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September 4, 2015 11:37 AM
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The morning hours trickled by quickly as Sakura went about her final day of residency. Word spread fast in her department, and congratulations were offered by interns, residents, and attendings alike.
Recognition felt good. She would never admit it out loud, but Sakura knew how hard she worked to get where she was. Opportunities like this came to those whose efforts were noticed, and her efforts were very much noticed.
Sakura wandered down the hallway towards the room of one of the last patients she would get the chance to work with. She smiled to herself, collecting her nerves and recollecting the information she reviewed on the patient mentally before rapping on the door with three staccato knocks. She looked over the patient's charts in her hands as she waited for their response.
"Come in," the patient's muffled voice said from the other side.
The doctor reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly, and peeked her head in first. "Ma'am?" she called out before stepping inside. "It's Doctor Haruno again from the Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics Department. We spoke earlier."
They had. Sakura's cases had been transferred to a junior resident, but she had the pleasure of meeting the woman prior to the change earlier this morning.
The older woman smiled pleasantly at Sakura, her fine lines creasing around her soft, tired eyes. "I remember you," she said gently. Her voice carried a serenity Sakura found soothing. It was a voice that alone had the power to comfort a crying child, put to bed a restless baby, lure a terrified stray animal to safety if needed.
A beautiful voice for a beautiful soul from what Sakura was able to gather. Working in foster care suited her. Nearly three decades later and she longed to return to it, but newly emerging health issues put a damper on that. It was time the woman took care of herself, put her health and happiness first so that she could continue to do what she loved.
"How are you feeling?" Sakura asked as she approached. It had been a little over two hours since the woman was moved to a recovery room. Depending on her answer, it might be another one or two more before she was discharged and on her way home.
"Pretty well." The woman's smile faltered, but she plastered on an air of resilience that solidified promise in her words.
"That's good to hear." Sakura smiled back. She lowered the clipboard to her abdomen, holding it between both her hands as she addressed the woman again. "About two hours ago now, you underwent a percutaneous biopsy on your liver. I received the sample back at the lab and will be reviewing it with the team. During this process, we'll look for indicators of…" Sakura rattled on with a mix of medical jargon and simplified explanations of everything habitually. It helped to restate things in simpler terms that patients could understand to ease their doubts and fears, she found. "You can expect a call from us in the next couple of days with results. In the meantime, did you have any questions?" she finished.
The patient blinked. Once. Twice. Her eyes glazed over as she fought to keep her gaze on the pink head of hair.
Sakura set the woman's chart aside and moved to her side, her gaze traveling to the vital signs monitor hooked up to her. Readings were in normal range, yet those numbers didn't match what Sakura was witnessing. "Ma'am? Ma'am, are you feeling okay?"
The woman shifted on the bed, straightening herself up for only a second before she blanched and fell back. One of her hands found her abdomen and cradled it. "Doctor," she started, speech slurred as her vision darkened. "Do'tor, some-hing's…"
The machines sounded off loudly with an alarm that screamed abnormal readings as the patient paled.
Sakura checked for a pulse as she stared at the machine. "Shit," she muttered, forgetting herself. Sakura scrambled onto the mattress after knocking it flat as the door burst open.
Migaki, a post-op nurse, stumbled in. He eyed the screeching monitor, a moment of confusion replaced by urgency.
"She has no pulse," Sakura announced aloud. "Starting chest compressions. Call for a team!"
As quickly as he scrambled in, Migaki stepped out again with a shout. Not a minute later, the code team arrived. Migaki was well underway with aiding Sakura as the others filtered in quickly to aid.
Sakura barely lifted her gaze at the new arrivals, only to check the clock on the wall for time. "Dr. Haruno, Pathology," she announced. "Patient coded while in recovery less than a minute ago. She seemed to be experiencing abdominal pain following a percutaneous liver biopsy about two hours ago."
"Thank you, doctor. We'll take over." A young brunette, no more than five years Sakura's senior, commanded the team. Her dark eyes fell on the lifeless women, watching as her team worked quickly to establish a pulse again.
In the years Sakura had been at this hospital, she had only ever seen the woman in passing and at a distance. Now closer, she made out the name embroidered on her white coat.
Dr. Erina Ueno
Sakura recognized the name on the lips of other nurses and doctors. A bright young woman whose radiance brightened her near-black irises and equally sleek, dark hair. She had a dignified way of carrying herself. Grace in her steps. Confidence in her posture.
Certainty that she and her team would do everything in their power to resuscitate and stabilize every patient they could.
Doctor Ueno's forehead creased as she lifted her brows, sparing Sakura only a glance. "Your work?"
"No. A junior resident completed the procedure under the supervision of Doctor Nohara."
The attending nodded. She pursed her lips as she redirected her attention back to the patient. A shock from the defibrillator jerked her torso up from the mattress.
Time seemed to slow in that moment, and as Sakura stood back and watched, giving the team ample room to work, her heart sprinted. This was avoidable. Something had gone wrong during the procedure, the procedure originally assigned to her. But this was completely avoidable.
She was sure of it.
Sakura swallowed, her throat sore in guilt. But then, it wasn't her fault. Nobody was at fault. Complications like this happened. Not often, but they did.
Let her live, Sakura pleaded to some higher power. Let her live.
"We have a pulse."
Sakura wasn't sure who said it, but the moment those words were said, she released the breath she held tight in her chest.
That's a start.
Like time had slowed, it sped up again. Every movement was executed with a sense of urgency that grounded Sakura back in real time.
More words followed. "She's stabilized."
Doctor Ueno spoke next. "Good. Get her to ICU now." The team moved, unlocking the wheels to the bed and rolling the woman out. The doctor lingered a moment longer as her team exited. "I suspect internal bleeding," she said to Sakura. Nothing in her tone betrayed her composure.
"I believe so, too."
To Sakura's surprise, the other doctor placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You did what you could. What happens next is out of your control now. We'll all do our best to see she recovers well." She gave a firm squeeze. "Excuse me."
Alone in the room, Sakura tucked her hair behind one ear and shifted her weight to her heels.
This was avoidable. But it happened.
Four hours into her shift, she refused to let this be the determinant to how the rest of her day would go. For now, it was back to the lab.
And in a few hours, she would follow up on the patient again.
