Chapter 26
Rory
“You’re hot shit.”
I jerk my head up and see that I’m not alone in the small resident room. Based on the schedule posted on the wall, there are a couple of surgical residents here, doing rural rotations, but neither of them are actually in the hospital today, and one of the nurses said I could use the computer.
Dr. Schmidt has tracked me down, apparently.
“I’m a good doctor.”
“That’s an understatement. You’re chief resident at one of the busiest OB/GYN programs in the country.”
I shrug. “Must be a quiet day here if you’re looking into me.”
“My wife went on a cruise with her parents. I don’t have anything else to do today.”
“Oh.” I wince. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m glad I was here when Dani came in, and I’m glad I got to meet you. Turns out I went to school with your program director.”
I don’t mind that he was checking up on me—I stormed into his hospital and started suggesting shit—but something about the way he drops Glenda’s name makes me feel vaguely queasy. “Oh? That’s a small world.”
“Relax, it’s fine.” He gestures to the chair next to mine. “Can I sit?”
“It’s your hospital.”
“Yeah.” He sprawls out and pulls off his surgical cap. Under it he’s got more grey hair than I expected. His face is relatively youthful. “What are your plans for next year?”
The queasiness intensifies. I hear Garrett’s voice echoing from earlier. I don’t hate your job, Roar. You hate your job. I force the gross, slimy feeling down and reach for the same answer I’ve been giving the surgeons in my program for months. “I’m still exploring my options.”
“Are you leaning towards a fellowship? Or do you want to go straight to a consultant position?”
Since he’s clearly talked about this with my program director, and probably knows I haven’t done any job interviews yet, I admit the most sanitized version of the truth. “I’m behind on that process.”
To my surprise, he just shrugs. “You’ll find something. And there’s always locums.”
I stare at him.
He laughs. “What, you thought I’d give you a hard time?” He shakes his head. “You’ve been beating yourself up about this for months, I bet. I don’t need to pile on top of that.”
I let out a shaky exhale. “Thanks.”
He clicks his tongue against his teeth and pushes to his feet. “I saw the lit review you sent me, and I agree that the risks are minimal. I’m not going to do an internal exam today, we’ll just see what her cervix looks like tomorrow.”
I jump up. “Are you going to tell her now?”
“You want to come with me?”
“Of course.” I grab my purse and coat, and chase after him.
When we get to Dani’s room on the antenatal floor, she has company—Garrett’s cousin’s wife, Kerry, who is a midwife.
She lights up when she sees me. “Have you talked to Garrett yet?”
Confused, I shake my head. “No. Why?”
She mimes zipping her lips. “His story to tell.” Then she gives Dr. Schmidt a friendly smile. “Dani says she was in good hands earlier.”
He glances my way, his expression amused. “She really was. Dr. Minelli, why don’t you explain your thought process? And then we’ll discuss next steps.”
I step forward and slide right through all the relevant details.
I go over why I think Dani’s an exception to the standard protocol, and what the risks and potential benefits might be.
Kerry asks pointed questions, because as a midwife her model of care is based on more comprehensive informed choice, a step beyond the informed consent standard in medicine.
By the time I see a patient, there’s usually one clear path, and we take it as efficiently as possible to get the safest, best outcomes possible.
But on this quiet Christmas Day, as snow pelts at the window, with a patient who is like a big sister to me, who is a medical professional herself, it’s special to be able to not just give the highlights and my evidence-based medical opinion about the obvious path to take.
Dani and Kerry ask pointed questions about the procedure, and they talk out what a lower-intervention path might be.
I know this isn’t what it would be like to practice medicine here all the time. There’s nothing routine about this moment.
But when we finally decide that yes, we’ll go ahead tomorrow with an examination and a probable cerclage, for exceptional reasons, I’m filled with a curious lightness.