The rest of Lisa's day dragged on and oddly and unusually enough it had no
trauma patients. Save for her Uncle Joe she had no scut or paperwork to
fill out and do which was to her liking. She got to talk with children her
own age and got to know about her supposed twin a bit more.
Lisa was now looking after a homeless man named Erin who was always visiting the ER for either food or medical assistance. He was now complaining about pain in his right foot and now Lisa had to remove his socks. She saw immediately what the problem was. There was a deep puncture wound, apparently caused by a rusty nail he accidentally stepped on and it had gotten infected. Puss and swelling had formed and now Lisa was cleaning and bandaging the wound. Much of the other children cringed away mostly because of the smell.
"It's good to see you meeting children your own age Bulldog.", Erin said.
"Yeah I guess.", Lisa replied smiling a little. She always liked Erin because he was friendly and treated her like a real doctor regardless of her age. The two talked often and he even gave her her nickname 'Bulldog' .
"So are you kids enjoying your little tour?"
All of the children responded positively save Linda who was still her usual smug self. Once Lisa was finished she left the room and came back with a new pair of clean socks for a grateful Erin.
"Here you go Erin. And these new boots should keep your feet warm.", Lisa also gave him a pair of used but reasonably good boots.
"Thanks Lisa.", Erin said as she and him and the children walked out of the room and towards the exit, "So how's things with Uncle Joe?"
"He's fine.", Lisa said with a twinge of sadness.
"Well if you need anything, although I don't have much to give, I'll be around okay?"
Lisa nodded and watched Erin go. The other children just watched as they were supposed to but Linda just rolled her eyes. Lisa noticed it and was starting to feel very annoyed at this girl. Walking over to the girl, Lisa looked her straight in the eye and then just walked past her and to the triage desk and the next patient chart.
++++++++++
Stu Gasket was an old man and homeless and was yellow all over. Lisa knew immediately something was wrong and ordered blood tests as soon as possible. Much of the children looked at him weirdly but Lisa knew this was a sure sign of liver failure rather than a freak of nature. Linda's smug expression actually changed to amusement.
"You have liver failure Stu. I'm afraid you will have to stay in the hospital for a while. It's very serious."
"Oh do I have to?"
"Yes I'm afraid so."
Stu frowned and again took another whiff of his whisky bottle. Lisa looked at him sadly but said nothing. Stu was a frequent alcoholic and visitor in the ER. And now the alcohol had now done it's damage. Yet he did not care. All he ever wanted to do anymore was drink himself to death. Nonetheless all Lisa was concerned about was giving Stu the best care she could give her even if it were hopeless at times.
"Why would you even bother to even give a loser like that any treatment at all?", Linda stated.
Lisa went over to Linda and grabbed her by the arm and dragged her rather forcibly out of the treatment room.
"Hey let go!"
"Shut up!", Lisa yelled pointing at Julia's face at a threatening manner, "If you ever make a comment like that again I will have you kicked out of this hospital and forced to stay in the bus for the rest of this field trip!"
"You can't do that."
"Yes I can and I will! I don't care who you are and what you think! My patients and their well being are more important! And I treat patients regardless you got that!"
Linda was taken back by the girl's tenacity and anger. There was murder in Lisa's eyes and she looked ready to kill Linda right where she stood. Suddenly confronted the cowardly, self righteous girl nodded gingerly not used to being stood up to in such a manner.Lisa then went to arrange tests and x-rays.
"I like her!", Rachel said, grinning from ear to ear.
++++++++++
When Lisa's shift was over Lisa was now treating her entire class to dinner at a chinese restaurant. Automatically she could see that it was a new experience for them and she had to make sure the waiters provided forks and knives instead of chopsticks. She could have taken them to the hamburger joint across the street from the hospital but she did not want them to get food poisoning which was a common occurrence there and which was why sometimes her hospital was often filled with patients at noontime.Well maybe Linda...
Lisa was eating with Rachel and Sarah again.
"So do you ever get to meet children your own, unless they happen to be your patients of course.", Sarah asked.
"I do have Laura who lives right across from me. And lately I haven't been spending much time with them. You know with my work as a doctor and all. Does my twin have lots of friends?"
"No not really. Her parents are very picky about which friends she could have. But in a way she is not very good with her friends at times. She has a habit of being rude at times though. And there are times when she thinks she is holier and better than anyone."
"In what way?"
"Well her family seems to think they are better than everyone else, more important than everyone else. If you don't follow what they believe in then you are considered evil and unworthy of being their friend or friends of their children."
"Well they do have a right to choose their own friends you know."
"I guess but it's like we're not good enough for them. Like we have to be like them in order to get along with them."
Then Ms. Riddle arrived and clapped her hands to get everyone's attention, "All right class. We will be boarding the schoolbus in about an hour. Please make sure you have all your stuff with you before you leave. And I would like to take a moment to thank Dr. Lisa Chandler for hosting us for career day, let's all give her a hand."
To her surprise some of the children actually applauded her enthusiastically, Rachel and Sarah especially. Linda was still smug but obliged as well.
++++++++++
Lisa rushed back to the ER and then quickly changed back into her regular clothes. She did not want to be late and miss seeing the children off as they returned to Glen Oak. Hastily packing away her special stethoscope in her backpack she hurried out slamming her locker shut behind her.
As she left the intern's room she saw Uncle Joe as she passed his room. Apparently the hospital was short on beds again and he had to remain in the ER. He was sleeping soundly and she instinctively entered his room quietly and read his patient chart. A grim look formed on her face and she felt like crying. But she shook off the sadness and quietly left.
++++++++++
"You should come to Glen Oak sometime.", Rachel said and then she noticed Lisa seemed to be showing signs of crying, "What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing.", Lisa lied and she quickly replied, "You should get going otherwise you're going to be late."
Rachel and Sarah nodded and they entered the bus.Mrs. Mackoul was the last to enter the bus but not before offering to shake hands with Lisa.
"Well it's been a pleasure to know you Dr. Chandler and thank you for allowing us to watch you for career day."
"I enjoyed it.", Lisa said smiling sadly, "Goodbye Mrs. Mackoul."
"Goodbye."
Again Lisa began to feel the loneliness and the pain as the bus began it's journey home. Something inside her wanted to make her want to run after that bus, rejoin her new friends Sarah and Rachel, but soon it was too late and the bus was gone. She stood alone at the front entrance of Los Angeles County General Hospital and cried inside.
++++++++++
Lisa had inherited her dad's house. Since her stepdad was a successful doctor he was reasonably rich and when he died left her the house in his last will and testament as well as his money which she was granted full inheritance to when she reached the age of 18. For now she could only take out only with the permission of Uncle Joe and her social worker Gertrude 'Gertie' Harrold. She did have a separate bank account for the money she earned through her salary as a doctor at Los Angeles County General Hospital which she could use freely. However she rarely even had time to spend the money she had anyways to spend it any way she liked now that she was an intern.
Lisa looked out onto the ocean as she stood on the balcony and watched the waves. She always found peace here and the view was breathtaking. It was the only moment she could just forget all her troubles and just feel free as the wind, even if it was only temporary.
"Lisa. I have to go to the office right now. Do you want me to get you anything?", Gertie said.
"No it's ok. I already ate."
Gertie nodded and reminded herself to remind the hospital administrators that Lisa was due for some time off in a few weeks. Undoubtedly the girl needed it and again she was questioning her wisdom in letting Lisa continue her career as a doctor. Mind you she was the open minded sort and realized that Lisa actually enjoyed being a doctor at times but she knew that it was not the sort of thing that a child should be involved in, at least not full time anyways. The girl needed to be a child too.
"Gertie?"
"Yes Lisa?"
"Can I sleep over at Laura's house tonight? Laura called me yesterday and invited me to come over with some friends."
Gertie smiled and felt some relief at last, "Sure. Just don't forget that you have to be in the ER at 7 am sharp tomorrow before rounds start."
"Okay.", Lisa said hugging Gertie and rushing upstairs to begin packing her things to prepare for the sleepover.
TO BE CONTINUED
Lisa was now looking after a homeless man named Erin who was always visiting the ER for either food or medical assistance. He was now complaining about pain in his right foot and now Lisa had to remove his socks. She saw immediately what the problem was. There was a deep puncture wound, apparently caused by a rusty nail he accidentally stepped on and it had gotten infected. Puss and swelling had formed and now Lisa was cleaning and bandaging the wound. Much of the other children cringed away mostly because of the smell.
"It's good to see you meeting children your own age Bulldog.", Erin said.
"Yeah I guess.", Lisa replied smiling a little. She always liked Erin because he was friendly and treated her like a real doctor regardless of her age. The two talked often and he even gave her her nickname 'Bulldog' .
"So are you kids enjoying your little tour?"
All of the children responded positively save Linda who was still her usual smug self. Once Lisa was finished she left the room and came back with a new pair of clean socks for a grateful Erin.
"Here you go Erin. And these new boots should keep your feet warm.", Lisa also gave him a pair of used but reasonably good boots.
"Thanks Lisa.", Erin said as she and him and the children walked out of the room and towards the exit, "So how's things with Uncle Joe?"
"He's fine.", Lisa said with a twinge of sadness.
"Well if you need anything, although I don't have much to give, I'll be around okay?"
Lisa nodded and watched Erin go. The other children just watched as they were supposed to but Linda just rolled her eyes. Lisa noticed it and was starting to feel very annoyed at this girl. Walking over to the girl, Lisa looked her straight in the eye and then just walked past her and to the triage desk and the next patient chart.
++++++++++
Stu Gasket was an old man and homeless and was yellow all over. Lisa knew immediately something was wrong and ordered blood tests as soon as possible. Much of the children looked at him weirdly but Lisa knew this was a sure sign of liver failure rather than a freak of nature. Linda's smug expression actually changed to amusement.
"You have liver failure Stu. I'm afraid you will have to stay in the hospital for a while. It's very serious."
"Oh do I have to?"
"Yes I'm afraid so."
Stu frowned and again took another whiff of his whisky bottle. Lisa looked at him sadly but said nothing. Stu was a frequent alcoholic and visitor in the ER. And now the alcohol had now done it's damage. Yet he did not care. All he ever wanted to do anymore was drink himself to death. Nonetheless all Lisa was concerned about was giving Stu the best care she could give her even if it were hopeless at times.
"Why would you even bother to even give a loser like that any treatment at all?", Linda stated.
Lisa went over to Linda and grabbed her by the arm and dragged her rather forcibly out of the treatment room.
"Hey let go!"
"Shut up!", Lisa yelled pointing at Julia's face at a threatening manner, "If you ever make a comment like that again I will have you kicked out of this hospital and forced to stay in the bus for the rest of this field trip!"
"You can't do that."
"Yes I can and I will! I don't care who you are and what you think! My patients and their well being are more important! And I treat patients regardless you got that!"
Linda was taken back by the girl's tenacity and anger. There was murder in Lisa's eyes and she looked ready to kill Linda right where she stood. Suddenly confronted the cowardly, self righteous girl nodded gingerly not used to being stood up to in such a manner.Lisa then went to arrange tests and x-rays.
"I like her!", Rachel said, grinning from ear to ear.
++++++++++
When Lisa's shift was over Lisa was now treating her entire class to dinner at a chinese restaurant. Automatically she could see that it was a new experience for them and she had to make sure the waiters provided forks and knives instead of chopsticks. She could have taken them to the hamburger joint across the street from the hospital but she did not want them to get food poisoning which was a common occurrence there and which was why sometimes her hospital was often filled with patients at noontime.Well maybe Linda...
Lisa was eating with Rachel and Sarah again.
"So do you ever get to meet children your own, unless they happen to be your patients of course.", Sarah asked.
"I do have Laura who lives right across from me. And lately I haven't been spending much time with them. You know with my work as a doctor and all. Does my twin have lots of friends?"
"No not really. Her parents are very picky about which friends she could have. But in a way she is not very good with her friends at times. She has a habit of being rude at times though. And there are times when she thinks she is holier and better than anyone."
"In what way?"
"Well her family seems to think they are better than everyone else, more important than everyone else. If you don't follow what they believe in then you are considered evil and unworthy of being their friend or friends of their children."
"Well they do have a right to choose their own friends you know."
"I guess but it's like we're not good enough for them. Like we have to be like them in order to get along with them."
Then Ms. Riddle arrived and clapped her hands to get everyone's attention, "All right class. We will be boarding the schoolbus in about an hour. Please make sure you have all your stuff with you before you leave. And I would like to take a moment to thank Dr. Lisa Chandler for hosting us for career day, let's all give her a hand."
To her surprise some of the children actually applauded her enthusiastically, Rachel and Sarah especially. Linda was still smug but obliged as well.
++++++++++
Lisa rushed back to the ER and then quickly changed back into her regular clothes. She did not want to be late and miss seeing the children off as they returned to Glen Oak. Hastily packing away her special stethoscope in her backpack she hurried out slamming her locker shut behind her.
As she left the intern's room she saw Uncle Joe as she passed his room. Apparently the hospital was short on beds again and he had to remain in the ER. He was sleeping soundly and she instinctively entered his room quietly and read his patient chart. A grim look formed on her face and she felt like crying. But she shook off the sadness and quietly left.
++++++++++
"You should come to Glen Oak sometime.", Rachel said and then she noticed Lisa seemed to be showing signs of crying, "What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing.", Lisa lied and she quickly replied, "You should get going otherwise you're going to be late."
Rachel and Sarah nodded and they entered the bus.Mrs. Mackoul was the last to enter the bus but not before offering to shake hands with Lisa.
"Well it's been a pleasure to know you Dr. Chandler and thank you for allowing us to watch you for career day."
"I enjoyed it.", Lisa said smiling sadly, "Goodbye Mrs. Mackoul."
"Goodbye."
Again Lisa began to feel the loneliness and the pain as the bus began it's journey home. Something inside her wanted to make her want to run after that bus, rejoin her new friends Sarah and Rachel, but soon it was too late and the bus was gone. She stood alone at the front entrance of Los Angeles County General Hospital and cried inside.
++++++++++
Lisa had inherited her dad's house. Since her stepdad was a successful doctor he was reasonably rich and when he died left her the house in his last will and testament as well as his money which she was granted full inheritance to when she reached the age of 18. For now she could only take out only with the permission of Uncle Joe and her social worker Gertrude 'Gertie' Harrold. She did have a separate bank account for the money she earned through her salary as a doctor at Los Angeles County General Hospital which she could use freely. However she rarely even had time to spend the money she had anyways to spend it any way she liked now that she was an intern.
Lisa looked out onto the ocean as she stood on the balcony and watched the waves. She always found peace here and the view was breathtaking. It was the only moment she could just forget all her troubles and just feel free as the wind, even if it was only temporary.
"Lisa. I have to go to the office right now. Do you want me to get you anything?", Gertie said.
"No it's ok. I already ate."
Gertie nodded and reminded herself to remind the hospital administrators that Lisa was due for some time off in a few weeks. Undoubtedly the girl needed it and again she was questioning her wisdom in letting Lisa continue her career as a doctor. Mind you she was the open minded sort and realized that Lisa actually enjoyed being a doctor at times but she knew that it was not the sort of thing that a child should be involved in, at least not full time anyways. The girl needed to be a child too.
"Gertie?"
"Yes Lisa?"
"Can I sleep over at Laura's house tonight? Laura called me yesterday and invited me to come over with some friends."
Gertie smiled and felt some relief at last, "Sure. Just don't forget that you have to be in the ER at 7 am sharp tomorrow before rounds start."
"Okay.", Lisa said hugging Gertie and rushing upstairs to begin packing her things to prepare for the sleepover.
TO BE CONTINUED
