hidden from me. But back to basics. I came out here to the kitchen to make the coffee!'
CHAPTER FOUR
'If I remember correctly, you're on call this coming weekend,' said Ted to Yona as they made their way up to the wards for the weekly round on the Thursday following her house-warming party.
'I was, Ted, but I've changed with my opposite number on Chests.'
'Great! That means you can come to us on Sunday, then. Meg's got a young niece who can't decide between medicine and dentistry and Meg thinks that talking to you might help her to make up her mind.'
'Oh, dear! I'd have loved that, but as soon as he heard I was off, Gil Salvesen offered to show me Lake Windermere.'
'Just make sure that's all he shows you, then,' advised Ted, who hadn't taken to Gil. 'Well, here we are—and, my word, doesn't Sister look fierce today?' he asked in an undertone.
They started as usual on the women's ward, where Mrs Kavanagh had just completed her time on cortisone, intravenous iron and total bedrest and was now, as she put it, raring to go.
Ted said that he was glad to hear it, but a gentle stroll to the bathroom and back, plus the daily exercise class with the physios, would do nicely for the next week or so.
'Mrs Baker wishes to go home,' announced Sister as they moved on to the next patient.
'Out of the question,' said Ted. 'That neck hasn't settled down yet and I'm not letting her off traction until her neck brace is ready.'
'She's threatening to sign herself out,' declared Sister, who thrived on this sort of thing.
'Why?' Ted asked reasonably.
'She says that Mrs Jacobson's snoring is driving her mad.'
'Then why not put Mrs Jacobson in the side ward if she's keeping the other patients awake?'
'She isn't. Only Mrs Baker has complained.'
'Then put Mrs Baker in the side ward. Really, Sister, I shouldn't have to waste my time on this—it's a nursing problem.' Yona had rarely seen Ted so irritated.
'Mrs Baker is very determined,' warned Sister.
'And so am I,' Ted said grimly.
Mrs Baker was persuaded to accept a bed outside the range of Mrs Jacobson's nocturnal concerts and harmony was. restored.
At least it was until they got to the assistant administrator, Medical Division. She'd had the side ward to herself since admission and wasn't pleased to hear that she was to have a room-mate. 'I would have thought, Professor, that someone of my standing in this hospital—'
'You'll be pleased to hear that you may go home tomorrow, Ms Starkey—or this evening if you prefer,' said Ted with a deceptively innocent smile.
That didn't please her either. 'I was counting on staying at least until Tuesday next. I'm having my kitchen redone while I'm in here.'
'Good, that—coming from a disciple of the quick-turnover school,' whispered Charlie Price in Yona's ear. She'd been thinking the very same thing.
Ted had, too, but he was very diplomatic. 'We've diagnosed your problem and established your drugs regime. That done, it's now in your best interest to leave hospital. What you need is a change of air for your convalescence before returning to your, um, arduous duties.'
'Is there any chance that mine is an industrial illness?'
'Compensationitis, as well as SLE,' Charlie whispered this time.
'Absolutely not,' said Ted, going on to explain that systemic lupus erythematosus was a disease of the immune system and so insidious in onset that she had almost certainly had it for years, before noticing anything much in the way of symptoms. 'I'd say that spraining your ankle was a blessing in disguise,' he wound up.
It took some doing, but Ms Starkey was eventually persuaded that she was well enough to go home.
'I hope they don't all take this long or we'll be here all night,' grumbled Charlie as they moved on.
'You're extremely grumpy today,' teased Yona.
'Pre-exam nerves,' he said. 'I've got my Membership practical tomorrow—or had you forgotten?'
'I'm afraid I had,' she confessed. 'Good luck—I'm sure you'll do brilliantly.'
Ted was
CHAPTER FOUR
'If I remember correctly, you're on call this coming weekend,' said Ted to Yona as they made their way up to the wards for the weekly round on the Thursday following her house-warming party.
'I was, Ted, but I've changed with my opposite number on Chests.'
'Great! That means you can come to us on Sunday, then. Meg's got a young niece who can't decide between medicine and dentistry and Meg thinks that talking to you might help her to make up her mind.'
'Oh, dear! I'd have loved that, but as soon as he heard I was off, Gil Salvesen offered to show me Lake Windermere.'
'Just make sure that's all he shows you, then,' advised Ted, who hadn't taken to Gil. 'Well, here we are—and, my word, doesn't Sister look fierce today?' he asked in an undertone.
They started as usual on the women's ward, where Mrs Kavanagh had just completed her time on cortisone, intravenous iron and total bedrest and was now, as she put it, raring to go.
Ted said that he was glad to hear it, but a gentle stroll to the bathroom and back, plus the daily exercise class with the physios, would do nicely for the next week or so.
'Mrs Baker wishes to go home,' announced Sister as they moved on to the next patient.
'Out of the question,' said Ted. 'That neck hasn't settled down yet and I'm not letting her off traction until her neck brace is ready.'
'She's threatening to sign herself out,' declared Sister, who thrived on this sort of thing.
'Why?' Ted asked reasonably.
'She says that Mrs Jacobson's snoring is driving her mad.'
'Then why not put Mrs Jacobson in the side ward if she's keeping the other patients awake?'
'She isn't. Only Mrs Baker has complained.'
'Then put Mrs Baker in the side ward. Really, Sister, I shouldn't have to waste my time on this—it's a nursing problem.' Yona had rarely seen Ted so irritated.
'Mrs Baker is very determined,' warned Sister.
'And so am I,' Ted said grimly.
Mrs Baker was persuaded to accept a bed outside the range of Mrs Jacobson's nocturnal concerts and harmony was. restored.
At least it was until they got to the assistant administrator, Medical Division. She'd had the side ward to herself since admission and wasn't pleased to hear that she was to have a room-mate. 'I would have thought, Professor, that someone of my standing in this hospital—'
'You'll be pleased to hear that you may go home tomorrow, Ms Starkey—or this evening if you prefer,' said Ted with a deceptively innocent smile.
That didn't please her either. 'I was counting on staying at least until Tuesday next. I'm having my kitchen redone while I'm in here.'
'Good, that—coming from a disciple of the quick-turnover school,' whispered Charlie Price in Yona's ear. She'd been thinking the very same thing.
Ted had, too, but he was very diplomatic. 'We've diagnosed your problem and established your drugs regime. That done, it's now in your best interest to leave hospital. What you need is a change of air for your convalescence before returning to your, um, arduous duties.'
'Is there any chance that mine is an industrial illness?'
'Compensationitis, as well as SLE,' Charlie whispered this time.
'Absolutely not,' said Ted, going on to explain that systemic lupus erythematosus was a disease of the immune system and so insidious in onset that she had almost certainly had it for years, before noticing anything much in the way of symptoms. 'I'd say that spraining your ankle was a blessing in disguise,' he wound up.
It took some doing, but Ms Starkey was eventually persuaded that she was well enough to go home.
'I hope they don't all take this long or we'll be here all night,' grumbled Charlie as they moved on.
'You're extremely grumpy today,' teased Yona.
'Pre-exam nerves,' he said. 'I've got my Membership practical tomorrow—or had you forgotten?'
'I'm afraid I had,' she confessed. 'Good luck—I'm sure you'll do brilliantly.'
Ted was
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