A Lifetime of Whiskey

Chapter 2

Lim arrived at work the next day wide awake: not because she had gotten a good night's sleep, but because it was only 8 AM and she was already on her second coffee. While the hospital was no longer on mass causality protocol, there was still a large amount of earthquake victims in the ICU and regular rooms. Some needed surgeries, and she had to perform an amputation later, but she knew where her first stop was going to be. As she approached Melendez's hospital room, she glanced through the glass pane to make sure he wasn't asleep. To her surprise, he wasn't, "Knock, knock," she smiled softly.

Melendez turned and smiled when he saw her, "Hey."

"How did you sleep?" asked Lim softly, approaching his bedside.

"Terribly," he answered truthfully, "It's a lot easier when you're not hooked up to machines and having your vitals checked every two hours"

Lim stroked his arm and said, "If it makes you feel any better, I didn't sleep well either."

Melendez smiled comfortingly and said, "Well, not having to worry about what death will feel like helped a little."

Tears formed in Lim's eyes when Melendez mentioned death. She still wasn't over the idea that she almost lost him and he wasn't out of the woods yet, "Well, I better get going. I have a surgery to perform and I have to check on everyone else in the ICU. I'll come back later today. I have something I want to talk to you about."

***

The amputation was successful and the rest of the patients involved in the earthquake were stable, so Lim decided to take her lunch break to discuss something with Glassman. Debbie was out front and she looked up at Lim, "Dr. Lim."

"Debbie," Lim responded, "Is Dr. Glassman in his office?"

"He is, but he's very busy right now and doesn't have time for unscheduled discussions," said Debbie.

"Well, I'm the Chief of Surgery, and this particular patient is in critical condition," said Lim firmly.

"With all due respect, Dr. Lim..." said Debbie, though Lim barged right past her and entered Glassman's office without even knocking.

Glassman looked up upon hearing noise, "Dr. Lim, what brings you by so unexpectedly?"

"You said Neil needs a liver transplant within a week or two or else we'll be back to square one," said Lim, "He has no blood relatives in the area who are able to donate, but he does have one other person in San Jose who is willing to be a living donor."

"Okay, who?" asked Glassman.

Lim sat down across from him and responded, "Me."

"Audrey..." Glassman began, though Lim didn't give him a chance to speak.

"We're the same blood type, we're relatively the same size, I'm within the right age range, I'm healthy, I have no physical or mental conditions that would affect my ability to donate or recover. I know there are a few other facts involved, but I'm willing to undergo the testing process."

"Audrey," said Glassman softly, "I know Neil is your friend, but we're talking major abdominal surgery here. You'd be in the hospital for five to seven days, you'd be out of work at least six to eight weeks, and that's if there are no complications."

"I know the risks, sir," said Lim, "I know everything I'd have to undergo. But I'm willing to do it for Neil."

"Well, who would take over as Chief of Surgery while you're out recovering? Because I certainly can't handle everything."