Dr. Lauren Bloom was posted in the center nurses bay in the New Amsterdam Emergency Room, sitting in a swivel chair staring at a computer screen her still healing broken leg resting off to the side. The cane that had begrudgingly become her literal crutch in life lay against the desk to her right. The pain in her foot throbbed beneath the boot surrounding it. She snapped a rubber band on her wrist to bring her pain attention away from her leg and to the surface of her wrist.
"Bloom, we got an ambulance," Nurse Casey called while jogging across the ER towards the doors. Bloom struggling to push herself to a standing position at first, but with a little extra effort she was upright and reaching for her cane.
EMTs led a gurney with an elderly woman in, "This is Valorie Johnson, seventy two year old female, slipped and fell on her front steps. Hit her head on the sidewalk. Obvious contusion to her parietal, pupils dilated, possible concussion, no signs of cranial bleeding. She has been responsive, Bpm 125/70."
"Thank you. Casey, bring her to bank 4," Bloom directed. The paramedics passed the gurney off to the nurses and exited out the ER doors. Bloom hobbled slowly after Ms. Johnson and her nursing team.
"Max, why do you need me this early in the morning? I have rounds to make, patients to check on," Dr. Helen Sharpe asked as she walked in without closing the door to the
"Well, good morning to you to," said Max with a grin. "Maybe I just wanted to see you."
"Max, I haven't even had my coffee yet. I don't have time for your games."
Max held up a second coffee from next to his own, "Would this help?"
Sharpe snatched the coffee and immediately drowned a large sip down her throat, "Yes, it very much would. What do you need?"
"I'm just waiting for—," Max was interrupted by Dr. Iggy Frome walking through the open door Sharpe never bothered to close.
"Morning guys," said Iggy.
"Perfect, exactly who I was waiting for," Max said standing and ushering for them to both sit.
Iggy took one of the front lounge chairs facing the desk while Sharpe leaned against the side of Max's couch holding out for a position of power and stubbornness, still annoyed to be here this early.
"So, now that you two are here, we have a new case, and a complicated one at that. Meet Samuel Lowry," Max passed a copy of his file to each of them, "He is eight years old and has been diagnosed with an osteosarcoma in his arm that is where you come in Sharpe. His parents have brought him in because they heard you were the best."
Sharpe looked up from the file, Max twinkled his eyes right at her, hoping the compliment of her skills would make up for the earliness of this meeting. Sharpe smirked but kept reading the file.
"Where do I come in Max," Iggy asked.
"Samuel happens to also be autistic and his most favorite hobby is video games. The last diagnosis the Lowrys received was suggesting amputation of Samuel's right arm. Now if this wasn't enough for their family, Samuel seems to not understand what is happening or is in denial of what might have to happen. Safe to say, he is not a big fan of hospitals and doctors so far. If you could talk to Samuel and his family and try to explain the situation."
"Wow, that is quite the cross to bear, but I'd be happy to—," this time it was Iggy who was interrupted by Max's pager and cell phone going off at the same time.
"I'm sorry Iggy, I have to take this."
Max glanced at his pager which read CODE BLACK, bomb threat in the hospital and his phone read BLOOM calling. Dr. Sharpe and Frome both looked down at their pagers that had also just beeped, but Max answered his before they could speak.
"Hey Bloom, what's going on?"