Chapter 10

"Are you alright, Louisa?" Martin was concerned about her emotional response to Joan's statement.

Looking across to him she said "I hadn't considered the impact on Joan that the news of this pregnancy would bring. I should have done, because without you, that was where I was going. A childless future."

Martin was uncertain as to what his response should be, because he had long since reconciled himself to such a future. In fact, he was struggling with the opposite feeling of what would happen when the child arrived? He patted her hand and drove on, back to the surgery.

Louisa went into the kitchen to begin preparations for their dinner. Martin went into the office to check for any phone messages. Thankfully there were none. He picked up the latest BMJ and was soon engrossed in an interesting article about deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and a method of clearing clots without the need for invasive surgery.

They were just finishing their meal when the telephone went off. Martin went to answer it, reluctantly. "What is it Penhale?" As he identified the caller.

"Sorry to disturb you Doc, but there's been an RTA on Trewetha Lane, close to Trewetha Farm. Two car collision and three casualties. One has possible chest crush injuries and one has lacerations to his face. The female casualty is complaining of abdominal pain. Can you come? I've called for an ambulance but it's going to take nearly an hour to get here." Penhale's voice betrayed his excitement at having a live incident to attend to. Doubtless, thought Martin he'd be twittering about the Dynamic Duo, as soon as Martin showed up. Martin grimaced and sighed.

"I'll be there shortly, Penhale."

He went back into the kitchen and told Louisa he'd been called out to an accident. "I don't know how long I'll be, as I may have to go to the hospital with them."

Louisa went across and kissed his cheek. "Take care, I'll see you when I see you."

"Hmm." He grunted and left.

There were a few cars on the road as well as the two crashed vehicles. Martin crossed to the first car and peered inside. The driver was laid back in his seat groaning quietly and clasping his chest. His seatbelt wasn't fastened. "Can you hear me?" Martin asked. The man opened his eyes and nodded. "What happened?"

"I wasn't wearing my belt and when he hit me (pointing to the other car) I collided with the steering wheel. My chest hurts."

Martin checked the man's responses and noted they seemed to be within expected parameters. "Do you have any other symptoms?" The man shook his head.

Going over to the other car he saw the female in the driving seat clutching at her abdomen. She was crying and saying "my baby, my baby." Her seatbelt was securely fastened and was across her body tightly. Martin unfastened it and gently palpated her lower abdomen. She didn't cry out in pain but grunted as he touched the midsection. "Have you any other injuries that you know about?" She shook her head and he told her to remain seated whilst he looked at her passenger.

Going around the car he opened the passenger door, almost retching when he saw the blood streaming down the left-hand side of the man's face. "Sit still while I get a pad on that cut," he told the man. As he bent to get a pad from his bag, he struggled to control the nausea which threatened to overcome him.

He placed the pad on the cut and called Penhale over. "Hold that pad firmly on that cut and don't lift it off," he instructed the Officer.

"Just like old times, eh Doc? Dynamic Duo back in action!" Martin rolled his eyes and went back to the other car.

He inspected the driver and noted his increased pallor. "Have you felt dizzy, or noticed anything other than your chest?" he enquired.

"A bang on my head, Doc. I do feel dizzy and it too is now paining me."

Martin nodded and said "The ambulance should be here in a few minutes. Continue to sit there." He looked around and saw one of the spectators was Eddie Rix. "Mr Rix, can you come here please?" Eddie walked across "What do you want, Doc?"

"Can you stand there and watch this man? If he loses consciousness or complains of anything other than his chest pain or head injury, call me. Don't let him move either." Eddie nodded compliance.

He went back to the woman and asked her if she'd noticed any other problems.

She shook her head, "Will I lose the baby?" She was distraught at the thought.

Martin asked her if he could lift her skirt to check for bleeding. When she assented, he told Penhale to avert his eyes, but still keep the pad firmly on the cut. Penhale adjusted his stance and faced away from the driver. Martin lifted her skirt out of the way and checked for any bleeding which would indicate an imminent miscarriage. Thankfully there didn't seem to be any, but he knew that it was urgent to get her to hospital.

After a further 5 minutes while Martin alternated between checking each of the victims, the ambulance arrived. He'd placed a more permanent bandage on the cut, which didn't look more than superficial. He went across to the driver with the chest injuries and summoned the crew across. They joined him while Martin outlined the problems of likely crush injuries plus head trauma. Get him out onto a board and take him into the ambulance first. Then come across to the other car.

When the ambulance men came across, he showed them the injured lady and asked that they escort her into the ambulance. "Keep an eye on her vitals but also there's a potential for a miscarriage."

The crew nodded and dealt with the female.

As they returned from putting her in the ambulance Martin asked if they could take the third casualty with them to the hospital. Happily, they could, so Martin said he'd follow them to the hospital.

Penhale was trying to get a statement from the first driver but Martin soon told him to take care of the cars and come to the hospital later to get statements.

Martin's arrival in Casualty caused several raised eyebrows as he demanded to know what was happening to each of his patients. He was assured that each was receiving the appropriate treatment. The first driver had been taken for chest X-rays and would thereafter be taken for a CT scan on his head. He would stay in the ward overnight.

The female had been checked over by a gynaecologist and was pronounced satisfactory, although she would be kept in overnight as a precaution.

The man with the head trauma had also been assessed and once his wounds had been cleaned and re-bandaged would be allowed home.

Martin told the Casualty staff that he would call tomorrow to check up on their progress. Looking at his watch he saw that it would be nearly midnight by the time he got home again.