(S1): HEARTBEAT OF BELLO'S HOSPITAL. E3.

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.

Duke turned and strolled away. Lola looked at him until he left her sight.

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….