I could hear my heart beating fervently behind my ears as I ran next to my partner. All I could see was the incidents lights reflecting off the white tile floors and white walls with the single wooden strip running across the length of the corridor.
There was shouts as well as moans and the usual chatter around me. “Doctor, we need you stat!” I heard someone shout as they wheeled a yellow stretcher around the corner with a man lying in it. There was a white blanket covering him from the lower hips down. There was blood every where. His one right arm was swinging over the edge as they whipped around the corner.
I grabbed his swaying arm by the wrist and looked to my watch counting the corresponding beats that were in threat of ceasing entirely. I looked over my shoulder. “How’s his breathing?” I asked one of the nurses who was manning a hand pump. “It’s steady but deadly shallow.”
I turned my head back to the man and I saw the compleat damage that had been done. There was an extreme amount of blood all over. Especially on his left thigh. I saw a long narrow steel rod of some sort standing almost erect in his leg.
I turned to my partner running against the other side of the stretcher. “How bad is it Ryan?” I asked him. “I’m afraid it’s pretty bad; it’s completely through his leg.”
“ALL the way!?!” I repeated. He nodded as the patient began to moan stirring in pain and stress. I sighed. “All Right get this patient to the O.R. IMMEDIATELY.” I hollered to the staff around me and moved over to the right side of the hall. “Come on Ryan, to prep.” He looked to me and nodded as he followed me to down another hall to prep. On came the gloves and on went the game.
TIME ELAPSED

“That was something wasn’t it?” He asked me as we walked down the mostly quiet and calm hallway. “Yeah.” I sighed “I don’t think I've ever seen anything like that before...that was scary; I didn’t know if he was going to make it outta there.”

“Yeah out of there not in a BODYBAG…it’s only by the hands of God that man’s even BREATHING.” He paused a moment before stopping to turn to me. “You did...really good in there...I don’t know what we would have done without you tonight...Doct...Rebecca.” He stammered.


I opened my mouth to thank him gratefully but was interrupted by some officials. “Doctor PULSE?” I turned at my Last name. “A moment of your time please?...you too Doctor.” He addressed Ryan. We both walked towards the small tight group of officials in expensive suits and ties.

“Yes sir?” I asked timidly. “That was some show you put on in there Doctor Pulse...you did an Excellent job...you’ve definitely earned your keep here at New York General, Doctor Pulse.”

I smiled at this and thanked him for his kindness before he turned to Ryan. “And as for YOU Doctor Benedict...hopefully you can take some pointers from your colleague...SHE seems to know what she’s doing around here.”

Ryan looked down and lowered his head as if unable to carry the weight and in danger of being crushed beneath his dark look of disdain. I opened my mouth agape in shock; Ryan was an extraordinary Doctor and worked hard not for his payment but for honest passion and commitment to saving lives; he didn’t deserve that.

“Mr.Welch…” I was about to correct the official but was again interrupted. “Pulse.” I turned. “You’re needed in intensive care.” A nurse told me. “okay I’ll be right there…” I turned back. “I...I gotta go.” I stepped back and dragged my eyes away from Ryan’s as he sorrowfully longed for me to say something.

I turned on my heel and jogged towards the the intensive care unit my beeper alarming on the way. I reached down and dismissed it when I got there. “Room 364.” I read aloud off the small thin digital screen and walked into the room I had been assigned to.

I walked up to the foot of the bed and picked up the clipboard that hung off the end and read all the information I needed to know as the patient's eyes opened and began to follow me curiously.

“You're a lucky man, Mr…” I paused while I looked to the clipboard for the information needed at the moment. “...Key...you really did some damage out there...you're lucky to be alive...now how are you holding up Mr.key?” I asked.

“Not good; I’m in ALOTA pain right now...I can’t even see straight.” I frowned as I checked all his cordes and I.V. line. “On a chart of one to ten; what would you rate your pain? one being the least amount and ten being the most.”

“Well...ten is breaking your shin.” “Which you’ve already done.” I said from just reading his records. “yeah, Hockey.” he took a short pause remembering something. “...Nine is childbirth not looking forward to that any time soon…” He joked weakly. “So...I say about an eight.”

“Alrighty then I’ll get that taken care of for you as soon as possible.” I said as I reached down and pressed the call button on his therapeutic bed remote. Surprisingly a near by nurse came in response quite soon. “yes Doctor?” “Thanks, uuh...I’m gonna need about 115 Milligrams of Morphine please.” “Right away Doctor.” She said as she left the room.

“Anything else you need Mr.Key?” I said as I turned back to him and followed his leg down the length as I walked back to the foot of the bed.”

“No, except...Doctor?” He choked. “yes Mr.Key?” “Will I EVER be able to...WALK again?” He stammered. “we're not sure Mr.Key...we’ll need to wait for the swelling to go down some and for the wound to heal before we can take a look at it and arrange your physical therapy.”

“Is there a CHANCE?” He asked urgently. “Yes hopefully if there isn’t too much damage and you didn’t tear anything important the physical therapy will slowly improve your mobility and hopefully you’ll have your ALMOST normal gate. HOPEFULLY we can’t be sure yet.”

Then the nurse came in and began to inject the morphine into the I.V. line. “But, don’t you worry about that just keep quite and get plenty of rest.” I rose up my left hand with my pen. “Now count with me; five...four...three...two..one.” Of course he didn’t even make it to number two. “There, out like a light.” I smiled.
I looked down as my beeper alarmed. “Finally.” I sighed and left the room. It was time to go home.