‘No.’
‘Do you get migraines?’
‘Never.’
So scrap that theory, Kate thought. ‘How about aches and pains in your joints?’
‘Mmm. And my back. Feel so sick.’ Simone grimaced and scrunched up her eyes. ‘Could you close the blinds? Light is killing me …’
In a second, Kate’s watchful manner changed to red alert. Her mind reacted like quicksilver, spinning through her patient’s symptoms. There were no conclusions but, by heaven, there were some distinct markers.
Meningococcal?
Kate’s stomach clenched but her mind stayed clear and calm. There was no room for guessing games here. She needed to act and act quickly. ‘Simone, I’m going to give you an injection.’
Checking her patient wasn’t allergic, Kate moved with lightning speed across the corridor to the small dispensary. Kate hit the code that would unlock the drugs cabinet and whipped out a prepared dose of penicillin.
She was going by her gut instinct here. That was all she had. But it had never let her down. If Simone had indeed contracted the deadly virus, then vital minutes, even seconds may be all Kate had to save her life. She ran back to her patient.
‘I feel c-cold …’ Simone’s head had dipped forward like a rag doll’s.
‘Hang in there, honey.’ Kate quickly swabbed and plunged the lifesaving drug directly into the vein, knowing full well, they didn’t have a proper diagnosis yet. All she could do was buy Simone time. She prayed there was no sign of a rash. But she had to check.
Helping Simone out of her simple shirt-dress uniform, Kate’s examination was meticulous. She knew what she was looking for: a minute scratch mark, a blister, a purple pinprick, any or all of them indicating that bacteria was already present, multiplying by the second in the blood vessels under Simone’s skin. If they were there, then Simone’s entire body organs were in danger of collapsing.
With relief, Kate saw there was no evidence of a rash. Yet. But she wasn’t waiting for the possibility.
Instinctively, she began following protocol, snatching up the phone and pressing the key that would connect her with Reception. ‘Vicki, would you call an ambulance, please? Tell them we have an emergency hospital admission. And stress the patient is critical.’
‘Expect them within a few minutes,’ Vicki said. ‘I’ll run out and open the back doors so they can reverse in.’
‘Thanks. Is Natalie about? I could do with some help.’
‘She had to leave early,’ Vicki sounded dismayed. ‘Could I—?’
‘No, Vicki. It’s fine.’ Kate felt put on her mettle. But she’d cope. She needed a space blanket. Diving across the corridor to the treatment room, she searched blindly for a second until she located them. She pulled one from the stockpile and turned to retrace her steps.
‘Kate!’
Distracted momentarily from her mission, Kate’s head spun towards the voice and saw Aiden striding along the corridor towards her. She slipped back to her consulting room with Aiden on her heels.
‘What’s up?’ He demanded shortly.
‘Suspected meningococcal.’
Aiden swore under his breath. ‘Ambulance called?’
‘On its way.’ Kate began tucking the space blanket around her patient.
‘What can I do to help?’
‘I’ve done all I can for the moment. But I’ll need to scribble some notes for the admitting MO. Just keep an eye on Simone, if you would.’
‘I think she’d be more comfortable if we get her up onto the treatment couch.’ So saying, Aiden lifted the young girl as though she weighed no more than an armful of feathers and laid her down gently on her side. She moaned softly.
‘Would you recheck for any sign of a rash, please, Aiden?’ Kate was scribbling furiously.
‘Nothing.’ He replaced the space blanket. ‘She’ll need bloods taken on arrival.’
‘All requested.’ Kate slashed her signature at the bottom of the notes.
‘Ambulance is here, guys.’ Vicki appeared at the door.
‘Coming through.’ A male’s deep voice and the squeak of rubber-soled boots echoed along the corridor. Within a very few seconds Simone was loaded onto the trolley.
Kate briefed the paramedic and handed over her notes. ‘Thanks for responding so quickly.’
‘No worries, Doc. We’ll cane it to the hospital now. See you.’ The paramedic acknowledged both doctors briefly before heading off.
Kate looked lost for a second. She took a step towards her desk and faltered.
Aiden’s hand shot out to her shoulder, heavy and warm. ‘Not what you needed on your first day.’
‘I’m fine,’ Kate said, too quickly. She went to move away but his hand was still on her shoulder and her breath felt fluttery. ‘Really.’ She firmed her voice. ‘I’m fine.’
‘Sure?’
‘Yes.’ She moved from under the weight of his hand. Did he not think of her capable of handling an emergency? ‘I’ll need to chase up Simone’s recent contacts,’ she said, thinking aloud. ‘Her workplace, home and so on, and check their immunity.’ She saw the end of her working day slide further and further away.
‘I’ll do that.’
‘Are you saying I can’t do my job?’
Aiden frowned. Why was she so prickly? She looked pressured and he just wanted to help. ‘I’m merely suggesting you delegate. I have no patients booked for the rest of the day. Whereas, you’re needed elsewhere. You have children to collect from school, don’t you?’
Kate dipped her head. She couldn’t believe he’d remembered that small detail. And somehow, in ways she couldn’t explain, it made her feel vulnerable around him. ‘Take some jabs with you in case people’s immunity is in question,’ she reminded him.
‘Kate, I’ll handle it.’
Of course he would. She turned away, waiting for her computer to close down. ‘I just want Simone safely in isolation and under minute-by-minute observation.’
‘And thanks to your quick action, she’ll have that.’
‘It could still be too late …’
‘Don’t think like that.’ Aiden was firm. But they both knew the effects of the deadly virus. Circulation could fail in the body’s extremities—the fingers, toes even whole limbs. Amputations followed. And sometimes death. ‘And we don’t know for sure it is meningo.’
Kate knew. She’d seen enough cases in her time to be ninety-nine per cent certain. And now she just wanted to collect her kids and hug them to bits. Life was so precious.
Her eyes clouded. It had been an exacting first day and if she being honest she did feel drained, both physically and mentally, but that would pass as things both at work and home began settling into a rhythm …
What the hell was she still hanging around for? Aiden’s mouth compressed briefly. She seemed lost in thought, miles away. ‘Kate, there’s no more you can do here,’ he said. ‘Your children must be waiting for you.’
Kate pushed up from her desk. ‘They’re being well taken care of.’
Watching her face, Aiden saw her bottom lip pull into a tight little moue. What now? Did she think he was criticising her parenting? A muscle worked in his jaw. She’d wrong-footed him