Goodbye Kiss

22. Start All Over Again

Start All Over Again
Season 8 x 05
late September/early October, 2001:

i checked my watch, letting out a sigh.
eight hours down, eight more to go. usually i'd be home already but there was a nursing shortage so i'd been working more often.
"gianna, i need 5 more of morphine over here"
"sure" i yawned, heading to the drug lockup.
"gianna, we're running low on 5 by 5s"
"i'm making an order later today"
"once i'm done with this i'll take some inventory"
"sounds good" haleh said

"gianna? can you help me find a suturing kit?" susan asked.
another two hours had gone by.
"sure"
i turned around and dug out the kit.
"good to have you here" i smiled, handing her the box
i continued to scribble in my notes.
more gauze, catheter and foleys, alcohol pads, trauma gowns, gloves, syringes. the usual.
"taking inventory?" abby asked
i handed her the list.
"anything else we need?"
"that looks about right"
"oh"
"tongue blades"
"that's right" i smiled
"thanks"
"is it okay if i go on a quick break?"
"please be quick, i heard haleh talk about a mva pulling in soon"
"don't worry" abby smiled, nodding.
——
"excuse me" a lady told susan
"is dr. carter here?"
"he's a little busy right now"
i turned around
"mrs carter?" i smiled
"gianna please, it's gamma to you"
i met her a couple times while staying at her house with carter.
"what brings you here?"
rolling her eyes, "nothing really"
the guard beside her spoke
"she fainted"
"okay, let's get a room for you" i smiled
i took her over to curtain three, taking an empty chart with me. there was nobody else in that room.
with help from the guard, i helped her onto the gurney.
i handed the chart over to the guard.
"mind filling this out while i find john?"
"not at all" she smiled
i walked down the hallway.
"do you know where john is?" i asked abby
"no" she shrugged
i walked passed the trauma rooms and exam rooms. finally i came to the suturing room.
"carter" i whispered he was asleep on his charts.
"john" i spoke
"hm?"
"gamma is here"
he rubbed an eye
"why?"
"she fainted"
his eyebrows raised
"what?"
"curtain three"
he followed me.
"now john,"
"before you even think of it i'm not getting into that gown"
"that's fine gamma"
"what happened?"
"i fainted"
"it's no big deal"
"it might be" he said, listening to her chest.
"alright can we order a cbc, enzymes, full blood count, thyroid and liver panel?"
"what about the ekg?"
he shook his head "yeah"
"okay" i smiled, scribbling into the chart.
"i'll be right back"
i went into the drug lockup and got ready for the blood sample, setting up the tray.
i put my gloves on.
"you're the nurse manager, is that correct?"
"yes" i smiled
"gamma, you know gianna"
"i'm not saying i don't trust her, john" she smiled
i wiped her vein with an alcohol pad.
then i tied the turnekit on her arm.
the needle went in.
i filled two villes of blood.
"wasnt so bad, huh?" john smiled
"oh stop it"
"thank you gianna"
"of course"
"i'll send these up"
i headed up the stairs and up to the lab.
"dropping off blood?"
"yes"
"these are for a family friend so can you put a rush on them?"
"can't make any promises"
"linda" i sighed
"gianna you know this"
i closed my eyes
"i'll send them in now" she groaned
"thank you" i sing songed
after working in about every department of this hospital, the lab techs definitely felt some sort of way about me. it was east to persuade them.

about three hours later, carters grandmother was discharged. no unusual signs on her tests or ekg.
"thank you gianna"
"it's always a pleasure" i waved back
then the phone rang.
"county?"
"hello?"
"we got a woman in active labour"
"what's the et time?"
"7 minutes"
"okay" i smiled
i headed outside. carter and susan were sitting on a bench.
"how was your first day back?" i smirked
"everything that could've gone wrong went wrong"
"it's not over yet" i laughed
"don't remind me" she cackled
"how's chief resident feel?"
"not bad actually" carter smiled
"haven't you been on forever?"
"on hour sixteen"
"how do you do it?" susan asked
"i think i look better than i feel" i laughed
then, the ambulance rolled up.
"woman in active labour" i smiled, putting on my gloves.
and still, my day wasn't over yet either..