Delayed Diagnosis {Book 1 of the Rex Obasi Trilogy}

Chapter 40

I ran into Dr Rasheed in the hallway. He was heading outside.

"Any news?"

"His condition is stable for now, what he needs is blood. He lost a lot of blood and a lot more blood is needed. They can only take as much from the blood bank for a single patient. More would be needed"

"I'm O positive...where can I stay? Take as many litres as possible. As long as it would save his life"

"Okay come with me"

He wobbled off on his short legs and I followed him.

He motioned for a young nurse. A very pretty lady. "Ify get blood from this young man...please be quick..I'd be back"

He turned to leave.

"Dr- Carmichael!"

He turned surprised.

"Please how is he really doing? What's the reconstruction you talked about?"

"His liver was affected, but it would be repaired...livers regenerate to some extent and we have some of the best surgeons working on him now"

He clapped his hands impatiently, "we need blood! A severe liver lac requires as much as 40 units of blood during surgery!"

With that he stormed out and I held up my arm hurriedly for the needle.

The nurse applied the antiseptic with a cotton wool and I made a fist. I watched the needle as it got closer and I couldn't stop thinking about the shadow and the sodium pentothal he had almost injected me with barely 24 hours ago. That bastard had ruined me for needles completely but this was a matter of life and death, besides it was withdrawing not injecting. Still I held my breathe as I watched the blood spill into a bag from my arm.

The nurse Ify was a cheerful type and she talked to me, asking me questions. My Mind was far away, there were so many things to do, Andy on my mind, my parents...I had to book their flight and assure them that I was fine and not in any life threatening debt, there was Olivia..I had to take her for her second day injections at the private hospital and there was the widows initiative not far away...about three days away. I had to tackle that one and think of a way to ensure Olivia's safety.

And the car...I had left it at the port where Andy and I had parked it. There were so many things to do..and only me.

"I find what you're doing very very nice...most people don't ever disturb themselves with blood donations forgetting that it saves a lot of lives"

"Mmhhmm" I made the sound in my throat. My mind was far away.

"So is it your friend the blood is for?"

"Mmmhmm"

"Eeya...I wish him a speedy recovery"

"Mmmmhmmm"

She chattered away for some minutes then I felt her pulling away the needle.

"Heeey! Why are you stopping? That blood is too small now!"

"I can only take one unit at a time. That's about 450ml, this is all for now"

"But you heard the short doctor...he said they needed as much as 40 units!"

"Yes they do...maybe more. The hospital should be able to provide some amount of blood for him and isn't there any other relative?"

"I'm all he's got and it’s because of me he's on that table okay? please add another unit"

"That's 900ml of whole blood loss…it would have the same effect as a class 2 hemorrhage! If taken over a longer time it would be okay in a healthy donor but-"