"Birthday Bug"  

Abby's alarm clock was now blaring in the background as she fought to open her eyes. This was not how she wanted the day to start. "Err." She grumbled from under the covers as she batted at the clock next to her bed.

As she sat up, she immediately begin to regret it. Her head was pounding and it felt like there was an elephant sitting on top of her chest. "Why," she said as she flopped back down against the pillow, "did I choose not to get my flu shot." She laid there for a few more minutes.
Feeling so crummy on her birthday was just her luck. Nothing was going to go right today as it was. That seemed to be Murphy's Law for her past birthdays, what would make this the exception to the rule. Her birthday, having the start of the flu, and having to work, seemed the perfect way to start a dreaded annual event.

She found herself fighting to get ready for work. She was not sure why she did not just call in sick with the way that she was feeling. Maybe it was because she knew that she needed the extra hours to pay the bills. The med-school loans were going to need to be repaid and she was a senior nurse, the hours sucked, but the extra money was sorely needed right now. Besides, it was just going to have to be that way for a little longer before she started to be paid for working as a doctor. Med-school would be over before she knew it.

The hot water from the shower felt good against her now screaming muscles. She gave going to work a second thought when she looked out the window too see the ground covered in a fresh layer of white snow. This was going to be one of the longest days of her life. She grabbed her keys, locked the door and started the trek to the hospital. The EL ride was not overly crowded, and she made her way thru to the ER with out much trouble.

"Are we nurse or doctor today?" She was greeted as she worked her way inside the hospital.

"It's so nice to see you today too Jerry." Abby replied, "Why?"

"We're back up with patients today." He said back to her. "So what is it?"

"Looks like I get to be everyone's favorite nurse today Jerry." Abby said looking at the board and then back at the waiting room.

"I think just about everyone in Chicago has the flu."

Abby coughed, "yeah you can say that again."

"Don't tell me that you have it too now." Jerry said looking at her funny. "Don't tell me that you ignored all those health posters's reminding you to get your annual flu shot."

Abby gave him one of those looks indicating that he had better drop the subject before she dropped it for him. Abby put her things in her locker at started to dig into the pile of patients that were beginning to pile up. As her shift when on, her cough got worse and her feet started to drag more and more. By the time, she had hit the halfway point in her shift the elephant was now jumping up and down on her chest and she was having an awful time trying to breathe. She wished that she could get the number of the truck that had hit her.

"Abby can you come in here for a minute." She heard Carter call out to her.

"Yeah I'll be right there." She called back to him, or rather more like whispered. She could not have mustered up the strength to yell back at him if she wanted to with the way that she was feeling right now. She finished what she was doing and then headed into the exam room where Carter had been waiting for her.

"Sit down." Carter said pointing to the gurney.

"No, if I do that," Abby said looked at it wishfully, "I might not ever be able to get back up off it."

"I know that." Carter said, "I can hear your wheezing across the hall. How long have you been feeling this bad?"

"Oh since this morning," Abby replied.

"Why didn't you call in sick?" Carter said as he listened to her.

"Don't start in on me Dr. Carter." Abby said grumpier than ever now.

"Why don't we get you started on a nebulizer to get your airway open again so that you can breathe a little easier? Sounds like you have a nasty case of bronchitis going on." Carter took the penlight from his pocket and flashed it in front her eyes, "now open wide."

"It's just the flu Carter; everyone in Chicago has it right now." Abby said batting his hands away from her.

"No I think it's more than that. I could play the drums on your chest right now Abby." Carter said, "and I am not going to take no for an answer on this one."

She laid back down on the gurney. Why fight with him right now. "Sure whatever."

"I'll be right back." Carter said heading out of the exam room.

Abby laid back and closed her eyes for a minute. Carter came back in and set her up with a breathing treatment. She had to admit that after a little while she did start to feel a little bit better than when she had woke up that morning.

Carter came back a little while later and found her sleeping soundly in the exam room. He passed the word along that she was not to be disturbed. And the end of his shift he came back to the exam room once again. Abby stirred when she heard the door open.

"I see you're awake." Carter said softly.

"Yeah," Abby said rubbing her eyes.

"How are you feeling now?" Carter asked.

"A little bit better I think. The elephant is not sitting on me anymore." She let a half smile cross her lips.

"I'm glad to hear that." Carter said as he sat down on the gurney by her feet. "I picked you up a prescription for some cough syrup with codeine to help you sleep tonight." He handed her bottle.

"Thanks Carter you didn't have to do that for me." Abby said taking it from him.

"It wasn't any trouble really Abby." He said. "I also know that you were working on your birthday. So I got you this while I was down on my break."

"You didn't have to Carter." Abby said smiling that he had remembered her birthday.

"Hey don't thank me before you see it." Carter said handing her a plate.

Abby happily accepted. Carter had brought her strawberry cheesecake from the cafeteria. "It's sweet of you Carter."

"After what I did to you earlier I only thought that it was fair." Carter said with a small chuckle.

Maybe the flu on her birthday was not such a bad thing after all.