Feelings

Chapter 3

Melendez was desperately trying to find a decontamination suit when a thought suddenly hit him. He wouldn't be able to get into the ER because not only were there security guards, but there were codes that locked the doors as well. Sure, he knew what the codes were for the locks; every attending did in case they were in a situation like the one they were currently experiencing, but the ER doors locked from the inside. The only attending surgeon currently in quarantine was Dr. Lim. And she couldn't get to the doors to unlock them. He had to direct Shaun and Morgan from the outside.

He went back over to his view of isolation. Morgan was still doing chest compressions while Shaun had just set up the defibrillator, "Everyone off," he shouted, "Clear!" he pushed the button and a tachy heartbeat appeared on the monitor.

"She's still tachycardic, we need a better rhythm," said Morgan, "Another push of epi," she finally glanced over and saw Melendez standing at the window and it looked as if he was motioning her over to him, "Dr. Murphy, continue compressions. I think Dr. Melendez wants to speak with me," Shaun nodded and followed Morgan's orders. Morgan walked over to the glass pane and said, "Dr. Melendez, she's had an irregular heartbeat for five minutes, she's struggling to breathe, if she flat lines again, should we call it?"

Melendez shook his head," No," he said, "Keep doing compressions with Dr. Murphy. Have the other take over if one of you gets tired. Shock her between every five cycles if it doesn't work. Once she has a steady pulse, we need to get her oxygen levels up. Have you ever intubated anyone?"

"Once or twice in med school. Mostly on dummies in training," informed Morgan.

"Well, when she gets a steady pulse, I want one of you to intubate her," instructed Melendez.

Morgan nodded and went back into the isolation room, "Melendez wants us to keep going," said Morgan taking over chest compressions for Shaun. She kept going for another several cycles, "Come on, Dr. Lim!" she whispered to herself.

Melendez watched on as the two residents worked together for once, closely observing the monitors, "Come on, Audrey."

Shaun amped up the AED again and shouted, "Everyone off!" Morgan stopped compressions, "Clear!" another shock went through the room, but suddenly, a steady heartbeat appeared on the monitor, "Sinus rhythm, we have a pulse," Shaun announced.

Everyone in the room along with Melendez breathed a sigh of relief, though everyone knew Lim was far from being out of the woods. Morgan took a deep breath and said, "Dr. Melendez said to intubate her."

"Have you ever intubated anyone, because I never have? It's not something I'm comfortable with," Shaun explained, shying away from Morgan.

"I'll do it then," said Morgan, "Just get me the supplies."

If it was one thing Shaun was usually good at, it was following instructions, but the buzzing from the light kept distracting him. When he arrived back in isolation, he said, "Someone really needs to fix the light. Do you hear the buzzing in the light?"

Morgan listened carefully, "I don't hear anything."

"It's loud, it needs to be fixed," commented Shaun.

"Okay, Shaun," scolded Morgan, "I really need you to focus right now because I've only performed a few intubations. And it's not just any patient, it's Dr. Lim," she said, a hint of concern creeping into her usually sarcastic voice. Shaun gave his quick nod and turned on the ventilation system and handed Morgan the laryngoscope. Morgan searched the area a little, thinking carefully about what to do, "Okay, I need you to press on her Adam's Apple."