Chapter 30: She's Adorable!

June 19, 1990, McKinley, Ohio

"Do you have a minute?" Nurse Kellie Martin asked early on Tuesday afternoon.

"For you? Always!"

Kellie laughed, and because the consultation room was occupied, we stepped out into the ambulance bay.

"What's up?" I asked.

"First, how is Kris doing?"

"She says Charlotte has dropped, so it should be in the next few days. Kris is tired and tired of being pregnant!"

"I've heard that same story from women in their 9th month many times!"

"What can I do for you?"

"Margie Teasdale would like to speak to you."

Margie Teasdale was the Director of Nursing and had interviewed me for the Match.

"She could have just called."

Kellie shook her head, "It has to be on the QT, as in nobody at the hospital can know she spoke to you."

"This is about the strike?" I ask warily.

"Yes, but she won't ask you to do anything that would cause you trouble with your fellow doctors."

"She's management," I replied.

"Obviously, but you know she still takes shifts, and I'm positive you know where her sympathies lie."

"I do. Tell her it's OK to call me at home. I'll be home this evening; tomorrow I'll be at church; Thursday I'll be home. Of course, all of that assumes Kris doesn't go into labor."

"Thanks. I'll let her know," Kellie said.

The two of us went back inside, and I went to the lounge to let my students know they should get a chart.

I had misgivings about the whole thing, but there was no doubt in my mind that the County Board would have to come up with more money. I had no idea how that was going to happen without a property tax increase, and that would not play well for the members of the County Board who were up for election in the next year or two. I had no clue what Margaret Teasdale wanted me to do, but whatever it was, I could not afford to make enemies of the nurses or the doctors.

I was less concerned about the Hospital Administrator, but that could be a problem as well. On the other hand, I didn't care if everyone on the County Board hated me. I'd honestly prefer they didn't know who I was, but given what was going on with the malpractice suit, I was sure they did, though I certainly wasn't in the crosshairs the way Paul Lincoln was. That said, whatever it was Margaret Teasdale wanted might well put me there.

"Mike?" Nate called out just as I was about to go into Exam 2 with Al and Molly. "Call for you on Line 2."

"Hang tight," I said to my students.

I went over to the wall phone, pressed the button for Line 2, and lifted the handset.

"Doctor Mike Loucks."

"«Oooo! Le beau docteur américain!»" Kris exclaimed. ("The handsome American doctor")

I laughed, "Is that your way of saying it's time?"

"Yes! I just spoke to Doctor Forsberg. She said to meet her at the hospital in two hours unless my water breaks, in which case I should come immediately. Lyuda is here, and my mom is on her way over. I'll see you in about two hours; Lyuda will stay at the house with Rachel."

"Great! I'm very happy!"

"Me, too! See you soon!"

"I love you, Kris!"

"I love you, too, Mike!"

We said 'goodbye' and I hung up.

"Kris is in labor?" Nate asked.

"Yes. She'll be here in two hours. That means I should be able to finish my shift before she arrives."

"Keep us posted!"

"Of course!"

I rejoined my students, and we went into Exam 2 to see a twenty-two-year-old man with a badly infected toe, to the point where we called for a Medicine consult. Clarissa caught the consult, and after we conferred, she admitted the patient and asked her student to call for an orderly.

"Kris called about twenty minutes ago," I said. "She'll be here in about ninety minutes."

"Labor?"

"No, she just likes to hang around hospitals. It's a French thing."

"I should know better than to expect a straight answer from YOU, Petrovich!"

"She spoke to Candace about thirty minutes ago, and Candace told Kris to come in after two hours, or if her water broke."

"So cool! Another niece for Lyuda and me to spoil!"

"I'm going to be ganged up on for the rest of my life! I need to have a son out of self-defense! SOMETHING to offset all the estrogen!"

"Good luck with that, Petrovich! You've always had girls around you, and it looks like the pattern is continuing."

"I need to let Dutch Wernher and Owen Roth know I'm likely to start my vacation tomorrow."

Clarissa left to return to Medicine, and I went to Doctor Wernher's office.

"Do you have a minute?" I asked.

"What do you need, Doctor?"

I needed him to call me 'Mike', but that was an argument for another day.

"Kris called, and her labor has started. I expect to start my vacation tomorrow. I'll let Doctor Roth know as well."

"Five days, correct?"

"Yes. I plan to return on Wednesday next week."

"What procedures have you signed off on for Mary?"

"This morning, thoracostomies. Unfortunately, the patient flow did not allow me to sign off on central lines, pericardiocenteses, or cricothyrotomies. Mary will call for a surgical Resident, and Doctor Roth promised to have one available."

"There's not much we can do about patient selection, so we do what we can in that regard. Will you finish out the day?"

"Yes. Kris will arrive around 4:15pm, and I'll go up at 5:00pm, or as soon after as possible. That allows her to get settled in her room."

"OK. Let Miss Sexton know that she'll be assigned to Doctor Varma until you return. I assume Mr. Baker will be assigned to a surgical Resident?"

"Yes. He'll be on the ward."

"Then we have that covered. One other thing, if you have a moment."

"I do, though my students are twiddling their thumbs."

"I understand your objection to the policy. I wanted to let you know that the attorneys for Mr. Webber subpoenaed your records, going back to your Preceptorships. They did the same with Doctor Lincoln and Doctor Mary Anderson. They also subpoenaed all cases with adverse outcomes."

"Well, isn't that special," I sighed.

"Actually, Mr. Crowe believes it's a positive development. They no longer believe they have a slam dunk, so they're looking for any weakness they can exploit to regain the upper hand. Fundamentally, it's nearly impossible for them to lose, so they want a splashy trial with the equivalent of a guilty verdict against the hospital and the doctors involved."

"I really wish they'd just take the money and run," I replied. "But given my track record against them, I'm not surprised they're pushing it."

"You and Doctor Anderson are the least likely to be found culpable."

"Yeah, but when somebody kicks your butt time and time again, you want to get them. You know the worst part of all this?"

"I'd be interested in hearing what you think is the worst part."

"The money we'll pay those attorneys is money the County Board could use to head off the nurses' strike that is coming at midnight between June 30th and July 1st as sure as I'm standing before you."

Doctor Wernher nodded, "You're not the only one who holds that opinion. If you have any questions about the subpoenas, see Mr. Crowe. Dismissed."

I was tempted to give him an 'Aye, aye', or even salute, but Kellie Martin had once told me that, in the Navy, they didn't salute when they were indoors and not wearing their caps. I left Dutch's office, used the internal phone to check whether Doctor Roth was in his office, then went upstairs to speak to him.

"Kris is in labor and will be here around 4:15pm. I'll finish my shift, which will give her a chance to get settled in her room."

"I'll let Tom Dierks know. He's covering the ED for you. You'll be back next Wednesday, right?"

"Yes."

"Please let Al know he'll be with Tom Dierks, as we discussed."

"Will do."

"Keep me posted. OK to tell Shelly and spread the word?"

"I already told Clarissa, so yes, it's safe."

Doctor Roth laughed, "Good to know! I don't believe I've ever seen a closer relationship, including married couples."

"It is special. On another topic, I assume you heard about the latest move by the Webbers' attorneys?"

"Yes. In talking to Leland, it's a Hail Mary to try to salvage a trial for the PR value."

"That's my take as well. Amongst other things, they're going to find a few cases where otherwise healthy people expired in the OR. They'll claim a pattern or cover-up or some such thing. It wouldn't surprise me if they go after McKnight, too, just to make it complete."

"For what? Conspiring to cover up a record that is better than the typical hospital?"

"I know it makes no sense given our outcomes are statistically better because in the past, high-risk cases were sent to Ohio State, but you know how they'll spin it."

"The way all ambulance chasers do."

"I'm going to head back to the ED."

I left Doctor Roth's office and rejoined my students. We saw four patients before 5:00pm, and rather than change into street clothes, I went straight to Maternity.