Chapter Text
In the Pitt ED
Three nurses hold down the combative patient as the first year resident quickly assesses the bloody forearm.
"I want it off! Please take it off!"yelled the male patient. The resident ignored the patient and spoke to the nurse across from her.
"Tell ortho we coming up. Get a CBC, ABG, Chem panel."she states. The nurse nods before going to place the orders in the computer. Robby stood in the doorway.
"Who is this?"asked Robby.
"This is mister tracker. He was found in a hardware store trying hack his arm off with a hatchet."one nurse explains.
"It's not me! Get it off!"the patient begs.
"Medics gave a milligram of verse."the resident explains. She hint at the fact that they might need to give more because patient still isn't calm yet. " and four of morphine in the bus."she adds as she take her dirty gloves off.
"How bad is the injury?"asked the head attending.
"Cut through radial artery but we can save the arm."she explains casually.
"No no!please don't!"the patient begs. The nurse pull up the bed rails into to get the patient easy for transport.
"Let's get you into surgery."said resident. The nurses began pushing the bed out of the room. Robby looked at santo.
"Get a psych eval too."said Robby. She nods. She will thinking about that already. She walks to the nurses station. She sat at a computer to chart for assessment. She was typing up her report with ease when Javadi plop down in seat next to her.
"What happened crash?"she asked as continued to type. The third medical student rubbed her temple to get the sound of crying out of her head.
"Had to hold down a kid while the nurse got blood for labs."she began. She explained how uncooperative the kid was and complained that the parent wasn't helping. " I am ready for this shift to be over." She finishes before signing into the computer.
"Be lucky it wasn't a little. Their mind is small but their strength isn't." Said Dana as she stood at desk. She was writing on the clipboard.
They got all types of people in the emergency department include caregivers and littles. Littles are in the minority of society. People don't see them often. 70% of the world are neutral, the other 30% are caregiver and little. People don't even get tested for it anymore because how low the chances of having the gene of caregiver or little.
"But caregivers help more than parents right?"asked Javadi. She hasn't interacted with too many as patients to know. She only been in here for few months.
"Usually unless they are soft like cotton and make us be the bad guys."said Dana before someone call for her. She walks away. Santos finished chatting before checking on her patients. She was almost done when her phone vibrated. She waited until she was out the patient room to check the notification. It was a text message from 🐣. she opened the message.
🐣: *photo* Internship here I come!
It was selfie of Dennis with his computer. On the computer was his license board exam results. Santo tries to control the smile on her face as she text back.
Trinity: congrats, huckleberry.
🐣: drinks to celebrate?
T: definitely not!
"What we smiling about?" Perlah teases. Resident didn't it notice the nurse sneaking up on her. She quickly pocketed her phone before speaking.
"Checking on my package. How is our dislocated shoulder doing in bed 5?" She asked. Perlah wants to question her more but she knew she not getting answer out the brick that name Dr santos. She is very tight lip about her personal life.
Perlah gave the update report. However she did take mental note to discuss her observation with other nurses about Dr santos later today.
Santos finished up checking on the patients when a code blue was called. She went to patient room. The nurses were already doing compressions. Santos helps with administration of medication before defibrillation. It took a few rounds but the patient heart started beating again.
Santos left the room and was on her was to chart when a patient called for a doctor as she passed by. She entered the room. It's a mother and a crying kid.
"Yes?"asked Santos.
"She won't stop crying. I don't think the medicine is working." Said the mother. Santos glove up as she spoke.
"What did her doctor give her?"she asked before approaching the bed.
"Ace-um-Jean?" Said the mother as she tries to comfort the kid with head pets.
"Acetaminophen."santos corrects her as she does a rapid assessment on the kid. She realizes the kid has a fever. The kid probably in discomfort until the medication kick in.
Santos explains this to the mother. Mother still was concern.
"Hold her close with her ear to your heartbeat as you rock." Said santos. This is glaring difference in caregivers and parents in their world. Parents are taught on how to care for children while caregivers instinctively know how to.
The mother follows her advice. The kid stop crying.
"You doctor will be in soon." Santos lies smoothly as she removes her gloves. She doesn't know who that patient is assigned to but that lie usually satisfies the patient. Santo left the room.
The rest of shift went good in santos eyes. Or she was so excited to go home that she forgot about two patient fought a nurse, another patient that stunk the ED with body Oder and has place a patient on a psych hold. She left the hospital with a little pep in her step that left the nurses rumoring that she getting laid tonight.
Santos stopped at the store on her way home to buy some sparking cider that in a wine shaped bottle. She arrived the quiet apartment. The lights were off. She checked the time. It was only 8pm. She walked through the open space concept kitchen and living to her the hall of bedrooms. She checked the first room. It was empty. She went to her own room. She noticed closet door was open. She approached the door with slight annoyance. The little was sitting on the floor of the closet hugging a stuffed duck.
"Denny, I told you if you slipped to go miss thorn berry." She scolds him. Miss thorn berry is an older lady that lives across hall from them. She doesn't mind babysitting the little while she is at work.
"But miss berry smells yucky!"whined Dennis. Miss thorn berry was known for wearing thick perfume. But this isn't a matter of dislike or like, it a matter of safety. If Dennis would had injured himself or even cry too long, the apartment complex would send social services. Littles isn't the most liked in city. Most people tolerate littles but others think they should be hidden away. That why most caregivers go live in community that safe for littles. Santos and Whitaker missed that memo. All those communities are in rural area away from city. The pair chose to practice medicine which requires them to move to the city. Dreams sometimes cost some discomfort.
"Don't care. Suck it up because if you get injured and end up at my ED, you will be in big trouble." She threatened to make him understand how serious this is. Unsupervised little leads to more accidents. The caregiver knows the statistics and research which didn't ease her mind at all.
"Sorry, tweety." Said Dennis. She couldn't stay mad the adorable little. She helps him to his feet. She noticed he was wearing her college hoodie. She glared at him.
"Me got cold!"dennis explained as an excuse. He likes her hoodie because they feel softer than his stuff.
" did you eat?"she asked. She hopes the little ate dinner before slipping but her hope disappeared when Dennis looked guilty.
"This is primary reason, you suppose go to miss thorn berry."she scolds him. Sometimes she regrets not hiring a nanny for him but a Nanny for littles are hard to come by. They are living in a world not really made for them. Trinity grabs Dennis hand and brought him the kitchen. She reheat some leftover.
She realized she should be proud that little understood not use appliances and obey the rule regardless of being hungry.
Dennis noticed the sparkling cider on the table. He squeal with joy.
"Tweety! Tweety! Open!" Said Dennis as he bounced on his feet while the bottle in his hands. Trinity quickly took the glass bottle from him.
"After you eat." She states. She serves them dinner at the table. Dennis immediately places his spoon in Trinity plate. She pretends not notice. She knew he was going to do that why she made a bigger potion for herself and small potion to display in front him.
Dennis struggles to use his spoon. Trinity tries not cringe as her hoodie that little was now getting dirty. After dinner, pour them a cup of sparkling cider.
"Cheers."said Dennis as he held up his sippy cup to tap trinity's cup.
"Cheers to you,ducky."she said before tapping her cup against his. She took a sip of the juice. She missed the taste of alcohol. She looked up from her cup to see the little happily drinking the juice with a slight wiggle. She doesn't miss seeing the joy that a cup sparking juice gives to her little. She smiles fondly at him.