hintof urgency that had him jerk aside the curtain and heave himself in beside Kate without any hesitation.
He glanced at Lucy and blinked. The girl’s whole body shuddered as the seizure took control and her half closed eyes stared vacantly at some point over Kate’s left shoulder as her body shook the stretcher in jerking movements.
Rory slipped the oxygen mask over her face as Lucy’s skin paled to alabaster. During the fit her body would use up the oxygen faster than she breathed it in and the tinge of blue around her lips deepened. Rory could feel his own heart gallop like the baby’s heart rate had through the Doppler earlier.
Kate was focused and in control, which boded well for Lucy. Rory glanced at Lucy’s stomach, which seemed to be heaving with a life of its own, and his fear for her baby mounted. He was so glad he wasn’t the only person here.
‘It’s okay, Lucy,’ Kate repeated. ‘It’s nearly over. We’re here with you. It’s okay.’ Kate’s soft voice repeated the litany until, after what seemed an hour but was probably less than two minutes, Lucy’s body slowly settled and then lay still.
A deep dragging breath from Lucy was echoed by the one Rory pulled in for himself as he glanced at Kate before he wiped Lucy’s face. He knew about fits. He’d dealt with epilepsy often but not with a pregnant woman and all he could think about was the lack of oxygen for Lucy’s baby.
‘The first eclamptic fit,’ Kate said as she reached for the medication roll. He didn’t like the sound of that.
‘You expecting more?’ He hoped she’d say no but of course it was likely. She handed him an ampoule and syringe and Rory busied himself with drawing up the medication while Kate checked Lucy’s blood pressure.
‘Her blood pressure’s shot up. And we’ll probably have to put some Magnesium Sulphate up in a drip to lower her cerebral irritability as well.’ Kate reached into another side pocket and removed an intravenous fluid flask to add drugs for slow infusion. ‘But we’ll start with more hydralazine for her blood pressure. After you draw up I’ll grab that satellite phone of yours, please.’
They worked seamlessly. Rory prepared the drugs, Kate checked and then injected them. Rory loaded the flask. He’d work with her on the road ambulance any day. No fluster or indecision—just how he liked it, his partner calm and the patient prioritised efficiently. She made everything easy, which was usually his job.
It was strange to remember that this was his Kate. The young woman he’d known years ago would have looked to him to save her. That time had certainly passed. He didn’t know how he felt about that but there’d be time to think about it later.
‘I thought her blood pressure was down.’ Rory looked at Lucy who, while still pale, breathed normally now.
Kate sighed and nodded as she rechecked the blood pressure on Lucy’s arm. ‘So did I. Obviously not enough for Lucy’s seizure threshold. Some people seize with an almost normal blood pressure, just like some babies can have febrile convulsions with only low temperatures.’ She shrugged. ‘If that’s how their make-up is. Lucy’s mother fitted. Either way, we need help.’
But what collateral damage? Rory thought. ‘And her baby?’
Kate spared him an understanding glance. ‘Will be fine. So far. The oxygen supply to the uterus was only decreased for a minute or two. As long as Lucy doesn’t have long fits or do something nasty like separate her placenta with a haemorrhage, the baby will rest like Lucy and then recover. Babies are designed to take some stress.’
He knew he looked unconvinced as Kate elaborated. ‘Lucy’s out for the count but her labour will probably progress more rapidly now.’
Rory winced down at his chart, where he recorded the drugs and time given. ‘More excitement to come, then.’
Kate flashed a smile back at him. ‘After this, I’ll be much happier when this baby is out.’
Happy? He
He glanced at Lucy and blinked. The girl’s whole body shuddered as the seizure took control and her half closed eyes stared vacantly at some point over Kate’s left shoulder as her body shook the stretcher in jerking movements.
Rory slipped the oxygen mask over her face as Lucy’s skin paled to alabaster. During the fit her body would use up the oxygen faster than she breathed it in and the tinge of blue around her lips deepened. Rory could feel his own heart gallop like the baby’s heart rate had through the Doppler earlier.
Kate was focused and in control, which boded well for Lucy. Rory glanced at Lucy’s stomach, which seemed to be heaving with a life of its own, and his fear for her baby mounted. He was so glad he wasn’t the only person here.
‘It’s okay, Lucy,’ Kate repeated. ‘It’s nearly over. We’re here with you. It’s okay.’ Kate’s soft voice repeated the litany until, after what seemed an hour but was probably less than two minutes, Lucy’s body slowly settled and then lay still.
A deep dragging breath from Lucy was echoed by the one Rory pulled in for himself as he glanced at Kate before he wiped Lucy’s face. He knew about fits. He’d dealt with epilepsy often but not with a pregnant woman and all he could think about was the lack of oxygen for Lucy’s baby.
‘The first eclamptic fit,’ Kate said as she reached for the medication roll. He didn’t like the sound of that.
‘You expecting more?’ He hoped she’d say no but of course it was likely. She handed him an ampoule and syringe and Rory busied himself with drawing up the medication while Kate checked Lucy’s blood pressure.
‘Her blood pressure’s shot up. And we’ll probably have to put some Magnesium Sulphate up in a drip to lower her cerebral irritability as well.’ Kate reached into another side pocket and removed an intravenous fluid flask to add drugs for slow infusion. ‘But we’ll start with more hydralazine for her blood pressure. After you draw up I’ll grab that satellite phone of yours, please.’
They worked seamlessly. Rory prepared the drugs, Kate checked and then injected them. Rory loaded the flask. He’d work with her on the road ambulance any day. No fluster or indecision—just how he liked it, his partner calm and the patient prioritised efficiently. She made everything easy, which was usually his job.
It was strange to remember that this was his Kate. The young woman he’d known years ago would have looked to him to save her. That time had certainly passed. He didn’t know how he felt about that but there’d be time to think about it later.
‘I thought her blood pressure was down.’ Rory looked at Lucy who, while still pale, breathed normally now.
Kate sighed and nodded as she rechecked the blood pressure on Lucy’s arm. ‘So did I. Obviously not enough for Lucy’s seizure threshold. Some people seize with an almost normal blood pressure, just like some babies can have febrile convulsions with only low temperatures.’ She shrugged. ‘If that’s how their make-up is. Lucy’s mother fitted. Either way, we need help.’
But what collateral damage? Rory thought. ‘And her baby?’
Kate spared him an understanding glance. ‘Will be fine. So far. The oxygen supply to the uterus was only decreased for a minute or two. As long as Lucy doesn’t have long fits or do something nasty like separate her placenta with a haemorrhage, the baby will rest like Lucy and then recover. Babies are designed to take some stress.’
He knew he looked unconvinced as Kate elaborated. ‘Lucy’s out for the count but her labour will probably progress more rapidly now.’
Rory winced down at his chart, where he recorded the drugs and time given. ‘More excitement to come, then.’
Kate flashed a smile back at him. ‘After this, I’ll be much happier when this baby is out.’
Happy? He
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