Chapter 236
Kate ran next to the stretcher carrying her child after they landed on the hospital helipad.
"Fourteen month old girl. Severe anaphylactic shock after three bee stings" Kate continued to rattle off the medication they have given Amelia. "She's tachycardic with multiple arrhythmias, her pressure is barely hanging on. Last reading was 20 over zip. She's intubated and on 100% O2. Sats are still struggling even with that, 79%. GCS down to 6"
Down in the ER the team lifted Amelia onto the bed. They obviously had no idea Kate was the mother and assumed she just happened to be a doctor on the scene.
"Dammit we're losing this kid" somebody mumbled a minute later.
"We're not losing her" Kate yelled.
"Get a central line in. Pressure?" somebody called.
"Can't get a pressure and I've just lost her sats trace" said a resident.
"She's on the verge of cardio pulmonary and circulatory collapse" somebody said.
"Get an epinephrine infusion started we need to get her pressure up and get her rhythm under control" yelled Kate.
"Dammit she's going to arrest. She's throwing multiple PVCs. Get a crash cart, paediatric paddles" said a doctor looking at the monitor.
"We've got this from here" said a doctor to Kate.
"I'm her mother!" Kate snapped and yanked her arm away.
"Hang on… She's holding, pressure coming back in" said a resident.
Kate let out a relieved sigh.
-0-
"I'm fucking losing it" Sara cried rocking backward and forward.
"Maybe it's not that serious" Tegan tried.
"If a med-e-vac chopper took her away it's fucking serious" Sara snapped.
Tegan looked up the hospital number and dialed the ER.
"Hello. I'm calling about a patient. A one year old. Amelia Quin Morgan…. Can you please just check… We're on our way but please just… okay hang on" said Tegan and covered the microphone.
"They say they can't talk about her status on the phone"
"Fuck them" Sara yelled and grabbed the phone. "Hello, I'm Amelia's mother. I have a right to know what's going on with my child. Just tell me something please…. Please" Sara pleaded in tears.
A minute later she hung up looking frazzled.
"She's in the trauma room. Her condition is critical. They're working on her" said Sara.
Tegan put her arm around her sister's shoulder. "We'll be there soon Sar… she's going to be okay"
Half an hour later
Inside the hospital a large team was still attending to Amelia. Kate refused to leave. She didn't actively treat Amelia but she made damn sure everybody did what they were supposed to.
"She's stabilising nicely. You did a really good job in the field Dr Morgan" said the ER attending.
"I hope so" sighed Kate. She was silently scolding herself for never checking if Amelia might be allergic to beestings or anything else. She was fine with peanuts and any kind of food. No problems whatsoever. Her own stethoscope still hung around her neck and she took it off to listen for herself.
"Let us take care of her" said a resident and put her hand on Kate's.
"Thank you for what you're doing but I can't just switch the doctor in me off" said Kate and proceeded with her examination.
"BP's looking a hell of a lot better. 76 over 60. Swelling is going down a bit. There's a bit of fluid on the lungs though and the wheezing is still there. She's oxygenating better. She's up to 88" said Kate.
"Let's get a chest x-ray please" said the pediatric clinical lead, Dr Martinez.
"Dr Morgan, why don't you go get a coffee and call Amelia's dad"
"Her mom… she has two moms okay"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to"
"That's okay" sighed Kate. "I'm staying with her though"
"Alright… we'll probably be moving her to the PICU in half an hour or so"
"If she remains stable" said Kate.
"Of course"
"If you would just sign some paperwork for us outside. Will only take a minute"
"I'm right outside sweetheart. Mama will be back in a minute I promise" she whispered and kissed Amelia's hand.
Kate gave Amelia's insurance information to the admin clerk and signed some forms at the nurse's station.
The next second Sara came bursting through the doors.
"Kate what's going on? Where's Amelia? Is she okay? You weren't answering your phone"
"I didn't have it with me. Come here" said Kate and took Sara in her arms.
Sara allowed the hug for a few seconds.
"She's going to be okay baby… she's stable now" said Kate.
"Oh god… I need to see her" Sara cried, her legs buckling. She steadied herself against Kate.
Kate led Sara by the hand into the treatment room.
Sara put her hands in front of her mouth and started sobbing. Kate and Tegan were holding her up.
"Baby girl… honey Mommy's here… you're going to be okay. I love you" said Sara stumbling to the bed. She looked at her baby lying deadly still wearing only a diaper, arms and legs spread out. Full of tubes and electrodes. She had a breathing tube in her mouth and heart and other monitors around her. She hardly recognised Amelia. Her face was super swollen, her eyes were completely swollen shut. Her arms and legs looked puffy from the hives. Even her chest and belly looked swollen under the electrodes.
"She had a severe allergic reaction to the bee stings. She went into anaphylactic shock almost immediately" said Kate with her arm around Sara.
"How did she get stung by bees though? Where were you?"
"Sara I was right next to her. She stepped in it. If I saw the bees I would have grabbed her…. People get stung by bees" said Kate, upset with what Sara was implying.
"I'm not saying… I'm not blaming you Kate, I'm sorry. I'm just so thankful you were there"
"They eventually located an epi pen and I administered it. At that stage her airway was closing up. She was wheezing badly. When the medics got there her BP was almost unattainable. She was in complete shock"
"Her system was shutting down?" mumbled Sara.
"Yeah… I guess you could say that"
"I got some antihistamines and vasopressors into her, intubated her and ventilated her. We got her stable enough to move her. In the helicopter… oh god" Kate said and started crying again.
"What… tell me" said Sara.
"Her heart… almost stopped… and then again when she arrived here. God I've never been so scared in my life" said Kate through her tears.
Sara put her hands in her hair.
"They should have pulled me off stage" said Sara.
"Sara that was the last thing on anybody's mind okay… your set was almost over when we left anyway"
"That's not the point… Just tell me if she's going to be okay" said Sara.
"She's reacting really well to treatment. She's stable. They'll keep her in ICU for now since they're still breathing for her and her airway is still way too swollen to not be tubed. Also, her BP may drop suddenly. There's some very real and very serious risks in the next 12 hours. She could go back into shock and her organs can start failing" said Kate looking pale.
"Oh god please… hang in there Amelia… mommy's brave girl… you're going to be okay" Sara softly touched Amelia's body.
"I'm sorry sweetie… I know this is terrible. They're going to fix you okay. We're right here with you" Sara whispered.
-0-
Half an hour later Amelia's bed rolled out of the ER treatment room on the way to the PICU.
"Sara!" said Tegan jumping up, she looked pale and worried. "Is she okay?" Sara hugged her sister, tears brimming.
"They seem to think she will be but they need to monitor her closely for complications. They're moving her to ICU now. She's stable"
"Poor baby…. What can I do? Please tell me what to do?"
"Um… nothing just… go take care of your family Tegan. Take care of work"
"Should I cancel our upcoming shows?"
"Probably... I don't know. We have three days off. Let's make a call tomorrow morning, I can't even think about that now"
"Okay… I'm here if you need me sis"
"I know… thank you Tegan"
"I'll call the family and update them. Knowing mom she'll be on the first flight over here"
"Thanks Tegan, please tell them not to come. I need to focus on Amelia now"
"Of course. I'll keep them updated and tell them to stay put"
"You're a star Tee"
"Give Amelia a kiss from me"
"Will do… she's got to be okay"
"She will be… she's going to be fine okay. Fuck those bees… they're going to lose"
Sara smiled sadly.
"I've got to go. They're busy moving her now"
"We'll talk soon. Love you"
"Love you too Tee"
-0-
It was after midnight, Sara and Kate held vigil next to Amelia's bed. Kate pretty much constantly checked her monitors and listened to her lungs every five minutes. The swelling was going down reasonably fast.
"Her lungs are sounding so much better" said Kate and put her stethoscope around her neck again.
"Thank god" Sara whispered.
"Her vitals are holding up well. BPs almost back to normal and her pulse is heading down which is good"
"I'm so scared" said Sara.
"I am too baby… but she's doing well" said Kate and put her arms around Sara from the back. She kissed her cheek and rocked her from side to side.
"She's so small on this bed… she looks so helpless"
"I know I see this kind of thing every day but it's so different when it's your own child… I have new respect for the parents of my patients"
"She's never been sick a day in her life, now this"
"Sara… I'm sorry, I should have had her tested. It was irresponsible and… fuck" said Kate and started crying.
"Hey it's not your fault babe" said Sara and stood up to hug her wife.
"It is" Kate whimpered.
"You saved her life Kate"
Kate just shook her head. An attending entered the room.
"Hi, I believe our little patient is doing a lot better?" she smiled.
"Looks like it" said Kate wiping away tears.
"Doctor… do you have kids?" asked Sara.
"Yes I do. One's just turned 3 the other is 5. Both girls" said the doctor.
"Have you tested them to see if they're allergic to bee stings?" Sara asked.
"I…. actually I haven't. I guess I should. They don't have any other allergies though so it's unlikely that they have…"
"Amelia doesn't have any other allergies either"
"I know… I'll get it done" said the doctor and proceeded to examine Amelia
"You see… other doctors also haven't had their kids tested" said Sara.
"Doesn't make me feel any better" said Kate and plonked down on a chair.
"You guys should get something to eat and then get some rest. There's a cot set up for you and a recliner" said Dr Martinez.
"Thanks, we will" said Sara.
"Oh and there's somebody to see you outside. Looks like a carbon copy of you" said the doctor.
"I'll be back in a few minutes babe" Kate nodded still staring at Amelia.
Tegan stood outside the ICU looking disheveled.
"Tee, it's almost 1 am. What are you doing here?"
"We're all checked in to hotel right across the road. I thought I'd just check on you, bring you a change of clothing and something to eat" said Tegan holding up a bag.
"You're a lifesaver" said Sara and hugged Tegan.
"How is she?"
"She's doing well apparently. She's still on the ventilator and all these machines and IVs but the edema is subsiding. They seem positive that she's going to get through this fine barring any complications"
"Thank god" Tegan sighed. "You guys holding up okay?"
"It's terrible… seeing your kid in trouble… Kate's an absolute mess. Thinks it's her fault"
"What's she talking about?"
"Not getting her tested"
"My kids haven't been tested"
"You're not a doctor Tee… she feels she should have known better. I don't blame her at all but you know how she gets. Takes everything on herself"
"I know… just… don't push her. She'll be okay, when Amelia's okay"
-0-
Sara and Kate tried to get some sleep but neither could. Amelia's doctor came into the room around 5.30.
"Hi. Amelia looks better this morning. Her blood work looks good. Lungs have opened well. We'll suction her a few times this morning. Her sats are on track. Still a bit low but she's getting there. Pressure is still low but it's holding. The EEG we did shows no seizure activity. Quite a fighter you have here" the Doctor smiled.
"Oh yes" Sara smiled looking exhausted.
"Get some rest okay. Hopefully we can extubate later today"
Every minute in that room felt like an eternity. Neither Sara nor Kate moved from Amelia's bed. Sara's bladder eventually ached so much from keeping it in that she simply had to go to the toilet. When she was done she headed for the coffee machine in the waiting room.
"Tegan" she said when she saw her sister sitting outside the PICU with her head in her hands.
"Oh hey Sar. How is she" said Tegan straightening her back.
"She's holding her own. She's still stable" said Sara.
"That's great news" Tegan sighed. She looked tired, dark smudges under red rimmed eyes.
"Have you been here all night?" Sara asked.
Tegan didn't answer.
"Tee… go home to your family. We're okay, we'll let you know if there's news" said Sara.
"I'm staying… at least for now. That's my godchild in there" said Tegan becoming teary.
"You want to go in and see her?" asked Sara sitting down next to Tegan.
"I don't think I can handle it" said Tegan.
"I understand. I have my cell phone with me if you need to text" said Sara.
"Actually… I'd like to see her please. This isn't about me" said Tegan.
Sara smiled and led Tegan into the PICU.
-0-
Tegan felt her airways start to close up the second she set foot in Amelia's room. She took a puff from her inhaler followed by some deep breaths.
She walked over to Kate and squeezed her shoulder. Kate glanced up and nodded. Tegan had never seen Kate or her sister looking more worried.
"I hear she's stable" said Tegan in a questioning tone.
Kate nodded looking close to tears.
"She's going to be okay" said Tegan rubbing Kate's back. She turned to Amelia. She looked a lot better than the last time she saw her. The swelling went down a lot. She looked at the child's naked chest moving up and down rhythmically. She bit her lip and closed her eyes to keep her emotions inside. She thought again how this could have been Casey or Ryan.
"Hey sweetheart, it's Aunt Tegan. You're being so brave. You're going to be okay. Don't be scared, your mommies are right here with you. Casey and Ryan send their love. They can't wait to be playing with you again. We all love you so much" she said softly while holding Amelia's hand. The emotions she'd been struggling to keep in overflowed and tears ran down her cheeks freely.