‘We always try our best to save our patients but, yes, I have to tell you that’s a possibility,’ Luc said. ‘I know it’s a lot to take in, but we’d really like to keep you in overnight here and do the bypass tomorrow, Mr Jefferson.’
‘So will the operation cure him completely?’ Mrs Jefferson asked.
‘It will stop the pain and lower the risk of having a heart attack,’ Luc said.
‘But because you have coronary heart disease you’ll still need to look after your heart,’ Kelly added. ‘Your family doctor’s probably already told you what you need to do. Stopping smoking and eating better are brilliant, so definitely keep that up, and maybe add in a bit more gentle exercise.’
Mr Jefferson still looked terrified. ‘I hate needles. I can’t even make myself give blood, even though I know I ought to. Coming here today for this was bad enough.’
Kelly held his hand. ‘I know it’s scary now, but in the long run you’ll feel so much better. And your wife and daughter won’t have to worry about you as much as they do now. Luc’s really good at what he does, and so is the rest of our team. It’s natural to feel worried, and you’ll probably feel a bit wobbly at times after the operation—that’s absolutely normal. But the operation is really going to help you. You’re going to feel a lot better, and you’re not going to worry that your chest pain or breathlessness is going to stop you playing with your grandchildren.’
‘Are there risks?’ Mrs Jefferson asked.
Luc and Kelly exchanged a glance.
‘There are risks with all anaesthetic and surgical cases,’ Luc said. ‘But they’re small, and we’re experienced enough to know what to look out for and how to fix things. I know it all sounds really daunting, but there’s a greater risk if we don’t do the surgery.’
Mr Jefferson swallowed hard. ‘All right. I’ll do it.’
‘Good man.’ Luc rested his hand briefly on the older man’s shoulder. ‘We’ll get you settled in to the ward, and I’ll be doing rounds later if you have any questions. Dr Phillips will also be on hand if you need anything.’
‘Or talk to any of the nurses,’ Kelly added. ‘That goes for both of you.’
‘Thank you,’ Mrs Jefferson said.
* * *
Once Mr Jefferson was settled on the ward and had been put on a nitrate drip, Kelly went back to the cath lab. The rest of her clinic was more straightforward, to her relief, and she managed to catch up with Luc afterwards.
‘Thank you for talking to Mr Jefferson with me.’ She’d liked Luc’s warm, easy manner and the way he’d described things without being dramatic and terrifying their patient even more. He’d acknowledged Mr Jefferson’s fears and reassured him.
‘No problem,’ he said.
‘You actually do the surgery off-pump?’
He nodded. ‘I’m assuming that’s unusual for here, then?’
‘Yes, it is. I haven’t actually seen off-pump surgery done before.’ And it was the first time in a long time that Kelly had been interested in seeing something different—that her old passion for her job had resurfaced instead of being buried by the fear that she might have missed something and let a patient down, the way she’d let Simon down.
‘If you can spare the time, you’re welcome to scrub in and observe as much of the operation as you like,’ he offered.
‘I’d love to. I won’t be able to stay for the whole thing, but maybe I could come before or after my clinic tomorrow, if that’s OK?’
‘Whenever fits your schedule best,’ he said.
‘Thanks. I’m definitely taking you up on that.’
‘Actually, you can spread the word that I’m always happy to have observers,’ Luc said. ‘The actual operation is only a part of caring for our patient. I’m a great believer in all areas of the team knowing exactly what happens in the other parts of a care plan, and the more we all understand what each other does, the more we can work together and help our patients.’
‘That’s very much Sanjay’s approach as the head of the department,’ Kelly said. ‘Cross-fertilisation of ideas. And you’re welcome in my cath lab any time, as are any of your students.’
‘Thanks. I’ll take you up on that.’ He smiled. ‘So is Mr Jefferson settled in?’
She nodded. ‘His wife’s just gone home to pick up his things. She had a bit of a chat with me beforehand. She’s worrying about losing him.’
‘Understandable, in the circumstances,’ Luc said. ‘But that must’ve brought back some tough memories for you.’
She shrugged. ‘If anything, what happened to Simon has probably helped me empathise a bit more with my patients and their partners.’ There had to be some good coming out of such a senseless death.
‘You’re still brave,’ Luc said, patting her shoulder.
Again, his touch made her feel all flustered. Which was crazy. She hardly knew him and this wasn’t supposed to happen. ‘You have to get on with things,’ she said.
As if realising that she desperately wanted him to change the subject, Luc said, ‘So Mr Jefferson’s on his own and he’s got time to worry, then. I’ll go and sit with him for a bit. Catch you later.’
Surgeons had a reputation for arrogance, Kelly thought, the next morning, but Luc Bianchi definitely wasn’t one of them. Yesterday he’d deliberately taken time to sit with a nervous patient and reassure him. Today, he was courteous to the rest of the team in the operating theatre, asking them to do things rather than barking instructions at them, and even checking that they were OK with his choice of music to work to; and he’d made it clear that he was happy to explain anything he was doing and why.
She was fascinated by the glimpses she had of the off-pump bypass surgery where just the small area he was working on was kept still and the rest of the heart was visibly pumping. As a student, she’d been fascinated by cutting-edge treatments. Since Simon’s death, she’d focused on keeping things safe and steady. Work hadn’t been a chore, exactly, but she’d become hyper-focused. She managed to be there for the end of the op too, when Luc was closing up; his movements were deft and very sure.
‘Thanks for letting me sit in,’ she said before he went to scrub out. ‘Can I buy you lunch and ask you a ton of questions about the op?’
‘I’d be delighted to have lunch with you and answer anything I can,’ he said, ‘but I’m paying. I might have to rush back here if the team beeps me too.’
In other words, if Peter Jefferson developed any complications before he came round in the intensive care unit. ‘Of course,’ she said. ‘Thank you. I’ll see you when you’ve scrubbed out.’
* * *
The more time Luc spent with Kelly Phillips, the more he liked her. The kind, calm way she treated her patients; her inquisitive mind; the way she treated all her colleagues with respect.
‘Was that really the first OPCABG you’ve seen?’ he asked when he’d scrubbed out and joined her.
‘Your predecessor preferred working on pump,’ she said. ‘So, yes, it was my first off-pump bypass graft. And it was fascinating.’
‘And you have questions?’
‘Absolutely. Let’s get lunch, and I’ll pick your brain,’ she said with a smile.
She asked a lot of questions. All bright, thoughtful questions. Luc answered to the best of his ability, and finally she nodded.
‘Thank you. I understand a lot more, now. But the most important thing is that you’ve