"Blouin," a resident called.
Allison ran forward to meet her resident, "yes dr Watson."
"You're with me, we're going up to Peds to work with a family whose child needs surgery now," Dr Watson said.
"Diagnosis," Allison asked.
"14 months just diagnosed cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus," Dr Watson said.
"I can take point with the parents," Allison offered.
"You're an intern you observe, " Dr Watson said.
"Respectfully Dr Watson," Allison said, "my 8 year old has both and has had two shunt revisions in the last year. Everly was diagnosed at 4 months with CP and hydrocephalus and her first shunt was placed at 4 months."
"You have a child," Dr Watson said.
"Everly," Allison smiled, "she's 8, going into third. She's doing well. Still on crutches at school and out but that's for her comfort not because she has to. She can do a school day without them. She loves to swim and swims on a team."
A little girl on crutches was coming towards them with the residency director.
"Dr Hunt the residency director," dr Watson pointed out, "we have two Hunts he's harder to please, the chief is his sister she's warm and likes to tease. That's one of his grandkids, the youngest I think. "
"He's my dad," Allison said, "that's my daughter, she's the youngest of her cousins. My big sister has 4 kids 13-22. So starting eighth, twelfth, college freshman and first year of med school."
"So how old is he," Dr Watson asked.
"Dad's 68 and mom is 71," Allison said, "both still working and refusing to slow down much. She's slowed down more than him."
"Grandpa, it's mom," Everly said, picking up her pace.
"Do you want me to carry you princess," Owen asked.
"I'll do it," Everly said.
Allison picked up her pace towards her daughter, "hi princess."
"Mom," Everly dropped her crutches for a hug.
"What are you doing," Allison asked.
"Grandpa said I could come," Everly replied, "dads at work."
"I know dads working a lot. They have a big project that has to be done in the next three weeks," Allison said.
"I'm having a sleepover with Heather tonight," Everly said.
"I know you are," Allison smiled, "I don't know if I'll see you before I'm done work, see if Grandpa can bring you to say bye before you leave. If not, I'll see you first thing tomorrow. You'll be good for Auntie Annie and Uncle Josh?"
"Yes mom," Everly said, "what about my shower?"
"Annie or Heather can help you," Allison said, "I know they don't have your bars to hold on to you're doing fine at home. I packed you a bathing suit if you need help and want to wear it. Annie said she has a stool you can sit on."
Allison's resident was watching.
"Why do you have to work all night," Everly asked.
"Because I'm going to learn to be a surgeon like Dr Linchon," Allison said, "so I can help kids like you. I know it's a lot of time and I'm going to miss you so much princess."
"Blouin," Dr Watson said, "leave your child."
"Dr Watson," Owen snapped, "we are a family friendly hospital. We want our staff including interns to see their children and I bring my grandchildren to work with me to see their parents. My oldest daughter has 4 kids and you've seen Dr Grace Altman with her kids here. I had my kids here, Dr Teddy Altman started bringing Grace in when she was 19 and wanted to scrub in. Hospital kids are around, interns working 70 hours a week need to see their kids two. Allison is my daughter, Everly is my granddaughter."
"We have a parent to break bad news to," Dr Watson said.
"And Allison has heard a lot of that as a parent she is the best intern to do this," Owen said, "you're seeing her daughter using mobility aids. Everly is doing well."
Allison picked Everly up.
"Mom," Everly complained.
"I need a hug before I have to go work, princess," Allison said.
"I'm 8," Everly argued.
"I know you are," Allison smiled, kissing her daughter's cheek , "you're getting so grown up. Go with Grandpa and I'll see you later. I will facetime you before bed."
Allison turned and followed her resident after helping Everly get her crutches under her again.
"How old were you," Dr Watson asked.
"18 she's 8," Allison said, "Everly doesn't know me not being in school she's seen college and med school."
"18," Dr Watson asked.
"My senior year," Allison said, "her dad and I were young."
"Her dad," Dr Watson asked, "your Blouin but Hunt is your dad."
"I'm married to her dad," Allison said, "we've been together 9 years, married 4. My mom is Dr Teddy Altman the head of research and Dr Grace Altman head of cardio is my big sister. I changed my name when I got married from Altman- Hunt, which was my maiden name, is a middle name now and added Blouin at the end."
"And the Riggs," Dr Watson asked, "they're connected to the Hunts and the Altman's."
"Nathan is my uncle and Josh is my brother in law," Allison said, "I met Josh the day I was born."
"It was guaranteed you would be here," Dr Watson snapped.
"No," Allison said, "my sister did her residency here but we considered going away but all of Ev's supports are here."
"Your husband, what does he do," Dr Watson asked, trying to get a picture of her intern.
"Asher is an industrial electrician," Allison said, "we just moved out of my parents basement six weeks ago, we bought when I got placed here."
"You own your place," Dr Watson said.
"We do," Allison replied, "we had to buy to make all the accessibility changes. Rancher, ramps in and out of the house, wider doors and some lower counters for accessibility for her."
"How is her mobility," Dr Watson said.
"Crutches out and at school 90% of the time, wheelchair when she's totally exhausted, in pain or not well,," Allison said, "she's getting harder for me to carry. Asher can carry her for hours. At home she's pretty independent now. This mom it's devastating, she's going to be crushed, it's her baby who she thinks is perfect."
"Her daughter needs a shunt today," Dr Watson said.
"That's hard," Allison said, "which surgeon?"
"Silverstone," Dr Watson said, "there's a heart defect that Dr Grace is watching."
"We can work with Annie," Allison smiled.
"You are an intern, you do not speak to the family unless a resident or attending asks you to," Dr Watson said.
They walked into the room to find a young mother sobbing holding her baby.
Allison chose to disregard her resident and took the chair beside the mom.
"I'm Dr Blouin," Allison introduced herself, "what's your name?"
"I'm Carly and this is Julie," the mom said.
"It's nice to meet you both," Allison said, "may I see Julie?"
"I guess," Carly said.
"I know this is scary," Allison said, "she's your baby and you want her to be happy and healthy."
"Will she be okay," Carly asked.
"The shunt today," Dr Watson said, "is routine. Dr Sliverstone does 5 or 6 a week."
"Will it hurt," Carly asked.
"She's going to feel so much better when it's fixed," Allison assured, "there'll be some pain around the incision but she'll feel better and hopefully will relax more."
"She has spastic CP," Carly said.
"I know it well," Allison said, "the shunt may help and will take away a lot of her pain from the fluid build up in her brain and lots of physio is the biggest thing."
"How do you know," Carly asked.
"My 8 year old has it and has a shunt," Allison said, "it made a world of difference for my little girl. Dr Silverstone did hers. I've known Dr Silverstone my whole life. Your daughter's case looks a lot like ours."
"Her heart," Carly asked.
"Monitor," Dr Watson said.
"You have Grace Altman for that, she's the best," Allison said, "I know she treats all her patients like her own kids."
"She was so gentle when she came in," Carly said.
"She would be," Allison agreed, "she's my older sister."
"She's good with kids," Carly said, "how is she so good?"
"She has four of her own," Allison said, "and she's always been good with kids."
"What about you,' Carly asked, 'would you trust her."
"I would with my life and my daughters," Allison replied.
They finished the conversation and Allison's phone went off.
"The Appy," Allison gasped.
"No way," Teddy yelled standing outside the OR with Mereidth.
"What Grace did it," Meredith replied.
"And called me crying after," Teddy remembered, "and my girls are two very, very different people."
"Allison is much more level headed then her sister," Meredith replied, "she can do it and she's a medical mom she understands."
"Why do we continue to humiliate a first day intern with it," Teddy questioned, "I hate this tradition."
"Give her a choice Teds," Owen replied, "let Allie know she can decide either way for herself."
"And if she fails," Teddy asked.
"Then they help her out," Owen replied, " I watched Annie's in the gallery and would have gone on the speaker and helped her if needed but Grey and Webber got her through and then I met her in the scrub room after. She doesn't need as as surgeons she'll need us as emotional support."
Allison ran to the OR board and listened as she was told the plan.
"It's your choice Dr Blouin,' Teddy replied, "you can choose either way with no pressure and no consequences."
"I want to,' Allison beamed, 'let's go scrub."
"Good luck," Owen smiled giving her a hug.
"Thanks dad," Allison smiled.
"You've got this," Teddy assured.
They watched as Allison followed Meredith into the scrub room and scrubbed before dashing to the gallery, they kicked two interns out of seats in the front row so they could watch their daughter's first official surgery in the front row. Allison worked slowly and carefully remembering each step, she had seen Owen and Josh do many over the years and participated in three the previous year in Boston. She was ready.
"She's so confident,' Teddy beamed.
"She is," Owen smiled, 'she looks like you down there."
"I'm seeing you,' Teddy replied, 'it's the face you make when you're working."
"Really," Owen asked, 'all I see is you."
The interns looked at Teddy and Owen curiously.
"She's our daughter," Teddy replied, having learned with Annie years before to be open about the relationship.
Allison completed the surgery successfully if painfully slowly.
"Good work but you need to move faster," Meredith said.
"I wanted it to be prefect," Allison replied.
"You have to do both,' Meredith said, 'open the least amount of time possible Blouin."
"I know," Allison replied.
"Two hours for an Appy is too long," Meredith replied.
They scrubbed out and Teddy and Owen met them outside the scrub room.
"We'll done," Teddy smiled pulling Allison into a hug, "you did it."
"I did it," Allison laughed, "I did my first real surgery.'
"You did," Owen smiled, " you had a great surgery."
"Too slow," Allison replied.
"Speed will come," Owen assured, "with practice."
"Fast isn't as important yet," Teddy replied, "you did it well."
"I did," Allison replied.
"You feel good," Teddy asked.
"I do," Allison confirmed.
"Go check on your patient and finish your shift. It's a 24," Owen confirmed.
"Yes," Allison replied.
"We'll see you around but we're both done at 4:30," Owen replied, "Ev?"
"Sleeping over at Annie's," Allison replied, 'Ash is working until 8 or 9."
"Okay," Teddy replied, "enjoy the rest of your shift."
"I will," Allison smiled, pulling her lab coat back on over her baby blue scrubs.