The Shepherd Legacy

Cramping Hand

As the surgery continued, Mark kept a watchful eye on both Derek and Mary. The hours stretched on, and the tension in the room heightened. Suddenly, Mary winced, her hand cramping. Thankfully, she had just put down her own scalpel, so the cramp did not affect the surgery.

"Shit, Mary!" Mark exclaimed, noticing her discomfort. "I told you to take a break!" She looked up at him, gently massaging away the kink.

Mary tried to shake it off, but the pain was evident on her face. Derek, sensing something was wrong, turned his attention away from the surgical field.

"What's going on?" he asked, retracting his own instruments.

Mark shot Mary a stern look. "Her hand cramped up because she refused to take a break. You need to talk some sense into her, Derek."

Derek's expression shifted from concern to frustration. "Mary, Mark told you to take breaks. You can't put your desire to be here above the patient's needs."

Mary looked down, guilt washing over her. "I thought I could handle it. I didn't want to let you down."

Derek sighed, realizing he needed to emphasize the importance of self-care. "You're letting the patient down by not taking care of yourself. Go to my office, get a snack, and drink some water. We can't afford any mistakes, especially if they're due to dehydration. I think I was wrong before. The tumor is entangled with at least four other vessels. We have at least ten more hours to go."

Reluctantly, Mary nodded and made her way to Derek's office. Mark followed her, his frustration evident in his stern expression.

"Mary, what were you thinking?" he scolded. "You can't jeopardize a surgery because you're too stubborn to take a break."

Mary sighed, guilt weighing on her. "I just wanted to prove myself. I didn't think it would affect the surgery. I am sorry."

Mark shook his head, not accepting her excuse. "Proving yourself means being smart about it. You can't help Derek if you're passed out from exhaustion or, in this case, if your hand cramps up. Take care of yourself so you can take care of the patient."

Mary nodded, chastened by Mark's words. "I'll take a break, I promise."

The plastic surgeon nodded, raising an eyebrow. "Yes, you are going to take a break. I will make sure of that. Derek needs you at your best. Now, go get that snack and drink, I'll be there in a bit."

Mark lingered in the hallway as Mary headed to Derek's office, watching her go. 

--

In the quiet of Derek's office, Mary sat with a snack in hand, fatigued but grateful for the break. Mark entered, a stern look on his face, and took a seat across from her.

"Mare," Mark began, his tone serious, "You know I can't let this slide. You need to understand the gravity of what happened in there. Your refusal to take a break not only jeopardized the patient, but it also put unnecessary strain on Derek. We can't afford distractions in the operating room."

Mary looked down, a sense of guilt washing over her. "I know, Mark. I should have listened. I just didn't want to let Derek down."

Mark leaned forward, his expression hard. "You're not just letting Derek down; you're letting yourself down. And more importantly, you're compromising patient care. We can't afford that kind of distraction in surgery. You're a talented resident, Mary, but you need to prioritize your well-being. The fatigue will only distract you further."

Mary nodded, "You're right, Mark. I should have listened to you. I will next time."

Mark sighed, the sternness in his expression softening slightly. "Good. We're a team in that operating room, and we need everyone at their best. Take breaks when you need to, and remember that your well-being matters just as much as the patient's." Mark's tone turned to steel as he added, "I still can't let this slide." The underlying notion was clear.