Chapter 275

Alex looked up four hours later and saw Sax standing in the door holding her surgical mask. She looked shaken up.

Alex jumped up but didn't say anything.

"Dr and Mrs Morgan… Alex…" said Sax sitting down at the table with them.

"Is she…?" said Kate's mom looking pale.

"She's… hanging in there. Kate lost a significant amount of blood during surgery. Her liver was gushing and she was also bleeding into her lungs. We got it under control but there were a lot of complications during surgery. Kate's heart stopped again twice" said Sax looking exhausted.

"Oh my god" said John burying his face in his hands. Her mom gave a loud wail.

"We got her back reasonably fast… but I have to be honest with you, she's extremely critical right now. She's fighting very hard but its touch and go. Right now it could go either way but it's… it's not looking good. On top of the surgical complications, her white cell count is through the roof. It looks like sepsis. She's on maximum ventilator support and maximum vasopressors to keep her blood pressure up. Her kidneys are starting to shut down and we had to put her on dialysis. She's really struggling" said Sax looking tired and sad.

"Is she dying?" asked Alex softly.

"She's still fighting Alex, but she's tiring" said Sax with her hand on Alex's knee.

"I don't understand... she was doing okay... she was getting better" said Alex.

"Alex... these kind of complications happen, without warning patients take a turn for the worse"

Another Doctor started speaking.

"Does Kate have a living will?" he asked.

"Yeah… she does" said Alex.

"Does she mention anything about life support, end of life care? We need to know… if she codes again… if you want us to resuscitate her" said the other doctor. Sax swallowed down the lump in her throat.

"I don't know... we'll have check what her will states. But I know she would want you to do everything if there's a chance... she wouldn't want to be kept alive with machines if she's never going to recover though" said Kate's mom in tears.

"Is her brain activity compromised?" asked John in tears. Kate's mom was sobbing next to him.

"No… it's not as far as we can tell" said Sax.

"But the machines and the IV meds are keeping her alive?" asked Kate's mom through her tears.

"Right now, yes, they are" said Sax patiently.

"Is there a chance that she can get through this okay? Any chance? Or is she going to die whatever you do. I want you to be honest now Sax" said Alex.

Sax took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "There's a chance. It's not a big chance but there's a chance"

"I just don't want my baby girl to be suffering" said John.

"I'm not giving up on her" said Alex staring out in front of him. "I refuse to give up on her"

"Alex, it's not that easy" said John.

"It is that easy Dad. She can get through this. She's fighting. Her brain function is fine, if her body can get through this…"

"You have to understand that sepsis is extremely difficult to manage. She could go into multiple organ failure. We are trying everything to get her infection levels under control but sometimes it's just a domino effect. But I'm not giving up on her Alex. We really are trying everything" said Sax.

"I understand… she would want us to try. Kate never gives up" said Alex.

"This really is Sara's decision, she's her wife" said Sax.

"Sara isn't in a place to make that decision now, we all know that" said John.

"I know… and I will be making that case in front of the ethics committee later that Sara is for all intents and purposes… incapacitated"

The other doctor's pager went off and he excused himself.

"What would you do Sax?" asked Alex.

"Alex, I'm not allowed to give advice"

"I'm asking you as her friend… not her doctor"

"I would... I would fight like hell" said Sax softly. Tears were now rolling down her cheeks no matter how much she wanted to keep them in. She wiped them quickly, annoyed at her inability to keep her emotions intact.

"Dr Sinclair… you're needed in post-op" said a nurse popping her head in.

"Is it urgent?" Sax snapped, her heart jumping even though she knew that if it was urgent her beeper would be going nuts right now.

"Not really, just as soon as you can" said the nurse.

"Take some time with this decision. I know it's really, really hard and I'm so sorry you have to go through this" said Sax looking defeated.

"Can we see her?" asked Alex.

"She's in post-op right now. I'm keeping her in there for a few hours, she's not stable yet. After that I'm moving her into the isolation room in the TICU. You can see her once she's settled in there. I want to keep her away from possible further infection and I don't think it's fair for Tegan and Sara to see her like this right now" said Sax.

"I agree… thank you Dr Sinclair" said Alex.

A few minutes later Sax walked back to Kate's bed in post-op.

"She's still a full code" she said to the nurse.

"Okay… I'll make a note" said the nurse.

"You were looking for me?" said Sax.

"I needed some help with one of the chest tubes but Dr Jones assisted me, thanks"

"You should have called me! This patient… is royalty okay… I'm your first port of call on everything!" Sax snapped.

"I'm sorry Dr Sinclair, it wasn't a big deal"

Sax sighed and closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried"

Sax started examining her critically ill friend again. Her hands were shaking. She was just about at breaking point.

"Check her potassium and white cell count levels again please" said Sax.

"Yes Dr Sinclair. Oh… somebody named Jude called while you were in surgery, she said she'll call back"

Sax was disappointed that she missed Jude's call. She knew Jude was right across the road working in the hotel but it just wasn't the same. She knew however that she would have her hands full with Kate for at least the next 12 to 24 hours.

"Thank you" Sax breathed and sat down next to Kate as the nurse left. She took her hand in hers.

"You hang in there Morgan. You gave me a few extra grey hairs in there but you're still here…. if you could make it this far you can make it all the way alright. Stay with me Kate" she said.

-0-

Dr Smith arranged for Tegan and Sara to be sedated and medicated with strong pain killers for the rest of the night.

"I want a dedicated resident here" said Sax after checking on them.

"Yes Dr Sinclair" said a nurse rolling her eyes.

"I saw that" said Sax dryly. "I'll be with Dr Morgan if you need me"

Lindsey, Sonia, Stephen and Bruce sat in shock after getting the news that Kate was critical.

"Please, please, please" said Sonia with her head in her hands.

"I don't think they should wake them up… they're both going to lose it" said Lindsey through tears.

"I know… let's just see how Kate does in the next few hours" said Sonia.

A/N: Oh nooo... Is Kate dying?

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