NaNoWriMo 2012

December 28
The nurse in the room with Mr.Costo turned around and saw that the patient was not breathing.
“Code Blue!” she yelled as she started to give the compressions for the old man who was laying on the examination table.
The door burst open and two doctors and two other nurses rushed into the room. It seemed that everything now was in double time action. Dr. Nix put his stethoscope to Mr. Costo’s chest and listened for any sound of a heartbeat.
Dr. Dickerson retrieved the paddles for the defibrillator. He nodded to Ms Ito to wait to apply the gel on the paddles. Everyone held their breath.
“No heartbeat. We need to start the heart now.” Dr. Nix stepped aside and let Dr. Dickerson hold out the paddles for the gel. It was quickly done. Then Dr. Dickerson prepared to set the paddles on the chest of the patient. “Clear!” He put the paddles on the light brown chest. Zap. The man’s body rose a couple inches. Everyone looked for any sign of success.
“Increase the power.” The nurse set the new numbers and confirmed the action with a nod of her head. Zap. The group waited another few precious seconds.
“It looks like….” Dr. Dickerson was about to give a time of death when Mr. Costo suddenly gasped for breath. Everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief.
“Go check to see if the ambulance is here. This man needs to be in ICU immediately.” Dr. Nix told the short, gray haired nurse.
“I called it before the tow truck left and they said that they were on their way.” she replied.
As Dr. Dickerson was putting the paddles on the counter, an ambulance attendant knocked on the door and put his head through. “I’m with City Emergency Ambulance. The nurse said that this was the patient’s room.”
“Just in time.” Dr. Dickerson muttered. He glanced once more at the patient and felt that he was stable enough to be transported to a hospital. The nurse had completed writing all of the information down and tore off a copy of the report for the ambulance attendant to carry to the hospital.
Everyone carefully helped to put Mr. Costo on the stretcher and into the ambulance. Dr. Dix requested to ride with Mr. Costo on the trip. Ususally the clinic was so busy that two doctors were busy but today was a quiet day and Dr. Dickerson approved the request. He knew that it was better to have a doctor on board for this ride.
Haley walked quickly up to Farris. She saw the look of fear and worry on his face.
“Farris, I heard the news and noticed that your parents were in an accident.” she paused.
“Yea, I was on my way here but got sidelined by an overzealous policeman. He rubbed his shoulder.
Haley did not know what he was referring to. “What happened?” She focused on his face to see if there was something that he wasn’t telling her.
“Well that’s for later. I just want to find my parents.” He touched her on the shoulder and then walked to the receptionist’s desk. He had to get into line which made him a little more fidgety. Haley walked over to join him.
“I just checked and the receptionist said that not all of the forms are in yet.” As she was telling him this, an orderly walked by with three clipboards. “Maybe those are the ones she is waiting on.”
When Farris got to the front of the line, the receptionist’s assistant was inputting the info for Mrs. Costo into the computer.
“I’m Mr. Farris Costo. My mother and father might be here as patients or victims of an accident.”
The nurse picked up the clipboard. She read the info.
“Oh yes. Mrs. Costo is in triage room C.” The nurse pointed in the direction of the triage area. Farris thanked her and stode to the room with his mother. He walked down a hallway that was filled with stretchers that had used sheets and wheelchairs. Outside triage room A and doctor was talking to a short lady with black hair who was crying. A nurse was carrying ringers lactate solution bags and IV set up lines into triage B.
He reached the door for triage room C and asked Haley to wait outside for a few minutes. She agreed that she would. He opened the door slowly and entered. From what Haley could see in that brief peek, there were three people already in the room. Haley saw two nurses and a doctor who were all around the bed. In the bed was a beautiful, older lady who was trying to sit up. When she saw Farris enter the room, she laid back down and pointed towards him.
“Farris. Farris.” Then the tears began to roll down her cheek. The nurses and doctor turned toward Farris.
“I’m her son. Farris Costo.” He walked to her side and took her hand. “I’m here with you now mother.”
Her hands felt a little cold. She was trembling a little. He put his large warm hands around hers. As he did so, the trembling began to stop.
The doctor told one of the nurses that she could go help another doctor. As she left, she noticed Haley standing by the door.
“May I help you?” she asked Haley.
“Oh, I’m with Mr. Costo.”
“Well, only the nearest relatives can come into a room.” The nurse heard a beep of her cell phone and reached in for it.
“I know. I’m a nurse also.” Haley replied. She looked around for a chair that she could pull next to the door.
“That’s nice.” She noticed the number of who was calling on the cell phone and wished that this conversation was over. “There’s a waiting room down the hall.”
“Yea. I’ll just tell Mr. Costo that I’m there.” The nurse nodded and walked quickly towards the other end of the hall to quickly return the call she had been waiting for. Instead of going into the waiting room, Haley pulled up a wheelchair and sat down. She knew that this was not good protocol but if Mrs. Costo was not hurt, then the wait could possibly be only a few minutes more.