Page 35 of Doctor Neighbor

Walking into the hospital, I nod at the night shift nurses heading home. The familiar antiseptic smell and fluorescent lights ground me. This is where I belong right now, and this is what I need to focus on.

I head to the locker room to change into my scrubs, my mind already shifting to the procedure ahead. As I tie my surgical mask, I push all thoughts of Lara, the house, and even Cole to the back of my mind.

Right now, there's only the surgery. Mr. Harrison and his family are counting on me.

I step into the OR, the beeping of monitors and the hum of equipment filling my ears. "Good morning, everyone," I say to my team. "Let's save a life today."

9:38 am

After surgery, I have a little more time before my next procedure, which is a straightforward appendectomy. I could do those in my sleep. I can be in and out of a routine one in thirty minutes, an hour tops.

Quickly, I pull up James Harrison's chart on my tablet, my eyes scanning the latest updates. My heart sinks as I read about the minor complications he's experiencing. A twinge of doubt creeps in, gnawing at my confidence.

Could I have done something better? Did I miss something during the surgery?

I rub my temples, trying to shake off the nagging worry. It's not unusual for patients to have some complications after such a complex procedure, but I can't help feeling responsible.

Deciding I need to see for myself, I close the chart and head towards the elevator. As I descend to Mr. Harrison's floor, I go over the surgery in my mind, analyzing each step and each decision I made.

The elevator dings, and I step out onto the bustling floor. Nurses and orderlies move efficiently around me, but I barely notice them. My focus is solely on room 412.

I approach the nurses' station, spotting Carly Gunner, one of our most experienced floor nurses. "Carly, how's James Harrison doing?"

Carly has been here since my residency. She is spunky and always on top of things. I know she will give it to me straight.

She looks up from her computer. "What’s up, B?" She has been referring to me as B since we met.

I must look like the type of guy people want to give nicknames to because I must have at least five different ones.

"I was just about to page you. He's stable, but his blood pressure fluctuates more than we'd like."

I am nodding, trying to keep my face neutral. "I'm going to check on him. Can you join me?"

Sarah grabs Mr. Harrison's chart and follows me to his room. As we enter, I see him lying there, looking pale but alert. His wife sits by his bedside, her worried eyes meeting mine as we walk in.

"Good morning, Mr. Harrison," I say, forcing a smile. "How are you feeling today?”

10:11 am

As Carly and I step out of James Harrison's room, I feel the weight of concern settling on my shoulders. The hallway bustles with activity, but my focus narrows to the task at hand.

"Carly," I say, my voice low and serious, "I need you to run a full battery of tests on Mr. Harrison."

She raises an eyebrow, clearly noting my uncharacteristically grave tone. "What are you thinking, B?"

I lean against the wall, running a hand through my hair. "He's not recovering as quickly as he should be. I want to rule out any slow leaks at the patch site or other complications we might be missing."

Carly nods, her expression matching my concern. "Alright, what tests do you want?"

"Let's start with a complete blood count, coagulation panel, and comprehensive metabolic panel. I also want a CT angiogram to check for any leaks or abnormalities around the surgical site."

I pause, considering our next steps. "And let's get an echocardiogram as well. I want to make sure there's no cardiac involvement we're overlooking."

Carly jots down the orders on her tablet. "Got it. Anything else?"

"Yeah, keep a close eye on his vitals. If there are any significant changes, you should page me directly immediately. I don't care what time it is."

She nods, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I'm on it, Dr. Hankel. We'll figure this out."

---