Training camp

Emergency

"Okay... Week nine... We've got a few skills here that you've practised and a few skills that you haven't. Wait for our instructions before carrying out the task, some will be team work tasks, others you can take at your own pace." The team had been split into two, both starting at different parts of the rock face. He could see Connies eyes averting to something or someone behind them and he looked at her, "are you listening Chase?"

"Corp... There's a man over there struggling," Connie told him, "I need to check he's okay,"

"Struggling in what way?"

He didn't hear her answer as he watched her suddenly move towards the man, "Corp... I need you to help me," she yelled.

The man himself was pressed upright against the rock face, his face grey as he grasped his chest, "I need him down on a flat surface," she admitted, "I think he's choking... Can you tell me his name?" She asked to the man beside him, 

Connie watched as James and the Corporal found a flat spot a few metres up and managed to manoeuvre John easily.

"I'm Connie... I'm a doctor," she told him as she began removing his harness and his clothes, "Corp... I need you to call the air ambulance."

"Already done," he replied, watching how Connie shook her head,

"Damn it," she hissed, "there seems to be an airway swelling... I'm going to have to trache him..."

"Can it wait?" He asked and she shook her head, "he was grey by the time we got here, this can't wait,"

"Corp, I need you to hold his head for me, James I need the sterile wipes, scalpel and ball point pen that's in my kit... Take the biro part out of the pen and hand me the plastic casing,"

"You done this before?" He asked and she looked at him,

"Yes in theatre or the ED where there's all the right kit... Not to mention I'd properly had more sleep," she admitted, as she cleaned her hands as best as could before exhaling. 

His eyes focused on hers, "you've got this... Tell me what you need me to do." They watched as she made a neat incision, before pushing the pen casing through his neck. She placed her ear by the plastic pen casing and nodded as she realised she'd managed it.

She nodded at James and the Corporal, all of them breathing an audible sigh of relief as the air ambulance arrived. She stepped back as crew came down with an amibag and a tracheostomy tube,

"Nice of you to turn up," she smiled and they grinned, "looks like you've got it under control, it's not often people make our lives easier,"

"I can't remember the last time I saw a makeshift tracheostomy with a ball point pen casing," the doctor smiled and Connie nodded,

"It was all I had, I could only cover it in with wipes and I apologise for the tape that's just about securing it... It was all we had."

"You've just saved his life... Thank you," his friend nodded, "you were amazing."

"Well done doesn't sound enough super doc," the Corporal smiled a rare smile at her, as they watched the air ambulance take off.

"I couldn't have done it without your assistance," she told him honestly. "Right, we better finish this climb and meet the others," he nodded, "you think you can keep up?"

She stepped that bit closer to him, her eyes flickering over his face, "you know I can."

She followed his route to the top easily, her feet and hands followed the route he was taking in front of her and paused, before accepting his hand as he held it out to her to help her to her feet at the top.

She couldn't help but laugh as everyone cheered, "sorry for keeping you waiting..." She admitted,

"You just saved someone's life," James uttered, "that was insane...."

"Not only can you whip our arses at almost every race, you can save someone's life on a mountain face," Mike groaned, "I think you're super human,"

"Connie..."he spoke that evening, as she reappeared dressed in a tight pair of gym shorts and a tshirt, "John made it out of theatre... He's in ITU, but stable... You did a good job..."

She nodded, "thank you Corp."

"The British Army are going to be honoured to have you, you know."

"I haven't passed yet," she smiled,

"Don't you believe it," he nodded, "you're almost there, you've got this."