Lost Without You

Chapter Two

"Morning boss, not long until your meeting is it?" She hummed glancing over her shoulder at him before noticing how he fell into step with her. "Was just going to get some fresh air before the stuffed shirts arrive-" "Could keep you company if you like..." She arched a brow as she looked towards him, the confident smile on his face causing her to internally groan. "You've only just got here." The pair stopped still just before the doors, Connie unsure of why she wasn't able to put a better argument forward for not wanting him to join her. Jacob was about to speak before their eyes lifted to the patient coming through the doors.

"Maddie?" "Yeah, Maddie Allen, 46. Shes got motor neuron disease. She fell out of her wheelchair approximately three hours ago-" "Uh, cubicles..." She looked up at Jacob indicating for him to join them as they continued through the department. "There's no obvious injuries but she's short of breath. GCS 15, pulse 50, BP 100 over 60, SATs 93 percent." Maddie reached for her oxygen mask pulling it to one side. Her voice was raspy and breathless. "I drop-ped my p-phone." Connie smiled down at her. "Right lets get you in the warm. Don't worry, we'll take care of you..."

Connie nodded towards HDU as Dixie lead them in the right direction. "Is your Mum on her way?" "I'm am-azed she didn't b-beat the ambul-ance." She smirked looking down at the other woman as they entered the side room. "All quiet on the western front. Guess it help-s having friends in h-igh places." Connie laughed to herself gently as Jacob watched on with a raised brow. "How do you two know each other?" "Connie volunteers at the MND support group- fundraiser. Brings a mean lemon drizzle-" "Ah, well that's shop brought I'm afraid."

Jacob looked up across at her with a small smile. The woman underneath all the bravado was so much more than what they saw here. "Right Maddie, we're gonna move you onto the other bed darling okay?" Dixie spoke up causing Jacob to snap back into action, helping to move her across. The doors opened as Maddie spoke once again. "Thanks for calling the cavalry..." "Five strikes and that's it, remember. This is why you should move in with me-" "And become your lab rat? No thanks..." Maddie shifted slightly to become more comfortable as Jacob began attaching all the wires.

"I'd say it was nice to see you again Mrs B but under the circumstances." Connie nodded quickly before listening to Maddie's chest. "What's the damage?" "Well we need to confirm with a chest x-Ray but uh- looks like a chest infection, possibly pneumonia." She watched as the other woman sighed heavily. "Well that's the last thing we need she's already struggling, the muscle wastage in her upper body spread-" "Charming. I can speak for myself-" "I don't normally get a word in." She smiled down at her daughter placing her hand on top of hers.

"Why were you even at work, it's the holidays?" "Mums the word-" "What does that mean?" "It means that you'll have to wait and see..." Jacob glanced up over the patient looking to Connie with a small mirrored smile. "Right, I'm going to chase up x-Ray see if we can't get this sped up. Jacob..." He smiled towards the patient before following Connie out of the doors. "Nice girl-" "Mhmm, she's going to deteriorate quickly if we don't get this moving. I want regular obs, don't let her tell you she's fine if you can see she's struggling." He nodded in understanding as she disappeared off to find out what was taking so long upstairs.

The department was moving quickly this morning, everyone busy with someone. Connie continued to watch the time, wary of the meeting she needed to be in upstairs. It didn't feel right leaving her patient in such a way downstairs but there wasn't much she could do. It was all part of the fun of being clinical lead, the paperwork and pen pushing. Something she could do without on days like this. After another ten minutes, Jacob was heading back into HDU to move Maddie back after her scan. They moved through the corridors chatting before she spoke up.