Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of "It's No Use Crying over Spilt Milk" (without using the actual phrase or literal exampl (02/07/08)
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TITLE: Painful Mistake | Previous Challenge Entry
By Kitt Swanson
02/13/08 -
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Doctor Frank Young hurriedly concluded his surgical procedure. Afterwards, he placed the scalpel on the table and rubbed his forearm across his sweaty brow.
That took longer than it normally does. Maybe I am excited about my trip.
“Close her up,” he directed his staff.
He walked out of the operation room and entered the scrub room to remove his mask and gown. He then took a shower and putting on his fishing attire.
I feel like I am forgetting something. Oh well, it will come to me later.
The patient was Tammy O’Hare, in her early twenties, who collapsed during her aerobics class. The aerobic instructor reacted quickly, calling 911.
“This is 911, what’s your emergency?”
“One of my students collapsed during our aerobic class.”
“Is she breathing?”
“I think so, let me check.” The instructor checked her pulse by placing two fingers on Tammy’s neck.
“Yes she is breathing, but her breathes are faint.”
“Is she responding?”
“No she isn’t.”
“Ma’am, we are sending out paramedics.”
“Thank you. Please hurry!”
The aerobic’s instructor took an old blue and white blanket hanging on the back of the classroom door and covered Tammy; raising her legs up on a stair stepper.
The paramedics arrived with in minutes. Tammy was unresponsive. The dispatched team quickly loaded her onto the emergency van and weaved through traffic like professionals in the Indianapolis 500. Her blood pressure began to drop below normal.
On reaching the hospital emergency entrance, Doctor Young met the van at the loading dock. He helped the paramedics place Tammy onto a hospital bed.
After Doctor Young examined her, he gave instructions to prep Tammy for emergency surgery.
After the surgery, Amy, the sister of the patient, waited in the waiting room to greet Dr. Young. He hurried passed her.
“Doctor, how’s my sister doing?” She yelled after him.
He halted his hurriedly stride realizing someone was talking to him and responded.
I do not have time for this.
“She is stable. Her appendix erupted. We were able to catch it in time before its poison entered her bloodstream. She will need to stay in the hospital for three days just for observation to keep an eye on any infection that may appear. Stop by the front desk and see the desk nurse about the necessary forms you would need to fill out...She will be fine.”
“Thank you so much.”
Without regards to Doctor Young’s hastily moving towards the door, Amy reached out to hug him, nevertheless, he maneuvered passed her.
“You are more than welcome ma’am. Now if you will excuse me, I’m on vacation.”
Doctor Young then approached the nurses’ desk.
“If there are any changes in Ms. O’Hare’s condition, contact me on my pager. Give her 10cc’s of this.”
He then handed the nurse a prescription.
Doctor Young left to enjoying his time on the lake.
The rest of evening, the hospital’s atmosphere was calm, all except the usual broken legs, arms, and acute care needs.
Suddenly! A squealing noise rang out throughout the hospital. Nurses hurried to find the noise. On the sixth floor, bright red flashing lights lit the hallway. The lights came from Ms. O’Hare’s room. On entering the room, a team of nurses began lifesaving procedures.
Doctor Young was notified. When he arrived twenty minutes later, Ms. O’Hare was dead. Doctor Young sat in a chair in Ms. O’Hare room with his head in his hands sobbing. Then he stood and hit the wall with his fist. He knew all too well, what he had forgotten.
What am I going to tell her family?
Weeks later, a hospital investigation was conducted. The autopsy revealed a gauze was left in the wound. That wound became infected and the infection ran ramped throughout Tammy’s body, shutting down her organs.
When the evidence was presented to Doctor Young, he replied with tears in his eyes, “I am so sorry for the family's lost. Words can’t express my deepest regret. I wish I could bring her back. What is done is done.”
He then gave his resignation. He never practiced medicine again.
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I'm not sure it exactly fits the topic, but you kept my attention throughout. Good use of dialogue.