Chapter 17
"How
long is the surgery going to take?" Katie worried as she walked toward the
lounge Brian close at her side.
"Just
calm down, Katie," he soothed resting his hand on her back.
"Apparently, from the information I gathered in the OR Annie had a high
fever when he took her back, it made her case very high risk. She already has
an elevated temperature and acute infection in her body. Kevin has to take his
time and be thorough."
The
burnette released a frustated sigh. "Then, he should have treated her
first for the fever and infection and then took her into surgery." She
shook her head. "And I didn't even get to see her. I know she had to be
scared, what if Kevin wasn't nice to her?"
"Honey,"
he whispered, "Kevin took Annie upstairs to give her a little privacy and
take care of her. He started her on antibotics through an IV, a heart monitor
just as a precaution and put her on an oxygen mask so she wouldn't have to take
as many deep breaths because it was causing her more pain in her abdomen. He
was trying his best to help her without rushing into an open operation.
Obviously, something went very wrong upstairs and he decided she needed
emergency surgery. Maybe she lost consciousness for a few minutes, maybe he was
worried if he didn't take her into surgery her gallbladder would rupture,
possibly both."
Katie
paled facing him. "But...the gallbladder doesn't normally have a high
tendency of possible rupture."
Brian
stared at the ground. "Katie, with all of the symptoms she was showcasing
is it possible."
The
nurse suddenly wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly. "Brian,
she has to be okay. Tell me she's going to be okay."
The
doctor rubbed her back softly. "I can't--" he paused realizing how
distraught the woman was. He took a deep breath rephrasing his words.. "I
can't tell you how long or how sick she might be after surgery, but she'll be
okay." He gently kissed her forehead. "Come on, let's go take a
break. Things are slow now anyway."
Katie
looked up at him. "I don't doubt Kevin's amazing talent as a surgeon, but
if he wasn't compassionate and caring with her..."
Brian
cut her off. "If he wasn't, then I give you full permission to punch his
face in."
The
petite nurse smiled at the idea. "Great! But um...could you get me a
stool, so, I can make sure I can reach him?"
The
doctor smiled. "I'll have it arranged and sell tickets. It would be quite
an entertaining sight."
The
couple entered the lounge to see Howie, Nick and AJ waiting anxiously in the
quiet room. Nick stood quickly. "Any news?"
Katie
shook her head. "No."
"Oh,"
he sighed sitting back down.
Brian
sat down making room for Katie in his lap as all the seats were taken. "We
just have to hope for the best."
AJ
scratched his head. "I just don't get it. Why wouldn't she say something?
Annie had to have been in agony the passed few days."
Katie
crossed her arms. "She was afraid to tell Kevin. Annie thought he would
get upset or that no one would take her seriously as a surgeon. She thought it
was a late onset of that gross virus that was going around and that she didn't
have time to get over it, because she never really had a long time to
rest."
"Like
Richardson had any room to talk," Howie grumbled. "He pulled out of
work an entire day for a stomach virus."
The
nurse gritted her teeth. "I'd like to get my hands on that walking ass
and..."
"Katie,"
Brian lectured patting her waist. "Behave. I'm beginning to see the effect
Annie's friendship has had on you with this new temper of yours'."
Nick
tilted his head. "Ya' know, there was something very different between
them today. Kevin and Annie, I mean."
Howie
nodded. "Well, that's a given Nick. Today they went from being co-workers
to surgeon and patient."
"No,
Nick's right," AJ defended. "When Kevin got in there, he dropped the
entire ego-trip. When he saw her lying there, hee looked like he was...I don't
know."
"Scared?"
Nick suggested. "He was honestly worried for her. And he was holding her,
it was almost like he..."
"Had
the hots for her," AJ finished. "Dude, that's weird. I always
expected Katie and Brian to hook up...But Annie and Kevin?"
Katie's
jaw dropped. "You have got to be kidding me! Annie and Kevin? Together?
They'd kill each other."
"Nah,
they're great doctors they could quickly cure battle wounds," Brian
chuckled.
Katie
rolled her eyes at his lame humor. "I'll believe it when I see it."
"I
just hope Kevin's emotions won't get the better of him. He didn't want to be
operating at all. Let alone operating on someone he knows personally,"
Howie commented.
Dr.Littrell
shrugged. "He didn't have much of a choice."
Katie
rested her head on Brian's shoulder. "Oh, God, please let her be all
right."
The
group became silent as the doorknob turned. Kevin entered slowly keeping his
head down.
Katie
stood. "Is she okay? Why are you so upset?" She paused watching his
sad figure. "Oh, God, no!" she practically screamed. "No, tell
me she didn't-"
"She
didn't die, Katie," Kevin assured her lifting his head. "She made it
through just fine. I'm only upset because of the damage I found."
"How
much damage?" Brian asked as he stood at Katie's side.
The
surgeon sighed. "She had gallstones as well as the infection. It's miracle
she didn't pass out in performing surgery a few days ago from dehydration or
that it didn't rupture."
"Then,
what's the whole problem?" Nick asked studying the doctor. "There's
more to it, I can tell."
"She's
still running a fever and I'm worried about her frail condition right now. I'm
going to keep her alone in an isolated area during the beginning steps of her
recovery to try to keep her from picking up any possible diseases. Right now a
cold could be a major thing for her. I'm going to continue a run of antibiotics
and treatment to keep her at a high stabilized status and make her immune
system and body stronger."
"How
long will a recovery take?" AJ pondered.
"I
want to keep her in the hospital for seven to nine days, maybe more. Then, if
she's strong enough she could go home as long as someone was there to help her.
It'll take about six weeks before she's fully able to get back into a normal
routine." He turned to the nurse. "Katie, I was hoping maybe you'd
stay with her awhile? Being medically trained you could make sure she is doing
well and as her friend she might listen to you when her temper gets the best of
her and she wants to disobey my instructions," he said softly a smile
surfacing on his lips. "And I could stop by to check up on her from time
to time."
Katie
nodded. "Yeah, I'll stay with her as long as I need to."
He
sighed running a hand over his tired face. "Okay, Brian, please call into
Community General and tell them they have to speed up sending a surgeon out
here. And, Howie, continue transferring all traumas. I've rescheduled all of
Annie's surgeries for tomorrow that I could and the rest have been
transferred." He paused. "Um, I'd like to stay with her and be there
when she wakes up. Could you all handle the hospital? I'd really like to be
left alone unless it were an emergency."
Brian
nodded. "We understand. Go take a break upstairs and stay with her. She
might need you when she wakes up."
Katie
fidgeted from side to side. "When can I see her?"
Dr.Richardson
rubbed his neck. "I'll check her over once she's wakes up, then, if
everything's clear I'll send you in. I'm sure she'll feel better knowing you're
near her."
"Even
if she falls back asleep just let me go sit with her. I just want to see
her," Katie explained.
"I
will." He paused a slight red tint coloring his cheeks. "Um, Katie,
would you happen to know um....What Annie's favorite flower is?"
"Yeah,
she likes roses."
"What
color?"
"Any
color but yellow, she hates yellow."
"Thanks."
"Kevin!"
she softly called after him.
"Yes?"
She
gave him a genuine smile. "Thank you for saving my best friend's
life."
He
gave a curt nod and disappeared into the hallway.
Brian
tapped her shoulder. "You said you'd believe it when you see it. What do
you think now?"
The
nurse grinned. "I think Annie has turned the frog into a prince."
******************************
Kevin
sat alone in the quiet room listening to the steady sounds of the heart monitor
and the patient's deep breathing. He pulled his chair closer to the bed as he
watched Annie gently shift her head from side to side slowly waking up.
"Hey,"
he whispered gently placing his fingertips to her lips. "It's okay to talk
but you need to whisper, I intubated during surgery and your throat is going to
be very sore from the tube helping you breathe."
"Hi,"
she whispered in a raspy weak breath. "Is it all over?"
He
nodded. "Yeah, sweetheart, it's all over. You did great."
"I
did great? I just laid there, you're the one that did great."
He
carefully adjusted her oxygen. "How do you feel?"
She
shut her eyes still feeling the heavy effects of the operation. "You just
opened my skin and removed a part of my body. I've had better days. I
feel....really sick and very weird."
"That's
just from the drugs, it'll go away in a little while. But, unfortunately,
you're probably going to feel really sick and very sore for quite some
time." He frowned feeling her forehead. "Even though, your
temperature went down a little you're still running quite a fever and you had a
lot of damage to your gallbladder that I found while I was in surgery. I'm
worried about the infection you're dealing with. I'm going to be keeping you
isolated for a little while due to your weakness, I don't want to chance
anything. I want your body and immune system to build up their strength again.
And you need to gain some weight, you lost too much for the dehydration."
"How
long do I have to stay here?"
"Right
now I'd assume seven to nine days, it just depends on how well you do. Now, I
know it would hurt to much to even try this right now, but after you're a
little stronger you need to force yourself to cough to keep your lungs clear
and prevent pneumonia."
"Okay."
She looked at him wearily. "You won't make me eat hospital food or
anything that had a face when I can handle food, will you?"
"I
promise." He glanced at her shivering form. "You want another
blanket?"
She
gave a slight nod fighting to stay awake. "This is embarrassing."
"What?"
he asked as he laid the thick blanket over her.
"Being
one of top surgeons and now laying in a hospital bed like I'm worthless."
He
took her cold hand in his. "Annie, you're not worthless, you're sick. You
covered for me when I had that damn virus and when I was afraid to practice,
the least I can do is cover for you while you recover from surgery." Kevin
hung his head. "You should have come to me. I can't believe how much
torture you put yourself through."
She
sighed. "Would you have really listened to me?"
"Good
point." He pushed her long red strands away from her brown eyes. "For
now on don't be afraid to tell me anything. I don't care what it is...A cold,
the flu, a virus...a papercut, where ever it is I'll be there for you."
"A
papercut?"
He
grinned. "Sure."
Annie
gripped his hand weakly. "Thank you for taking care of me like you
promised, and getting me through this, Kevin. I was terrified once you said I
had to go into emergency surgery. Hell, once you had me in the elevator I
couldn't be that strong anymore."
The
doctor gently stroked her cheek. "I know you were afraid, so was I, you
really scared me in there. But we made it."
She
turned away from him her smile fading.
"What?
What is it?" he worried.
She
looked down. "I know this is a pathetic trivial thing, but how bad was the
scar? Will it be bad?"
Kevin
bit his lip. "It will be very visible, but it's not a big deal. You'll
still be beautiful just as you were the first day you walked in here. Besides,
now we have his&hers abdomen scars. How many couples have that?"
"Not
many."
"See?
We've always been complex people down to the skin."
She
nodded looking passed him at the red roses sitting beside her bed. "Are
those for me?"
"They'd
have to be. No one likes me enough to send me anything. You want to see the
card?"
Annie
nodded watching him retrieve the piece of paper. She glanced at the card.
To:Annie
We'll
get through this together and I'll take care of you, I promise.
xoxo,
Kevin
"Thank
you," she whispered glancing up at him. "They're beautiful."
He
kissed her cheek. "A beautiful person deserves beautiful flowers."
She
shook her head. "I still don't know what to think of this. Being near you
and kissing you or hugging you instead of biting your head off and yelling at
you."
He
sighed. "Well, I give you full permission to yell at me whenever you feel
it's necessary."
"Good,
because I don't know what I'd do if I had to be nice to you all the time."
"Well,
you are very good at putting me in my place," he admitted. "And
Katie's following in your footsteps. She learned from the best." He paused
looking at her pale complexion knowing that even though she was acting
humorous, she was still very ill. "Is there anything I can get you?
Anything you need or want?"
"No."
The redhead locked eyes with him. "I've been thinking," she
whispered.
"About
what?"
"Just
things I'd like to do when I'm better. I'd like to get a doggie. I love dogs so
much, I adore animals." She lowered her voice. "That's why I tried to
save that cocker spaniel, and I'm really sorry."
He
shook his head. "Don't be sorry, you were only trying to help the poor
thing. I was wrong to snap at you."
"Did
you just say you were wrong?"
"Yeah."
Annie
raised her brow. "Maybe you're the one with a fever."
"Doubtful,"
he replied. "What else have you been thinking about?"
"The
ocean. I've never seen it. I want to see the ocean."
"I'm
positive you'll see it one day," he assured her. "Maybe we'll see it
together."
"Do
you think we'll run into Puff the Magic Dragon?"
Kevin
wrinkled his nose. "Who?"
"Puff
the Magic Dragon. You know, Puff the Magic Dragon lived by the sea, and
frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honalee?" she yawned.
Kevin
smirked. "Annie?"
"Hmm?"
she asked struggling to keep her eyes open.
"Go
back to sleep, honey. The medicine is still having quite an effect on
you."
"No,
no, I'm okay," she argued attempting to regain a small amount of strength.
"Annie,"
he said gently, "you're one of the smartest people I know and you're
having an in-depth conversation about Puff the Magic Dragon."
The
redhead nestled her head against her pillow. "Maybe just a little more
sleep."
Kevin
lifted the blankets to her chin, feeling her forehead one last time, then
keeping a strong hold of her hand he fell asleep himself.
***