Chapter 9
"I just got everything squared away with Jake. He took the deal, but I'm pretty sure Joe had to talk him into it."
"That's good." She said, her hands on her head and her eyes closed.
"Erica, are you okay? Do you have another one of those headaches?" He said moving to the other side of couch.
"Yeah, but I took something for it. It should go away in a few minutes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, it's already feeling better."
"Why don't you let me at least take your blood pressure? You've had quite a few headaches this week."
"Okay, if it'll make you feel better, but I'm fine David."
"It will." He said, taking the first reading. "Have you been taking your medication?"
"Yes, why do you ask David?"
"Because you blood pressure is elevated, it's a lot higher than it's been since you've been on your medication."
"Is it something to be concerned about?"
"Well you've been having headaches, but it could be from the high blood pressure. And you haven't had any other symptoms?"
"Like what?"
"Anything out of the ordinary really. Maybe abdominal pain or swelling, trouble breathing?"
"Of course. I'm 34 weeks pregnant."
"Well anything that felt different than usual?"
"Actually, I was a little short of breath earlier. Usually it's just when I go up the stairs, but I was sitting down when it happened."
"Let me take a listen." He said, stethoscope in hand.
"David, is something wrong?"
"You might just need an adjustment with your meds, but I think we should go to the hospital just to be safe."
"David, you're scaring me. Is there something wrong with Dylan?"
"No I think he's just fine. I just want to run a few tests and make sure we get your blood pressure under control. That's it." He reassured her as they got in the car.
It wasn't long before they arrived at PVH. He had even called Joe to let him know he was bringing Erica in.
"David, Erica. Dad sent me down here to start her workup. He had an emergency but he'll be down as soon as he can." Jeff said, meeting them in the ER.
"Okay, is there a room open?"
"Exam 3, and I paged Dr. Madison but he's in the OR with a c-section. Don't know when she'll be available."
"Who is Dr. Madison?" Erica asked.
"She's covering for Dr. Clader this week." Jeff answered.
"Well we should run the tests awhile, then she'll have something to look at when she gets here."
"Yes. Sandra would you take Miss Kane to exam room 3 and start a line?" Jeff asked one the nurses in the ER.
"Sure Dr. Martin." The nurse said, directing Erica to the room down the hall.
"Her B.P. was 142/80, she complained of headaches and shortness of breath and upon oscillation I heard rales. She needs a CBC, LFT's, creatinine level and urinalysis. Maybe even a CT."
"Whoa, dad didn't mention any of this."
"That's because I didn't want to worry her when I called."
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"Preeclampsia is very likely."
"We should get moving." David said, already headed to exam 3.
"Why don't you wait out here? You're on leave."
"That's my wife and child in there. And if I don't go in there, she's going to think something is wrong. She knows I'd never not be in there if I could be."
"Just make sure you don't get in the way."
"Let's just remember who hired who, Jeff."
"We're going to put you on a fetal monitor so we can monitor the baby. There are no signs of distress, it's just a precaution. Let's start her on 4g magnesium sulfate and 8mg hydralazine." Jeff directed the nurse.
"What's going on David?" Erica asked, gripping his hand with hers.
"It looks as though you have a condition called Preeclampsia. We're just giving you some medication to control the symptoms."
"We're just going to wait for awhile and see if the medication does its job. If it doesn't, we might have to induce labor and deliver your son." Jeff told her.
"Deliver? It's too early. David it's too early."
"I know, and we'll do everything we can so that we don't have to deliver him. But at 34 weeks, there is a very good chance he'll be just fine."
"What's going on?" Joe asked as he walked in the room. David and Jeff walking over to him, so that the could conference without Erica hearing.
"Mild preeclampsia. Treated with magnesium sulfate, and hydralazine. B.P. is 136/78 and decreasing." Jeff spouted off the answer to his father's question."
"Has Dr. Madison consulted yet?"
"She's still in surgery." David answered this time.
"Did anyone call the OB resident on call?"
"I don't want any resident in here."
"Well none of us knows enough about obstetrics to make a call."
"We know more than any resident. And I'm sure you delivered more babies than that resident Jessup has Joe." David added.
"Well the baby is stable and so is Erica, for now." Jeff said.
"Well then we have time to wait for Madison." Joe said.
"If we need Madison, I'll go up and drag her out of the OR myself." David said this time.
"She's seizing!" One of the nurses yelled as the three men all running over to Erica.
"2g mag sulfate, stat." David commanded to the nearest nurse, her complying, "Hold her still." He told Jeff and Joe. He quickly administered the medication into her IV, right after he moved to hold her head. In a few seconds, the seizure stopped. He rested his head against hers, thanking whoever that it had stopped just as quickly as it started.
"We need to get the baby out." Jeff said, staring at David.
"I'm going to drag Madison out of that OR."
"It's a simple c-section David. Dad you can do one can't you?"
"No offense, but when is the last time you did a c-section?"
"It's been about a year."
"You don't trust your father?" Jeff asked of his brother.
"There aren't many people that I trust, especially when it comes to surgeries." David said, his hands stroking her hair.
"If it makes you feel any better I've done almost 20 in the last two years. I can be in there with him."
"Well three's a crowd Jeff."
"You aren't going to be in that OR, David."
"The hell I'm not!"
"If something goes wrong in there you'll be a distraction."
"Why don't you wait outside the OR and when Madison come out, direct her our way."
"There is no way in hell I'm letting two Martin's operate on my wife and child alone."
"Don't make me throw you out of here."Joe said grabbing David's shirt and holding him close. "I'm your father, and I know that doesn't mean a whole lot, but I am also the Chief of Staff and I will have you removed if I have to. Erica and Dylan are going to be just fine, but I need you to stay out of my OR. I promise I'll get them through this." He finished, letting go of David and opening the door behind him. "Jeff will keep you updated." He said, David just standing there, speechless and unable to move. His eyes on Erica and all he could think of was Joe Martin just told him off. And he was right. But it might just be impossible for him to sit out here and WAIT. He was finally able to move, stepping backward until he was out of the room and Joe let the door close in front of him.