The door opened, and Logan Shepard walked in. “Kip, we just got back. What’s wrong?”
“Logan, I’m fine. Harper, this is Logan Shephard. He’s a PA.”
“I need to get my patient to the hospital. I don’t have a doctor, and she’s bleeding,” Harper whispered in a flurry of words.
“Give me a history. Kip, get Hunt down here. Have him bring the Code Red bag.” Logan walked toward the patient. “Hi, I’m Logan. What’s your name?” He gloved up and approached the small woman in distress.
“Susie. Save my baby. I can’t give birth this way—I need a C-section. Ahhhh, it hurts!” she cried as more blood poured down her legs.
“First baby, thirty-three weeks along. Last sonogram showed placenta previa,” Harper gave the history.
“I know it hurts. I’m sorry. I need to examine you,” Logan said.
“Logan, Hunt’s on the way. Can we get her upstairs?” Kip asked.
“No time. Kip, get a pair of gloves on; it’s time for all those classes to pay off. I need you to hold the baby back.”
Kip responded to Logan’s request, removing his jacket, rolling up his sleeves and doing as was asked of him.
“Susie, we are going to lay you back. Harper, could you get an IV and run saline wide open? If you can start a second one, it would be great.” Logan’s voice never changed pitch.
At the commotion, Tobey walked in. “Titan, get Sam and Kevin down here, then get her on oxygen.”
Hunt Montgomery, Sam Robison and Kevin Harper pushed into the room. “Hunt, this is Susie. Placenta previa,” Logan advised.
“Hi, Susie, I’m Dr. Montgomery. I know you’re scared. I know you don’t know me, but you and your baby are in trouble. Get that O-negative flowing.”
“Doc?” Sam asked.
“Susie, this is Sam. He’s going to help too,” Kip said, his long fingers inside Susie, pushing against her body’s contractions. Blood poured over his wrist as Sam dropped a medic bag on the floor.
“RSI, seven French,” Hunt ordered. “Ketamine and succ. Susie, I’m going to help you sleep.”
“She’s out.” Sam breathed for her. “Airway is secure.”
“The baby is going to need some help. Harper, do you have PALS?” Logan asked.
“Yes,” she answered.
Tobey slipped into the hallway and minutes later returned with an isolette.
“Open that delivery tray,” Hunt said as he and Logan scrubbed their hands.
Harper opened the surgical tray from one of the cabinets for Hunt. “Damn it. I need a real surgical tray,” Hunt cursed.
Five long minutes later, Crescent 1’s medic, Nadine Strum, flew in the door with a tray wrapped in blue. Harper helped Hunt and Logan into surgical gowns. Kevin helped her gown.
“Okay, Kip. You can step out,” Hunt said.
Kip cleaned up and stayed in the corner on an angry simmer.If this baby and mother die...
He watched Hunt and Logan work to deliver a flaccid blue baby boy. Handing him to Harper, Logan returned to the surgery to help Hunt stop Susie’s bleeding.
“Boomer, help Harper,” Hunt called out.
Harper’s face filled with concentration. “C’mon, baby,” she pleaded. She dried the little one off as Kevin blew oxygen in the baby’s face, followed by breathing for him and performing chest compressions. Sweat soaked her scrub cap as a tiny cry erupted. Harper swaddled the newborn and placed him in the isolette, her hand resting on the baby through the arm hole.
* * *
