Chapter 268
An hour later Lindsey walked from the cafeteria holding a cup of coffee. She opened the door to the veranda she visited before. She sat down on a bench and threw her head back. She had a constant knot in her belly. She wouldn't wish this on her worst enemy, sitting next to a loved one's bedsides as she fights for her life. Dr Sinclair didn't exactly say it, but she got the distinct impression that for now, Tegan was alright. Sara on the other hand, was hanging on by a very thin thread.
The door behind her opened and she turned her head.
"Hi Lindsey" said Cam. Lindsey didn't turn around. Anger suddenly washed over her.
"Sorry, I'm disturbing you" said Cam and turned around to leave.
"Cameron… can I have a word?" said Lindsey.
"Sure? How are the girls?"
"Well wouldn't you like to know so you can go blab about it to the media. I hope you at least got paid well" said Lindsey sarcastically.
"I'm sorry… what?" Cam frowned perplexed, her hands in the air.
"You know what… how do they know about them being in here?" said Lindsey.
"I… uh" Cam mumbled and frowned.
"I trusted you" said Lindsey, tears started rolling.
"Lindsey, I didn't tell anybody anything I swear. Other than my normal incident report?"
Lindsey just shook her head.
"I can't believe you… I'm sorry you feel this way" said Cameron and left, shoulders slumped.
Lindsey stared at her feet. It had to be Cameron… who else. She sat forward and shook her head.
"Fuck… am I wrong?"
Cameron felt positively shaky after that encounter. She sat down in the emergency stairwell trying to figure out what the fuck just happened. She felt hurt. Before she could put too much thought into it her radio started crackling on her belt.
Lindsey walked back to the ICU slowly. She hated the damn place.
"Lindsey… wait up" said Tom jogging up behind her.
"Glad I caught you. Just wanted to say that they found the leak. New delivery guy in the lab. Apparently "didn't know" he wasn't allowed to share patient information. Needless to say, he's suspended pending further investigation. The chief had a staff meeting and briefed them all about patient confidentiality yadda yadda yadda. I don't think it will happen again" said Tom.
"Dammit" Lindsey mumbled.
"Sorry?"
"Nothing… I just fucked up. Excuse me" said Lindsey and jogged back to where she last saw Cam.
"Hey have you seen Cameron, the flight medic?"
"Who?" – "Um no" – "went up the elevator" were the responses from staff.
Lindsey ran to the elevator to go up to the helipad. She opened the door and a gush of downwash hit her as a helicopter started ascending.
"Fuck…" she yelled and slapped her palm on the wall.
Lindsey pulled out her cell phone and started texting. "Cameron, I'm so sorry. I was wrong. I'm sorry. I'm a dick. Please forgive me"
-0-
The next 36 hours were a massive fight for Sara's life. She was unstable and medical personnel were crowding around her bed almost around the clock. Monitor alarms were screaming way too regularly. Nobody that wasn't sedated got any rest. Tegan and Kate weren't doing fantastic either but at least they were stable, if not getting better.
Lindsey and Alex refused to send out a statement to the media yet so the media vans outside the hospital stayed. Not that anybody except the security team had the strength to even give it a second thought.
Lindsey didn't hear anything back from Cameron. It bothered her a bit but quite frankly, she had bigger things to worry about.
"Can we talk outside please" said Sax to the family in general looking exhausted and emotionally wrecked.
They all gathered in the waiting room.
Sax walked in after them and closed the door. She sat down on a chair. She was so drained she feared her legs may not hold her for another 5 minutes.
"Sara's finally stable. She's oxygenating well. Her fever finally broke. Her blood pressure is up to an acceptable range and her pulse has almost normalised. Her blood tests are looking good. She's been fighting so hard. I think she's turned a corner" said Sax and smiled.
"Thank god" Sonia and everybody else muttered.
"She's still very sick and it's going to be at least a few more days before we can get her off life support but I'm positive. I think she's doing a great job" said Sax.
Everybody sighed or cried with relief.
"Kate and Tegan… slowly but surely they're showing progress. They remain stable. Tegan's lungs are holding out reasonably well, which is remarkable in itself. Her cardiac function is relatively good. BP is still a bit choppy though. She's doing well all things considered" Sax smiled. Lindsey felt as if she wanted to cry with joy. Sonia squeezed her shoulder.
"We're not seeing any signs of recurring bleeding or infection with Kate. She's still in a very serious condition but she's hanging in there like a champ. We're managing them both closely with medication. I think this time sedated has definitely helped them both. I want to try and wake them both up in the morning. I think we should be able to extubate in a day or two. I want them off the vents within a week of going on them. If we can't get them off I'll have to do a tracheostomy, in other words put the ventilator tube down a hole in the neck which is not ideal. I want them off these vents!" said Sax.
"And Sara… is she… going to wake up?" asked Stephen.
"Sir…" said Sax and sighed. She swallowed hard before answering. "Sara is still in a coma. With her it's a wait and see game right now. We're positive… but it may take time. She can wake up today… or she can wake up a month… or a year from now. We just don't know. Her body and brain are taking a bit of a rest now. Keep talking to her, she may be able to hear you" said Sax.
"Fuck" Bruce mumbled and looked away as tears flooded his eyes.
Sonia put her arm around his shoulders. He took her other hand and held it to his chest. The gesture made Sax smile.
"You should get some rest Dr Sinclair. You look exhausted" said Stephen.
"I will, thank you" Sax smiled and got up to leave the room.
She felt light headed and her eyes were scratchy. She headed for the private on call room the hospital made available to her when they realised she wasn't going to go to a hotel soon.
"Baby!" she heard and stopped in her tracks. She was so tired, she thought she was imagining things.
"Sax" somebody said before touching her shoulder. She turned around and saw the face of an angel. Jude was standing in front of her. In the flesh. The love of her life. Jude looked worried, she pushed a red-brown lock of hair behind her ear.
"Jude" Sax said softly and fell into Jude's arms. Her legs buckled slightly.
"Sax? You're so exhausted you can hardly stand up straight. Let's get you something to eat and to bed" said Jude.
"Jude… you're here" Sax repeated softly.
"I'm here honey. I'm here" said Jude and held Sax. She didn't give a shit about the curious stares of strangers walking around them.
A/N: Looks as if Sara's going to be okay. Let's hope she or one of the other two doesn't have another setback. You guys have been kind of quiet lately? Send me some more feedback please, I love hearing from you.