Dawn ( Rewritten)

13 September

2:36 am

Dr. Thomas Brown stood against the operation table, dressed in his navy blue scrubs and a gown. A pair of sterile gloves covered his hands and a mask hid his face. His gradually greying black hair was neatly tucked beneath a cap.

Being a surgeon with almost 12 years of experience, he appeared calm. Throughout his career, he had been excellent at his work. His dexterity was a result of this.

His blue eyes stared at the table, lying on which, peacefully asleep under general anesthesia, was his subject for the night: his estranged wife.They had been married for seven years now.

Accompanying him in the OT were four people: a wary looking nurse, an anaesthesiologist , and two junior surgeons who were to assist him in the appendectomy which he was to perform.

In the five minutes that followed, the site of the operation was exposed, washed thoroughly to avoid microbial contamination and sepsis and allowed to dry.

Once ready, Tom placed a neat incision on the exposed skin, admiring his own dexterity as blood oozed out of the fresh incision.

"This" He spoke to his subordinates for the first time since his arrival "is a McBurney's incision".

He deepened the incision and wiped the oozing blood. The subordinates consequently inserted sterile  retractors in the incision and watched carefully.

"Now, we will proceed to dissect the anterior abdominal wall" He said as he deftly dissected the muscles over the next few minutes, interrupted by the need to wipe the oozing blood which, strangely, flowed in amounts larger than normal and refused to cease. He felt perspiration crowd his forehead.

2:52 am.

"She's losing a lot of blood" He remarked after wiping the incision for what seemed like the fiftieth time. He glanced up to look at the bottle of Ringer Lactate running on the i.v. line. He wiped the incision once more and traced the now exposed intestine and located the infected appendix.

Without delay, he clamped the appendix at two points and sliced the organ in between, causing blood to ooze out and fill the entire incision before flowing out of it.

"This is abnormal" Tom said, as he cauterized the bleeding appendix. It continued to bleed.

No effect. He thought.

He checked for any nicked vessels.

None.

2:55 am.

"The damn thing is still bleeding." Tom said, sounding agitated.

Perfect. He thought to himself. It won't take long.

3:01 am

"Sir, the BP has fallen down to 90/56." The junior surgeon said.

She is dying. Tom thought.

Deep inside, he felt a tinge of concern rising.

NO.

I'm not concerned.

What has she ever done to deserve this concern?

Nothing.

I gave her everything.

And she gave me nothing.

Nothing, but seven years of a painful loveless marriage.