“Yes ma’am,” Peggy said.
“I’m ordering some blood work and a chest x-ray,” I said to Peggy as I entered the orders on the computer.
“I’m sure it’s just the flu,” Ms. Mason said.
I finished entering the order and pressed the send button. Then I went to Ms. Mason’s side. “Never hurts to be thorough,” I said, repeating something she used to say when were kids.
She laughed. “You always were a good student. Now go deliver that baby. I want to know all about it when you get back.”
I pulled Peggy aside. “Watch her and let me know if anything changes, okay?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll be back soon, Ms. Mason.” I headed toward the area that the mother in labor was in. I could hear her through the emergency room. Some moms were vocal in their labor, yelling, screaming, grunting, and others seemed to pull inward, making very little noise while in labor. This one was letting everyone in the ER know she was having a baby.
“This is Mrs. Pierce,” the nurse said as I arrived.
“Mrs. Pierce, I’m Dr. Foster. It looks like your child is ready to arrive.”
The young woman panted out a few breaths. “The sooner the better.”
“Has labor and delivery been notified?” I asked, going to the computer to read as much as I could about the patient as possible.
“Yes. They’re sending down a nurse.”
“This is full term?” I said as I noted the due date a week away.
“Yes.” Mrs. Pierce moaned, and then bore down like she was pushing.
I rushed to her. The nurse had already positioned her so her legs were up in the stirrups.
“Hold on Mrs. Pierce. I need to—” But I could see the hair pattern on the baby’s head as it crowned. I quickly assessed the position of the baby, and then worked with Ms. Pierce as she pushed.
While the baby was crowning when I arrived, it was still another forty-five minutes before the nine pound, three ounce boy was delivered. Then I had to suture Mrs. Pierce’s perineum where it tore during the delivery.
“Congratulations,” I said as she held her baby and the nurses prepared to move her up to the labor and delivery area.
“Thank you, Dr. Foster.” She had the glow of a woman who’d just worked hard and now held a miracle.
I washed up, and then made my way back to Ms. Mason.
“Dr. Foster.” Peggy rushed up to me, the expression on her face sent a chill through me.
“What?” I prepared myself to jump into action to save Ms. Mason.
She stared up at me and I noted tears in her eyes.
Ah fuck. “What?” I demanded more harshly. I started to move toward Ms. Mason’s area.
“She died,” Peggy said, gripping my arm.
“What?” I couldn’t seem to find more words.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why didn't you come get me? I told you to get me.”
“It was sudden. She started to complain that she couldn’t breathe, and then …”