Wake for Me (Life or Death Series) Read Online Free PDF

screw up or miss some tiny detail, so Chakrabarti could make an example of him for going off-book. But that wasn’t going to happen, because Sam had already screwed up where Viola was concerned—that first night, when getting all the details right had mattered the most. He was determined never to repeat that mistake again.
    “What is causing Miss Bellerose’s coma?”
    “The short answer?” Sam could’ve phrased it better, but he was tired of beating around the bush. “We don’t know. It could be any number of things. Blood loss, malignant hypothermia, a traumatic brain injury that didn’t show up on the CT or MRIs….basically, we won’t know unless she takes a turn for better or worse.”
    He felt disgusted with himself for saying it, but there it was. The truth. As far as this patient was concerned, he was helpless. They all were.
    “And what is your prognosis, Dr. Philips?”
    Sam forced himself to answer the question stoically. “If the patient does not regain consciousness within the next twenty days, we’re looking at severe and permanent brain damage.”
    “And if she does wake up?”
    Not if, Sam wanted to say, but when. Because she had to wake up. She had to.
    “Chances are, there will most likely be some loss of brain function, temporary or permanent paralysis, sterility, post-traumatic stress disorder….”
    Chakrabarti held up a hand, and Sam found himself staring at the dark brown lines that ran through the man’s palm as if they could predict the future. It was easier than meeting his attending physician’s eyes, since they were most likely filled with either pity or disdain. At the moment, Sam didn’t think he had the patience to put up with either.
    “Obviously, you’ve put a lot of thought into this case, Dr. Philips,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with that. But for now, we must focus on the symptoms as they happen. We cannot make decisions based on what we think will happen. We must make decisions based on what has happened, and what is happening.” Chakrabarti broadened his focus to include the entire room in what was shaping up to be a rare Hallmark moment. “That is how we will care for our patients. One day at a time. So, Dr. Philips. How will we care for this patient today?”
    Essentially, they would do nothing. Sam could feel the muscles in his jaw working overtime. “We’ll monitor the patient’s respiration and circulation. Nursing staff will move the patient every few hours to avoid typical problems such as decubitus ulcers, pneumonia and deep vein thrombosis. We’ll continue to provide oxygen, IV fluids and parenteral nutrition, until the patient’s status changes.”
    “Excellent.” Finally, Dr. Chakrabarti seemed satisfied. “Dr. Miller, what is the difference between a coma and a locked-in state?”
    As Dr. Miller rattled off the answer, which basically came down to eye movement and blinking—such a simple difference between being held captive inside your own body, totally aware, and being peacefully if not pleasantly unconscious—Sam let his eyes wander to Viola’s comatose form. She seemed to take up so much less space than she had when she was awake. And it wasn’t just because she was lying in a hospital bed, covered in blankets, instead of being perched on a bar stool while wearing five inch heels. It was also because with each passing day, the personality, the unapologetic confidence that had stopped him in his tracks, was slowly ebbing away. The person she’d been was diminishing, right before his eyes.
    Before long, she’d be nothing more than an empty shell. A cautionary tale for teenagers afraid of living life to its fullest. Just like Ben.
    Eight years ago next month, his older brother had still seemed unstoppable. So full of possibilities, too many to count. Then he was gone.
    “Move it along, Sammy.”
    Brady jostled him lightly with an elbow to the ribs, prodding him to walk out of Viola’s room first so they could get a prime spot