Just before noon, my stomach growled. I had an hour before my next patient, so I went back downstairs to the Emergency Room lounge to heat up some soup and fill my water bottle.
Double doors just off the main entrance led to the Emergency Room, which took up one half of the downstairs. Sports Therapy occupied the other half.
I pushed through the double doors and found Rebecca, my nurse, plus two EMT’s, one male and one female. The male EMT had his feet up on the desk, twirling a fidget spinner in his hand. “Hey, what up Dr.Cain? Heard you saved a life this weekend.”
The female EMT shoved his legs off the desk with her booted foot. “Seriously, Tyler?”
He laughed, flipping his bangs out of his face. “Easy, Babe, these legs are highly insured. You don’t want to be responsible for the deductible.”
She rolled her eyes. “Only you would think your skiing career is going anywhere.”
We all knew she was teasing him. Tyler was close to making the Olympic ski team. With trials coming up in just a few weeks, he was highly protective of his legs.
I leaned against the counter, resting my elbow on the top. “Hi Kate.”
“Hi, Dr.Cain.” She said pleasantly.
“Does everyone know?”
Kate scrunched up her nose. “Sadly, yes. But if it makes you feel better, all the girls think it is incredibly romantic.”
I nodded thoughtfully. “Hmmmm.”
“I saw you at the bar with him last night. You actually looked happy. You were laughing a lot.”
“I was being polite.” I tried not to smile.
“He looks a little rough. Like he’s been in a few too many barfights.” She swiveled around on the office chair.
“He’s a hockey player.” I said, before thinking. I hoped it wouldn’t come up, so I wouldn’t need to explain that I’d googled him.
She started to laugh. “Pucks to the face?”
“I would imagine.”
She continued. “Are you going to see him again?”
The radio on the desk crackled with an incoming transmission, “Calling Girdwood, St. John, this is Alyeska Station Alpha-107.”
Tyler’s face turned serious as he pressed the button, “This is St. John, go ahead.”
“We got a priority one trauma for you, let me know when you’re ready to copy.”
All eyes turned to me. I nodded.
Kate stood, grabbing her coat. Tyler grabbed the emergency log. “Go ahead, I’m ready.”
“I got a male patient, early thirties, skier on the mountain. Found unconscious. He’s being brought down now. Blood coming from under his fractured helmet.”
I listened intently.
The sender at the other end, continued, “I’ve got blood pressure 155 over 117. That’s one-five-five over one-one-seven. Pulse showing seventy-eight on the monitor. Oxygen stats are ninety-eight. He’s been bagged.”
Good, good, I thought to myself. He’s got a breathing mask on.
Tyler responded, “Ambulance will be there in five minutes.”
“Very good. Continue transport. See you in five.”