Saving Graces

Chapter 2

-Ashton-
"Somebody page OB again!" I yell as the mother's blood pressure quickly spikes. "No need. I'm here. Tell me what we've got" said a small woman in her mid twenties. "Pregnant woman, multiple abrasions, rapid bp levels, and she's got a piece of glass lodged in her temple. There's too much pressure" I say quickly. "Someone up the morphine" she yells, as I grab a syringe, lifting up her eyelid, and slowly suction out the fluid. "Ms.Smith you're gonna be okay, and I know this sounds idiotic and crazy but I need you to calm down. It appears that you already have preeclampsia, and if your blood pressure spikes anymore we'll have to deliver, which is extremely dangerous for both of you, okay?" She says grabbing the frantic woman's bruised hands. The woman groans, as Michael walks in the room. "Ms.Smith this is Doctor Clifford. I'm going to let him take a look to determine our next step okay?" I say as soothingly as possible. "Wait Clifford?" Says the small woman. "You know Michael?" I say furrowing my brow. "Yeah we were friends in college, well until things got messy" she says quickly dropping her smile. "I'm Irwin, Ashton Irwin" I say smiling. She gives me a questioning look, and hesitantly shakes my hand "I'm Doctor Matthews." "And you have no first name?" I chuckle. "We don't have time for this. You're flirting and mom and baby are going to flatline. Her BP is still through the roof, and there isn't much I can do" she says roughly. "We need to operate now!" Michael yells, just as she begins to seize.
"Interns W, X, Y, and Z get out. Now! You're crowding and not helping. Go to the clinic" Matthews charges. "Her body's in too much stress, and I don't have time to make it to the OR. I need to deliver this baby now" she says as the woman flat lines. "You seem to be pretty cozy just standing there. Push epidural!" She yells as the woman's pulse slowly rises back. "Hey Ms.Smith, Lily? Beth. Your daughter, she's with a great team right now, and everything seems fine. She's having headaches but they're taking her to get an MRI, okay?" Michael says holding her hand. Matthews begins cutting her open. "Okay looks like she's got a ruptured appendix. Push anesthesia. Clifford , you don't have time. You need to operate now" she says grabbing the 30 week old infant. I snip the cord, as she sets the baby in the incubator apparently clearing the baby for the OR, as she swiftly leaves. "I need you to suction fluid Ashton. We don't have time for you to get distracted" he says as I get to work suctioning the fluid around the appendage.

-Avery-

I set my laptop down on the counter at a nurses station to start documenting things in Beth's file and to scroll through some of her history. Soon Hayden comes beside and lays her head on the counter. "Yo" I said trying my best to keep calm. "Emergency c, I'm going to die and it's only 11:30." she mumbles. "C?! Why didn't you page me?!" I squeak, hating to miss all the action. "When will you learn, that you can't be two places at once?" she says looking at me. "All is well though, baby is in NICU on a vent with the attending. But should be fine." "Excellent" I say in return. "That's it?" she asks. "Care to share about my patients child?" "She's being prepped for an MRI now, something's not right. It could just be a concussion but I want to know for sure. By the way, did you see Michael?" Hayden stands up now "Yeah I did, thanks for that." she says sarcastically. "Sorry it spooked Holly, as it would anyone, and I didn't need her having a stroke in the E.R., so I sent him away." Hayden nodded. "Okay I'm headed to radiology, keep me updated on mom and baby please. Do note I don't just mean that I am concerned about patients, but that I think you should talk to the trauma doctor a little more." I say as she glares at me "I can see what you're doing, it not going to work I'm telling you. His name is Ashton, Ashton Irwin, and his optimism is suffocating." "Which very well may be what you need in your life!" I say as I walk to the elevator.

When I get to radiology Angie and Holly are already standing behind the x-ray tech team. "Hello everyone, ready to get started?" I ask. Everyone nods in agreement so I walk to the counter and click on the microphone so that Beth can hear me. "Hey Beth? We are going to take some pictures now okay? I want you to stay very very still, we will be done before you know it." Once I'm done the nurse gets her situated and I take a seat in between Holly and Angie. "Why is Michael here?" Holly murmurs before putting her face in her hands. "I have no idea but I'm sure we will figure something out." I assure her. "For now just make the most of it and don't let him phase you, show him you're ten times the general surgeon he is." Angie looks at me confused "Wait Michael is here? Like undergrad Holly and Med school Michael?" she asks. "Yes" I say quickly trying to change the subject.
"Baby's stable" Hayden says rushing in. "Hey googly eyes, don't just stand there, go help with mom" she says putting Michael in shock. "Nice, to... Um, see you again Hayden" he says turning to fumble for the door. "Isn't it always? And it's Doctor Matthews now" she says causing Holly to giggle. She inches closer to me, "that's the first thing he's said since I've been here" she whispers. "More than he's said to us all morning. Wait Angie what's that?" I say pointing to the scans. "She's got a bleed. Somebody book OR. The Neuro attending is out today so Mi- I mean Doctor Clifford. I need you to scrub in" she turns to me, "right now I really just need someone on stats, to keep everything calm, and I really need her to be awake during this" she says grasping my shoulders, knowing my immediate reaction. "She's six years old, and her mother's in surgery, she doesn't have any other family, and you want to operate on her brain while she's awake?" I cry. "Yes. I need you to trust me. She won't feel it, and you'll be there talking to her the entire time, okay? It's just that with the place it's at, she might seize up if she's completely under. She won't remember actually being awake after, okay?" Angie says pleadingly. "Okay. Hayden, I need you to tell her mom as soon as she wakes up. Keep an eye on the baby for me" I say running behind Angie. "I'm capable of it I promise" she says snappily. "Okay Beth hunny, your head is hurting you, because you have something almost like a cut on the inside. Do you understand?" She nods with a whimper. "We have to go in there and look at it, but you're gonna be oka. I need you to be a big girl, okay? Maybe after I can sneak you up to see your new baby sister okay?" I say calmly as we push her quickly into the elevator. "I wanted a brother" she pouts. I bite a giggle. "I don't know, for a baby I think she's as cool as they get." "Really?" She says curiously. "Really" you say secretly praying that she'd be able to make it through the surgery and still have a mother by the end of the day.