Chapter 6
"Man..."
AJ McLean sighed as he glanced at the packed waiting room of patients, most of
whom were throwing up. He walked slowly toward the lounge wondering if he
himself should have called in sick today. He sure as hell didn't want to be
around all those ill people! He worked the combination on his locker and turned
to see nurse Katie walking in, shivering from the cold air she had just come in
from. he nodded to her in greeting. She gave him a tight smile and went to her
own locker. "Please tell me I just dreamed there were 200 puking patients
in the waiting room!" She begged AJ. He laughed.
"I
wish Kate! But what you see is what you get!" She groaned.
"How
many pediatric, do you have any idea?"
"Just
got in myself and I'm afraid to go look at the board." AJ replied, pulling
his scrub shirt over his head. "This stomach bug is hell and we only found
out about it yesterday! Think of how many more we'll be seeing in the coming
week or two!" Katie nodded massaging her own stomach.
"I
just hope I can handle it and it doesn't send me hurling as well!" AJ's
gaze softened.
"That's
right, Dr. Littrell mentioned you were sick yesterday, why'd you come in today?
You must be feeling like hell!" She sighed.
"I'll
be fine, I need the money and I feel horrible leaving all of you alone."
AJ frowned.
"God
Katie, don't worry about us, worry about getting better!" She shook her
head.
"No,
I'm staying, I caused enough of a burden already and a small stomach bug never
killed anyone I know." AJ looked doubtful.
"Okay,
but make sure to drink and stay hydrated, and if you feel worse, see someone
please?" She nodded distractedly.
"Don't
you worry about me, how are you?" The med. student sighed.
"A
little tired from pulling almost an all nighter last night and here I am this
morning! Dr. Richardson's a bastard with the shifts when he's sick I tell
ya." Katie nodded sympathetically.
"Well,
if it makes you feel any better, I was up all night puking!" AJ put his
hands on his hips.
"Go
home Katie, for me?" She hung her stethoscope around her neck and walked
to the door.
"I'll
be fine AJ, but do me a favor and don't mention to Dr. Littrell I'm sick, okay?
I don't need his worrying." AJ shrugged.
"Okay,
but take it easy out there." She smiled.
"You
too."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"KEVIN!"
Dr. Littrell hollered at his cousin who was sleeping in exam 4. "Get yer
lazy ass up and help me here!" Kevin jolted awake and groaned.
"What
Brian?" He asked holding his belly.
"There's
45 people in the waiting room that need to be seen and I can't have you asleep
in the exam room or asleep period! I need help, most of our Docs in the rest of
the hospital are short staffed and they can't send anyone down to us, I know
you feel like crap but you need to help me out."
"Is
there anything surgical?"
"Not
as of now, but that sure as hell doesn't make a difference, I'm a pediatrician
and I'm seeing adults today! Dr. turtle has been here since 5:30 seeing patients
and she's not complaining now get up!" With that Brian walked back into
the hall and grabbed 3 more charts off the overflowing desk. As he turned
around he bumped into Howie, who gave him an apologetic smile. Brian groaned.
"Now
what?" Howie sighed.
"I
just brought in a 36 year old woman with intense vomiting, she's in exam 2 and
I have a 6 year old with a high fever in 3." Brian rubbed his tired eyes.
"Howie, please radio out and say we're closed to major traumas, we cannot
possibly handle any more cases." Howie nodded.
"I'll
try Doc But they'll probably refuse, you're local for most of these people and
the only other main hospital is 20 miles away." Brian gestured to all the
patients in the loud waiting room.
"Make
them not refuse Howie, please." Howie smiled. "I'll do my best, you
want me to stick around and help patients into the exam rooms? Maybe take
histories?" Brian gave him an exaggerated hug.
"YES!
Thank you Howie! I owe ya one!"
"No
prob Bri." He disappeared into the crowd. Brian glanced at his chart.
"Fever, vomiting, weakness..it's all the same." He sighed.
"Where the hell is Nick?" He asked his nurse who had just walked by
and was passing out basins.
"No
idea. Maybe Dr. turtle knows, he's her student." Katie replied quickly
turning away, she didn't want him to see her pale appearance and force her to
leave. Brian marched off to exam one and located the young red headed doctor.
"Annie, you seen Carter?" The physician looked up from her patient, a
young man who was vomiting in the sink and shook her head. "No, I haven't
seen McLean either." Brian frowned.
"I
think AJ's seeing patients with Kevin, if he got his ass outta bed. I was gonna
ask if you wanted me to take Nick today?" She shrugged.
"Up
to you, I think maybe we could let him and AJ see some patients on their own as
long as we sign off on the charts, I mean we are too packed to have to baby-sit
them today and they're pretty good by now." Brian nodded.
"Sure,
as soon as I find one of them, I'll tell them. Anything surgical?" He
asked her.
"Not
yet and lets hope it stays that way! How's Dr. Richardson feeling?" Brian
laughed.
"Like
hell, I just had to order him up to work." Dr. Turtle cracked up as she
helped her patient back onto the gurney.
"That's
too bad for him." She said smirking. "And how's Katie?" Brian
frowned.
"You
know, I didn't even ask her, I'll have to..." He was interrupted by his
pager which was flashing that he was needed in the ER.
"God
they page me and I'm done the hall! Well, I'm going back out, good luck!"
Turtle smiled at him.
"Hang
in there Brian!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nick
came flying into the ER and glanced nervously around. His car had broken down
and he had to catch a ride, which also meant waking someone up to take him, it
had been a long morning. He sighed in relief that no one seemed to notice his
late entrance. Maybe he could just sneak into the lounge and get
changed.."Well Mr. Carter, nice of you to join us." His stomach sank
as he turned to find Dr. Richardson looking at his watch. Nick took a deep
breath.
"You
see I was.." "You don't have to explain Nick, just get
moving." Brian interrupted them. Nick shot Brian a grateful look and
walked quickly away. "And Nick, you're on your own today but report to me
with your charts!" He grinned and continued on. Kevin was still staring at
Brian. Brian signed off on his chart and looked up.
"Kev,
give him a break, he's 15 minutes late and we're overflowing, this isn't boot
camp, at least not today it isn't. And if I remember correctly, I had to wake
someone up to get to work." Kevin blushed and grabbed a chart off the
desk, calling a patient. Brian smirked and grabbed AJ on his way by.
"You
doing okay AJ?" AJ nodded wearily, wiping his brow.
"Yeah,
I'm all good." Brian frowned.
"Lye
down for a few minutes if it gets too much. You're entitled to a break if you
feel sick, I just hope you're not getting this evil bug. Speaking of which,
have you seen Katie at all today? How's she doing?" AJ's eyes widened and
he continued on his way.
"Haven't
seen her Dr. Littrell, sorry." Brian groaned and called his next patient.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Katie
walked weakly out of the bathroom stall and turned on the cold water. Ugh, this
virus was awful. She could feel her body temperature rising and knew she had
fever. As she was a nurse, she knew that meant she needed to drink liquid, but
nothing stayed down and she was not about to start an IV on herself as it would
hinder her work. Oh well, back to work. She took out her makeup compact and
covered the dark circles under her eyes which had resulted in not sleeping the
past night. She couldn't really hide the fatigue, but it was better than
nothing and she wouldn't be bothered. She grabbed her mound of paper work off
of the sink and went out to spend her short break doing some of it so she could
return to the patients
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Grrr!"
Nick groaned as he entered the lounge. "Can I have one day where someone
doesn't decorate me with their breakfast?" He stripped off his shirt and
noticed AJ laying on the small couch.
"You
okay Aje?" Nick asked concerned that his rebel friend wasn't out in the
chaos breaking the rules like he loved to do. AJ nodded weakly.
"Just
a little dizzy, I don't know what's up man, I was fine this morning." Nick
walked over and felt AJ's forehead.
"You're
warm Bro, want me to take your temp?" AJ rolled his eyes.
"No
Nick, I'll live and get away from me, you stink!" Nick narrowed his blue
eyes.
"Excuse
me for caring." AJ sighed.
"Nick,
listen I didn't mean that, if it gets worse I'll see someone okay?" Nick
nodded, changing.
"See
Turtle or Littrell, DON'T see Richardson, he jumped up my ass this morning
cause I was 15 minutes late!" He told AJ. AJ laid his head back down.
"Like
I would see that idiot. He hates me as it is, he hates everyone, you know how
hard it is being his student? Alexander you're doing that wrong! Mr. McLean,
you're not paying attention when I speak to you. AJ, I have a bug up my
ass!" AJ mocked in a deep voice. Nick laughed.
"I
wonder what his problem is?" AJ shrugged.
"I
have no idea, but I'm gonna ask him." Nick's eyes widened.
"you're
gonna ask Dr. Richardson about his personal life? Want me to witness you
writing your will first?" AJ grinned.
"I
can do it Nick, just watch the master."
"Whatever
master, I'm going back into the hell hole with my new shirt." Nick patted
his chest. "Feel better and if I live to see tonight, I'll see ya
then!" AJ watched him go out.
"I
don't think there's a million people puking in hell!"
***
