Legacies and Scalpels

Chapter 23: Who's in trouble?

It was 12:30 am and I was running to the pit since an incoming trauma was five minutes out. Kara and Amy we're both out since they worked in the last shift and Nick is watching Altman's critical patient. I rushed to the trauma bay and saw Andrea waiting with a gown. I was putting on my gown and Andrea rushed behind me helping me tie the gown and I said "What are we expecting" Andrea said "A multi car crash, the minor injured patients are already in the ER, but there are 2 critical patients 3 minutes out" i nodded and we were interrupted by the ambulances pulling into the trauma bay and Andrea rushed into to the first ambulance and I heard the paramedic say "John Doe a 35 year old male, with a penetrating abdominal injury, possible bleeding in the abdomen" Andrea said "Alright, page Dr. Bailey and Dr. Webber and let's take him up to CT" I saw Andrea load him up into a gurney and headed inside. I rushed to the other ambulance and the paramedic said "Jane Doe a 33 year old female, 35 weeks pregnant, she had a seizure on route" I nodded and said "Page Dr. DeLuca, Dr. Robbins and Dr. Shepherd, she needs a head CT, an abdominal CT and Ultrasound" I wheeled her into the pit and went to trauma room 2.

We got into the trauma room and I was doing an ultrasound when Dr. Robbins walked in with Dr. DeLuca and Dr. Wilson and she said "Dr. Grey-Shepherd you paged" I said "33 year old female which is 35 weeks pregnant, she was in car crash that caused her to start to bleeding in her uterus....." Carina nodded and said "Alright why did you page me then" I answered "Because for Dr. Robbins to fix the bleeder, you will have to deliver the baby...." Carina said "Excellent.... I will be working with Dr. Wilson on delivering the baby, while Dr. Robbins fixes the bleed" In that moment my dad entered and said "Lia you paged????" I said "The patient seized on route which could mean a brain hemorrhage....." My dad nodded and said "Alright Dr. Grey-Shepherd what do we need to do?" I answered "A head CT to see how severe bleed is and I also scheduled an abdominal CT to check if there's any other extensive injuries" My dad smiled and said "Perfect let's go up to CT then" we moved the patient to a gurney to take her up to CT.

We were waiting for the head CT because the abdominal CT was clear, the only bleeding is on the uterus which Dr. Robbins is headed into the OR to fix it. I began to think about how I was jealous how Andrew was sleeping peacefully in bed while I had to be here late working not that I don't enjoy working, but i was very tired. I was deep in my thoughts when I heard the sound of the CT indicating it was done and my dad said "Your daydreaming not cute...." as he entered the room. I said "The hematoma is massive....." My dad said "What are the steps to drain a hematoma???" I answered "Well I would do an open craniotomy to drain the hematoma and repair any ruptured blood vessel due to its size" My dad smiled and said "Perfect... schedule the OR for an open craniotomy we will begin evacuating the hematoma after the baby is delivered we will be working along side with Dr. Robbins alright." I nodded and dad said "Alright prep the patient and I'll see you in surgery Lia" I nodded sand went to prep the patient for surgery.

The surgery had already begun when Dad and I went to scrub in. We had began scrubbing and after 4 minutes we went in and dad said "Are we ready to cut" I stood next to him as the nurses gowned me and Carina said "Almost done and there..." we heard loud crying as the baby came out. Carina said "Dr. Wilson cut the cord please and pass our baby boy to Dr. Karev" I saw as Uncle Alex stood in the corner waiting for Aunt Jo to hand him the baby. After making sure he was okay Aunt Jo handed the baby over to Uncle Alex and they took him up to the NICU. As dad and I took our place to start the craniotomy I heard Aunt Jo say "So now we take out the placenta and let Dr. Robbins finish here" Carina answered "Exactly since what comes after is fetal surgery but you will observe since you have to finish the closure" I saw Aunt Jo nodding and Carina said "I'm going to check on the baby.... Stay here and Robbins teach her!" I heard as Aunt Arizona said "Alright Carina, alright Wilson let's start shall we???" And I focused my attention to my dad as he said "Scalpel" and began the craniotomy with an incision. After he began to take out a portion of her skull which he preserved since he had to place it back later with titanium screws. He then said "Suction Dr. Grey-Shepherd" and I began suctioning the blood that had flowed due to the ruptured blood vessels. Dad had began to fix the ruptured vessels as I suctioned wherever he told me, but as I suctioned, I couldn't help but admire the human brain. I was amazed, at how the organ that's responsable for our thoughts, memories, language, learning looks so complex but intriguing. We finished the surgery, and we were scrubbing out dad said "Another page, let's go Lia looks like we have another surgery to do" I finished drying my hands and followed him to the pit we're another trauma was rolling in.