maintaining pressure and raising the limb to control the bleeding.
`How's he doing?' Frazer asked, waiting as Callie rechecked the vital signs, calling them off to him.
`Capillary refill is slow, pulse one-twenty, no change in blood pressure, respiration twenty per minute, saturation ninety-two per cent on oxygen.'
`Thanks. Run a second pack of Hartmann's in, please, Callie.'
As she moved to do as requested Paul lashed out, thrashing on the ground. His powerful arm caught her with a heavy blow on the shoulder, sending her sprawling, and she cried out as she impacted with the crash-bars on the front of their all-terrain vehicle, smashing the ribs high up on her right side. `Callie!'
His heart thudding with concern, frustrated because he was unable to leave his post and reduce pressure on Paul's leg, Frazer could only watch as one of the two policemen ran across to help her. Gingerly she steadied herself, but he saw her wince, her hand briefly straying to a place high on her right side. Cursing under his breath, he accepted the policeman's assistance to control the patient's movements.
`Callie, are you all right?' he demanded, his gaze raking over her as she returned to her place and set up the extra IV fluid infusion he had asked for.
`I'm fine.' He was sure she was lying. She tried to mark it, but he could hear the shakiness in her voice. 'I'm running the Hartmann's now.'
Frazer beckoned to the policeman. 'Cm you pull some gloves on and put pressure on this leg? That's it-just there. Thanks. Callie, I'm going to sedate and tube him. Any word on the other paramedic team arriving?' he queried, moving up to the other side of the patient.
`ETA five minutes,' the second policeman confirmed.
Again the patient pulled off the oxygen mask, and Frazer moved to replace it while Callie prepared the items he needed.
`He's not responding as quickly as I would expect after the fluid replacement.' Frazer frowned, trying to do another check of the vital signs while catching hold of Paul's flailing arm. 'OK, buddy, cairn down. We're trying to help you here. I'm worried he might have an exsanguinating haemorrhage from a pelvic injury. Ready, Callie?'
`Ready.'
As she handed him the required doses of etomide and suxamethonium, he swiftly anaesthetised and intubated Paul, regaining some control of the situation. At least they could now work without further risk to the patient or themselves.
`Maintain fluid resuscitation, please, and we'll top up the sedation with some propofol as necessary.'
`Do you want the pelvic splint as well as the leg one?' Callie asked, and he frowned as he noted the way she unconsciously pressed a hand to her injured side, near the curve of her breast.
`I'll get them.'
Frazer's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he moved off to their vehicle, returning after a couple of moments with the items he needed. As he fitted the pelvic splint, to stabilise any damage and reduce possible bleeding, he reflected again on how well he and Callie worked together-and yet she was as much of a mystery to him now as when they had first met. She had been particularly uncomfortable once their night shifts had started. At first he had wondered if her nervousness was due to her husband. Was he difficult? Did he dislike her having to stay overnight at the base? Yet to his knowledge
she had never telephoned anyone, and no phone calls had arrived from her husband, checking she was all right. Not that Callie was ever anything less than efficient and independent. She was just edgy, difficult to get to know, reserved. Despite all his efforts over the last six days he had been unable to draw her out, and she remained disinclined to talk. About anything. Only on the job was she relaxed, vocal and at ease. `The ambulance is here.'
He looked up, thankful to have the back-up to transfer the patient to hospital. 'I'm going to splint the leg now, then I want Paul out of here asap.' After completing the task, securing the leg, he moved
`How's he doing?' Frazer asked, waiting as Callie rechecked the vital signs, calling them off to him.
`Capillary refill is slow, pulse one-twenty, no change in blood pressure, respiration twenty per minute, saturation ninety-two per cent on oxygen.'
`Thanks. Run a second pack of Hartmann's in, please, Callie.'
As she moved to do as requested Paul lashed out, thrashing on the ground. His powerful arm caught her with a heavy blow on the shoulder, sending her sprawling, and she cried out as she impacted with the crash-bars on the front of their all-terrain vehicle, smashing the ribs high up on her right side. `Callie!'
His heart thudding with concern, frustrated because he was unable to leave his post and reduce pressure on Paul's leg, Frazer could only watch as one of the two policemen ran across to help her. Gingerly she steadied herself, but he saw her wince, her hand briefly straying to a place high on her right side. Cursing under his breath, he accepted the policeman's assistance to control the patient's movements.
`Callie, are you all right?' he demanded, his gaze raking over her as she returned to her place and set up the extra IV fluid infusion he had asked for.
`I'm fine.' He was sure she was lying. She tried to mark it, but he could hear the shakiness in her voice. 'I'm running the Hartmann's now.'
Frazer beckoned to the policeman. 'Cm you pull some gloves on and put pressure on this leg? That's it-just there. Thanks. Callie, I'm going to sedate and tube him. Any word on the other paramedic team arriving?' he queried, moving up to the other side of the patient.
`ETA five minutes,' the second policeman confirmed.
Again the patient pulled off the oxygen mask, and Frazer moved to replace it while Callie prepared the items he needed.
`He's not responding as quickly as I would expect after the fluid replacement.' Frazer frowned, trying to do another check of the vital signs while catching hold of Paul's flailing arm. 'OK, buddy, cairn down. We're trying to help you here. I'm worried he might have an exsanguinating haemorrhage from a pelvic injury. Ready, Callie?'
`Ready.'
As she handed him the required doses of etomide and suxamethonium, he swiftly anaesthetised and intubated Paul, regaining some control of the situation. At least they could now work without further risk to the patient or themselves.
`Maintain fluid resuscitation, please, and we'll top up the sedation with some propofol as necessary.'
`Do you want the pelvic splint as well as the leg one?' Callie asked, and he frowned as he noted the way she unconsciously pressed a hand to her injured side, near the curve of her breast.
`I'll get them.'
Frazer's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he moved off to their vehicle, returning after a couple of moments with the items he needed. As he fitted the pelvic splint, to stabilise any damage and reduce possible bleeding, he reflected again on how well he and Callie worked together-and yet she was as much of a mystery to him now as when they had first met. She had been particularly uncomfortable once their night shifts had started. At first he had wondered if her nervousness was due to her husband. Was he difficult? Did he dislike her having to stay overnight at the base? Yet to his knowledge
she had never telephoned anyone, and no phone calls had arrived from her husband, checking she was all right. Not that Callie was ever anything less than efficient and independent. She was just edgy, difficult to get to know, reserved. Despite all his efforts over the last six days he had been unable to draw her out, and she remained disinclined to talk. About anything. Only on the job was she relaxed, vocal and at ease. `The ambulance is here.'
He looked up, thankful to have the back-up to transfer the patient to hospital. 'I'm going to splint the leg now, then I want Paul out of here asap.' After completing the task, securing the leg, he moved
Similar Books
You Had Me at Merlot: Part 2
Lisa Dickenson
Stiltsville: A Novel
Susanna Daniel
The Secret Sharer and Other Stories
Joseph Conrad
Second Chance
Chet Williamson
Project Apex
Michael Bray
First Love and Other Shorts
Samuel Beckett
Unbound (The Braille Club #2)
J. A. Kerr
Junie B. Jones Is a Graduation Girl
Barbara Park