Alison Roberts - Rivals In Practice

‘I’ll know if I have to call you. Best of luck.’

They were going to need more than luck. Liam Bellamy’s condition had deteriorated further by the time Jennifer returned to the treatment room.

‘He needs an urgent laparotomy,’ Andrew declared. ‘He also needs a blood transfusion. Have you got any frozen, fresh plasma?’

‘No.’ Jennifer eyed the second chest-drain bottle which was nearly full. ‘Maybe we could do an autologous transfusion and reuse his own blood.’

‘We’d need to anticoagulate the blood. I don’t expect you’d have a cell-saver system available.’

‘No. We’ve got plenty of anticoagulation agents, though.’

‘Not much point pouring it back in unless the leak is fixed. My guess is a ruptured spleen. His liver could also be a likely candidate.’

‘Could you repair it?’

Andrew shook his head slowly. ‘You don’t know what you’re asking, Jennifer. We don’t have the facilities or the staff. Not even an anaesthetist.’

‘I can do an anaesthetic,’ Jennifer offered promptly. ‘It was my first rotation as a registrar. We’ve got the gear. The instruments are even sterilised on a regular basis. They used to do quite a bit of surgery here in the old days. And my nurses are great. Wendy and Margaret could both help.’

Andrew was still shaking his head. Jennifer caught hold of his arm. ‘I took a fish hook out of a man’s hand earlier today,’ she told him with quiet intensity. ‘He put himself in considerable danger trying to make sure his boat was going to be safe in this storm. His fishing boat is his living and the only way he can support his family. He’s desperate to hold things together since his wife died three years ago. His kids are all he has. Liam is his eldest son.’

Jennifer could feel the muscles in Andrew’s arm tense beneath her hand. She fixed her eyes on his face, willing him to agree. He still looked pale. The skin stretched across the strong lines of his features and deep lines around his dark eyes suggested that he was in pain…or unwell. Jennifer swallowed quickly. Was that the reason he’d given up his career? He’d just lost a significant amount of blood himself from the leg injury. He’d been exposed to the elements and put under stress. Had that exacerbated some underlying serious medical condition?

‘Are you all right?’ Jennifer queried urgently. ‘Are you able to operate?’ She almost reached up to touch his face. Her concern for Andrew’s state of health wasn’t purely for Liam’s sake. Andrew Stephenson needed medical attention that only she would be able to provide. She was in a position of crisis here and somebody had to lose at least in the short term. The question was, who could afford to wait?

‘I’m able.’ Andrew’s response fell into the tense silence. Jennifer felt her breath being released in a sigh of relief and unconsciously tightened her grip on Andrew’s arm with a grateful squeeze.

Andrew nodded down towards Jennifer’s upturned, eager face. ‘I’m able,’ he repeated with more emphasis. His solemn expression softened as his mouth twisted into a lopsided smile. ‘And I’m willing.’ The smile faded. ‘We’ll need a small miracle if we’re going to be successful, you realise.’

‘Miracles happen.’ Jennifer tugged Andrew’s arm gently as she turned him back towards their patient. ‘Sometimes they just need a bit of a push to get them started.’

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