Emergency Surgery

Emergency Surgery

Scapel!
With that one word, the surgery commenced
The patient had fallen, broken her hip
Now she lay unconscious as they worked hard and fast,
Hoping her next breath would not be the last

Clamp!
She bled profusely from the stroke of the surgeons sharp knife
But quick reactions minimized  bleeding, saved her life
This was not a surgery that had been planned at all
They were fighting to save her after the precipitous fall

Oh My God!
Those words were softly muttered by the surgeon’s assistant
Though the patient was severely injured, she was also pregnant
They quickly assessed the fetus and mother
Deciding if they could save both, or one.... or the other

Sutures!
They stopped the bleeding, mended broken bones
The woman was stable, the surgeon worked on, though now not alone
Two of them carefully checked the young fetus in the womb
A pre-med student started sobbing, quickly leaving the room

Thank God!
The fetus was fine, its heart rate one sixty and strong
It looked like the pregnancy was only 12 weeks a long
Everyone sighed loudly, eyes shiny with tears
It looked like this unborn child would live many years

Contemplation....
With the surgery complete, he knew he’d done his best
Thinking of the woman and her fetus, both now at rest
He wondered at life’s miracle, and pondered the days events,
Amazed at how life could go on, even after an accident

The Future....
The surgeon crawled in bed next to his wife that night
Snuggled up to kiss her, turned off the bedside light
She curled herself next to him, safe in his arms again
He held her close, caressed her belly; their child safe within

Jim Dorrell
1/7/08