Someone to Love

Thirty Two

2010, Lucas Seo, MD
Medical Resident at Metropolitan General Hospital
It's raining cats and dogs again and it's probably the season of either the flu or MVC's. I'm stationed at the ER tonight and for me, I like this better because the ER at night isn't exactly that busy.
"Updating charts?" Nurse Mara said as she sat down next to me.
"Yeah, Dr. Gallagher insists that I should perfect writing charts. I don't think he trust my English reading and writing skills." I said
Mara frowned.
"How long have you been here?"
"Eight years, I'm currently working on a dual citizenship thing going on." I said
"And yet he still doesn't trust you."
"Yeah, I think he fought in the war or something."
The only time that he was impressed with me was when there was a frantic woman who didn't speak good English, turns out she was Korean and I was able to treat her and her son well, making me intern of the week.
But then, my supposed to be a quiet night shift was ruined by a lady wearing, what I think is a couture dress basically dragging along a half naked dude. She was saying something but then we were all baffled at the sight of them. It was 11:45 PM, raining hard and they both looked rich, and she risked ruining her thousand-something dress.
"He won't wake up." I heard her say, but then I was the only doctor in sight. And most nurses are looking at me.
"Right." I whispered as I stood up.
"What happened?" I said to her as I helped with putting the unconscious man on the bed.
"He was experiencing a bad migraine or something and he decided to take a nap. But then, when I went to his room to wake him up, he won't wake up. He couldn't even be budged." She said
I decided to shine a light on the patient's eyes.
"Is it possible that he's just exhausted from the day? What activities has he done before the migraine?" I said as I looked at the patient's eyes.
"Well, there was a football match at school a few hours ago and after that our parents had an event that we attended." She said
But then, the patient has a dilated pupil.
"Page neuro." I ordered.
I am a neuro resident and I think this patient has an aneurysm.
"He's a football player?" I said as I kept on looking at the eye.
"Yes, uh, he's the captain." She said
I just nodded.
"And you are his?"
"Sister. Is it just fatigue?" She asked
"I'm Doctor-" I began but then Dr. Gallagher came already.
But then she was led to fill out some paper work and I was left with Gallagher, some nurses and the patient.
"Why neuro?" Gallagher said as he flashed a light on the patient's eyes.
"Dilated pupils, sister claims that patient complained of a headache a few hours ago, and then patient took a nap."
"You're thinking?"
"Aneurysm. Patient is also a football player."
Gallagher nodded.
"Get a head CT."
I don't know what kind of family set up they have but I heard that the parents of the patient came two days later. For two days, it was just her and the patient.
The CT showed that there was a leaking aneurysm on the patient's brain stem. And now we are discussing ways to get it to stop leaking.
"It's on the brain stem." I said
"Yes, it's amazing how well he is for the past two days. He isn't hooked up to any life support machine, his heart is beating normal, it's unusual."
"If we operate on it, one slight movement of the hand, one slight twitch, it would be the end."
"Exactly. But then the parents are part owners of the hospital and they are quite aware with all the projects and researches that are in this facility." Gallagher said.
Yes, his aneurysm study. We are all aware of it.
"I don't think the patient meets the qualification. The aneurysm is literally on the brain stem."
I just sat there listening to some attendings debate on this. Later on, they decided that the can try via the whatever, I lost that part.
The sister was sitting near the vendo machine, drinking what I think is coffee.
"Hi." I said
She looked at me, she has nice eyes, although a bit puffy from crying or the lack of sleep.
"Hi, how did the deliberation go?" She asked
"Uh, well, they are gonna perform an exploratory surgery-"
"Please don't." she said
"What?"
"I know my brother well, and I know he wouldn't want to go back to this life." She said
"Miss, I think you're wrong. When given a chance between life or death, people choose life."
"Most of them. Look, if you're thinking that maybe we are children of abuse, we're not. It's just that this isn't the life we chose. If he's on the brink of death, let him be."
"Are you saying that-"
"Although I can't make this decision for him, and I know I can't change your decision, if he doesn't want it. He doesn't want it. He'll die on the table just to prove a point." She said as she stood up and walked away.
The patient died literally 10 minutes away from the surgery. He was being prepped, and then he just died. It wasn't an allergic reaction to any drug, it was the aneurysm leak, it was too much.
"Told you." The sister whispered to me as I was leaving the room.
"I-" It was amazing how she kept her composure. She was there when he flatlined, she stood there without even shedding a tear when we declared him dead. She actually stood there for quite some time.
...
2019 Dr. Lucas Seo
Department of Neurosurgery Attending, Metropolitan General Hospital
"What?" Ara said
"I have met you before." I said
"Really?"
"I was the resident assigned when you rushed Arthur to the ER."
"The fuck?"
"Yeah. We exchanged a few words but we never said our names to each other."
"Art was your patient?"
I nodded.
"And you forgot about that?" She said
"No, actually he has been the basis for my research for quite some time now."
"I actually have moved on from Arthur now. I miss him from time to time and it was all so sudden but life has to go on. We didn't love the life we were living before he died and I'm not loving it any better now he's gone so, I'm just shocked that you forgot about me." She said
"Okay, first off, I didn't know that ACH was Arthur Hayden, your brother. To avoid any transference and for me not to get personal and close to any patient or family member, I just refer to the patient as their initials. Being a neurosurgeon is both a rewarding and punishing job. It's not everyday that you get to save a patient's life, that's the goal and hell, that's the dream. But, in my field, I get to deal with deaths and despair more than life and I don't want to get attached to a case exactly so I just really don't refer them as their names."
She frowned.
"Makes sense."