The Lieutenant's Love

Kung Fu Fighting

Addison and I walked over to the nurses' station where Dr Erica Hahn was filling out paperwork with Dr Webber.

"This is Addison Montgomery head of neonatal and co-head of OB/GYN. Addison this is Erica Hahn," Dr Webber said.

"You're the new chief of cardio," Addison said. The two shook hands. Dr Hahn looked at me.

"Your brother is head of Plastics," Dr Hahn said.

"Yeah and the other one is head of Neuro," I said.

"You're on my service today right?" Dr Hahn asked.

"Correct," I said. "I'm gonna go get ready," I said kissing Addison's cheek before walking off.

Timeskip

I was doing a pre-op checkup on one of Dr Hahn's patients' Mr Arnold.

"My hands always get so sweaty in hospitals. It's the weirdest thing," Mr Arnold said.

"It's pretty common, actually. If it makes you feel any better, Dr Hahn has done this procedure hundreds of times," I said hanging my stethoscope around my neck.

"And she's really gonna thread a catheter up my leg, all the way to my heart?" Mr Arnold asked.

"Trust me, you are in excellent hands," I said putting a set of clean gloves on.

"But, um, I...I'll be out, right?" Mr Arnold asked.

"Oh, yeah, you'll be asleep. You won't remember a thing," I assured.

"Ivory-billed woodpecker," Mr Arnold said.

"I'm sorry?" I asked.

"Ivory-billed woodpecker...that's what's getting me through this. I'm a, uh, lifelong birdwatcher. And when I get through this, I am finally going to scout the ivory-billed woodpecker. It is so rare. You know, we...we thought it was extinct. But it's not. It lives in Arkansas...in this one little patch of swamp. Do you have any idea how incredible it is to see a bird like that in person?" Mr Arnold asked smiling at me.

"Ah, I get it. You got something to give you a reason to fight. I had my own ivory-billed woodpecker," I said.

"You do?" Mr Arnold asked. "What was it dear?"

"1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. My best friend's mom took me and him to a car show when we were kids and we saw this car and fell in love. So we agreed that once we got enough money we'd buy the car together. We joined the army and he didn't make it back but I kept up the deal. I bought the car to honour him and our friendship," I said.

Timeskip

I was in the cath lab with Dr Hahn.

"The trick is to envision the artery like a spaghetti noodle...pliable, but not too fragile," Dr Hahn said talking me through it as I fed the wire through Mr Arnold's artery.

"Good morning," Dr Webber said walking in.

"Oh, this is an unexpected surprise, chief. You need something?" Dr Hahn asked.

"Oh, first day. Just wanted to see how you were settling in," Dr Webber said. I saw something on the screen.

"You see that?" Dr Hahn asked me.

"It's a blockage, left main coronary artery. It's totally closed off," I said.

"There's no way I'm getting a stent in there. We're gonna have to open him up," Dr Hahn said.

"BP is dropping to 58 over 20," I said.

"His heart's racing," Dr Webber said.

"What's happening to him? Tell me, Sloan," Dr Hahn said.