Far From Perfect (Anderson Series #5)

Him

I got called into emergency bypass surgery just as I was supposed to be going off a twelve hour shift. The life of a surgeon and I choose it.

I guess I love for the adrenaline rush it gave me when I was charged with saving someone's life.

I scrubbed up and talked to the attending nurse as I was preparing.

"What do we have?" I ask her.

"Male, 57, white. Wife found him in the garage in full cardiac arrest and from what she told the responding paramedics he was having some blood pressure issues and was on medication and told to lose some weight by his GP," she says as she finishes up scrubbing in.

"Great just what I needed at the ending of my shift, but lets go and save this guy," I say giving her a smile as she puts my gown on and gloves.

I get into the room and the other nurses have prepped him. I go around to the table and get my first look at my patient. I study his face and he looks vaguely familiar, but I just chalk it up to all people look the same when they are on my table and needing help.

I start the surgery and it's just like all the others before them. This one thank god is routine and 6 hours later he is off to the ICU for monitoring and I get to go give his family the good news.

"Brilliant as always Dr. McKenzie," I hear my collogue Eric say as I come out of the OR.

"Thank you, but it was just a routine bypass surgery, nothing too complicated," I say with a smile.

"Still you make it look easy," he says.

"Thanks. All I want to do now is clean up, deliver the good news and head home to sleep," I say, giving him a wave and heading out to clean up.

Walking down the hallway at lightening speed and not really focusing on my surroundings I bump shoulders with a person passing by me.

"Sorry," I hear this deep almost familiar voice say to me.

"No problem," I say back and just continue to the locker room. At this point all I want to do is go home and sleep, but duty calls.

I change into a fresh pair of scrubs and grab the chart off the nurse's station and look too see who I just saved and the names of his family members.

I scan the paper work and freeze when I see the name. Donald Stevenson.

No it can't be a say to myself and scan the paper work for his family's name.

Wife: Tanya Stevenson.

"Oh shit," I say quietly standing there.

"Is everything alright Dr. McKenzie?" one of the nurses' asks me.

"Yeah fine. Quick question though, Mr. Stevenson's family out there, who all is there?" I ask her. Praying that it's only Tanya.

"Um, I think it's his wife and daughter," she says.

"Okay good, I can deal with Meg and Tanya," I say to myself.

"Oh wait, Jackie said the son showed up about a couple hours after he went into surgery," she says.

"Shit," I say out loud, not meaning for it to come out.

"Is something wrong?" she asks looking at me strangely.

"No I am fine Carrie.  Just tired from surgery and my long day," I say hoping she believes me.

"If it's any consolation, Jackie said the son is sex on a stick," Carrie says laughing.

"Double shit," I think to myself and give her a smile.

I go back into the locker room and I look at myself in the mirror and try to fix my hair and give myself a little pep talk.