Episode 4
In tonight's episode: Dr Robbins attempts a difficult procedure, brain surgery, the new clinic starts to take form, and how will Dr Robbins and the team cope with rising civil unrest?
The camera flashes to Arizona standing over a table with loops on her face, a 3-year-old is open on the table in front of her.
Then it flashes to a huge foundation dug into the ground, and a building site, a time lapses shows walls appearing and a roof.
Lastly raised voice, pitchforks, machete's,
"What's' going on?" Arizona asked stepping out of the clinic,
"They think this was built with their taxes, they are starving, and they want the money back" Mary explained translating, while most of Malawi spoke English some areas didn't.
"We didn't use any money from the locals, we used money from America," Arizona explains, to raised voices, suddenly a shot rings out, a scream, and the camera fades to black.
….
"Wait, was that Arizona? Did Arizona get shot?" Callie shouted, "that was her scream,"
Nobody dared to make a comment,
"Rewind Cristina, no wait, fast forward," Callie begged needing to find out what happened and why Arizona screamed.
"Just let it play, this was filmed weeks ago, Robbins is strong, she'll be okay" Derek said gently placing his hands onto hers, his other hand firmly gripped by Meredith. Callie huffed, not sure she agreed, not sure if she wanted to fast forward to the end or rewind, was that Arizona's scream? It had been female. While she was debating the show continued.
….
Arizona is sitting on the back of a flatbed lorry Brenda, Ireen and Esther with her. She smiles at the camera holding on tightly on the bumpy roads,
"We are going to an orphanage; we have vaccines and food parcels, and we are going to make sure they are all okay, after the outbreak, and try to stop any future outbreaks by vaccinating" Arizona pats the box next to her.
The truck stops and they climbed out,
"Hello Martha, I'm Arizona, these are my nurse Brenda, Ireen and Esther and the film crew I told you about Lucy and Clive." Arizona introduced, shaking Martha's hand.
"Lovely to meet you, I thought we would start with the infants" she said leading the way into the nursery. Inside were 40 babies all in cots one on each side, some were standing others lying down. "We group them by ages, this is our 0-2, we have had a lot more since the famine, and the outbreak, but we lost a few too, families just can't afford an extra mouth."
"How many children do you have currently?" Arizona asked going to the nearest crying child and picking her up an adorable chubby little baby,
"Over 200, 20% of children in Malawi are orphans. HIV, aids, the famine, and disease have really hit the population hard" Martha explained, "That is Zola, she hasn't stopped crying since the day she was dropped off".
Arizona repositioned her, instantly Zola stopped crying.
….
In Seattle Derek leaned forwards, interested piqued,
"Hydrocephalus, look how she is holding her, to relieve the build-up of pressure, poor thing" he sympathized, "she is gorgeous, don't you think Meredith".
"Sure" Meredith replied,
"I mean we should adopt her; she needs parents who know her condition and are aware of the signs to look out for, and look at her she is adorable,"
"We haven't even met her, and she is in a different country," Meredith replied almost amused, she loved Derek's compassion, and his passion,
"That's not a no," Derek said his eyes glinting, Meredith just rolled hers. She knew what Derek was like when he got an idea, but at the same time, that little girl was gorgeous,
"Ssh" Bailey told them both hooked on the episode.
…..
"I think Zola has a medical problem causing her to cry, we have a CT and MRI scanner going in at the clinic I'd like to put her through it, they arrive next week." Arizona said,
"You think this is medical," Martha replied surprised,
"I'd like to rule it out" Arizona said, "We can take her back with us today,"
"Okay," Martha agreed,
"Great, but for now, let's check out everyone else and start the vaccinations." Arizona said not putting Zola down, the baby settling in her arms, and going to sleep.
They cut to a sped-up scene of the vaccinations with hundreds of children going through. Zola ended up wrapped in a sling, sleeping on Arizona as she continued to vaccinate and check out the other orphans. Identifying 10 more that needed investigation and potentially surgery.
They left with 3 children that couldn't wait for tests, Zola was one.
Back at the clinic they watched as Zola was sedated for the scans and the results came up.
"Spina biffida, with hydrocephalus, a shunt and she should be much better" Arizona decided, "we can operate this afternoon, the sooner the better,"
"What if you don't operate?" Lucy asks from behind the camera.
"Damage to the brain, seizures, and eventually death" Arizona listed bouncing Zola up and down on her knee, "But that won't happen".
"So, it's brain surgery," Lucy checked.
"Yeah, if I was in America, I'd have neurosurgical input, and microscopes, high tech equipment. Still, things are getting better here, we have CT, we have MRI, we have proper beds, not the metal cots." Arizona reflected looking around the new bigger clinic. It wasn't quite finished, but it was getting there.
The camera cuts, Zola is lying on the table, Arizona standing over her mid surgery. Next to her is Janet and Wezzie, 2 doctors in training, watching carefully, Arizona taking her time explaining each step, this is the most important part of the project. She won't be here forever, and although she can build the fanciest of clinics, she needs experienced staff to run it in her absence. Malawi had the fewest doctors to 10,000 population anywhere in the world. Arizona was determined to improve that.
"So, the shunt will drain the extra fluid from the brain into her abdomen, relieving the symptoms. Would you like to close?" she asks Janet who nods excitedly.
"Arizona, we need you outside" Brenda comes in, nervously, "We have locals, they aren't happy".
Arizona exchanges a worriedly look with Brenda, meeting Mary outside.
"What's' going on?" Arizona asked stepping out of the clinic, noticing the large crowd of men surrounding the clinic, most holding farming tools. They were about 50 in total.
"They think this was built with their taxes, they are starving, and they want the money back" Mary explained translating, while most of Malawi spoke English some areas didn't.
"We didn't use any money from the locals, we used money from America," Arizona explains, to raised voices,
Angry voices meet her back, then a shot rings out,
Arizona screams as a sharp pain emerges in her leg. She reaches down to find blood.
"Arizona are you okay?" Lucy asks,
"I've been shot" Arizona replies numbly, to shouts from the crowd,
"Go now, we will call the police," Mary shouts stepping in front of Arizona, "the money, it is for us all, we have no spare, we share our food with you, we share our supplies,"
The crowd grumble but leave, the camera pans down to Arizona, who is lying on the floor Brenda holding her leg in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.
"Get Andy" she ordered, "Hang on Arizona" she begs,
"Brenda, I think the bullet is still inside," Arizona mutters, a light sweat covering her forehead, "You need to get the bullet out," she orders gently, trying to stay conscious, suddenly Janet runs out,
"Dr Robbins, its Zola she is crashing…." She says, stopping as she sees Arizona lying on the floor bleeding out. Before the camera turns to black.
…..
"No" Callie whispered, she was clutching Derek's hand tightly, tears running down her face, "Press play" she ordered, distraught, knowing there was one more episode left,
Cristina fiddled with the remote, watching the episode download,
"Where did it hit?" Teddy asked quietly, "her tib or femur?" her mind was already trying to work out the surgical options, and what they could do with the injury.
"Femur, it was her femur. Teddy when did you last talk to her?" Bailey asked, hoping that Teddy had spoken to her friend recently confirmed she was okay.
"2 months ago," Teddy said slowly, she had figured the texts has stopped Arizona had just been busy, she had never thought Arizona would be hurt, never dreamt Arizona would be shot,
"How long ago was this filmed?" Bailey asked,
"I don't know it doesn't say" Callie replied, desperately searching the screen for answers, as the program started again.
…
In tonight's episode we look at the future of the clinic, Dr Robbins lasting legacy, and the upcoming health challenges facing Malawi.
…
"Wait, what about Arizona?" Callie moaned, why was this program so frustrating, why couldn't they just say if Arizona was okay or not,
"She'll be okay, she is strong" Owen promised, using his vast experience on gunshot wounds,
"You don't know that Owen she got shot" Callie shouted, pacing up and down, waiting for the adverts to finish,
"Ssh or you'll never find out" Miranda said,
…
Thanks for all the reviews I love reading all of them. So i'm debating should we amputate or not? Should I continue writing Zola in, (i love Zola so i am thinking i probably will)