Open Heart Book 1 - Someone Like You

Chapter 2 (a) - Life Line (Primrose)

"Start from the very beginning. What was she admitted for?"

"Nausea and headaches" Primrose says confidently. Primrose liked Annie, and by default she had remembered almost everything about her, especially enjoying hearing Annie talk about her holiday to Indonesia. "She said she developed the symptoms in Indonesia. She has a scratch on her right leg and a rash on her neck. Aurora and I did multiple tests and I wrote her up for cefpodoxime". Where is Aurora? She should be in here helping me, not Jackie. Annie's her patient too, not just mine. So much for having a partner. I feel as though I have just gotten divorced.

"Look...she's breaking in hives" Jackie shouts out, as she rips off Annie's gown. Primrose touches Annie's skin; her hives are bumpy, hard and red and her throat and lips start to swell.

"She's in anaphylactic shock" No...no...this cannot be happening. She can't be allergic to the medication I prescribed. Maybe it's something else?

"Yeah, she must be allergic to the antibiotics you prescribed her". Primrose scrunches her face and can feel a sinking feeling at the bottom of her tummy, as she puts two and two together. Annie told me she had no allergies, so Jackie is right, she is allergic to the medications I prescribed. I prescribed the antibiotics...me...I am the one who made this mistake...me...another mistake for me...yet again...Annie is going to die because of me...only 6 hours into my first shift and I've killed someone.

"Primrose...hello...wake up..." Jackie shakes Primrose forcefully, snapping her out of her own thoughts and back to reality.

"Jackie...this is all my fault...I prescribed the wrong antibiotics...ME...I am a murderer...I'm going to go jail...I am going to be deported...." Primrose can hardly finish her sentence, as the thought of what is happening to Annie and what could become her own fate causes her to have a panic attack. Prison? In America. I won't survive.

*Slap*

Primrose grabs her left cheek in pain and shock after Jackie slapped her. Primrose stares back at Jackie in disbelief.

"I am not going to apologise for that, you deserved it. You're lucky I didn't have water, otherwise I would have drenched you. Now, come on. You're a doctor and a human, we all make mistakes and now you're going to put it right, by saving Annie's life. We're going to start her heart again. Go and get the defibrillator and set it at 300 volts" Jackie orders.

Primrose hesitates before grabbing all the equipment she needs. Jackie is right. I needed that slap and I need to get my act together and help Annie. Jackie continues to perform CPR, as Primrose gets everything ready. Annie is already exposed, so Primrose places the paddles on Annie's right and left side, as Jackie pauses CPR for two seconds. Primrose sets the charge to 300 volts and shocks her.

*Shnnnk*

Annie's body jumps up, as the shock is delivered. Primrose jumps as well, the same time as Annie's body spasms. Despite being used to performing CPR, Primrose was always scared when the person's body would jump after being shocked. She hated the action and noise it made.

Primrose and Jackie watch the machine anxiously. Nothing. The same flat tone is delivered. They continue performing CPR. "I'm going to shock her again" Primrose cries out. Jackie clears out of the way, as Primrose shocks Annie again. Please...please...God...please save Annie. I don't care what happens to me, just save Annie. I'll go to prison in America. I'll go back to Thornton Heath. I'll lose my medical license but that's okay, as long as Annie is alive.

Again, the same flat tone is delivered by the machine. No...no...no...Annie... Jackie bites her lip and closes her eyes; she avoids looking at Primrose. Jackie is giving up. She believes it's futile. If Jackie has given up then there's no hope for me. I need help. I can't call it. I can't pronounce her time of death. This is not happening. "Annie...please...come back to us...it's Primrose"... Primrose holds Annie's hands, as she bites down on her lips and closes her eyes shut with such force, she wonders if she'll ever be able to open them again, as Jackie opens her eyes again and looks at the machine. The silence in the room is deafening. How Primrose wishes it was loud, crazy and full of noise in here.