The Ways of the Heart

Chapter 2

I walk into the OR carefully, but quickly. The nurses put two more pairs of gloves on my hands. After a few moments, I'm ready to begin the operation; my first Heart Transplantation Procedure, as an attending.

I take a deep breath as I say that one worded command, "Scalpel."

I make my way through the procedure with the Chief and the highest attending, Dr. Miller.

"You're doing great," they say,"What's next?"

I tell them what they need to hear, exactly what and how they taught me. Soon the body is ready for the new heart to be placed. The heart is cold, and stored in a special solution so the tissue won't die.

I place the heart inside the chest cavity and begin to sewture it to place. As soon as it is secure, I tell the nurse to take the patient off of the bypass machines.

I watch for the heart to beat and make sure there are no compromising leaks. As soon as I notice there aren't any I close the chest and breathe a sigh of relief.

"Good work Dr. Gramm," everyone says as I walk it of the Operating Room with the feeling of accomplishment.

***
"Dr. Gramm," I hear someone say as I finish updating patient charts.

"Yes," I answer the call thinking it may be one of my interns needing to ask a question.

I turn around and I'm set face to face with Dr. James.

"I just wanted to say hey, and I know its been a long time..." He keeps talking.

"Okay. Hey," I say back followed by turning around and speaking to a nurse about an upcoming procedure.

"Hadley can you just acknowledge me for one second?" He asks

"No I have work to do Eli, so if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do like check on patients," I say sternly.

"Fine, but you'll get to know me. You'll come to love me. I know you will," he says.

"Who said anything about love?" I ask.