what he needed to hear. Sometimes he regretted not having her as a girlfriend anymore, but in other ways, was still glad to have her as a great friend. He loved spending time with her, and talking to her. "I will be there for you always and forever...if you need to talk, I will be there to listen and help you," he finally said to her as the waitress laid their check on the table.
Abby smiled. "Thanks Luka, you were there for me today when I needed someone, knowing that someone that means something to me was hurt. I see you and John found a new bound of friendship and I like that," she said to him.
"You are welcome. Yeah, I feel me and Carter have really gotten to know each other and how one another is, and started a brand new friendship. I feel at times we are like brothers sometimes," he said as he finished his meal, and noticed that Abby was almost done as well. The waitress came by to pick up the check, and Luka paid for both he and Abby and left the waitress a tip as well.
"Yea, you do have some things in common," she said to him. "You're both really supportive," she said to him as she finished her coffee. "You might want to go see him now," she said to him. "Yeah, I will, I will definitely do that. Were you ready to go or did you want to stay here and talk for awhile," he asked. "Nope I'm ready to go and see him again," she said to Luka. "You ready," she asked him. Meanwhile Carter was just staring at the wall blankly, Luka had saved his life like he had saved Luka's life; they were even.
"Yeah, I am ready to go," he said as he got up and put his coat back on, and motioned for Abby to go first and they both headed back to the hospital and upstairs to see Carter. Once they got up to his room, they both noticed him staring at the wall. "Hey Carter, how are you doing?"
Carter turned his head slowly, they had extubated him. "I'm a little bored," he said to him. "Luka.....thank you," he said to him from the bottom of his heart. "I'll leave you two to bonding more," Abby teased them and left. Carter smiled at her as she left the room. Luka laughed and smiled at her. "No problem. I do what I have to do to save a good friend's life. But I guess we are even now aren't we," he said watching as Abby left. "She is quite the person, Abby is, I am happy for you both....you are lucky to have a girl like her."
"Yea and I'm glad we have a common bond. I love her, even though we left things at first in a rough patch," he said to him. "What a way to have a break in the ambulance bay today," He joked. "I keep telling the nurse I don't want pain meds," he told Luka.
"Yeah, you and I both have had one heck of a day. You being on your break and me just coming to work. It is good to see that you came out okay though, that is the best thing. Are you having a lot of pain? Maybe you should take at least some Tylenol...to help relieve the pain."
"A little bit," he said to him. Carter laughed a little. "Yea nice way, I hope the ambulance is ok," he said to him.
Luka laughed a bit too, "I am not sure, the ambulance may not have made it. Well, the patient inside didn't....Susan took care of them." Just then Abby walked back in. "Are you two done bonding yet," she laughed.
Carter laughed at that. "Yes were still bonding," he joked to her, he laughed and looked at Luka. "Poor patient," he said to him.
"Okay, you want me to stay or leave again. Maybe I should stay, so you two don't pick on each other so much, although I could help with that," she joked as she kissed Carter on the forehead. "Nah, you're not a poor patient. Now, when I came back from the Congo, you talk about a poor patient," Luka said.
Carter laughed at Abby. She had a good sense of humor. "Yea, Luka was the poor patient here, not me," he said to her. He tried to sit up in the bed.
Abby helped Carter sit up on the bed, "Are you sure you are up to sitting up like this? You need anything," she asked. "Just wait until you get back to work, and it will be good to have you back to work. I mean, we are short enough as it is...with Mark not here anymore, Romano not being able to do much and Kerry sitting up in her office all day. That leaves, me, Susan, you, Pratt, Gallant and a few 2nd years," Luka said as he explained to carter the situation downstairs. Carter looked at her. "I'm fine, and Romano needs to be watched more closely, he's lately diagnosed a few patients wrong," he said to them. "Pratt's getting better, and Gallant is good. "I don't think Romano is ever suited for the ER," he said to him. "I agree, I mean, just today Chen told me he wanted to discharge a patient that was complaining of severe pain on the right side of the abdomen. He said it was just the flu going around, and a few minutes later, Chen was sending the patient up to surgery for a hot appy," Luka said. "He can't be trusted," Abby replied. Luka looked up at the clock, "Well, I better be getting back downstairs to whatever mess is down there," he said as he headed towards the door. "Yea you better save Susan from Romano, I think Weaver thinking of firing him soon, I wouldn't be surprised," Carter said. "See you later," Carter said
"Yeah, take care and see you later. See you later too Abby," he said as he left and headed back downstairs. As he got off the elevator, he saw what he figured he would have seen; a mess. He saw three critical patients in the hall, both trauma rooms full, and Susan, Pratt and Haleh running their butts off, and Romano screaming at everyone as usual. He headed over to the desk, where Romano was, and knew he would probably get screamed at too. "What is going on," Luka asked.
"We have multiple MVAs, three masses of casualties," he said to him. "Where the hell you been," he asked. "And you accepted all of them. Why didn't you close to trauma when we got too many," Luka scolded at Romano, "I was up visiting with Carter and Abby."
"Because we could use the extra workload," he said to him. "Fine, whatever," he said jumping right in. He noticed Susan having trouble in the trauma room and went to help just walking away from Romano, whom was not too please at him he could tell that. "What have you got Susan," he asked.
"I got a twelve year old girl, fractured rib, and pulse ox dropping and trying to get the intubation in, and what the hell was Romano thinking of accepting all these traumas when were short," she said.
Kerry had just gotten into work and had heard the rumors. "Robert my office now," she shouted.
"I don't know, but I don't think he is very happy at me since I was gone for a long time. I can take over the intubation," he said taking the tube from Susan as he looked up and saw Kerry at the desk. "Dr. Weaver, we could use another pair of hands down here," Romano told her.
"Thank you. He's not happy with everyone at the least," she said thanking him for the tray. Kerry looked at him. "Robert you are fired, you no longer work here, this is too many patients since were down a doctor etc.," she said. She went to help the others leaving Romano standing there.
"Give me some cricoid pressure; I can't get this tube in," Luka replied as he saw Kerry come in. Meanwhile, Romano just stood at the desk for a few minutes and then walked to where Kerry was. "What the hell are you talking about? You are firing me, this ER will fall a part with out me. Dr. Kovac was gone for more than an hour, I have now idea where in the hell Abby is. You need more staff Kerry," Romano replied.
Luka laughed a bit under his breath as he got the tube in, "Got it. Bag her."
Kerry turned to Robert, "You're a screw up in the ER Robert, you don't know how to run it and this is no longer your job so get out, and you're fired. Maybe if you asked you would know where everyone was. NOW GET OUT ROBERT, GO PACK YOUR STUFF, I CHOOSE SOMEONE ELSE, '' Kerry said screaming at Romano, and went back to helping with the patient. Susan smiled as she got the patient ready, "She's ready to go up."
Romano stormed out of the trauma room swearing up a storm. "Good work Kerry. He needed that," Luka replied as the surgeons took the patient up.
Kerry turned to Luka and Susan. "Yea he did, I had gotten reports about him from other attendings and staff down here, today he blew it, but I don't know who I should have as the new ER chief. I have a few of you as attendings now, and you're all friends so it's hard to decide, since I'm chief of staff. Please you two decide and make a decision and let me know at the end of the day, Haleh told me what happened this morning, so I knew where Abby was," she said. And with that she headed up to do more paperwork.
Luka looked at Susan, "We have to decide, this is going to be hard, but I already think I know who deserves to be ER chief," he said to her as he walked to another area to help clear the board.
Susan turned to him and looked at him. "And who would that be," she asked thinking about the same idea he had, but she wanted to hear from him first.
"I think Carter deserves to take it. He has been through a lot and he is already chief resident. He has also been here the longest. What do you think? Were you thinking him too or someone else? I am open to anyone, because, anyone is better than Romano."
"I was thinking of Carter to, hell he's been here for ten years, he's been here longer then Romano. I was here before Romano came, Carter's good, and I was watching him before the accident today, and he was taking patients from Romano, because he had made mistakes. So I guess it's final," she said to him, "It's Carter." "But you know that means he be in charge of us to, but I know he's gentle," she added and teased.
"Yeah, it is done...it is carter. So he'll be in charge of us two. I think he could handle it as I think we could too. You want me to go tell Kerry," Luka said smiling.
"Yea, I'll stay down here, and cover, looks like were getting slow now," she said to him.
"Okay. Page me if anything happens that you need me, but I shouldn't be long," he said. He then went upstairs to Kerry's office and knocked on the door.
Susan nodded; Kerry was doing some paperwork when she heard the knock. "Come in," she said to them.
Luka entered her office, "Is this a bad time?" "No it's not, come on in, what's up," she asked Luka. She felt please for firing Romano. "Well, me and Susan came up with someone already for the ER chief position," he started off, "We both think carter deserves the job. He has been here the longest and he works hard and sometimes even harder than any of us."
Kerry smiled, she knew Luka was right on the dock, she was thinking that, but she wanted the attendings decisions too. "I agree, he's really skillful, he should of already been attending, and well should I tell him he's the new chief of ER, or you, or us together," she asked him. "I think the news coming from both of us would really brighten up his day. I mean, he has had a rough day, as have I, but his is the roughest," he told Kerry. Kerry smiled. "All right, let's go," she said to him. They headed to Johns room, Carter was playing a game with Abby when they came in. "Hey Dr. Weaver, Luka what brings you here," he asked them.
"Well, we both have something to tell you. Don't worry it is good news," Luka said. "First thing, Romano is fired, second thing, is Kerry had me and Susan decide who was to be ER chief and we both decided that you deserved it the most. You have been here longest and work very hard," Luka replied.
"Yes, John, you indeed deserve this position. You not only work hard or have been here longest, but you are a very skillful doctor. I was just telling Luka that you should have already been attending. Congratulations," Kerry replied.
Carter looked up shocked. "Wow, Romano fired and me the new chief of ER. Thank you," he said to them. "You are welcome John," Kerry said, "How are you feeling?" Luka snuck out after telling the good news because he didn't want to leave Susan down in the ER alone.
"I'm doing the best as I can be Kerry," he said to her. "I'll be out of here in no time," he added, "And I told them no pain meds."
"That is good to hear, but take your time to recover. We can cover until you are back on your feet, but I must be getting back to loads of paperwork I have," Kerry said.
"All right," John said to her
Luka came back downstairs after telling carter the news. He saw that there was hardly anyone waiting in chairs, the board almost clear and Susan discharging the last patient from the traumas. "What the hell? Is this the same ER I work at? It is so...how do I say it...quiet." "Don't say a word or you'll be getting more patients," Susan teased him. "How did she take the news, "she asked.
"She took it well, as a matter a fact she agreed and then we went up and told him right away. He was shocked, but thanked us for choosing him. He is doing much better. He still isn't taking any pain meds, and he and I are even now, and what I mean by even is he saved my life in the Congo and today I saved his," he told her. Susan laughed, "I know what you meant, and I understand why he isn't."
A few weeks Later Carter was making some new charts and schedules in the lounge. He smiled as Luka walked in. "Hey there, I written some new schedules out, so all of us won't have to be tired, I'm handing them out, so here is yours," he said to him. "Thanks carter. Are you glad to be back at work," Luka asked as he looked over the schedule. "Oh and if you need me to cover any shifts, I would be happy too," he added. "I'm actually glad to be at work," he said to him. "But its weird of being in charged of the whole ER, for a change, "And thanks and I will let you know; Susan's already joked with me about her schedule, saying I'm putting her on too much.
"I don't mind my schedule. Have really nothing else to do outside of work so I am glad to be working," Luka joked a bit with Carter before heading out into the realm of the ER. He saw Dr. Chen at the desk, "How was the night?"
Chen smiled, "It was pretty good, I like my schedule, and John has a fair way of working the schedule, and we're not overdoing it, but I'm worried he'll overdo it himself instead," she said.
"I know, I told him that I could pick up any other shifts that he needed me to so he doesn't overdue himself," he told her, "So, what patients are still left for us day people. Chen smiled, "Um a fractured leg in one, a pelvic in two and a man thinking that a worm can eat him in five. Luka laughed a bit when she told him about the last patient, "That last one sounds like fun, I think I will take that one first." Chen nodded. "Well, then you can have that one, you can help Abby in there," she said to him
"Okay, have a good day Dr. Chen.", he said as he went to help Abby with the patient. "Good morning Abby, need any help."
Abby smiled at Luka. "Morning, "Mr. Hanning is having the idea that a grass worm can eat him, he was screaming early, he ate something that makes him hallucinate and he's had a few of Valium to help," she said. "Good morning Mr. Hanning, I am Dr. Kovac. The nurse says you think a worm can eat you and you are having hallucinations," he said to the man. The man nodded. "Yep, that's right mister," he said to him. "Mr. Hanning saw the doctor looking at him. "What's wrong with me docs," he asked them. "That's what the doctor is going to try and figure out Mr. Hanning," Abby said as she handed the chart to Luka. Luka looked over the chart and then asked the man, "Did you eat anything that looked suspicious today?"
"Some little black bacon," he said. He smiled at the nurse. "Just don't let them eat me," he said. "Nothing is going to eat you. You probably just have a case of food poisoning from the bacon," Luka told the man as he turned towards Abby. "Let's get a CBC, dip a urine, and scan the belly and a stool sample if we can get it, "he told her as he wrote it all down on the chart. "Mr. Hanning, we are going to run a few tests and I will be back to check on you later," he said. "All right, thank you doctor," he said to them.
Abby got the tests ordered. "All right there clear," she said, "So ready for the next patient?" Carter walked. "Hey, multiple MVAs coming in," he said to them. "We took as many as we could," he added. He was also gowned up and walked to the ambulance bay.
He stood there, but didn't go out yet, he was afraid the ambulance would crash into him again. "Okay," he told Carter as he picked up a gown and gloves and got ready for the multiple MVAs that were coming in. He noticed that Carter did not walk outside, and he knew he was still shook up from his incident. "Carter, I can bring them in if you want me too," he said to Carter.
Carter looked at Luka. "Yea that would be good. I'll be in here waiting," he said to him.
None of the nurses or anyone would force Carter, and they didn't blame him. Abby went outside with Luka. "I'm worried about him," she said to Luka, "He hasn't slept that well, and he keeps insisting on working," she said to him. She needed to tell someone, and felt it was Luka's right to know.
"Yeah, I am worried about him too. I think he needs to take some time off, but I know he won't. He wants to work, he wants to keep busy," Luka said to Abby just as the ambulance pulled up and Doris opened up the back doors. "What have you got," Luka asked.
Abby nodded. "Yea that's what I'm talking about, but you know he won't listen," she said. "A man with severe head injury, pulse is low," Doris said.
"Okay, let's get this man inside and to trauma," Luka said as he wheeled the gurney inside. It was starting to snow harder than it was before and the wind was really starting to pick up now. Through the mist of the blowing snow, he noticed the other ambulance pulling up and saw Susan and Haleh come out. "Susan, take this one that is rolling up now," he told her. Luka got the man inside and into Trauma 1. Once they were in the trauma room, Luka began his assessment right away. The man was losing a lot of blood from his head injury. "Get me some four by fours, we have to try and stop this bleeding. And page surgery," he said.
Abby nodded, as she watched John walk in. "What we got Luka?" He asked coming to assist him. Susan with the other patient, watched Carter closely lately to, he seemed to be out of it lately. They were all worried.
"Severe head injury, pulse is 35, BP is 90/55 and dropping rapidly. I am trying to get this bleeding under control. Airway is still clear as of now, but we may have to intubate later on," Luka told Carter. He knew Carter was out of it, but he could also tell that he, himself was getting really stressed out lately. "Good, good," Carter said to him. "Surgery's on their way," Abby announced to him, "I got a few bags of O- Neg, but the blood bank said were on shortage again," she announced to them. "Okay. Thanks Abby. Hang the O-Neg on the rapid infuser, this man needs blood and he needs it now," Luka said as the monitors started to beep.
"Abby did as she was told and hung the O-Neg, thank god she was on nursing shift today, but later she would be on med student shift. She was almost done with her rotation. "Charge the paddles," Carter said to the other nurse in the trauma.
Chuny charged up the paddles and handed them to Carter. Luka, on the other hand, was busy trying to get the tube in for intubation. "I need cricoid pressure," he said having trouble with the intubation. Abby gave him the cricoid pressure for the patient. She looked at Luka. "You need help with that," she asked him. "Clear," Carter shouted.
Luka moved his hands away when Carter said clear and then continued to try and intubate him. "Yeah, I may need a little help....wait....there, got it. Bag him," he said finally getting the tube in. He then listened to his chest, "Good breath sounds bilaterally." "All right, let's get surgery in here now and we're not going to lose this guy," Carter said. Abby watched Luka.
"Are you ok," she asked as she watched the surgeons take up the guy. Carter walked out and went to the admit desk to do some charts. As he was doing the charts he sort of fell asleep at the desk. "Yeah, I am fine," he said as he hoped the guy would make it through surgery since he had a lot of blood loss. He then walked back to the desk and looked to see what else there was on the board. He only had a few more hours left of his shift, and that made him glad unless Carter needed him to work longer, and then he would.
: "Ok, you two are the worst liars to me," Abby said to him, "I know you say your fine when you're not, please tell me what's wrong," she asked him.
Luka turned towards Abby, "I guess I have just been a little stressed lately. With all that happened with Carter, working late, stuff like that. But don't worry, nothing serious is wrong," he explained to Abby with a smile on his face.
"Well, maybe you need a break," she said to him. Randi heard the two. "Hey you guys want to get drooling beauty over here up," she asked. "You know I'm here to talk, and don't ever think I'm not going to turned you down for a talk," Abby told Luka. Luka just smiled, "Yeah, you're right, I think I do need a break. I think I will take 15 minutes just to sit and relax. I will let you wake Carter. Tell him, if he needs me, I will be in the lounge." "Yea don't worry," she said to him, "You two should get off shift soon, why don't you guys do some more male bonding time," she suggested. She walked over to Carter. "John," she said. Carter stirred. "Hmm," he asked her as he looked up.
Luka walked into the lounge and sat down. He needed to sit; he hadn't sat ever since he took his supper break. He had been running all day, and all he wanted to do is relax. Abby was right, he and Carter should go and do something for awhile, but he didn't know what to do. After a few moments, he realized that the 15 minutes were almost up, so he grabbed a cup of coffee and headed back out into the ER and finished what hours he had left on his shift.
Carter had liked Abby's suggestion and turned to see Luka working as well, "Luka , why don't you finish up with your patient and then you and I go out and maybe see a basketball game," he said to him. "Sure. I think I need a fun night out for a change. Maybe it will lift some of this stress off my shoulders," he said as he finished writing the discharge orders for his patient. "Yea I know what you mean, anyways we can get to know each other more," Carter said to him.
"Yeah, that sounds good. Is your shift almost up," he asked. "It was up a half hour ago," he confessed that he had stayed over his shift. "I wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere, and we had that trauma then," he said to him. "Yeah, well, mine is almost over...only about 20 minutes left," he told him as he put the charts he had in the discharge rack. "Ah, put the charts down, you can sign out early, want to get good seats to a basketball game," he said to him "Okay," he said as he signed out and went to the lounge to grab his coat. "Ready," he said. He turned towards Abby, "Now, are you going to survive without Carter for a few hours," he said joking with her. Abby smiled. "Have fun you two, and be careful," she warned them, they laughed knowing what she meant.
"I'm all set," Carter said to Luka. "Alright, let's go," he said, "Have a good night Abby. Don't have too much fun." He laughed, he liked joking around with Abby, and at least she joked back unlike other people.
Abby watched them leave. She was also serious. John walked with Luka. "To the el," he asked him. He hadn't driven any car in awhile. "Yeah.", he replied as they walked up to the El station and waited for it to arrive. "So, you and Abby seem to be getting along just fine," he said to him. "Yea, we had are little arguments once in awhile," he said to him. "She's really great, and you know she's fun to be around with. I'm glad your still friends with her," Carter said to him. "Yeah, she is really fun to be around with and she is a good listener. I am really happy for the two of you," he said as the El pulled into the station. "Thanks Luka, that means a lot coming from you, I know you're her ex, but I was always worried you wouldn't like me because I was dating her," he said to him. "Well, it was hard at first, but then I saw how happy she was with you and I suddenly became happy. I knew that you would take good care of her the way I did, and so I told myself to let go and that she is in good, loving care being with you," Luka told him as they boarded the El and it was off again.