Page 108 of When You Blush
I frown at the fifty-year-old woman sitting on the exam table in the ER. “Why do you think that?”
“My left hand is numb.”
“Your arm or your hand?”
“My hand. The last three fingers. And I have pressure in my chest.”
The nurses are bustling about, getting EKG leads attached to the patient. If a patient comes in thinking they’re having a heart attack, we move fast. Another nurse starts an IV, and I observe the patient’s heart rate and blood pressure on the monitor.
The fact that the patient isn’t freaking out is interesting. She’s perfectly calm in that bed as if she’s orderingdinner and I’m the server. Her color is fine, her eyes are clear, and her hands are steady.
“Is it hard to breathe?” I ask her.
“No.”
“Do you?—”
“I already told you my symptoms.” She interrupts me. “And I’m having a heart attack. Aren’t you going to take me to surgery?”
One of the nurses smirks, and I tilt my head to the side.
“I’m still gathering information, Mrs. Parker. I’m not convinced that you’re having a heart attack. I’d like to run some blood tests. Your EKG is normal.”
“Well, you’re wrong.”
I blink at her. “Are you a cardiologist, Mrs. Parker?”
“No, but I’ve watched eighteen seasons ofGrey’s Anatomy, haven’t I? I should have MD after my name. I bet you’re screwing her”—she gestures to my nurse, Lexi—“in the on-call room.”
Lexi and I share a look.
“Ma’am,Grey’sis fiction. It’s made for TV. You know that, right? It’s not a documentary.”
Mrs. Parker just rolls her eyes. “Whatever. You’re going to let me die here in this bed because you haven’t taken me to surgery.”
“You’re not dying.”
“Says you.”
“Yeah. And I’m the only one in this room with anactualMD after his name. Now, we’re running those labs, and I’ll let you know what they say. I can say withcertainty that when those three fingers go numb, it’s usually because you have nerve issues happening from your C-1 to T-1 spine, and they’re pushing on your radial and ulnar nerves. That can also cause pressure on your sternum. Your heart rate and blood pressure are normal. Your EKG is normal. But we’re going to check those labs and get some fluids in you while you wait.”
“I’m likely dying.”
I shake my head and turn for the door. “Not today, Mrs. Parker.”
I close the door behind me and walk out to the small office the doctors use when we’re here. It’s been a quiet day, and that’s something I’ll never say out loud because I don’t want to jinx it.
After today, Harper and I get a day off together. Well, she gets three days, but I only have tomorrow with her. I’ll gladly take it.
Just as I’m about to see if those lab results are in for Mrs. Parker, Lexi pops her head around the doorway.
“I have an Amy from up in the NICU on line two for you.”
“Thanks.” I pick up the phone. “This is Dr. Blackwell.”
“This is Amy in the NICU. Can you please come up here? It’s Harper. We had?—”
“I’m on my way right now.”
