EPISODE 3
EPISODE: Fifty Percent Chance of Survival.
********
The next
day at the hospital, Lola came out from the dressing room and walked towards
the emergency ward to join her colleagues. They were with Jidenna as he
examined a young boy. Yvonne came over to meet them.
“Has any of
you seen Dr. Duke?” She asked them.
They shook
their heads and Jidenna turned to her.
“I have not
seen him this morning but I thought he was in his office.”
“He is not
there.”
“Have you
called him?”
“Yes I did.
He is not picking my calls. It is so unlike him to come late to work.” She
turned away to leave. “I will check his office later.”
“Okay.”
Jidenna said and wrote a report on a sheet. He looked up and saw Duke walking
inside. He raised his hand as a signal for him to come over. Duke wanted to
avoid them but Jidenna already saw him and the contract staffs eyes were on
him.
“What
happened?” He asked Duke. “Why are you just coming?”
“Good morning everyone.” Duke said, looking at
Jidenna.
Melvin,
Lola, Ahmed and Zara greeted him.
“I slept
very late. Did anyone ask after me?”
“Dr. Yvonne
did.” Jidenna answered. “She is looking for you. She left a minute ago.”
“I saw her
missed calls. I will check on her after I change.”
“Okay.” He
looked at Ahmed. “I don’t want you to leave the emergency ward. Stay at alert
in case of an emergency that needs our help. Page me when you need me.”
“Okay doc.”
Ahmed said and glimpsed at Lola. She smiled at him.
Jidenna extended
the sheet to Zara. “The child is yours.”
“What is
wrong with the patient?” Zara moved towards the boy.
“He has a
throat infection. His test result is not yet out. You can ask Oliver for it
when it’s ready.”
She wore white gloves, took a tiny touch and told
the boy to open his mouth. Suddenly there was a loud scream from a pregnant
woman. Eyes moved to her direction as two nurses wheeled her inside. Melvin wore
gloves, rushed to her, and retrieved a stethoscope to check her breathing. Lola
and Jidenna joined him. Melvin checked if she had high blood pressure and examined
her stomach. Oliver ran to meet them.
“What’s the
patient’s name?” Oliver asked. “I have to bring out her file.”
“Debby Dike.”
She managed to say.
Oliver ran
off.
Ahmed
stared at the woman in pity. “Who brought her here?”
One of the
female nurses answered. “She came alone. She said she was driving when she
started having pain. She arrived here and could no longer walk on her own.”
“What’s
happening to me? My baby!! What’s happening to my baby?” Debby asked in tears
as she groaned in pain.
“Her
pregnancy is not yet nine months.” Melvin said.
“Where is
my doctor?” She asked. “I need my doctor.”
Melvin
looked at Jidenna. “Who is her doctor?”
“Dr. Patrick!!!”
Debby yelled at him as the pain consumed her.
“Dr.
Patrick is on leave.” Jidenna explained.
“He is to resume next week.”
“She is in
labor. She is having her baby now!” Melvin gazed at the nurses that brought her.
“Take her to the delivery room.”
“No!!” Debby
screamed at him. “It’s not yet time!! I can’t have my baby now!”
“Ma, you
are in labor. We need to take you in and have your baby.”
Duke had
changed into his medical uniform. He came into the ward to check if Yvonne was
there and saw what was happening. He decided to watch if Melvin was capable of
handling the situation.
Debby was
shaking her head and crying. “It’s not yet time.” She tried to stand up, the
nurses held her. “Leave me alone!” They still held her from climbing down from
the bed. “I said leave me alone or I will sue this hospital, I am a lawyer!”
“Leave her
alone.” Jidenna ordered the nurses. They quickly took their hands away.
Duke had
changed into his medical uniform. He came into the ward to check if Yvonne was
there and saw what was happening. He decided to watch if Melvin was capable of
handling the situation.
The woman
groaned in pain as her feet touched the floor. Water dripped down to her legs.
Lola moved
quickly to her. “Madam, you have to take a deep breath, and think of your
child, please.”
“I can’t
have my baby now.” She said as she cried. “It’s not yet time.”
Oliver ran
to meet them and Melvin quickly took it from him to read. “She is seven months
and three weeks pregnant now.”
Lola held
Debby’s hand. “Please, think about your child.”
“I don’t
want anything bad to happen to my baby!” She cried.
The woman’s
behavior irritated Zara as she watched her.
Melvin
gazed at Lola. “She has to agree now for us to take her in otherwise she might
lose her child and her life!”
“No!” Debby
shouted.
Lola held
her hand tight. “Be strong for your baby. You have to give us the permission to
take you in.”
She looked
at Lola. “Promise me my baby will be fine.”
Lola and
Jidenna’s glanced at each other. Jidenna shook his head. Lola sighed.
“Agrrhhhh!!”
Debby screamed. “Take me in! Take me in! I’m ready!!”
Two nurses
rushed Debby Dike to the delivery room and Melvin followed them behind.
Jidenna
went to stand in front of Lola and looked into her eyes. “Were you actually
going to promise her?”
Duke
quickly turned away to leave.
Lola’s face
fell. “Thank God she screamed before I could answer.”
******
Duke dropped
his bag in his office. He went to knock on Yvonne’s door and walked in. He saw
her crying on her chair.
“Oh, I’m
sorry.” Duke wanted to leave and close the door.
“Dr. Duke,
you can come in!” Yvonne said and cleaned her face. “I’m okay.”
He walked
in and gestured towards her desk. He sighted her wedding ring on top of a book
and took his face away.
He spoke to
her. “I heard you were looking for me. I am sorry I missed your calls.”
“It’s okay.”
Yvonne stood. “I know you are not going to ask me why I was crying…”
“Yvonne,
you know I don’t like to pass my boundary.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
“It’s not
as if I don’t care, I do.”
“You just
don’t know how to express yourself.” She smiled lightly at him.
Duke
sighed. “Are you okay?”
“My
marriage,” she said and moved near him. “I know it’s only a year but I am not
happy.”
“Why? Is he
abusive?”
“No but
things have not really been great between us ever since I told him I was not
ready to have a child because of the nature of my job.”
“Oh.”
“I have to
be ready for it. My job is time consuming and I have not reached where I want
to be.”
Duke said
nothing.
Yvonne’s
bright eyes stared at him. “You seem disappointed.”
“Of course
not. It is none of my business. It’s your life and I respect your opinion.”
“Even
though it’s different from yours?”
Duke moved
quite away from her and touched the left side of his face. “Dr. Yvonne, I think
you should discuss with your husband. Both of you need to talk. I was there on
your wedding day. I saw the way he looked at you. He loves you.”
She touched
the back of her neck and dropped her hand. “I know. Why did you come late
today?”
“I woke up
late. I had a guest.”
“Is it
Daniela?”
“Yes.”
She appeared
surprised and smiled. “Your relationship is getting strong. I thought both of
you had broken up.”
“We are
still together.” Duke glanced at the ring and said to her. “Please work on your
marriage. Don’t give up on your marriage for nothing.”
She closed
her eyes, swallowed and stared at Duke. “I will see you later.”
“That’s
okay.” Duke walked out of the office.
Yvonne
frowned. She knew what he meant with his last statement. “Don’t give up on your marriage for nothing.” He was advising her
not to have hope about them. She could never have him. Yvonne closed her eyes
and started to cry.
*******
Lola entered
into a room and saw Debby on the bed. She was no longer with a protruding
stomach. She motioned closer and Debby smiled at her.
“Dr. Melvin
said you wanted to see me.” Lola said to her.
“Yes. I was
so stupid to act that way. I wanted to apologize.”
“It’s okay.
You don’t need to apologize. I am happy you are better now.”
She wore a
sad face. “I was scared because a cousin of mine died at delivery. Her
pregnancy was eight months.”
Duke was
passing, saw them through the window and looked at the two of them. They
couldn’t see him.
“I am sorry
about your cousin.” Lola said. “You can’t use other people’s situation to compare
yours. You have to fight. I am not saying your cousin never fought. It’s quite
unfortunate she is no more. I am sure you fought harder.”
“Thank
you.”
“I saw your
baby. She is beautiful.”
Duke
decided to leave.
“Yes, even
though she is small, she is so beautiful. Doctor Melvin said she will be in the
hospital for a while.”
“Yes.”
Debby said. “She needs some medical attention and observation but there is no
cause for alarm.
“I am happy
I listened to you.”
Lola
smiled. “You need to rest.”
“I will. I
am waiting for my husband. He is on his way.”
“Congratulations.”
Thanks doc.”
Debby said.
********
Lola met
Zara talking with Jidenna about the young boy’s condition. Melvin was with
them. She gazed right and saw a woman she recognized. The chief of surgery, Wendy
Fayemi walked towards the three of them and halted.
“I heard
about the situation today,” Wendy said. “Why wasn’t I informed?”
“We had it
under control.” Jidenna said.
She gave
him a hard look. “I wasn’t asking you Dr. Jidenna, I was inquiring from Dr.
Melvin. Isn’t he the one that attended to the woman in labor?”
“Yes.”
Jidenna walked away immediately. He was obviously angry. Lola noticed his reaction.
Wendy
looked at Melvin. “She was going to sue the hospital and you decided to take
her to the delivery room.”
“I am very
sorry but she gave me the order to take her to the delivery room.”
“There are
cameras everywhere and I watched what happened,” she said. “The woman never
said she wasn’t going to sue anymore. What if something had happened to her
baby, do you think you will be here trying to defend yourself? The hospital
will be having a lawsuit.”
“But
nothing like that occurred. The baby is fine.”
“Make sure
nothing like that happens again.”
“Okay doc.
It won’t happen again.”
“You are
very lucky.”
Wendy
walked away and Jidenna looked at her with so much anger. Lola wanted to go to
him and ask him questions but she changed her mind. The moment she attempted to
talk with Melvin, she saw Ahmed on top of a patient as he was wheeled to the
ER. Ahmed was administering CPR on him. He was an accident victim. His daughter
ran after them as she had cut on her forehead. She was crying hysterically. Lola ran to
her as Ahmed came down to check the man’s leg. Bones had pierced out from them.
The left leg was quite presentable unlike the other one.
“You need
to calm down and sit.” Lola said to her. “I have to check you.”
“My father!”
the girl cried. “I am okay!! I need to be with my father.” She appeared to be a
teenager.
“Relax. The
best surgeons will look after him.”
“Did you
see his legs? Can they be fixed?”
“Stay calm
please. The surgeons will do everything they can to help your father.”
As they
battled to save the man’s life, Ahmed was doing all he can to handle the
situation of the legs. He saw Oliver.
“Page Dr.
Duke!”
“Okay.”
Lola
examined the girl and stitched the cut on her head. Duke ran to them and joined
Ahmed. Jidenna spoke with them. “We need Dr. Yvonne.”
“I’m here.”
Yvonne said.
“I paged
her.” Zara said.
“That’s
good.” Jidenna told her.
Yvonne did
her part as she thoroughly inspected the circumstances of his condition.
“This man
needs to be taken to the OR immediately otherwise he might lose his life.” She
told Duke.
“Same with
his legs.” Ahmed said to Duke.
Duke looked
at Oliver. “Prepare the OR.” He gazed at Ahmed. “We need to talk. I need your
opinion about the surgery.”
“Ok doc.”
******
“What
really happened?” Lola asked the girl. Her name was Loretta. She was okay. Lola
had stitched the cut on her head neatly and given her some drugs for the pain.
There were in a room.
“I went for
my drama class and my dad came to pick me.” She became teary. “We were on our
way home when he noticed something was wrong with the brake. He lost control.”
“I am very
sorry. Please don’t cry.”
“Will my
father be okay?” Loretta asked her.
“The
surgeons are doing everything they can to save his life.”
“I need my
father.” She burst into tears.
Lola felt
emotional. “What about your mom? You need someone to be with you.”
“My father
is all I have.” She looked at Lola. Tears filled her eyes that Lola had to look
away.
“I will be
right back.”
Lola met
Melvin on her way to glimpse at what was happening at the OR.
“I saw what
transpired between you and Dr. Wendy. I’m sorry.”
“Thank you.
“
“Have you heard
anything about the accident victim?”
“Yes.”
Melvin replied. “The man is stable. The surgery went well with Dr. Yvonne.”
“What about
with Dr. Duke and Dr. Ahmed?”
“One of the
patient’s legs has a problem. They are contemplating on the best option to help
the patient.”
Lola saw
Duke and Ahmed walking towards them. She gestured to meet them and spoke to
Ahmed.
“How is the
patient?”
Before he
could answer, Duke spoke to Lola. “Where is the patient’s daughter?”
She pointed
at the room where the girl was. “She is in there.”
Lola walked
with them to hear what Dr. Duke has to say. They entered into the room.
“Your
father’s left leg is okay now,” Duke said to Loretta. “There is a problem with
the second leg.”
“What
happened?”
He looked
at Ahmed. “I think you should explain to her.”
Ahmed
nodded and gazed at Loretta. “Your father’s leg is in a critical state. We have
two options. A member of his family has to make the decision because your dad
has not woken up yet. Is either we cut his leg to save his life or….”
Loretta was
already crying.
He added.
“Or we do the surgery to save the leg but his chance of survival is fifty
percent.”
“No!!”
Tears dripped down her face.
Lola went
to her. Duke gave her a look.
She put her
arm around Loretta’s shoulder. “Loretta, I want you to stay positive.”
“He can’t lose
his leg!”
Ahmed
spoke. “You need to call a family member to make a decision.”
“I will
make the decision!”
“You are
not up to eighteen.”
“Does it
really matter?”
“Yes. What
about your mom?”
“I have no
mother!”
“Loretta.”
A woman called her name and entered the room.
Loretta
stared at her shocked and cleaned her face. “What are you doing here? How did
you know I was here?”
“A friend
of mine was discharged from this hospital and she told me she saw you and your
father here. A nurse told me you would be here.”
Duke asked
her. “Who are you?”
“I’m her
mother.”
They stared
at Loretta surprised.
“She is not
my mother!” Loretta yelled. “You left us and we don’t need you anymore!”
“Are you
still married to the patient?” Duke questioned her.
“No! She
has right to be here!”
“Loretta,
please calm down.” Lola told her.
She hugged
Lola and cried in her arms.
The woman
stared at Duke. “James and I are separated. Our divorced has not been
finalized.”
“That means
you can make the decision for him.” Duke said.
Loretta
looked at Lola with tears in her eyes. “Please doc, don’t allow her make the
decision.”
“What do
you want for him?” Lola asked her pitifully.
I want the
surgery done. My father is a fighter. He will survive. I don’t want him to lose
his leg, please.”
Ahmed
explained the situation to the woman.
“Do you
want us to cut his right leg or we perform the surgery?” He asked her.
The woman
looked at Ahmed. “The fifty percent chance of survival means he also has fifty
percent chance of losing his life?”
“Exactly.
We can take the risk if you sign the papers.”
She began
to think.
“I will
sign the papers, please.” Loretta said. “My father won’t die. He will live. He
will survive.”
Lola’s sad eyes
were fixed on Duke. Duke looked at her direction and she took her face away. He
knew she was fighting hard not to cry.
The mother
of Loretta gazed at Duke and Ahmed. “I know James and I are no longer together
but I believe he will be glad I made the decision. I can’t take the risk. I want
you to cut his leg.”
“No!! She
has no right!!” Loretta cried. “I don’t want my father to lose his leg!!!”
*******
To be
continued….
So emotional
ReplyDeleteWhy do I have this feeling that Duke is actually Lola's husband? Still reading though
ReplyDeleteA touching episode. Thanks Carina
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete