over the blue vinyl folder which contained the TPR charts, drug prescription and administration records, and spare X-ray request forms.
Satisfying himself that the patient was making good progress, Professor Davy turned his shrewd professional eye on Kate herself. She was much quieter than he'd realised, so tall and slender. If he hadn't seen it for himself, he'd be doubting the lass was really up to such a tricky assignment. Yet somehow she seemed to be making headway with her obstinate patient. Gratitude would be smoothing her path, of course, and rightly so: not that any of them had considered this possibility when Nurse Wisdom's name was put forward.
'And nice to see you looking so much less peaky, m'dear. Marks like sooty thumbprints you had under your pretty eyes the morning after Tom's dreadful accident.' Frank himself had acquainted the neuro-surgeon with all the details surrounding his dramatic arrival at Casualty; he had certainly told of the vital part RGN Kate Wisdom had played.
'Gave us a helluva fright, you did, boyo. It was real touch and go-o-o,' the long Welsh vowels were even more pronounced.
'So you keep reminding me,' murmured Tom with a wry lift of an eyebrow.
Jonathan Reeves took hold of Tom's left hand. He pinched a fingernail and viewed with satisfaction the immediate flush of pink. Sister hovered close by, ready to deal with obstructive clothing or bedding, watching and listening attentively as Mr Reeves carried out his examination.
'Mrs Macdonald has been giving you physiotherapy daily, has she not? There's no swelling of the hand now. How does your arm seem today?'
'Not much pain now.' Tom flexed and contracted muscles and tendons as the physio had instructed. His face was a mask of stubborn determination, the mouth a grim line, eyes narrowed in concentration.
'This still comfortable?' Jonathan Reeves rapped a knuckle on the plaster cast. It gave off an odd chalky sound.
'It's a damn nuisance,' returned his patient. 'Look here, Jon, you've got to be straight with me. What are the possibilities? I've a fair idea of what the complications could be,' he added grimly, 'and I know I'm not out of trouble yet.'
Kate listened to the specialist with absolute concentration. She'd nipped along to the School of Nursing to read up in the library about complicated fractures of the humerus involving damage to adjacent structures, arteries, veins, nerves and muscles. Thrombosis was the obvious and most immediate danger to watch out for. Less serious in the upper arm because the alternative blood supply could take over if a major artery became blocked by a blood clot. In the elbow, however, such a clot could cause death of muscles of the forearm.
And there were other complications to be aware of, as Mr Reeves was reminding them. Major threats to a surgeon's career …
Not while I, Kate was telling herself grimly, am nursing this patient. His life is too valuable. I'm observing and recording every detail concerning Mr Galvan's condition. And if anything does go wrong, I'll be yelling for the lot of you!
'With diminished or absent radial pulse,' he was saying, 'coolness and pallor of the skin of the forearm indicating the onset of arterial thrombosis.'
Kate was mentally filing every word, an intent little frown creasing her brow.
Propped up against the pillows, Tom regarded her with interest. So Gertie was none other than that Kate Wisdom. He knew all about that Kate Wisdom and promised himself that when life got back to normal he would seek her out, this nurse who had played such a part in his personal drama …
As for 'Gertie'. At first he'd feared the usual. Yet another of them with the usual fantasies about romance with a brain surgeon. But underneath the dragon act, he could tell she was a sweet and sensible girl, and he liked to play the grumpy patient just to make the long slow days a bit more bearable. Besides, considered Tom, heavy-eyed, now he knew who she was, he also knew there was a
Satisfying himself that the patient was making good progress, Professor Davy turned his shrewd professional eye on Kate herself. She was much quieter than he'd realised, so tall and slender. If he hadn't seen it for himself, he'd be doubting the lass was really up to such a tricky assignment. Yet somehow she seemed to be making headway with her obstinate patient. Gratitude would be smoothing her path, of course, and rightly so: not that any of them had considered this possibility when Nurse Wisdom's name was put forward.
'And nice to see you looking so much less peaky, m'dear. Marks like sooty thumbprints you had under your pretty eyes the morning after Tom's dreadful accident.' Frank himself had acquainted the neuro-surgeon with all the details surrounding his dramatic arrival at Casualty; he had certainly told of the vital part RGN Kate Wisdom had played.
'Gave us a helluva fright, you did, boyo. It was real touch and go-o-o,' the long Welsh vowels were even more pronounced.
'So you keep reminding me,' murmured Tom with a wry lift of an eyebrow.
Jonathan Reeves took hold of Tom's left hand. He pinched a fingernail and viewed with satisfaction the immediate flush of pink. Sister hovered close by, ready to deal with obstructive clothing or bedding, watching and listening attentively as Mr Reeves carried out his examination.
'Mrs Macdonald has been giving you physiotherapy daily, has she not? There's no swelling of the hand now. How does your arm seem today?'
'Not much pain now.' Tom flexed and contracted muscles and tendons as the physio had instructed. His face was a mask of stubborn determination, the mouth a grim line, eyes narrowed in concentration.
'This still comfortable?' Jonathan Reeves rapped a knuckle on the plaster cast. It gave off an odd chalky sound.
'It's a damn nuisance,' returned his patient. 'Look here, Jon, you've got to be straight with me. What are the possibilities? I've a fair idea of what the complications could be,' he added grimly, 'and I know I'm not out of trouble yet.'
Kate listened to the specialist with absolute concentration. She'd nipped along to the School of Nursing to read up in the library about complicated fractures of the humerus involving damage to adjacent structures, arteries, veins, nerves and muscles. Thrombosis was the obvious and most immediate danger to watch out for. Less serious in the upper arm because the alternative blood supply could take over if a major artery became blocked by a blood clot. In the elbow, however, such a clot could cause death of muscles of the forearm.
And there were other complications to be aware of, as Mr Reeves was reminding them. Major threats to a surgeon's career …
Not while I, Kate was telling herself grimly, am nursing this patient. His life is too valuable. I'm observing and recording every detail concerning Mr Galvan's condition. And if anything does go wrong, I'll be yelling for the lot of you!
'With diminished or absent radial pulse,' he was saying, 'coolness and pallor of the skin of the forearm indicating the onset of arterial thrombosis.'
Kate was mentally filing every word, an intent little frown creasing her brow.
Propped up against the pillows, Tom regarded her with interest. So Gertie was none other than that Kate Wisdom. He knew all about that Kate Wisdom and promised himself that when life got back to normal he would seek her out, this nurse who had played such a part in his personal drama …
As for 'Gertie'. At first he'd feared the usual. Yet another of them with the usual fantasies about romance with a brain surgeon. But underneath the dragon act, he could tell she was a sweet and sensible girl, and he liked to play the grumpy patient just to make the long slow days a bit more bearable. Besides, considered Tom, heavy-eyed, now he knew who she was, he also knew there was a
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