As Ready As I'll Ever Be

Chapter 15

~Alyssa's POV~
I saw my best friend at the bottom of the staircase. She was bleeding out through her head. I felt her pulse, barely there. I checked if she was breathing, barely.

I repositioned her so she would be lying straight on her back. I ran to get a kitchen towel to put pressure on the bleed.
"Bri you're ok... don't worry..." I had tears streaming down my face.
I called 911.

Dispatch: 911, what's your emergency?
Alyssa: help my friend. She fell down the stairs. she's bleeding from her head. She's barely got a pulse and barely breathing.
Dispatch: ok stay calm honey. Can you get something to hold the bleed?

Alyssa: yes I have a towel on her head.
Dispatch: what is your address?
Alyssa: 433 Ridgeway Ave. Chicago Illinois.
Dispatch: ok honey, I'm sending over an ambulance now. How's your friend now? Is she still breathing?
Alyssa: yes, but she's breathing more shallow. She might have a pneumothorax... should I get a knife to relieve the air?

Dispatch: are you able to? Do you know how to?
Alyssa: I'm trying to become a paramedic. I've done this like 2 times.
Dispatch: the ambulance is there now, can you hear the sirens?
Alyssa: yes yes I can!

I hung up with the dispatcher and quickly ran to the door to open it for the paramedics. I saw Violet there and another paramedic.
"Alyssa?" Violet recognized me.
"Please help her!" I said. And lead them to Brielle.
"Brielle? Oh my god what happened?" She asked.
"She has previous injuries?" Asked the other paramedic.

Looking at her foot, bruises, and cuts. I recognized her, it was Mackey. Uncle Cruz's friend.
"Yea she was attacked 2 weeks ago. She suffered a traumatic head injury, and a fractured foot." I said.

"She definitely hit her head again... and she's developing a tension pneumothorax. Mackey get me the 3/4 needle." Violet said.
They stuck the needle into Brielle's chest, letting air escape. Now she was actually breathing.

"Can't really tell what is an old injury and a new one." Mackey said. And it was true. Some of her old cuts even opened back up from the fall.
"Pulse is still weak, let's get her to the ambo." Violet said.

"Is she on any medication that the hospital would need to know?" Mackey asked.
"Yes they have it on file there, but I'll get her bag." I said.
I grabbed her bag and a hoodie for myself at the front door.

We went in the ambo. Violet was in the back with me as Mackey drove.
"She was declared brain dead at the hospital, then all of a sudden she came back... do you think she'll go back to being brain dead and not waking up?" I asked Violet.

"It's hard to say... but I was there treating her when she got attacked.. and it's very likely that she caused more damage to those injuries..." She explained.
"That's what I'm afraid of..." I said.

"You're looking to become a paramedic right?" She asked.
"Yea, and she wants to be a firefighter. Our training starts in January and-" I explained. Then Brielle started seizing.

"Hold her down!" Violet said.
I held Brielle down, crying.
Violet was able to get some meds in her and Bri stopped.
"You'll be ok Bri... you'll wake up like last time..." I cried as I held her hand.

We got to Med.
"Brielle Severide 18 year old Female. Fell down the stairs in her house. Head trauma." Violet said.
"Manning, Choi trauma 2." Maggie said.

"Let's take a look at this head." Dr. Choi said.
Brielle had a nasty gash on her head. They treated it then moved on.
"Is she on any medications?" Dr. Choi asked.
I opened up her bag and took them all out.

He read them and April took note of each one.
"Let's send her up to CT to check out her head." Natalie said.
Once they sent her up, Natalie and Dr. Choi asked questions.