Here's chapter 2....Sorry about the first chapter being so short, I'll try not to let it happen again. Well I'm not sure how long I'm planning on making this story, it'll probably keep going until I run out of ideas or time, and with finals coming up next week updates might take a while, but I'll try to get them out as soon as I can.
Reviews are always appreciated. I would love to know what you think, especially if it's constructive. I'm always eager to improve my writing, so if you have any ideas, give me a shout.....Hope you enjoy!!!!
Robert sat in his parked car in the garage of the hospital. He was on time, in fact, he'd even gotten there a few minutes early, just so he would have these few moments alone in his car to gather his thoughts.
He glanced down at the digital clock on the dash of his car. It was exactly quarter after five. Even though the procedure wasn't scheduled to take place until 8:30 that morning, it was required that all patients arrive early to finish filling out any additional paperwork, to have any final questions answered by the doctor, not that he had any, and to get ready for the operation.
As Robert made his way into the hospital, he strode quickly through the ER, and was able to go unnoticed by any of the staff. Everyone seemed to be busy with patients, for which he was incredibly grateful. He wasn't up for any small talk with Carter or Lewis, and he certainly wasn't up for an argument with Pratt.
He stepped into the elevator, a feeling of dread gnawing deep down in the pit of his stomach. Before he knew it, the doors of the elevator were opening and the familiar halls of the OR stretched endlessly in front of him.
Slowly, he made his way down the hall toward the front desk and was at least partially relieved to see Shirley's sympathetic smile as she spotted him approaching.
"Don't they ever let you go home?" he asked, trying to lighten up what could be a very gloomy conversation.
"Don't I wish," she said, coming around from behind the desk. "Ok, you still have a few forms to fill out," she told him as she handed him a clipboard and a pen. "Here let me take your bag. We've already got your private room reserved and all set up for you. I'll go ahead and put your stuff in there, and you can go in the lounge and finish filling out that paperwork if you want."
Robert nodded and shuffled off toward the lounge, while Shirley turned and went around the corner off toward Robert's room.
Paperwork is so annoying, Robert thought to himself as he pulled out his wallet from his back pocket to retrieve his insurance card. All those stupid forms and all the useless information they ask for over and over again.
"I just answered that question back on page 1," he said aloud to himself. "This is ridiculous," he groaned.
Finally after filling out all of the paperwork and having a quick talk with the operating surgeon, he lay in his hospital bed already dressed in his gown and waiting to be taken to pre-op. The clock on the wall read 8:00. Thirty minutes until the surgery was to take place.
A quiet knock on the door made him look away from the clock.
"Come in," he called out, expecting it to be Shirley coming to wheel him off to the operating room.
"Hi Robert."
"Lizzie," he said evenly, trying to keep his delight at her visit at bay.
She took a few more steps into the room, moving closer towards him. "I wanted to see you before..." she said, trailing off a little. She turned her head and let out a little cough, cleared her throat and turned back to him. "How are you?" she asked.
"I'm all right, but I think I should be asking you that. Are you sick?"
She nodded. "It's just a cold. Unless you're worried about me contaminating you. I can leave if you want," she said, being totally serious.
"No, no, I was just thinking that you should be at home if you're sick. I'm not worried about me," he said, smiling.
"I've got too much work to do. There's no time to be sick. I never knew how much work was involved in being the OR chief."
"Well now you know what I had to put up with all those years."
They both laughed briefly, and then stopped and looked at each other.
"Are you ready to do this?" she asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he said, giving her a sad smile. "You know, you can come in if you want. If you're bored, or curious..."
"I'm covering the ER, but I should be able to get away for awhile."
Elizabeth turned, hearing a knock at the door.
"Ready to go, Dr. Romano?" Shirley asked, stepping inside the room.
He nodded, as Shirley made her way over to the bed and began to push it forward.
Elizabeth stepped out of the way, off to the side. Robert glanced at her. "Take care of yourself, don't' work too hard," he ordered.
"You too, " she replied as he was wheeled out the door and down the hall.
He was wheeled into one of the operating rooms, and one of the OR attendants began to draw markings on his arm, where they would make the first cut, and so on. Before he knew it, the anesthesiologist had arrived, and it was time for him to go under.
The doctor asked him a few questions about whether he had ever had a bad reaction to anesthesia, and to all the questions he answered no.
The bag was placed over his head, and he was asked to count backwards from ten.
He only made it to eight before he was out.............