Page 53 of Prognosis So Done

CHAPTER TWENTY - 0200 HOURS

Harriet sobbed as everyonetalked around her.

‘Let’s go, people.’ Gill’s authoritative tone was calm but urgent. ‘There’s a lot of blood. Joan, let’s get another line and rapidly infuse some O into her. Are you right to do the anaesthetic?’

‘Of course.’ Joan’s voice now. ‘What about you? You shouldn’t be operating on Harry. I can get Ben.’

‘No.’ Gill again. ‘He’s in the middle of his own amputation.’

‘You can swap.’

Joan’s voice was firm. But... ‘We don’t have time.’ Gill was emphatic. ‘I’m it. I’m doing it.’

All that swirled above her as the miserable implications dawned on Harriet. She’d been pregnant and now she wasn’t. And there was no time to ponder the details or grieve over a baby she had never known about because she was bleeding. A lot. And she knew ectopic pregnancy rupture was the highest cause of maternal death in the first trimester of pregnancy.

So, she could die.

And, if she survived? Then she’d probably never be able to conceive naturally again. It just wasn’t fair.

She clutched Gill’s arm to get his attention as he barked orders. ‘Promise me you’ll try and save the tube, Gill. Promise me. Don’t take away any chance I have of having a baby.’

He shut his eyes looking as bad, if not worse as he had earlier after the call about his grandfather. ‘Harry, I love you and I will try but right now I have to be a surgeon first and a husband second.’

Harriet knew that. She did. But. ‘Just try,’ she begged, her face screwing up as she choked on a sob. ‘Please, Gill. Please.’

‘I’ll try,’ he said tersely. ‘I have to go and scrub now.’ And he walked away.

The next few minutes passed in a blur as Helmut placed a mask on her face and connected her up to the monitor. She couldn’t stop crying. Even among the hustle and bustle all around her and amidst some of her dearest friends, she felt

totally alone.

‘I’m going to put you to sleep now, Harry,’ said Joan gently.

Harriet blinked as Joan’s blurry face appeared above her. ‘No, wait, Joan,’ said Harriet, pulling her mask off, desperate to garner more support. ‘Swear to me you’ll remind Gill of his promise.’

‘Harry...’ Joan was obviously torn between her medical training and Harriet’s tearful plea.

‘I will keep him to it,’ said Katya, her head appearing in

view now. The fierceness in her eyes was about the only thing Harriet could see thanks to the mask Katya was wearing.

‘Thank you, Katya,’ whispered Harriet, more hot tears pouring from her eyes.

She wanted to link hands to touch her friend and convey her gratitude, but even in this warm and fuzzy state she knew Katya was standing with her gloved hands clasped together and in close to her body which meant she was already scrubbed and sterile and therefore untouchable.

‘It’s time,’ said Joan gently, replacing the mask Harriet had removed.

Harriet nodded and swallowed another lump of emotion rising in her chest that threatened to overwhelm her. She pulled the

mask off again. She knew that things were touch and go with her and that she might not pull through. She didn’t want to leave without these people knowing how much they meant.

‘I love you guys,’ she said in a voice she had to force to be loud, a single tear squeezing out from the corner of an eye. She didn’t have the energy for grand speeches but at least she’d said what she’d needed to.

Everyone paused for a moment at Harriet’s words. Gill’s step faltered as he entered the theatre. Joan stopped mid-check of the laryngoscope. Helmut looked up from preparing drugs and Siobhan and Katya stopped their count. Every one of them knew what was on the line.

Harriet’s life was hanging in the balance.

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