The Good Doctor

Ventrical Septal Defect

Heart surgery had always been tricky. Open-heart was even more tricky. Doing it on a friend was nerve-wracking. But the Good Doctor knew what he was doing! Peter had been incredibly nervous before going under, but Schneeplestein had assured him that the procedure would be a success. He was Peter's friend after all. Peter had been Schneeplestein's accountant for years. Peter had insisted that Schneeplestein be the one to do his surgery. So, with deft, steady hands, and his assistant by his side, he guided the tools deep into the heart of the patient.

"Are you nervous, Jack?" Schneeplestein asked of his assistant. "Suction, please."

"A little," the assistant replied as he suctioned some blood from the patient.

"Zis is a fairly simple procedure," said Schneeplestein, his eyes never leaving the task at hand. "Controversial? Yes. High mortality rate. But the procedure itself is easy. Ve just cut a little hole in ze heart to allow oxygen to mix in ze blood a little more. Normally done on infants only! But zis man is in need! And ze good doctor must do vat is necessary to save his friend!"

"Of course!" Jack replied.

The doctor hummed to himself as he maneuvered his utensils, listening closely to the monitors for any changes. The steady beep of the heart monitor reminded him that his patient was still alive, beeping along to the song the doctor hummed.

"Vere did you say you were from again, Jack?" Schneeplestein asked.

"Westmeath," his assistant replied. "In Ireland."

"Mmmm! Beautiful place. I vas hoping to visit someday. It would be lovely to..."

The doctor paused. The rhythm of the heart monitor jumped slightly. Doctor Schneeplestein glanced up and noticed the heart rate rising. The brain patterns began to shift. The patient was waking up!

"Nurse!" Schneeplestein called, "Ze patient is waking up! Jack, call ze anesthesiologist!"

The doctor quickly moved his hands, cutting and snipping where he had to while the calls were made. He had to get this done fast or the patient would wake up with a hole in his chest!

Peter's fingers twitched. The anesthesia was wearing off at a phenomenal rate. The incessant beeping grew faster in tempo. The Doctor kept working, occasionally calling for the sweat to be wiped from his brow.

"Nurse!" he called again. "Jack, I need help here!"

He wouldn't lose another one. He simply could not, and would not. Just a little more time! His eyes darted from the heart in front of him, to the monitors, to the patient who was now beginning to twitch and squirm.

"Hold him down!" Schneeplestein called, "Where is ze anesthesiologist?!"

Schneeplestein saw the heart in his hand flutter. He looked back up to the patient, and to his horror, Peter's eyes fluttered open.

"Nurse!" Schneeplestein screamed. "Jack! SOMEONE HELP!"

The heart monitor went flat.