The Interns

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The InternsA Novel By Shaun Powell

Book One Of The Medical Trilogy



Book One

The InternsPrologue

We are dedicated,

We are doctors.

We save lives,

We are doctors.

We sign charts,We are doctors.

We forget our lives,

We are Surgeons.





also give you a feeling that you have helped this unsteady world

we live in.

Yes, as a doctor, we sign charts, check rashes and temperatures

but, as surgeons... We save lives.

"We are losing him!", Dr. Forde informs us, the interns, the scrub

team. At the moment Forde is touching a heart. Touching a heart.

Cardiotherastics is obviously his speciality. It is to be my speciality

too and who better to learn it from than Dr.Forde himself, one of

the most acclaimed surgeons in all of L.A. His thick brown hair is

hidden behind his surgery cap. His mask hides his unshaven face

and red lips. His face is stern, dedicated. His life is surgery,

graduating top of the class from Harvard- School Of Medicine.

Next to him Dr.Jane Young, the young blonde intern, my close

friend. "Suction", orders Forde, the scrub nurse uses the suction

tube. "Clamp!". I take a peek into the chest of the patient. From the

heart, blood leaks out. "What are you going to do Dr.Forde?", I

ask. "There's nothing I can do! This man was half dead when he

came to this hospital! I did all I could, the damage was too

extensive.", replies Forde, taking off his face mask and headingtowards the door. The heart monitor takes it last "Beep", and then

silence.

"I am sorry, Henry didn't make it, Dr.Forde tried all he could, but

the damage was too extensive, I am sorry for your loss". The hearts

paitents wife stands before me and then 'it' happens. The thing. The

thing all us surgeons hate. The time the family goes into shock and

denies everything. "No! No! He was fine this morning! He was-

fine!", the wife breaks down and rests on me. "Dr. Taylor-", says

the wife looking at my white coat that hangs to my knees and

covers the blue scrub suit underneath. My dirty blonde hair usually

hangs to my neck, but is tied up in a pony tail. My green eyes start

to water as the wife begins to cry. I am only an intern! I cannot

handle all of this, not yet anyway. "Please Dr.Taylor- tell me he is



fine!". "Im sorry Ma'am". With that I bring the wife over to a chair

and let the tragedy sink in.

In the locker room I start to get out of my hospital clothes and put

on my normal clothes, the ones that don't say I am a doctor. I slamthe locker, still emotional from the wife. Jane walks in the door to

find me sitting on the bench, crying. " Alexie? What's wrong?",

Jane asks me, one of the only people who call me by my first name

in this hospital, to everybody else it is Dr. Taylor. "I had to do it

today- the thing!", tell her. Having done it before, she understands

my pain. "Oh Lex! It's okay!", Jane replies, with a comforting hug.

Jane helps me up. "Look at me... Wipe away those tears, you are

strong Lex, you are a doctor, a surgeon." A big bright smile

spreads across Jane's face. "Thank you", I say, under my sobs.

Together me and Jane, who is my roommate in a big house three

miles from the hospital, return home.

We are strong. We are dedicated. We save lives, and we lose some.

Things don't always turn out the way we want them to. People die.

It's common to make mistakes in surgery. Even the most skilled

pair of hands, cannot save every one. But more often than not, we

do save people, and those feelings, are the ones we hold on to, because by tomorrow, they could be gone.

The Interns



Off I Go

Chapter TwoOff I go

Where I fall is where I land

Off I go


Greg Laswell

They say there are five stages of grief. Grief is a missunderstood

emotion. But we all must experience it sometime in life. Whether it

is a death or divorce, everyone will experience grief. A personmust go through the five stages to be well again, to heal.

Denial, not accepting or acknowledging the loss.

Anger, Blamng the missing person for leaving.

Bargaining, Begging, praying, wishing for them to come back.

Depression, overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, frustration,

bitterness, self pity, mourning loss of person as well as the hopes,

dreams and plans for the future.

Acceptance, Accepting the loss, and moving forward.

"Rounds", shouts the resident for our group of interns,

Dr.Freeman. "Taylor- Young your with me. Lets go, lets go!",

Derek Freeman calls me and Jane over. We follow him to a

patients room, where a woman lies on a bed wearing a bandana

around her bald head. "Regina Freeman, stage III cancer",

Dr.Freeman reads from the patients charts. Regina looks at

Freeman. Me and Jane look at each other."Are you related?", Jane asks Derek.

"Yes, she's my wife". Derek walks over to his face and takes her

hand.



Off I go

"I choose you two interns to take good care of my wife, you two

shine out from the rest of the interns, you will do your best with

my wife", Derek tells us."Yes doctor".

Derek kisses his wife on the top of her head. He looks at us as if to

say "take care of her".

"How are you feeling?", I ask Regina.

"Eh-", she forces a smile.

"It says here you were in remission?".

"Yeah, but the darn thing keeps on coming back!", Regina says.

"DNR- do not resuscitate! Why?", Jane interrupts."I've died like two times, the next time I go, I want to stay gone..."

"But why would you want to do that! I don't understand? If the

doctor can save you- why?", Jane is getting angry.

"Jane- it's the patients decision", I say to Jane.

"Untill you feel the pain I am feeling, you don't understand and

God for bid you ever do get cancer and you have died and left this

world more than once, you would sign the DNR papers too!".

Regina closes her eyes as if about to sleep. Suddenly thick dark red blood starts to flow from Regina's nose. "Page Dr.Freeman!"


Jane sits in the MRI machine. Her scans are not good. The cancer

has spread to her frontal lobe in the front of her brain which

controls the movement, personality and the memory. Dr. Freeman

tries to hold in his emotions. He bangs his hands against the wall."Derek, calm down! Ww can fix her, we have removed tumours

much worse", the chief of surgery, Dr. Hayes, encourages Derek.

"I know we can- the only thing is she doesn't want surgery, she

wants to go!". Derek runs his hands through his thick hair in

anxiety.



"Maybe its time to let her go Derek..."

Off I go

A simple smile to hide the fact you are hurting inside. As Charlie

Chaplin said, "Smile what's the use of crying". Derek sits with his

wife as me and Jane look through the window watching the two

spend Regina's last moments laughing. "We could have done

more! We can do more!", Jane says to me.

"Jane, this is her decision"

"I just don't understand how somebody can just choose to die!"

"Maybe she wants relief... Being in pain all these years cannot beeasy".

Derek grabs Regina's hand and kisses it, his face goes red and he

lets his emotions out. Regina comforts him. As Regina's heart rate

went down slowly, she crashed.


Derek watches his wife fade away. The DNR plays in his mind, but

as a surgeon he knows he cannot attempt to bring her back. He

stands over her body shaking his head in denial. He slams the DNR

onto the floor in Anger. He sits on the empty bed that once was

home to his wife and he bargains he prays, begs to bring her back,

and then he simply stops speaking, depression.

Acceptance is all that remains. But what if we cannot accept the

loss of someone? What if the pain is too gruelling to accept? What

if we love the person too much to accept that they are gone?What happens to those people?



The InternsOrgans

Chapter Three

I would have given you all of my heart

But there's someone who's torn it apart

And he's taken just all that I have

But if you want I'll try to love again

Baby, I'll try to love again- Sheryl Crow

When a person dies there is one thing we ask the family. Organs.Can you donate your husbands or wifes or childs organs. Heart,

lungs even the skin. This decision is a tough one for the family to

make. Taking everything that your relation was. This emotional

time can also bring someone a new hope. Skin graphs can be used

on burn victims. Lungs can be used for lung transplants and hearts

can be used for heart transplant. Yes when a person dies, it can

bring another persons life back into perspective. But when we

gratefully accept the organs, do we think of the family you havetaken it from? What it has done to their perspective?

Me and Jane get out of the car and walk towards the hospital.

"So hows things with you and Forde going?", Jane asks. Me and

Dr.Forde are having an on off relationship since I started my

internship here at Chicago Memorial Hospital, CMH. We come

here early to get the good patients, but what Jane finds today, is

more than any patient. "Eh, we haven't talked much in the lastthree weeks! You know the usual crap! Ever since he chose a

surgery over me...", flashbacks of the night where I wait in the

restaraunt for Forde, who never shows, the candle waxs melts all

the way down untill it flickers out. Then I get the call saying he

had the chance to do a rare surgery, and he took it. "You know



what- you deserve better!", says Mike as he slams the locker on the

left of mine. Mike has always had a thing for me, and a grudge for

Forde. Dr. Mayce walks in the door. "Taylor- Young and", she

forgets Mike's surname, "You", she says pointing at Mike.

"I got a heart patient for you!". As I said we come here early to getthe best patients.

"Jerry James- Awaiting a heart for a transplant as his own heart is

too weak to maintain adequate blood flow", reads Dr. Mayce from

the mans chart. The man sits up when he sees Jane walk in the

door. Jane stops when she sees him. I look at Jerry and then at

James. It looks like love at first sight. Jane flicks her hair and

clears her throat. "Hello there!", Jerry says to us, looking at Jane."Hey- How are you feeling today Mr-", Jane replies waiting for his

name. "James, Mr.James, but you can call me Jerry." Jane smile.

"Okay- Jane you have Jerry today, take good care of him, he's a

good man! Alexie and Mike, you will be assisting Dr.Forde in OR

2, for a potential heart for Jerry." Jane smiles, "You have a heart,

well a potential one, already?", she asks.

"Well darling it's not really 'already', I've been on the waiting list

for about four years"."But we are confident that this one- is the one!", says Dr. Mayce.

"I think she is", Jerry says, and I don't think he is talking about the

heart as he looks at Jane and smiles.

After Forde takes the heart from the doners body and puts it in the

protective plastic bag and into the box, I finally have a moment

alone with him. "Very well done Dr.Forde, thanks for letting me

assist you", is the first thing I say to him as we wash our hands.

"I actually didn't ask for you, Mayce insisted I did, said you wereskilled".

"Oh-"

"Lex- I am sorry". I look at an apologetic Forde. Could I ever

forgive him. "Can we start over? As if nothing ever happened?".

I look at him. "Im sorry Forde, no", and with that I dry my hands



and leave Forde alone.

Jane sits on the bed with Jerry. "So Ms.Young- can I take you out".

Jane smiles, alot of smiles for Jerry. "Well Mr. James, you have

extensive heart surgery coming up and I don't think you will begoing anywhere for a while", she teases.

"C'mon Janey, you and me both know the heart won't work. This is

the third time I have been back with a possible heart".

"Third time lucky Jerry, and think positive. I tell you what, when

you get this heart into you, I will go out with you".

"It's a date then".

"It's a date-". I walk into the room. "It's time Jerry".

Forde stands over Jerry and places the new heart into his body.

"defibrillators", he orders. The nurse hands him the two stick like

machines. "Here we go people, third time lucky". "Charge", beep

beep beep! We all watch the heart and the heart monitor. The heart

take one beat, and then another, and another. "Third time lucky!", I

say. "Well done people, we got a beat". After the surgeons leave I

walk over to Forde. "Hi, my name is Alexie Taylor", I say, holding

out my hand. "Lex what are you doing?". "You said you wanted tostart fresh". I push my hand closer to him. "Hello Alexie, my name

is George Forde".

When a person dies we ask for the deceased's organs. These organs

can help another person survive. Whether it's skin graphs for a

burn victim or a heart for a heart transplant patient. "By the way

Ms. Young, I will be expecting that date pretty soon", Jerry says to

Jane. The decision is a tough one for the family. Tears are shed.

Harvesting organs is taking all that the person was, leaving themempty on the inside. But when we reluctantly give up these organs,

we see another persons future being changed for the good. Even

though it is a tough decision... it has a great outcome. But is the

person ,who has been healed by this selfless act, grateful for their

decision? Do they even think about what they went through to



keep you alive?

The InternsInto me

Well I was moving at the speed of sound.

Head-spinning, couldn't find my way around, and

Didn't know that I was going down.Where I've been, well it's all a blur.

What I was looking for, I'm not sure.

Too late and didn't see it coming - Crashed

Chapter Four

We may not know when our last day will be. It could be fifty years

from now, it could be today...But do we really know when today will be our last?

Alexie

I drive to work very fast. It's not good to be late in your first year

of internship in your first hospital. This sort of thing is what gets

you kicked out of the programme. The coffe in my hand flies up

into the air and spills all over my t- shirt and trousers. The music blares distractingly. I bend down to pick up the empty cup, if only

I hadn't. My car slides over to the other side of the road and a truck

from the other side smashes into me. I was in such a hurry, I never

strapped up. I fly through the windshield and land on my bonnet.

The truck topples over with the man trapped inside, impaled by his



opposite door, his worried face is the last thing I see before

everything turns white...

Jane

Beep!Beep!Beep!I stand in the locker room with Mike and a few other interns. "Hey,

have you seen Lex?", I ask Mike.

"No, you live with her!".

"Yeah, when I left she was only getting dressed".

"Uh-Oh if she's late she could get kicked outta the programme!",

Mike says, "What's the page?", I forgot I got a pager.

"Its Dr.Forde- says there was massive car crash on the motor way-

more than fifteen vehicles!""holy crap! What do we do?", just as Mike asks the question

Dr.Mayce burst through the doors. "Okay people listen up- as you

have probabaly been told there was a mas car crash on the motor

way! We need ten interns right now to go! Okay you- you- ",

Mayce continues until she has eight.

"Me and Mike will go", I say.

"Fine lets go!".

After we were informed on what to expect from the trauma case,

the car crash, we were brought to the scene in an ambulance. When

they opened the doors, words couldn't describe the scene. About 20

cars lay over turned, some on fire, and other cars just blown apart.

People lay screaming on the ground and some lay dead on the

ground. The rescue team spreads out to all the people and stations

are set up. Gurney's are laid out to put patients on. Dr.Mayce

comes over to the group of interns. She hands us jackets with the

word DOCTOR written on the front and back. "GO!GO!GO!".

I rush over to the first car I see. A woman sits in the front, drivers

seat, in shock. Her daughter sits in the back, unconscious. "Help

Me!", the woman screams. Her car is over turned so I bend down

to her and look through the smashed window. She has many blows



to her head and her daughter- doesn't look good. "Help my

daughter first! Help her!".

"Ma'am I need you to stay calm, how are you feeling?"

"Just a bit dizzy, but my baby girl- help her please!".

"She is probabaly suffering from concusion, the firefighters willget you out! Hey! Over here!!", I shout to a group of rescue fire

fighters. I run to help the next person, only to see a huge truck over

turned and Alexie laying on her car bonnet.

"LEX!".

I run over to Lex. She is unconscious. I check for a pulse- c'mon-

c'mon- nothing. She is so pale, cold. There is one long cut going

through her face and blood slowly flows from her mouth and nose. Not a good sign. I look over to the truck. I see the driver screaming

for help. "I will be right back Lex!", I say, hopping for an answer,

but nothing. I can just about see the driver, he is impaled by a door.

"Help me please!", he begs.

"Okay calm down sir! I am a doctor! Tell me what's wrong-", I say

trying to keep him calm.

"I can't feel my legs and I can't breathe!", he informs me. Oil from

his truck leaks beside my foot. "Okay sir I am coming in!".

I climb up to the driver from the door the is now impaling him. It is

a cramped area, I won't be able to do much. "Sir I am going to try

push the door from you okay! It will hurt okay!". He nods and then

closes his eyes. I put my gloved hands onto the stained with blood

door, I push it up to see that part of the window from the door is

stuck in the man. Blood splatters out from the man. He screams in

pain. "I'm sorry!". I look out to Lex, Mayce is looking after her. As

I turn my head back to the man, I see one single flame in a straightline burning towards the truck. The flame gets closer and closer to

the source of the oil. "Holy crap! listen I am going to try pull you

out!", I say to the man.

"Why do you sound so scared?".

"Because I have around thirty seconds to do it". The mans



expression changes from pain to fear. I try to heave the man, but he

is too heavy. He budges a little but not enough. The flames gets

closer and closer. I won't make it. The flame hits the source and for

one moment everything goes quiet until... BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!

Alexie

I am in the hospital, alone. I walk the corridors. Outside it is a

beautiful day. The place is deserted. The only noise comes from my

high heels against the marble floors. My coat reads, Alexie Taylor

MD. I walk past an O.R room and as I walk by it I see three

surgeons over a womans body. I look through the window. The

woman is pale, lifeless. The heart monitor shows her decreasing heart rate until the line goes flat. The surgeons scramble around.

Dr.Forde starts resuscitation. "Charge"- "Clear"- "Charge"-

"Clear".

But the woman doean't return. I try to open the door, maybe I can

help, but the door is locked. I continue walking down the corridors

when I come to the stairs. I look up to the top of the stairs, where a

bright light shines. I hear high heels clinking against the floor. I

turn to my left to see Jane walking towards me. She stops by my

side and says nothing. Her face shows it all. We both stare at the

stairs. She looks at me and smiles. The noise of the defribulators,

sounds in my head, as well as Mike crying. I have a weird thuming

feeling in my chest. I start to feel cold. Jane takes my hand in hers.

I look confusingly at Jane- "Is this the right way? The right thing

to do?".

Nobody knows when they are going to die. It could be in fifty

years, it could be today. But do we really know when which daywill be our last?

Are we prepared to let go?



The InternsHave A Little Faith

You could throw me

In the fire

And I won't be burned

For my faith

Is Your desire

And Your love endures - Faith Won't Fail

Chapter Five

Have a little faith. That's all we can do in time of trouble. Belief in

something can change everything, change the outcomes. But not

everyone has faith. Is there actual evidence that God does exist?

Yet, faith can get us through the most difficult of times.

"We're losing her Dr.Forde!", the scrub nurse informs Dr.Fordeabout my fading away soul.

"Defribulators!", he orders. "Charge!". We body springs up into

the air, but still nothing. "C'mon Lex! Don't die on me! Not now-

not like this!". Forde clenches his fists into balls and starts banging

my stomach. "Doctor- she's gone!", says the nurse.

"No!", he replies and continues.

"Doctor- call it-".

Forde gives up and faces what he has been trying to avoid."Time of death- 16.33", but as he calls the time to which they gave

up trying to save me, something strange happened, my soul felt

warm. And then everything went black. I opened my eyes and took

in a vast amount of oxygen. My mouth was dry. The once flatline

heart monitor is increasing, higher and higher. "Oh thank God!"



In the room next to me, Jane lays on a bed, unconscious. Doctors

scramble around her. Her whole left arm was burned in the

explosion. The explosion sent her flying out of the truck and into

another car, if she makes it out of this, she will have severe braindamage, only if. Her heart beat is very low. Then, like me, she

returns. She opens her wide blue eyes.

"Welcome back Jane!". But she doesn't reply.

"Where am I?", she asks.

"Your in the OR Jane! You survived a terrible accident! You are

very lucky you survived".

"Who- is Jane? Why do you keep calling me Jane!".

I lay on a bed in the recovery room. Jane lays next to me, but is

asleep. Dr.Forde walks in and reads my chart.

"Hey!", I say. He looks at me and smiles.

"How am I looking?".

"Good Dr.Taylor!". . . Dr.Taylor? He never calls me that.

"Did I do something?". He nods signalling a no. He puts down the

chart and heads towards the door.

"George!""What Lex? Huh? Do you want me to tell you how I almost lost

you? How you almost died on my clock?"

"George- I am fine! I thought we were good?"

"We were- we are- I am jus afraid of you right now- afriad that I

might lose you and this time you won't come back".

"George, I will never leave you- I came back, for you-". George

puts his fingers to his eyes and squints.

"I'll be back later to check on you".

Jane starts to move in her bed and she opens her eyes.

"Hey- your awake!", I say. She looks at me in confusion.

"You okay Jane?". Images of me flash through Jane's head.

"Lex?".

"Yeah Jane?".



"Why don't I remember anything?".

It's the most anyone can do- just have faith. Faith in that maybe a

sick friend, will get better. Faith that maybe your partners isues

will fade away, but that's all we can do. And for the people thatmake mistakes, and think they could have done better to save

someone, for people who have let loved ones die in their arms,

what do they believe?

Have they any faith left for us?

For themselves?

The InternsChange

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die

Cuz I don't know what's up there beyond the sky

It's been a long time coming but I know

A change gon' come oh yes it will- Sam Cooke

Chapter Six

Everything changes. It's something we all must go through,

Change. We cannot help it. But these changes are planned. What

happens to the people who have to change,

the ones that have no choice?



I lay in the recovery room. Jane has been taken for a MRI. They

suspect brain damage. She can barely remember anything that

happened before the crash, but she remembers me. She has a cut at

the left hand side of her forhead, it will leave a scar. A flaw on her perfect face. When Forde wheels her into the room, I can tell by

their expressions that something is wrong. Forde brings her over to

her bed, beside me.

"Hey- how is it?", I ask Forde, as Jane stares at the ceiling.

"She has severe brain injuries- we are keeping her in for

observation, she may slur her words and cannot walk for a while,

but with help I say she will be fine in a few months-", Forde tells

me, avoiding looking directly at me."Does that mean she could-", I go to say before being cut off by

Forde, "Yes, she could go into a coma".

I wake up during the middle of the night to the sounds of sobbing.

I open my eyes and look around. Am I dreaming? I see Jane sitting

up, crying. I get out of bed. It hurts to move so I go slowly. "Hey-

what's wrong?", I say putting my arm s

around Jane."I'm not gonna get better am I?", she says with tears rolling down

her cheeks.

"Oh honey- of course you are! Look at me-", Jane looks at me and

I rub away her tears. "Listen to me Jane! Your gonna get better!

Don't worry about that okay! This is just a change! You will get

through this. We will get through this". Jane stops crying and

starts smiling. "Thank you".

"Do you remember anything?".

"Sometime I see a man- I know it sounds weird, but there'ssomething different about this man. He is the type of man, I could

love- ugh listen to me, talking about loving someone that I don't

even know! You must think I'm crazy", she smiles.

"No- no I don't, know who you are talking about- he is a heart

patient, just got a new heart, he asked you out..."



"And what did I say?"

"You said yes".

"Was Jerry happy?", she asks.

"Yeah he- wait, I never told you his name!", I realise,after Jane

says "Jerry"."What?"

"You said Jerry! You remember him! I never said anything about

his name!". Jane's face widens into one of the biggest smiles ever.

It could light up the whole room. She grabs my arms in her and

starts shaking them in a happy dance. This happiness could last a

lifetime.

Everything changes. It's something we all must go through.Wecannot help it. But these changes are planned. What happens to the

people who have to change,

the ones that have no choice?

They get through it...

The InternsTouching; Breathing;Loving

I feel it all as it sickens me

It feels like I'm dying inside

Because of the love I gavethat cant be returned

My longing for instability

is a personality flaw- Love Is Illness



Chapter Seven

When you breathe in a virus, you become part of it, it takes over. .

Body temperature rising, sore throats and sickness are somesymptoms, others result in death. When you breathe in a virus, it

becomes in control...

Forde walks into the recovery room to see me and Jane laughing.

He walks over to my bed and reads my chart.

"How am I looking?", I say, the smile vanishing from my face as

he I the frown on Fordes.

"Fine- great! How are you feeling Jane?", he asks, avoidingcomplete eye contact with me and walking over to Jane.

"Well we have some good news- I am starting to remember

things!", Jane replies, her face brightening.

"Really? That's amazing! A great sign!".

"Can we talk Forde?", I ask, seriously. Jane notices this won't be

about my health but about our relationship- if you want to call it

that. Forde knows what this will be about.

"No, I've got patients to see!". He nods and heads for the door. I jump up off the bed in time to grab his arm.

"Lex listen-", he gets cut off.

"No- you listen! What is wrong with you? You have been avoiding

me all week! Please tell me!".

"I'm sorry! I wanna be with you- but just right now, I can't, I can't

help feeling that it was my fault everytime I see you!".

"It wasn't your fault! I was driving- it was my fault!".

"No, it was my fault that I didn't save you". He walks away,

leaving me alone in the corridor.

"Get everyone out of this floor! NOW!", shouts Dr.Mayce. I walk

over to her, in a housecoat and slippers.

"What's going on?".

"A virus- some patient came in this morning with a rash, turns out



she has Gliroplean-".

"Gliroplean? Seriously?". Gliroplean, one of the most dangerous

viruses in America. Only two cases have been reported in the last

15 years, both of which deceased. The disease is highly

contagious. The patients room has been quarantined with plasticwrappings aroind the door and windows. With the big red letters

plastered on the door "QUARANTINE". Patients are being moved

from their rooms and into other rooms on the next, or below, floor.

I pack my stuff as we are being moved below. As I walk by the

quarantined room I see a woman lying on the bed, crying. A purple

rash covers her whole face, body too. She scratches with fear. She

notices me, I smile. Men in face masks and white suits walk by. It

looks like something from a Sci-Fi movie. The move us to thefloor below. Dr.Mayce walks in to check on me.

"Where's Forde?", I ask. As much as Forde is mad, he still checks

on me.

"Oh did nobody tell you? Eh- em!-"

"Spit it out!", I already knew what was wrong, but I needed proof.

"He has been infected with Gliroplean".

Forde, and a few other doctors who have been infected, are lockedin a room. Rashes begin to grow on their faces and on their arms.

Worried looks spread across their faces. I watch through the

window of the room. Forde looks at the window and walks over to

me. "Lex!".

"Are you okay?", I ask.

"They say we are infected", wow- the longest conversation we

have had in a week.

"Don't worry, they will get you better!".

"Lex- there's no cure to Gliroplean...""Well, you can still survive right? It might just pass, like most

viruses".

"This virus is different than others." Forde puts his hand on the

window. I put my hand up too. I pretend tht everything is fine, we

are together, Jane is fine, there is no Gliroplean, just a perfect little



life, but when I open my eyes I am brought back to the real world

when I see Forde lying on the ground, blood coming out of his

mouth.

"Help! Somebody help him!!!"

When you breathe in a virus, you become part of it, it takes over. .

Body temperature rising, sore throats and sickness are some

symptoms, others result in death. When you breathe in a virus, it

becomes in control.

You have no power over the virus. The virus' cells multiply.

Certain death is a possibility.When a person becomes infected, that is the time they need you

most.

The InternsWill I Survive This?

tell me will i ever survive

stop my tears and keep it inside

holding back myself from being close to you....

Will i ever wake up from this dream

I'm going through- Will I Survive

Chapter Eight

There is a question that patients ask us when they are admtted;



"Will I survive this?". The only answer we can give them is- "We

will do our best to save you". We can't really promise or even say

that they will get better 'cause, we don't know if they will sirvive.

"Help! Somebody help him!!!", I shout. Two men in white suitsrun around from the corner. Their faces masked.

"Please help him! He fainted!". The men stand looking through the

window. They look at each other. Why aren't they helping him?

"Well do something!". The men unlock the door and reluctantly alk

into the room. The people inside begin screaming and begging for

help. Two of the people, including Forde, lay unconscious on the

ground. Another man in a hite suit comes in ith a hospital bed for

Forde, they wheel him out. They stop at me. Forde takes my handand smiles. He has a rash that covers his face. Dark red. Blood

comes from his mouth and nose.

"Will he make it? Will he survive?"

I return to my recovery room where Jane lies in bed reading a

magazine.

"What's up?", she asks when she sees the tears on my face.

"It's Forde- he has Gliroplean!". Jane drops her magazine."Oh my God! C'mere Lex-", I walk over to Jane and sit on her bed.

"What stage of Gliroplean?", she asks. Gliroplean is split up into

three levels; 1st- not so bad, you can heal, survive. 2nd- worse, but

you can still make it, but you can still die and 3rd- uncurable-

certain death.

"Stage two!", I inform her.

"Thats good though- he can still make it", she encourages me.

"Hopefully!". Jan continues to read her magazine. Her hands start

shaking, excessively."What's wrong?", I ask.

"Oh- nothing."

Jane is asleep, I am lying in bed, thinking about Forde, it is half

twelve. Mayce walks in.



"How is he? How is Forde?", I ask.

"He is in recovery room 3", she says, with a smile widening on her

face.

"Recovery room! You mean he is- okay?", I start to cry, tears of

joy."Oh my God- thats great!!", I say. Mayce looks at my chart and

then walks over to Jane. I am so happy that I don't notice Mayce

shining a torch in Jane's eyes or touching her fingers, checking for

a response. I sit in bed, a smile on my face, not thinking that my

best friend is not here to join me in my happiness. I stand up to put

my shoes on when I see Mayce standing in front of Jane.

"Whats wrong?". Mayce turns around, her expression has

completely changed."Dr.Taylor- sit down, we need to talk about Jane...".

And all through the conversation of how Jane is gone into a coma,

despite the fact that she has been getting better, all I could think

was one thing;

Will she survive this?

There is a question that patients ask us when they are admtted;"Will I survive this?". The only answer we can give them is- "We

will do our best to save you". We can't really promise or even say

that they will get better 'cause, we don't know if they will sirvive.

Nobody does.

The InternsI Have Changed

I don't do the things that I used to do nomore



Everything that you do I adore

No more lies, no more games, everything I say I mean- I've Changed

Chapter Nine

Three Months Later

People change in three months. I have changed in three months. I

know I have, I can see it. My once perfect eyes are now clouded

with big heavey, black bags underneath them, from a lack of sleep,

from worrying. My once straight, clean hair is now jagged and

usually greasy tied up in a bobbin. I look worn out. Although my jacket reads "Dr.Taylor MD", I don't feel like a doctor, not since a

long time. But here I stand, in the interns locker room in front of

the mirror, looking at my changed self. I know I have changed. I

know it.

I stand in the locker room with the rest of the interns. Although I

cast myself away from them, Mike and Susan talk to me. Susan

failed her residency test last year and was forced to repeat her intern years again. Her and Mike stand beside me, chatting and

laughing.

"Hahaha! I know! What do you think Lex?", Mike asks me. I pull

out of my daydreaming.

"Eh-".

"Rounds!", Mayce comes running in the door. Thank God. Mike is

angry that I have taken a tunr for the worst. My best frend Jane

went into a coma three months ago and my partner got infected

with a rare disease. I was in a car crash. It wasn't a good month. Iwalk over to Mayce.

"Can I look after Jane today?", I ask.

"No- you have been with her all week, you need to get away.

Come back to the human world!"

"Please Mayce".



"No, but you can have Jerry James". Jerry is a heart patient, that

has a thing for Jane.

"Jerry? Why is he here?"

"He rejected his heart, needs to be under observation- and needs a

new heart".

I walk into Jerry's room, where he sits up reading a book.

"Jerry!", I say with a smile on my face, the rare smile.

"Dr.Taylor! How are you?"

"I'm good!", lie.

"That's great, where is Jane? Haven't seen her in a while! She said

she would call about that date!", he smiles. He doesn't know that

she is in a coma."Oh my God, nobody told you. Three months ago, there was a car

crash and Jane got involved in an explosion. She was fine for a

while but sustained serious brain injuries- she is in a coma Jerry,

I'm so sorry-", the feeling, the dreaded feeling in the pit of my

stomach returns to me as I imagine Jane. Jerry stares at me in

disbelief.

"Will she come back?"

"We are very confident she will be back- but with her injuries wecan't be sure! But anyway, how are you feeling?", I ask, changing

the subject.

"Ugh- never been better", he smiles.

"Well it's good to have you back, even though it's through illness".

Jerry smiles.

It's twelve o' clock at night. The hospital is basically empty, except

for a few nurses and doctors. I walk into Jane's room. She lies

there, still. She is hooked up to a life support machine. Her perfectface has turned pale. Her eyes closed. I walk over to her an twine

my hand with hers. I wish she could feel me. They say that

sometimes they are aware, they can sense. Sometimes they wake

up for a brief minute and then are engulfed by another deep sleep. I

lay beside her now.



"Hey guess what? Jerry's back! He misses you- we all do!", I tell

her.

"I miss you Jane. I feel that all this was my fault. If I hadn't of

caused the crash then you would be here with me now. Flirting

with Jerry-". I smile at the thought of them together."You know when you pull out of this, which you will, you have to

go on that date with him."

As I stare at Jane, Mayce walks in through the door. The look on

her face tells me that this is not something she wants to do.

"Lex, as Jane's really only "person" we need to talk, she has no

family and you are her closest friend, there's something we need to

discuss". She walks over to me with a page in her hand.

"With all the budget cuts, we cannot afford to use the life supportmachines for a long period of time, and Jane has been on LS for

three months now with now changes."

"NO! Your not taking her off life support! She will pull through!

She will get better! Please!".

Mayce puts her hand on my shoulder, the decision has already

been made.

I know I have changed. My once perfect eyes are now cloudedwith big heavey, black bags underneath them, from a lack of sleep,

from worrying. My once straight, clean hair is now jagged and

usually greasy tied up in a bobbin. I look worn out. Although my

jacket reads "Dr.Taylor MD", I don't feel like a doctor, not since a

long time. I know, deep down I am not the person I once was.

But- have I changed for the good?

The Interns



When We Die

And I know that we're gonna be fine And the tattooed mistakes

Are gonna fade over time

As long as we live, time passes by

And we won't get it back when we die- When We Die

Chapter Ten

What happens when we die? Besides the heart monitor flatlining,

and the calling and the funeral. What happens to us? What happens

to the soul?

Does it go to heaven?

Does it go to hell?

Or is the soul reborn?

We stand around a peacefull looking Jane. Mayce rests her hand in

my shoulder in comfort. Two other doctors stand beside us."Are you ready Dr.Taylor?", Mayce asks. How can anyone be

ready for this? How can anyone end a life? So no I am not ready to

kill my best friend. I look away. The doctor walks over to the

machine and as if by some miracle another interns runs through the

doors in a hurry.

"Mayce! It's Jerry! He's gone into cardiac arrest!". The doctor at

the machine looks at Mayce.

"Can we do this later?", Mayce asks. The doctor nods. Mayce runsout the door and the two doctors follow her. I stare at Jane.

"You just don't want to go do you?"

I stand in the entrance to the hospital when I see him. His big smile

surprises me. From what I had heard, he was a wreck, emotionally.



Dr.Freeman. His wife died three months ago from cancer. He left

the hospital and we thought he would never return. But he did,

with all his dignity. I run over to him.

"Dr.Freeman! Your back-"

"Yes, Dr.Taylor! The chief offered my job back and I took it, beatssitting at home all day!", he smiles.

"It's so good to see you- how have you been?", I ask him, as we

walk up the stairs.

"Great! I heard about the crash- and Jane! How are you?"

"I'm fine, it's just Jane, you see she s in a coma-"

"Oh, thats dreadfull, I hope she regains consciousness! Well I have

to discuss a few things with the chief, I'll see you later Dr.Taylor".

Freeman heads to the chiefs office. I walk over to the surgery board and see Jerry's name down. I run up to his room.

"He's going into surgery?", I ask when I see Mayce talking to a

stabilised Jerry.

"Yes, a tripple bypass", replies Mayce.

"I need a new heart that's what I need!", says Jerry.

"We are confident that this surgery will work and you will get out

of this hospital!""It's about time! Feels like my home!"

"Dr.Taylor you will scrub in- page Dr.Forde!"

We stand over Jerry. Me, Mayce, Forde, Mike and a few other

interns, all crowded around him. He looks like he is doing all right.

But we can never be sure. Forde performs a median sternotomy, to

open the chest and we start. Jerry is under anaesthesia and is

supported by mechanical ventilation. The anaesthesiologist sits

beside the heart monitor reading. Heparin was given to Jerry to prevent his blood from clotting. Forde calls the instruments out to

the nurse. Mayce assists Forde. Then it happens. Jerry wakes up. In

the middle of heart surgery, Jerry opens his eyes. His body starts

shaking. His heart rate rises.

"Why is patent awake?!!", Forde shouts at the anaesthesiologist.



The doctor jumps from his book and gives more anaesthesia.

"Get out of my OR!", Forde shouts at the doctor.

"You need me!"

"Mayce- page Dr. Grace- get out NOW!". Then Jerry starts to

seizure. His body starts jerking. His eyes turn white. Drool comesfrom his mouth, and then simply, he stops breathing. His heart

monitor flatlines. He is gone. His mouth hangs open, his eyes

open.

"Defribulators!", orders Forde. The nurse brings them over.

"Clear!"-

Beep- Beep- Beep! Nothing. "Clear!"- Beep! Beep! Beep!

"Time of death- 14: 23".

Back to square one. Standing over Jane, with Mayce and the two

doctors.

"Are you ready?".

"Yes".

But this time, I am ready. I need to let her go. I can't live like this.

As the doctor walks over to the machine I notice something, a

twitch in Janes fingers.

"Wait! Look!". Mayce walks over and the doctor stops to examineJane. Her fingers start moving. And then her eyes open. Her

beautiful sea, blue eyes. She looks around.

"Lex?", she says. I begin to cry. I take her hand.

"Yes honey?"

" had the strangst dream?". I start laughing. Mayce laughs too and

we stand around Jane, thinking that if it had been even a minute in

the difference, she would be gone.

They say when we die, we either go to heaven or to hell, or else weare reborn...

But does anyone really know whats happens to the soul?



The InternsThe Chief

Chapter Eleven

One Month Later

There are many signs in life, signs of illness, signs of faith, signs of

futures, signs of death. Some of these signs bring us happiness,

while otheres- don't.

The chief woke up this morning feeling great. The chief drove to

the hospital with coffee in his hand singing along to the old

classics. The chief went to his office and did paper work. The chief

assisted Forde in a surgery. The chief told a family that there father

will be okay, he also told a wife that her husband didn't make it.

And when the chief returned to his home that night, he sat down

with a glass of scotch, with his wife in front of the TV. And then,without hestation, the chief had a heart attack. His wife rang the

hospital and within ten minutes he was back to his second home,

his favourite home. The place where his two children were born,

were his three grandchildren were born. You see, the chief never

really left the hospital, he was here more then he was at his own

home. This is his hospital. And we will miss him, but now we a

tough decision is left, who will be his successor if he dies? If he

dies!

An ambulance pulls into the lot. Me, Mayce, Mike, Jane and Susan

await for the patient to be taken out. The paramedic jumps out,

while two other take out the patient on the gurney.

"Martin Delaney", the paramedic announces.



"The chief?", I ask. Mayce nods.

"He had a heart attack about 10 minutes ago!".

"Okay- Lex- Jane- Mike, come with me", Mayce orders. Susan

stands looking at Mayce.

"What about me?", she asks."It's okay we got it!". Susan takes off her gloves and rolls them up

and throws them on the ground.

I stand in the locker room, on my own. My hand rests on my

stomach. I'm waiting. Is this good? Should I be happy? Two

minutes have been up by now! I look at the white stick- the big

pink plus. Pregnant. It takes a minute for this to sink in. And then

my moment of joy or whatever is interrupted when Jane runs inthrough the door. After coming out of her coma, it only took her

two weeks to get back on her feet and then another week for her to

return to work, but as for Jerry's death, that will take a while to

heal.

"Hey- we're scrubbing in on the chiefs surgery!". She sees the stick

in my hand.

"Oh my God- Lex? Are you?", she smiles. I nod, a grin spreads

across my face. Jane starts screaming in happiness."This is so great! I can't believe it! Oh my God!!!", she runs over

to me and gives me a hug. But is this big pink plus, the sign I

wanted? A good sign?

We stand over the chief. What was the chief. His chest lays open.

We did all we could. He was 54, just about to retire. Just one year

left and it would just be him and his wife, on the ocean, like he

always wanted.

"Time of death- 12: 58am", Forde says. Forde and Freeman leadthe surgery. Now they stand in front of each other outside the

chiefs office, while the board discusses who will be the next chief.

It's either gonna' go one of two ways. If it is Forde, everything will

be great. It's what he always wanted, to be chief. If it is Freeman, it

will be bad, obviously not for Freeman but for Forde, he will be



depressed, unahppy and jealous. After two hours of talk, the head

of the board comes out.

"Okay gentlman, we have decided, and the former chief also

decided part of it for us". Forde and Freeman stand up and fix

themselves hoping that will make them pick them."The new chief of surgery is Dr. Freeman. We will be back in one

month for a briefing, good day gentleman". And with that the

board mangaer walks away leaving Forde furing with Freeman.

Freeman smiles at Forde and walks into his new office and sits

down. He looks around the office, and even sitting down on the

chiefs chair, he knows he is in control. The boss. The chief.

I am at home with Forde. He sits in front of the TV, in a bad mood."You okay honey?", I ask.

"It should've been me- you know it- I know it".

"I know...". He returns to his game.

"I have something to tell you- and I am really scared so please, go

easy on me."

There are many signs in life, signs of illness, signs of faith, signs of

futures, signs of death. Some of these signs bring us happiness,while otheres- don't. But we don't know which way the signs will

bring us.

To happiness-

Or to depression.

The InternsHere's To The Future

What have you got to lose? Whichever paths you choose



Keep in mind that the fates are kind if you let them be so

And I know you will

Here's to the future brothers-raise your cups in the air

Here's to the future sisters and all the unlikely pairs- Here's To The

Future

Chapter Twelve

Heres to the future. Heres to now. We talk alot about futures.

Couples talk about how someday they will move in together. Then

they talk about how they will become spouses and have a family.

But when we plan our futures do we account for other things like

feelings? Or disasters? No- we shift aside all the possible bad

things that could happen and keep the image of the happy family

steadily in our minds. But sometimes, the bad things, become part

of our futures.

"Okay- okay!", I say rubbing my hands together in anxiety.

"C'mon spit it out!". I have to tell him. He's the father.

"Okay I'm just gonna say it-", I pause- " I'm pregnant!". First Forde

stood looking at me. Slowly his feeling of resenment towardsFreeman changed to happiness, for our future.

"You- we are having a baby?", a big smile spreads across his face.

"Well, yeah!"

"I'm gonna be- a father? A daddy?".

"Yes!", I say, a tear of joy trickling down my face, he jumps off the

sofa and picks me up with a big hug.

"So your happy now! Your not mad at Freeman for getting chief?".

He takes a few seconds to consider his answer."Yes I am very happy! Im gonna be a daddy of course I am

happy!", he replies, unconvincingly.

I walk into the intern locker room which is empty except for Susan

and Mike. Susan laughs at one of Mikes jokes and strokes his arm.



They make such a perfect couple.

"Morning Mike!", I say. He gets up, leaving Susan on her own on

the bench.

"Hey Lex! How are you!"

"Pregnant!", I reply."What?"

"Im pregnant Mike!"

"Oh my God really! Thats awesome! I am so happy for you- and

Forde!", he adds.

"Awh thank you!"

"Anyway I am on my way home- not feeling the best!", Mike says,

grabbing his bags.

"Whats wrong?""Just a flu! But I will be back soon!". Mike leaves, leaving me with

Susan.

"Can we talk?", Susan asks.

"About what?", I reply.

"Mike- I really like him! And all he keeps talking about is you and

Jane! I want him to like me!"

"Well I think Mike likes you Susan! Don't be shy, ask him out for a

drink or something!"."Well all I wanted to say was could you, back off, a little, I mean

you are pregnant and Mike, I think, gets the idea that you like him,

so could you like, stay- away from him!", she stands up.

"I won't let you tell me who I can and cannot talk to! Mike is my

friend!".

"Well he wants to be more than friends!", she picks up her bag and

heads to the door, before she leaves she turns around and says,

"Trust me, I'm better for Mike!", and then she leaves.

I walk through the corridor past the chiefs door when I hear

shouting, Forde and Freeman. I walk into the office. Forde leans on

the table with Freeman on the other side.

"You know this should be me!", Forde shouts at Freeman.

"Well the chief left the job for me! Let it go!", Freeman replies.



"Hey! Stop it!", I shout. The two raged men look at me.

"You lost your wife! And you- you have a baby on the way! You

should be working together not fighting one another! I thought this

was a hospital of peace, a sanctuary! You are not children! You are

surgeons, who save lives! And if surgery is going to be moreimportant than your family then I can't do it!", I walk out of the

room in anger, and slam the door.

When I come in that night, I see Forde sitting at the table with an

apologetic look on his face. I drop my bags and pull out a chair.

"What happened today- was casued by Freeman, and by the fit of

anger inside of me! It was a once off, and will never happen again!

My family will be the most important thing in my life, my childwill be important, and hopefully one day, my wife!".

How could I be mad at him now.

"Okay- I forgive you! But your family will come first! As will my

child and my husband". He kisses me and all is forgiven.

"Now I was thinking of some names!", he says.

"And..."

"Okay hear me out- if it's a girl, Dymphna! Or a boy Francais!".

"No- God no! We'll work on the names!", we laugh and then I picture my future, our future.

Heres to the future. Heres to now. We talk alot about futures.

Couples talk about how someday they will move in together. Then

they talk about how they will become spouses and have a family.

But when we plan our futures do we account for other things like

feelings? Or disasters? No- we shift aside all the possible bad

things that could happen and keep the image of the happy familysteadily in our minds. But sometimes, the bad things, become part

of our futures. But do we know... Do we know that we actually

have a future together?



The InternsTurbulance

But really life is dandy

We are what we don't see

We miss everything daydreaming

Flames to dust

Lovers to friends

Why do all good things come to an end?- Nelly Furtardo

Chapter Twelve

The Final Chapter



But more often than not, we do save people, and those feelings, arethe ones we hold on to, because by tomorrow, they could be gone.

Everything could be gone. So we hold on to the moments we live

in, before everything crashes, and burns.

BEEP!BEEP!BEEP! It's 3:30 in the morning and the noise of me

and Forde's pager wakes us up.

"Ughh! C'mon! Its 3:30!", Forde rolls out of the bed into the cold

air. I open my eyes and pick up the pager from the bedside locker.

"Oh my God!", I say as I read the message.

AIRLINER CRASH IN FIELD- PROCEED TO HOSPITAL

Me, Jane, Susan, a few other interns and Mayce sit in the



ambulance to the site of where a 350 seater aeroplane has crashed

into a field. When we arrive, words cannot explain the site in front

of me. It was like something from a movie. The deck of the plane

lay a few meters away while the two wings, broken off, lay in

different parts of the field. Roaring flames surround the field. Itwas still dark out so the only light was from the flames and lights

from the ambulances. I run over to the victims and start to help

them. Women, men, children, the elderly, all of them- damaged-

injured- unconscious or dead...

..........

Mike sits in the chiefs office, agitated, worried. The chief walksinto the room.

"Mike", the chief says, not surprised he was here, waiting.

"Dr.Freeman!"

"Your back", Freeman says sitting down in front of Mike.

"I need to know! I couldn't wait untill Tuesday."

"Well I looked over your results"

..........

As I scramble around saving people I see a child, a young boy

around 7, alone. He stands in the centre of the disaster, splats of

blood on his face and his clothes torn. I run over to him.

"Are you okay?", I ask. He looks at me but doesn't answer.

"Where is my mommy?", he asks.

"I don't know sweetie! What's your name?", I say.

"Jake"

"Okay Jake, lets get you somewhere safe!". I pull Jake along intoan empty part of the field when I see Susan lying on the ground,

blood coming from her chest, like a leak of oil.

"Okay Jake, I need you to stay here, I will be right back okay?". He

nods. I run over to Susan. A piece of metel is lodged into her chest.

From what I can see, she is struggling from air, the metal



probabaly punctured her lung.

"Susan!"

"L-e-x!", she splutters.

"Shhh don't talk, save your air!"

"No- I'm gonna die, I am sorry.... Sorry for telling you to stay awayfrom Mike!", she manages to say with the air she has.

"Never mind about that! And your not going to die you will be

fine!". But she has accepted it. She knows she will die.

..........

"Well I looked over your results!", Freeman informs Mike, who's

breathing becomes heavier."What did they say?"

"Mike I don't know how to tell you..."

"Please". Freeman leans in to Mike.

"You have luekemia, I'm so sorry!". Mike knew. He knew he was

sick, he just needed the tests to confirm it.

"When do I begin treatment?"

"What?"

"Well I am not going to let this defeat me so I want to starttreatment as soon as possible". Although Mike lost some health, he

left that office with all his dignity.

..........

I hold Susan in my arms. Her breathing becoming slower and

slower until she takes in her last breath, her eyes glisten, as if her

life flashing before her eyes, and then relief, the pain gone, no

worries, the afterlife. I lay her down gently on the cold, wet grassand close her eyes. I see Jake in the corner, crying, above him a

split part of the wing hangs down. It is just about to break loose

and crush him.

"Jake get out of the way! MOVE!!", he doesn't react. I jump up

and run towards him. In a flash I push him out of the way, just as



the piece of wreckage falls on top of me. I lay on the ground,

impaled, staring into the dark night, the night to end all nights, the

night that will change my life forever, the night with the bright,

shiny stars glistening in the sky, unaware that below them a

disaster has occured, all sounds block out, I look around, doctors, paramedics and surgeons scramble around to save lives, I pull my

head up and see the piece of wreckage holding me to the ground

like a coffin in a graveyard, my stomach crushed by the small

piece of the plane . And then the thought hits me...What I should

be worried about... The reason why blood is sliding between my

legs...

My Baby....



But more often than not, we do save people, and those feelings, are

the ones we hold on to, because by tomorrow, they could be gone.

Everything could be gone. So we hold on to the moments we live

in, before everything crashes, and burns.

We are doctors.We Are surgeons.

Coming Soon

The ResidentsBook Two Of The Medical

Trilogy



The ResidentsSneak Peek:

We often see it here at the hospital, 'the rushedfather'. The father who has just come from work, astressfull day, to find his son, daughter or wife hasbeen admitted to hospital. And usually the mothercomes to the father, broken down by thecircumstances, and explains everything that iswrong. But when we see this happen to a family, wenever actually think of the trauma, anger, shock- allthe mixed feelings of the parents. We never think itwill happen to us.

"Lex! Your gonna be all right!", Jane says, the noiseof the ambulance I am lying in blocks out her voice,and my thoughts.

"The baby!", I say to Jane as she holds my hand. Alook spreads across her face- a look to say manythings, things that could destroy a person, and afamily, a look that could change a future betweentwo people- a look to say all this, without words.

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The Interns