Chapter 44: Following your Gut

Author: zeusfluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Blue Blood's characters. They belong to CBS. But I do own all originals. Date Started: 12/27/23. Date Finished: 12/28/23. Enjoy!

Jamie had to follow his gut. Things had been so chaotic today it was almost insane. The day had started out with freezing cold water from the shower. Courtesy of a broken pipe leading to the water heater in him and Eddie's flooded basement. During making breakfast, the stove stopped working. This left him with having a dry piece of toast and some orange juice. On the way to work, he ran over a couple of nails that were sticking out of two, two by fours in the road, causing not one but two completely flat tires. Making him nearly an hour late for work. When he finally arrived at the hospital, he found out that he was short a delivery room nurse because Sandy had up and quit. He didn't blame her. After everything that had happened with Gregory Paulson, he could see the writing on the wall with that one. Taking a breath, he looked at Mara and gave her a tight-lipped smile.

"Ok, who's next? Adena Solenson. She's two weeks early. Close enough. Do you have her started on anything?"

Mara nodded and looked at Jamie.

"Not much. She's been taking in some ice chips, and I put a catheter in. That's about it."

Jamie kept his professional mask on and walked into Adena's room. He greeted Adena and her husband Tim.

"How are you doing Adena?"

Adena let out a breath as her contraction came down and the machine monitoring the baby went back to its calm rhythmic motion.

"Better now that, that contraction is over. I just want to get this show on the road. Can't you take the catheter out already? It's really uncomfortable. It stings. I feel like I have a UTI."

Adena's husband Tim kissed her forehead and tried to calm her.

"Hey, it's ok honey. Everything's going to be just fine. Let Doctor Reagan work and see where we're at huh? That's it."

Jamie spoke to Adena as he washed his hands in the sink towards the far end of the room.

"Adena, I know your very thirsty and anxious and nervous, but I want you to focus on your breathing. Take a breath in and let it out slowly. That's it."

Adena nodded and swallowed a sob that was threatening to bubble up her throat and out of her mouth.

"Ok, but this catheter is really uncomfortable. When can you take it out?"

Jamie gave her a comforting look and nodded.

"I know that's uncomfortable. As soon as your water breaks, we'll take it out. What I need for you to do for me right now is put your feet up. I'm going to check your progress. Just take a deep breath in and relax. There you go."

Adena winced and looked towards the sheet at the bottom of the bed.

"Mmm. What's the verdict?"

Jamie looked up and over the sheet and nodded, giving her a sincere smile.

"Coming along very well. You're already at 6 centimeters. I'll get the Anesthesiologist down here to give you an epidural. For now, get some rest and I'll be back to check on you in a little while. When you feel a contraction breathe through it. Try counting. Sometimes that helps. Humming works too. At least it did for my wife."

Jamie discarded his soiled gloves and mask in the trash bin by the door and exited the room. Mara trailed behind him.

"Doctor Reagan, you and I can't do all the work ourselves. Who's going to take Sandy's place?"

Jamie made eye contact with Mara.

"Word is we're getting Sabrina. Doctor Sanson quit. We're already working overtime as it is. Eddie and I have both accepted that our jobs can be time consuming. But neither of us wants to miss seeing Cora grow up. She's only going to be little for so long."

Mara smirked at Jamie.

"Yeah, and then comes the teen years of slamming doors, fights about staying out past curfew, dating…"

Jamie paled at the last word.

"Don't even mention that word. I don't want to even think about that until she's at least 30."

Mara gave out a slight laugh.

"Well, with your family, I think they'll scare off all the boys."

Jamie sighed and went back to the chart rack, picking up another chart. He shook his head as he flipped through the chart.

"Amber Caulson. She's been admitted half a dozen times during her pregnancy for uncontrolled gestational diabetes. I'm hoping that her baby doesn't have Hyperglycemia or Hypoglycemia. Both are bad."

Jamie put a hand up and gripped the chart.

"Sorry Mara. That wasn't meant for you or anyone else. Just been having a really crappy morning."

Jamie continued his conversation as he looked through to the fourth page of her chart.

"The last time she was admitted, her glucose level was 370. Can you get a level from her while I check her vitals?"

Mara nodded as she and Jamie entered the room. Jamie continued his same questions and routine as he did with every patient he saw day in and day out.

"How are you doing in here Amber?"

Amber grimaced and shook her head.

"To be honest. I don't feel so good. I don't think its the contractions that making me feel like I want to crawl out of my skin."

Jamie remained professional and calm as he checked each of Amber's vitals. Mara quickly took Amber's blood sugar and then showed it to Jamie.

"400 Doctor Reagan."

Jamie let out a silent sigh and looked at Amber.

"You didn't take your Glipizide today did you Amber?"

Amber shook her head no.

"No. I figured if I ate a salad, I'd be ok."

Jamie let out another silent sigh and looked Amber in the eye. He became sympathetic for a moment.

"Salads are good for you, but it all depends on what you put on it."

Amber looked down at her enormous belly and the tears started flowing.

"I just want my baby to be ok. She'll be ok won't she? She'll be healthy?"

Jamie's expression softened more.

"That was always the plan, and I'm still hoping for it. You need insulin. I will get your baby out safely. You have my word. I need you to relax and breathe. That's it. Are you feeling dizzy?"

Amber nodded her head and gripped the blankets.

"Where's… Where's Terry?"

Jamie gave Amber a sympathetic look.

"I don't know Amber. Did he come with you to the hospital?"

Amber shook her head.

"No. He's probably still on his route. He's a postal worker."

Jamie nodded and checked the monitor tracking her heart rate.

"That's right. Would you like Mara to get in contact with him? Let him know your here?"

Amber nodded her head yes and closed her eyes.

"Could I get some ice chips please? I'm so thirsty."

Jamie nodded and looked to Mara who handed Amber some ice chips.

Jamie gave a frustrated sigh and shook his head. He looked Mara in the eye as he walked into the break room for a cup of coffee.

"That baby girl in the NICU is going to have a long road in front of her. Her lungs didn't mature enough. Hopefully the steroids she's being given will help."

Mara took a sip of her coffee and shook her own head.

"It's not your fault Doctor Reagan. You gave her mother all the information, and the care you would give any expectant mother. She just didn't want to follow directions. All you can do is encourage them to do the right thing. Take care of themselves and their baby."

Jamie nodded and finished off his cup of coffee.

"Tell that to her father who is sitting vigil next to her open and heated crib. Let's check on Adena. The Anesthesiologist has probably been in to see her already."

Mara nodded and finished off her coffee, throwing away the empty cup. Blowing out another frustrated breath, Jamie and Mara made their way towards Adena's room. He found that she was calling his name as he came into the room.

"Doctor Reagan! Please! Get my baby out!"

Jamie remained calm and looked Adena in the eye as he put on a mask and gloves after he'd washed his hands at the sink.

"Let's just check your progress really quick and hopefully you'll be ready to deliver that beautiful baby."

Adena nodded and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She looked at Jamie expectantly and the up at her husband Tim. He gave her hand a kiss and then a confident smile.

"Don't worry, the baby will be here soon."

A smile came to Jamie's face behind his mask as he looked up at Adena over the sheet.

"Ok Adena, it's time. I see a head. I want you to give me a push. Give me a few big pushes. Not too hard though. Just until the head is out and then as hard as you can ok?"

Adena nodded and gripped both of her husband's hands with all her might. She looked up at her husband and let out a strained breath.

"This is hard!"

Tim nodded and kept his hold on her hands, never letting go.

"I know, but you've got this. Doctor Reagan is the best. He's taken excellent care of the both of you. Now come on, you've got this. Keep pushing."

Adena dug deep down and gave a frustrated grunt, pushing a little harder. Jamie looked up for a brief minute and raised his eyebrows.

"Adena, you're doing great, try not to push so hard, ok? Easy, and bare down on the contraction and push. That's it. The head is almost out. Just one more push for me. That's it. Good. One more. One more."

Adena was exhausted, Jamie could see that. But she kept going. She gasped and then spoke.

"Is the baby out?"

Jamie shook his head and kept concentrating on bringing a healthy baby into the world.

"Not yet. But the head is out. Now I want you to push as hard as you can. Push! Push! Good! One more! One more! Another! Ok and I've got her! You have a beautiful little girl! Congratulations mom and dad!"

Jamie held the pink and wrinkly little girl who screamed and screamed over the sheet and was beaming. He was following his gut, today was still young and his patient load was very large.

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks! Only 15 more chapters to go before we reach the end. Was this a little stale? I felt something was missing.