Chapter 1 - Emergency!

"Whatever happens, DON'T. COME. OUT." cautioned the voice which she loathed the most. "Leave. Alessia, go. GO HIDE !!!" Helplessness filled her heart, Alessia couldn't leave him without knowing the truth. She walked towards him with heavy steps and said in a choked voice, "No!!!...don't...go." She almost reached him.... Ring Ring Ring Ring !! At once she opened her reddened eyes and looked over the caller ID 'Emergency Room'. She was immediately brought back from the trance of her nightmare.

She answered the call, "Dr.G, there is an EMERGENCY !!! Please come soon to the ER!!" Stanley's anxious voice made her rush towards the ER. Dr.G sighed on her way and mumbled to herself "After 35 hours of continuous shifts,I just laid down for a short nap which ended within 10 minutes and that too with a bloody NIGHTMARE !!!! Why can't I sleep peacefully?! ARGH !!!" She knew her frustration was of no use because this is the life she chose and that life was in the Silver Crest Hospital which is the best hospital located at the heart of Halston city, with the best facilities and renowned doctors.

As Dr.G stepped into the ER, it was a total CHAOS! Victor came running towards her and his expression clearly showed that the scene before her was serious. After working for the past three years as Dr.G's assistant, they both can understand each other just by the look on each other's faces. " Dr.G, a traffic collision due to the fog occurred leading to 18 injured and 2 deaths on the spot. We have 5 patients for immediate care. Dr.Jason has already taken a patient who needed immediate surgery. CT scan is completed for other patients, please have a look." Victor reported calmly as he showed the results in the monitor.

"Doctor!! PLEASE SAVE MY SON!!!!" a woman in her mid-forties cried bitterly while pulling Dr.G's coat hard. Dr.G took the woman's hand in her hand slowly and assured her saying, "Don't worry mam. Let me take a look at the patient and will do my best to save him, so please take care of yourself first." Stanley immediately came and made the woman sit in the waiting bench as Dr.G walked into the emergency room. "The patient is in his early twenties, swelling seen in the right side of the brain and it's a mild diffuse axonal" reported Ralph with a tensed look. "Alice, the patient needs immediate surgery. Prepare the operating room, inform the anesthesiologist and move the patient ASAP!" Dr.G gave brisk orders. Even though Alice was just an intern, she was quick to follow orders without panicking unlike Stanley who is a junior resident who is always anxious when the ER is in chaos.

Other two patients had only a mild concussion and could be discharged after one day of observation. As Dr.G moved on to the last patient, Ralph reported "The patient is in his mid thirties, CT scan results show spinal injury in the neck region." The spinal injury can cause severe damage in the nerves leading to paralysis or even death! Dr.G examined the patient and said, "His motor senses are intact and with an immediate surgery we can overcome the negative outcome." Stanley immediately rushed out of the ER as she nodded at him to prepare the operating room ASAP!

Neurosurgeons are essential and also rare to come by due to the complex anatomy and challenging operations. Lack of staff in a situation like this made them walk on pins and needles around the patient's families. As Dr.G walked into the restricted area Victor, Ralph, Stanley and Alice were seen standing inside ready to follow the orders. Both the patients needed immediate care and couldn't take the chance of delaying the surgery. "Victor" he tensed up as soon as Dr.G called out his name "lead the surgery of the first patient and Ralph will assist you." 'Me? Leading the surgery? I have assisted Dr.G in many major surgeries but leading is a different situation!!' Victor's mind was out of control of his thoughts as soon as he heard what Dr.G said. She could sense the drop in confidence in Victor. She held his shoulder with an assuring look and said those five magic words which every junior never wants to hear from their seniors: "GET YOUR ASS IN THERE!!" Victor and Ralph were terrified and rushed at once to prepare for surgery.

"Stanley, you will be assisting me" informed Dr.G. Stanley was happy and tensed at the same time to assist Dr.G. The surgery was successful and lasted for one and half hours. As Dr.G stepped out of the operation room she saw the mother of the patient thanking Victor and Ralph. "The operation was successful and the patient should be under observation for the next 24 hours. After that he can be shifted to the recovery ward if there is no other problem." reported Dr.G to the wife of the patient. The wife was delighted to hear the news and thanked both Dr.G and Stanley repeatedly. At the end of the night, there were 3 deaths and 17 patients survived the accident. A 48 year old father, a 20 year old daughter and a 38 year old wife lost their lives on this cold night. Even though 17 patients survived, those who lost their lives were helplessly remembered by all. It was a long night for all the departments in the hospital and a longer night for the families who lost their loved ones.

The feeling of losing a loved one is not a pleasant feeling everyone would like to experience. The sudden realization that the person you ate breakfast with in the morning is no longer beside you to eat the dinner in the night, is the worst feeling a human can experience in one's life. All the residents gathered in the department room to take a rest after a long day. Alice looked around and asked others after some time, "Where is Dr.G? She was right behind us." It has been only 3 months since Alice started as an intern in the hospital and don't know much about anyone in the hospital yet. Others looked at each other with a smile and Ralph said, "Dr.G would probably be in the mortuary to say a final goodbye to the lost lives."