Life is Precious

Under the nails,  between the fingers, and over the knuckles, Nicole’s mind mimicked the very words she’d said to her daughter every day. Autumn always rolled her eyes when Nicole told her to wash her hands that way. Scrubbing up after a twelve-hour shift at CMC (Chicago Medical Center) was the only way Dr. Nicole Merleone ever ended her workday. At this point she’d have a three-hour nap after the drive home and two hours to get ready right before another twelve-hour shift. Although being an obstetrician took many hours from her day, she needed the money to pay for the prestigious private school that Autumn attended. Lucky for Nicole, her daughter was at her father’s this weekend, leaving Nicole left with nothing to do but drive a short ways through traffic to her small apartment.

Suddenly, the door of the Employee Locker Room swung open and Lacey Johnson flew to the floor on both knees at Nicole’s side, clasping her hands desperately in the air. Barely being able to withhold a smile, Nicole tried her hardest to glare and shake her head in disapproval at Lacey’s jesting performance.

“What do you want?” It was difficult to sound annoyed when Lacy was being so silly, but Nicole managed a slightly irritated tone.

Lacey was obviously not deterred by this threatening tenor and began to scoot herself closer to Nicole’s feet, attempting to make her most convincing pouty face. “Nikki, pretty please with a cherry on top and everything you want in between. I told Trevor that I’d show up to his soccer game today. I barely ever have the time to go and this is my chance. I really don’t want to disappoint my baby boy again. Will you do me a favor?”

Nicole tapped her foot impatiently on the cheap tile. Click, click, click. “Well Lacey I’m not going to say “Yes,” before you tell me what this favor is.”

“Well you see Trevor’s game is in thirty minutes. I have one more delivery to handle on my clock, but I’ll miss the game. Trevor already thinks I won’t be there. What kind of mother would I be if I wasn’t there for at least one of his games? I know you’re busy and tired, but no one else is available. Please Nikki?”

As always Nicole gave in to Lacey’s pleas, “Oh all right already! I’ll do it.”

Lacey hopped to her feet and squeezed Nicole so tight that their scrubs started to wrinkle. “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you,” Lacey yelped jubilantly “I owe you one. You’re the best friend a girl could have!” Then she ran out the door giving Nicole one last wink in gratitude for her services.

Why do you have to be such a push over? Nicole thought feverently at herself, Well, better get to work. Nicole walked slowly through the Labor/Delivery halls only to hear screaming women and crying babies. Yet even though the sounds were full of pain, the entire struggle produced the only real joy a person could ever achieve: to see a life that they created wrapped in their arms. Nicole knew what it was like to hold that baby in your arms and see your whole world in their tiny eyes. Despite the busy hours and sleepless nights, Nicole put her heart and soul into her job because she wanted every mother to have that special experience with their child. And even now that she was drained, she’d be sure to do her best bringing this child into the world.

Before entering room 502, Nicole slipped on her surgical gloves and slapped on her best professional (non-exhausted) face. “Mr. and Mrs. Stefan, how are you doing?” Nicole asked while studiously observing her clipboard.

“I’m Dr. Merleone. Dr. Johnson is unavailable so I will be taking care of you. So let’s have a baby!” Nicole said trying to sound enthused. “It says here that your contractions are seven minutes apart and you are four centimeters dilated. Has any of this information changed since the nurse was last here?”

Just then the woman let out a blood-curdling scream and gripped fiercely on to Mr. Stefan’s hand.

“Her contractions are coming four minutes apart now,” Mr. Stefan stated. His attention redirected to the pained woman and comforted her with soft words, “Its okay, Sally. We’ll get through this, Honey.” Tenderly he caressed her hair and put his arm behind her shoulders.

The nurse hustled through the door and awaited instruction, while Nicole shouted positions. “Sir,” Nicole begun.

“Mike,” The man corrected, “you look dead tired. Are you sure you are up to this?”

Ignoring Mike’s question Nicole continued to order everyone to the correct positions. “Mike,” she repeated in a commander’s tone, “support Sally from the back. Sally, you need to take a deep breath and push as hard as you can when this next contraction rolls around. Nurse, get all the tools necessary, now! Does everyone know what they are to be doing?”

Startled by Nicole’s abrupt personality switch from professional to dominant, everyone in the room nodded and quickly did what they were told. Sally began to breathe in fast, shallow gasps, while Mike stood behind her holding her back and the nurse returned with every tool any doctor could ever need. Soon after, Sally started to scream again, her hand searching frantically for something to clutch.

“Push!” Demanded Nicole, Sally responded immediately to the aggressive tone, causing her child’s head to be visible. “You’re doing great. I can see the head, you are crowning now. This is the hardest part and then after that it’ll all be okay. Give me one more big push, then it will be easy.”

“Why does it hurt so bad?! It’s not easy!” Sally screamed. Nicole knew in her mind exactly what was wrong, but showed no outer expressions. Beckoning the nurse to her side she whispered sternly, “Bring me the forceps and try not to look worried.” She scuttled off to the side of the room with the tray and was almost blank but not blank enough for Sally. As soon as the forceps were placed into Nicole’s outstretched hand, Sally started to get hysterical.

“What are those? What’s wrong with my baby? What are you doing? Tell me what the hell is wrong!!! Now!” Sally shrieked. Nicole understood her frenzied nature, maternal instinct. The baby would be okay with the use of forceps, but without forceps the baby could not get through the small passage. No problem, Nicole could get the job done right, like always.

“Sally don’t worry. These,” replied Nicole as she held the forceps up, “are forceps. I’m going to place them around what I can see as the baby’s head and pull softly because right now it can’t get through. I want you to relax; it’ll all be fine. This happens to plenty of women here.”

Cautiously, Nicole placed her hand under the baby’s head and placed the forceps on either side. Slowly, she began to pull the baby’s body out and made sure not grab the temple too forcefully because it could cause a fatality.

“Shit!” Nicole cried out as she began to weep. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I…” Her words trailed into a series of loud sobs and screeches. Still she pulled the limp body out inch by inch. The nurse had gotten sick with fear and ran out of the room. Mike stared blankly into the lids of his dead son. Sally was just as panic-stricken as Nicole. After cutting the umbilical cord, Nicole walked to the grieving mother’s side and handed her the lifeless child. “Sorry,” was all she could whimper to the innocent couple, over and over again. Sally took the child in her arms and stroked its hair, cooing softly as if she weren’t aware of his departing. Mike ran his fingers over his little boy’s feet and still held an arm around Sally.