Dawww I had to go digging for this lol found it on page 6, it shows how long it took me to update. Immo's new speed of ants... or worst HAHA. Should've asked someone to just bump it for me but then people are busy too.
First to answer some comments from ancient times...
seigus: Hmmm Dr. Watanabe and Nurse Kashiwagi... that could be an option but I wonder when Yuki is really going to appear? This story will go on for quite I'm not even sure how I can end it, we are talking about hospital, doctors, nurses, and the 48 family... they can go on forever
So much that can go on and so much to talk about really...
Megumi: I wonder would Sae and Mayu pair together for this or do I have other plans
bwahahahahaha options and options. Yea I'm trying to integrate a lot of real case scenarios into this but then of course with a lot of edits and modifications to make it fit well and more interesting and less plain medical to put people to sleep haha. Don't worry I just need to find the perfect chance for Mayu to dump the guy.
Pandah: Thanks, this was meant to be different from the usual stuff. I originally wrote it more for my own entertainment but surprisingly I got more comments and hits then I thought. I was expecting to get people all bored with all this medical talk and all. As for pairings
<-- look so evil
**Special thank you section for: HashirePomeranian who beta this before I release it without my lovely Engrish, I bet you I killed more then a handful of her brain cells I'm still waiting fo ryou to update God of Rock and Contamination!!! **Living in Emergency: PAGE 6 ~Care with Dignity and Respect, voice your concerns without fear, it is your values and your beliefs~
*Intensive Care Unit - ICU*“Yuko, are you ready?” Haruna asked from beside Yuko. Today is the day they have decided to finally terminally wean and extubate her grandma.
They met again in another family meeting to discuss her grandma’s condition, and the result of the neurology consults. Mrs. Oshima has been assessed and declared legally brain dead by two different doctors as per her request to make sure there are no errors in the overall assessment.
Dr. Shinoda and Dr. Akimoto were kind enough to take some time in explaining to Yuko what it means to be brain dead given that her grandma’s heart is still beating: an irreversible end of all brain activity due to the loss of brain oxygenation. So because her grandma suffered a major heart attack, the amount of time that her brain went without oxygen caused all functions to stop. Her body is only maintained by the technology of a respiratory ventilator and a temporary pacemaker in the heart.
As blunt as it may sound, their words were nothing short of true. The machines are just keeping her grandma’s body alive, and with all due respect, it is not the way it should be left. Yuko understood what they were saying but she needed a little more time, so together they agreed on a day, a time so that Yuko can have a bit more time alone with her closest and only relative left.
Walking up to the bedside with the support from the day nurse Haruna, Yuko bid her last farewell to the one that raised and took care of her.
“Bye grandma, rest well. Don’t worry about me, I can take care of myself now. Be at peace. Everything will be alright. I will miss you but I will never forget you and your love.” Yuko whispered into her grandma’s ears even though she couldn’t hear her anymore. With a last kiss on the forehead, Yuko stepped back and took a deep breath in, fighting the threatening tears.
“Okay I’m ready,” she gave the final signal and watched the respiratory therapists move over to the ventilator. One of her only wish is to be able to stay and watch her grandma go.
“Sae, do you want me to do this?” Miichan asked, seeing how today is only Sae’s first week of orientation shift and it seemed a little cruel to force her into the most dreaded task of withdrawing care. Given that it is still one of their responsibilities, Miichan liked to give new staff a choice to ease them into this part of the job.
“I’m okay, I can do it.” Sae said with confidence, not because she liked to do it, but because she understood the reason why it needs to be done and its inevitability. When all methods of preserving life has been exhausted, it comes to the point where end of life and comfort is more important, and continuing to maintain an already dead person is unethical and immoral. Sae believes that this is an important part of their job, to be able to preserve where appropriate but to also understand when to allow patients to rest in peace. Health care workers really aren’t cold blooded nor do they get used to seeing people die, they just understand the process and when it is time to let go.
“May you rest in peace, Mrs. Oshima.” With those last words, Sae turned off the breathing machine.
She then quickly moved over to cut the ties from the breathing tube, removing them from the lungs along with the oral gastric tube that was inserted into the stomach. Miichan was ready on the other side with a damp towel to clean Mrs. Oshima’s face one last time so she will look her best before she leaves. Kanako moved over to the monitor to turn it off, preventing it from seeking attention from anyone present; it will not be the focus of this important moment.
“Grandma!!!” Yuko sobbed into the arms of Haruna as her body lost its strength to stand. This is it. From now on she will be alone.
Haruna just stood there holding Yuko, letting her properly mourn while helping the girl dry her tears every so often. It really is a sad case and there isn’t anything else Haruna can do for the girl except hold her tight and let her cry. Everything else has already been arranged with the help of Kayo Noro, their in hospital’s ICU social worker. Noro has already help Yuko planned the funeral according to Yuko’s wishes prior to today so Yuko won’t have anything else to worry about at the moment. This is not normally the responsibility of social workers but Noro usually goes above and beyond to help family cope and assist them as much as she can.
*Some moments later*
“I’ll be okay, don’t worry about me,” Yuko said to Haruna as she stepped out of ICU into the family room, “I’ll be going now. Thank you for caring for my grandma.”
With that, Yuko walked out of the ICU and away from the place that she spent most of her last week.
“I hope she’ll be okay.” Natsumi said to Haruna as they watched Yuko leave.
“Matsubara! Your patient has been ringing for you for the last minute!” Miichan spoke with her outside voice which travels quite well across the unit to the ears of the two nurses.
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” Natsumi replied, sticking her tongue out at the annoying RT, who returned the favor.
“Kids, stop playing around. We have work to do!” Haruna reminded them. Of course the words coming from her mouth caused everyone else to stop what they are doing to check they weren’t just hearing things.
“What?” asked the confused Haruna.
“Nothing, let’s get back to work.” Dr. Shinoda spoke. Being the authoritative figure in ICU, her words were basically orders.
~~~~~
*
Emergency Unit - ER*
“Arrrgghhh. I am so tired.” Dr. Takahashi spoked while trying to stretch her arms out to loosen those tight knots in her shoulder muscles.
“That was a pretty busy shift, patients just won’t stop coming.” Dr. Maeda replied as she started to pack up her stuff, ready to leave.
“Two more minutes and we’ll be free souls until tomorrow.” The two mature doctors high fived each other while they watched the second hand tick away to their freedom.
“Thanks for setting a good example for new staff.” A voice spoke from behind the two, causing them to slightly jump from their chairs. Being the unfortunate one, Dr. Takahashi ended up on the ground when her chair rolled a little off center.
Dr. Maeda tried her hardest to hold in her laughter as she watch her best friend rub her sore ass after getting off the ground. “Well Dr. Matsui, we are officially off duty since 5 seconds ago, so we’ll be leaving emergency and our new charge in your care.” Dr. Maeda or Atsuko answered, moving to take off her white gown.
“Come one Acchan, let’s get out of here before Rena starts another lecture.” Takamina said already halfway out the doors.
“That’s Dr. Matsui to you!” The sole emergency doctor of the day spoke firmly.
Dr. Matsui could only sigh, watching her two grown up collegues run out of the emergency doors. She knows that this is just the way they are, it’s their way of preserving humanity and relaxing after a stressful day. They become brats.... From the way they act to the way they address each other, everything changes. It’s like they have a hidden personality that appears the second they are off work and refuses to even answer if you call them doctors. But even so, everyone knows that they are still very reliable and can be professional even during their days off... they just choose not to be most of the time.
Rena lifted her hand to massage the bridge of her nose, hoping to relieve herself of the phantom headache threatening to appear. Finally deciding to ignore the two kids, she retreated back into the office to overlook the charting and assessment from their new resident. After reading the evaluations left by the other two doctors, they agreed that with some training and experience Dr. Watanabe will definitely be an asset to their department. In the near future, they hoped to have her self manage cases like Aamin.
~~~~~
*The Parking lot*“Acchan! Hurry up, we are wasting precious minutes of our lives still stuck here in the parking lot right outside the emergency doors!” Takamina whined from the shotgun seat watching the second hand tick away on the clock.
“Shut up, if you complain again, I’ll make you walk home yourself.” Acchan said while she slowly adjusted her seat, making sure to take her time just to watch her impatient friend sit restlessly in the front seat.
Acchan took a couple more minutes to fix her mirrors before finally starting up the car, checked to make sure her path was clear, before pulling out from her stall. She got ready to book it and finally head home for a nice long shower before-
“Wait! STOP!” Takamina’s voice suddenly pierced through the air causing the car to come screeching to a halt.
When Acchan turned to investigate the sudden outburst, all she found was an empty passenger seat with the car door left ajar, the little body nowhere to be seen. Quickly, she looked up to scan the immediate area for the mini body finally finding it crouch down in the corner beside the hospital building. She took one quick looked around, checking to make sure there is no one else around, before getting out of the car and leaving it in the middle of the driveway. She was slightly, juuuust slightly concerned about the sudden actions by her best buddy who practically jumped out of the moving vehicle. As she moved closer, Acchan found another person sitting there on the ground with both legs hugged tight to the body, head down with long strands of hair flowing down the arms and covering the face. The sound of quiet sobbing could be heard coming from the individual which Takamina seem to be concerned and hovering over.
“Yuko, are you okay?” Takamina spoke softly while reaching out to the crying girl. Upon hearing the name Acchan, quickly moved to the their side.
“Takamina?” Yuko slowly lifted her head in the direction of the sound, visions blurred from her tears as she could no longer hold them in, knowing that she is all alone now.
“Shhhhhh. It will be okay.” Takamina pulled Yuko into a hug and let her cry on her shoulders. She had heard from Mariko that today was the day they decided to stop life support.
“I already miss her.” Yuko said in between crying and trying to breath.
Acchan could only watch at their side, feeling somewhat helpless as she is unable to do anything while Yuko cries her heart out. They knew each other back in their school days but Acchan wasn’t as close to Yuko as Takamina is, so it felt a little awkward to butt in during these crucial moments.
“She’s at a better place now and she will always be there watching over you,” Takamina said while she held the crying Yuko until the girl finally calm down. Eventually, the tiredness and emotional drain from the day’s events led the crying Yuko to fall asleep in Takamina’s arms.
“Acchan.” Takamina started, then paused to look for the exact words for her to finish her sentence.
“Hmmm?” Acchan waited patiently for Takamina to finish her question, already knowing exactly what she wanted to ask. They have known each other since they were little kids, afterall.
“We still have that extra room right?”
Acchan only nodded to the question as Takamina continued after seeing the confirmation.
“Do you think we can...”
“Come on little one, let’s get you two home and dried. We don’t want to have more sick little kids running around.” Acchan spoke, not waiting for Takamina to finish after feeling small droplets of rain hit her face. She walked over to the car, opened the door to the back seats and signalled for Takamina to carry the sleeping Yuko over.
“How did you know what I was going to ask?” The confused doctor asked, still on the ground holding the sleeping girl.
“Come on, I’ve known you since you were this tall.” Acchan purposely placed her hands at at her friend’s nose height, just to lighten up the mood before getting into the car. “Hurry, you don’t want Yuko to get sick too right? Let’s get home.”
~~~~~
*Late night in ICU*A peaceful night in the hospital where patients were suppose to be sleeping to the soft beep of IV pumps, distant humming of life sustaining ventilators. This is when nurses sit quietly at their station with the sounds of flipping pages while they going over the medications and charts of their respective assignments.
Of course being in ICU, quiet has always been a forbidden word. This “Q” word is believed to be a curse, a jinx to steady working days or nights just like tonight. Soon enough, the usual peace got disturbed by the screaming and shouting from one of their rare awake patients, complaining of... not being giving any food. The young gentleman was admitted to ICU for close monitoring due to questionable seizuring activities, possibly caused by some unknown drug and substances. He is said to be healthy with only a history of bipolarity and depression.
“Where’s my food!?”
“Please calm down, we are getting you something to eat.” Rie spoke clearly, hoping to calm the lad before he does something dangerous.
“Here is some PB + Jelly Toast and juice.” Yuka came in with some snacks to buy them time while Kanako was outside on the phone with the patient’s family.
“That’s not food! I want to call my dad, he will bring me food.”
“We will call your dad for you.” Yuka told him.
“Lies! You people want to starve me, I haven’t eaten since this morning!”
“Please, someone is already on the phone with your father.” The charge nurse, Takayanagi Akane, came in to see if there is anything she can help with.
“LIES! Why won’t you give me anything! I’ll SUE YOU!” the patient said while trying to kick and punch at the nurses but failing due to his unsteady steps.
After standing there watching the scene play out, the lone RT in ICU decided it was time to speak up. Sasshi turned over to Kanako and said “Call security,”
“Mister, can you please get back in bed? NO, don’t pull on your IV’s,” Rie shouted, worried that if they lose the IV access they won’t be able to give him any medication when needed and more importantly he might develop hematoma’s if not properly looked at.
“Shut UP! you are all Liars! LIARS!!! I just want some food!”
“We have some toast here for you until your dad gets here, can you please get back into bed?” Yuka now tried the nice approach to see if maybe, just maybe he will listen.
At this time the security team comes running into ICU. Between the couple of them, they successfully directed the patient back into bed before placing hard restraints. This did little to calm his nerves and he continued to scream and shout, pulling at his IV’s and tugging at this now restrained arms and legs. Seeing how he is getting a bit out of control, they decided to add the chest belt to hold him down. It’s the only way they can keep him in his bed and prevent him from harming the staff. During the time of wrestling him back into bed, his dad arrived and was escorted in to see if he would be able to calm the kid down. But even his dad wasn’t able to work his magic anymore. The young patient just seemed to get more and more restless, agitated and aggressive towards everyone.
“Dr. Akimoto said we can give him some Ativan to see if it will work.” Kanako shouted from outside after getting off the phone with the doctor.
“He pulled out his IV so we don’t have any access to give him the medication,” Rie pointed out.
“We will hold him down for you, just give it to him.” Nakanishi Yuka said from the bedside while she put her security training to use and placed a firm grip on the patient, with her partner Yamamoto Sakaya on the other side doing exactly the same thing.
*a few mins later*
Patient has now recieved a couple dose of Ativan with no effect on him. He continued to be very aggressive and began swearing at everyone present.
“You F*******, A******, Stupid asians! Taking up all the jobs in the country, I’ll sue you all! I just want food!”
“Your dad is here with food for you but you have to calm down first,” Masuda Yuka said from outside the room, her voice lacking the life she started her shift with. It’s only her first shift after orientation and already she is blessed with such a lovely night.
“I am calm you F*******, B*****. Let me go!”
“Let’s move him to the corner room so he won’t be as disruptive” Akane suggested after looking at some of the other patient and family members that are at the bedside with their sick love ones.
“I need to go pee, LET ME GO! I need to go do the bathroom,” the patient continue to shout as his bed got wheeled over to the room in the corner.
“You can use the urinal, you can’t get up to the bathroom.” Sasshi told the patient as she checked to make sure all the straps on the restraints are secured, she doesn’t wanna get murdered for provoking the patient.
“I can’t go like this, I need to take a shit!,”
“You will have to use the bedpan.” Rie said as she sat there, trying not to laugh at the situation. It’s not nice to laugh at the poor guy but it was kinda funny at the moment and getting quite entertaining.
“What bedpan, I can’t use the bedpan, it’s against my religion! I can’t shit upside down!!!!”
With that statement, both security guards doubled over and started laughing so hard that it began to hurt their stomachs. The nurses faired a little bit better as they tried to hide their face behind their charts while sounds of giggling through to everyone’s ears.
“You come back here and unlock me! I have rights, and I’ll sue you! You will all lose your job and end up on the streets!”
“This isn’t a hospital! I want to see your credentials! You are all illegal! ILLEGAL!! THIS ISN”T A HOSPITAL!”
“LET ME GO!!!”
“Think he will break the bed?” Sasshi asked.
*CLONK!* *BANG*
“Maybe...” Rie said and with one quick moment she closed the sliding door to the room to get some barrier to muffle out the screaming a little.
“Does this kind of stuff happen often?” Yuka asked.
“Of course not. These are just rare cases.” Akane tried to assure their new staff.
“What are you talking about?” Sasshi suddenly said, “What about the patient we had that ripped apart his own central line and was trying to shoot us with the blood that pours out from it?”
“..... Sasshi.”
“Or the suicidal patient that threatened you with a plastic fork because she was convinced we were aliens and out to ruin her plans.” Sasshi continued, obvious to the looks Akane was giving her.
“Oh oh, then there was the one that kept trying to bribe us with food from his lunch tray, hoping we can help him escape from the hospital.”
“Sasshi,” Rie placed a hand on Sasshi’s shoulders hoping she will catch on and stop before Akane rage flips her to the ground.
“Then there was...” Sasshi paused after finally noticing the deadly glare she was getting from the charge nurse, “Ah look at the time, it’s time for my break. I’ll call Shi-chan to come in here and cover me.” Sasshi said quickly before running out of the ICU.
“Don’t listen to her, those are just only a few incidents we had here since Sasshi has started working. That’s like a handful out of all the cases we deal with daily.” Rie told Yuka with a smile while she watched Kanako try to calm their head nurse so that Sasshi could live another day.
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Those RT's what troublemakers LOL, I think I gotta start making up a long list of names before I forget where I cast the akb/ske girls.... I might start running out... gotta preserve them more and not kill everyone off I guess haha
I wonder what will happen next. Choices and choices, so many cases to choose from.
<-- just love this
I like to thank everyone for reading this story and all of my other works as well, I'm not dead.. I'm just very slow with updating that's all...
~ImmoK <--- (it really sounds like I'm OK
)