Static

Chapter 2

Meredith: The dictionary defines grief as: "Keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret." As surgeons, as scientists, we're taught to learn from and rely on books, on definitions, on definitives. But in life, strict definitions rarely apply. In life, grief can look like a lot of things that bear little resemblance to "sharp sorrow".

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Sky is currently curled up in a chair. She looks over at where Clara is sleeping on her bed before going back to writing in her charts.

Day 20

Clara "You're not missing much. New York smells like pee." God, I hate them."

Sky: "More pain?" she asks after watching her wince "Your CT results should be back soon."

Clara: "I'm fine. You should go home tonight. You can call off the 24-hour suicide watch, you know. Honestly. I'm better now. I am" she says as Sky just nods her head without moving "Do you know what I think? I think you're using me to avoid moving in with your boyfriend."

Sky: "Am not." she scoffs while shaking her head

Clara: "I'll make you a deal. You move in with your boyfriend, and I'll let you call my mum."

Sky: "Oh, mean." she playfully says

Clara: "Chicken." she teases as Sky smiles at her while shaking her head and Bailey and Cristina come into the room

Bailey: "Ok, Clara, the CT shows you have an infection in your small bowel, your colon's inflamed. It's likely something you picked up in the water, but it seems to have formed an abscess, which means you need surgery right away."

Clara: "No."

Bailey: "Uh, if we don't-"

Clara: "No. No more surgery. I'm not being cut open again."

Bailey: "Ok, uh..."

Clara: "No."

Bailey: "You just take a minute. Take a few minutes and I'll come back and we'll discuss it. Um...start her on pre-op antibiotics and book an OR." she whispers the last part to Cristina 

Clara: "What are the options? Can you give me drugs, can you?"

Cristina: "No. You need surgery. But it's a simple procedure, and if it goes as planned-"

Clara: "My boat ride didn't go as planned. So...tell me. Worst case." she asks as Sky nods her head to Cristina

Cristina: "Well, uh, worst case is...we'd have to take out part of your colon and give you a colostomy bag."

Clara: "Colostomy bag? A poo bag, outside your body? My granddad had one of those, it was..."

Sky: "No, it's a small, small possibility."

Clara: "No. No poo bag. No surgery."

Sky: "The infection will kill you, Clara."

Clara: "No! No more surgery. No."

Day 21

Mark: "Really? Nothing?" he asks as Sky helps bring some boxes up to his new apartment 

Sky: "No."

Mark: "You don't even want a drawer?"

Sky: "No."

Mark: "A toothbrush? Change of panties?"

Sky: "Nope." she pops the p

Mark: "Damn. I like your panties."