“Dr Thompson has a plan,” Brian said.
“And—”
“I have to keep a log of all my medicines. I’m supposed to watch my log and keep reducing the Percocet until it’s gone. They told me to start on naproxen for pain, but take it twice a day whether I have pain or not. After I’m off the Percocet, they’ll give me suboxone to help me prevent relapses.”
“What did they say about your marijuana?”
“Nothing.”
“Because you didn’t tell them?”
Brian nodded, “I didn’t bring it up, but it’s on my drug screen. I haven’t had any for about a week, though. I think that’s good.”
“I think that’s good too. Are they going to do anything else?”
“I have counseling sessions.”
“How often?”
“Twice a week.”
“Did Emily say anything?”
Brian shook his head, “No. I haven’t talked to her or seen her.” He decided not to bring up being missing in action when the unit had its first COVID death. Peggy didn’t need to know everything.
“What else is happening?”
“I go to NA meetings,” Brian said, almost whispering. “I don’t like those. The people who come are low-lifes.”
“Is the group leader good?”
“I don’t know. I’ve only been to two meetings. He didn’t say much at either meeting.”
Peggy leaned back in her chair. “This is the most positive you have been. This sounds like you may have turned a corner. How do you feel about it?”
“I feel a lot better than a week ago, for sure. In another way, I can see that the mountain I have to climb is steep and high.”
“At least you see the mountain, Brian. That’s an amazing step forward. Did they start you on any medicines?”
“Yes,” Brian rolled his eyes. “I’m sorry. I forgot to mention them. One in the morning and one in the evening. I can already feel a buzz from the morning one, and the evening one makes me sleep like a baby.”
“Did you take one the night you were on call and the patient died?”
Brian skipped a beat when he realized Peggy knew about his eclipse, “That was my first one. It was probably not a good idea to be on call the first night I took my medicine, but I had seen the Pain Management Clinic that day and they sent the prescriptions to the Clinic Pharmacy, so I picked them up. I didn’t know it would affect me so dramatically or so soon.”
“Did you tell Emily that?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you hadn’t talked to her.”
“About the NA meetings and the counseling, no. We did talk about the night they couldn’t find me. I was in the call room. I don’t know why they didn’t come there.”
“Well, congratulations on your progress,” Peggy said. “Keep going.”
“I will, ma’am,” he said, and then the door rattled.
Brian thought it inexplicable that he felt the need to tell Peggy about each hurdle, but he felt good about it. It was a comfortable sounding block. If nothing else, it allowed him to think out loud in a safe place. Peggy never seemed judgmental, and she didn’t tattle.
Chapter 28
The phone rang. “Hello, Ricky.”
“Peggy, can you come to the lobby?”
“Yes, of course.”
“I’ve got a patient on a ventilator who’s rapidly getting worse, and we’re trying to keep up with her oxygenation. But that isn’t the problem. Her family is going nuts, and I’m not soothing them down. In fact, they are pushing my buttons.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Approaching a small waiting room just off the tall, glass-covered atrium, Peggy could hear an angry voice. A hospital security guard acknowledged her, and motioned for her to come in.
A tall, thin, pale man was standing just inside the waiting room door, yelling profanities at Ricky, who, in turn, was attempting to keep some distance.
“How did we get here? What’d you do to her that she got so sick? This virus ain’t supposed to make bad sickness at ‘er age! And you’re trying to blame this on ’er smokin’? And why cain’t I visit her?”
Peggy introduced herself to the tall thin man.
“I’m her husband Justin. I don’t understand this. I want to take her to another hospital.”
“Well, Justin, here’s where we are,” Peggy began, calmly. “Nobody has control over this virus, nobody knows much about how the virus behaves, and nobody has a treatment that works. It’s less serious for most younger folks, but both smoking and pregnancy make her more fragile. We don’t want you to visit her because if you’re not infected, you could get infected.”
“This twit,” he motioned to Ricky, “told me she could die, since she’s been sick only a day, and is so bad so quick. Why can’t you save her with some antib’otics? That’s what we came for. We just wanted some antib’otics.” He turned to face Peggy directly, moving his arms.
The security guard grabbed Justin’s right arm.
“Justin, calm down. If you assault one of our personnel, I’ll escort you out of the building, and you will wind up downtown in a cell.”
“Take your hand off my arm,” Justin yelled at the guard.
“I will! As soon as you calm down. I won’t let you harm anybody.”
“But they got my wife sick. When we came, she just had a cold. I wanna be with her.”
“That’s sort of true,” Ricky said, exhibiting courage. “Coronavirus is a cold virus, but a real bad ass. In this case, it’s made her so sick so fast, that we thought you should know that we view this as a bad sign.”
Justin shot back, “Horse buns. Y’all are covering up for having made her sick. Did you do something wrong?”
“No,” Peggy said. “She has a bad disease. It’s killing a lot of Americans. Not just old biddies like me, but many others who have medical problems, including pregnancy, putting her in grave danger.”
“We’re giving her everything we can to help her,” Ricky added. He looked at Peggy. “Dr Valdez, she’s getting hydroxychloroquine, theophylline, erythromycin as a substitute for azithromycin, and we’re using one hundred percent oxygen with thirty-five centimeters of PEEP.”
“What’s that mean? What’s that mean!” Justin shouted. The guard was still holding Justin’s right arm.
“He just listed all the medications he’s giving and all the ventilator settings he’s using to try to save her life. He’s panicked that we’re at full throttle and losing ground.” Peggy said calmly.
“Then I want to take her somewhere they can save her.” This time Justin’s voice was lower, emulating a deflating tire. “I’m gonna take her to Presbyterian.”
Peggy let him settle down a little more. “We’ll do the best we can. There is nowhere to send her. All the hospitals are full. Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix are too far away. I don’t think she would live through moving.”
“God,” Justin mumbled. “So, what do we do? Just sit here and watch her die?”
The officer let Justin’s arm go, and pulled up a chair.
“Or get well on her own. We’re doing all we can. There isn’t anything left. Now it’s up to her.” This seemed to get through to Justin.
“Her mom can’t come. There are no flights that’ll get her here in 24 hours.” Justin accepted a chair Peggy offered. “Is there anything else we can give her?”
“No. We’re giving her everything we have.” Peggy just wanted to emit calm-sounding words.
Justin sat in the chair, put his elbows on his knees, and his face in his hands. His chest shook.
Ricky put his gloved hand on Justin’s gown-covered shoulder. “Is there anyone else we can call?”
He didn’t answer.
“Has Justin been tested?” Peggy asked Ricky.
“Yes, they both have. I don’t have results, but it’s obvious she has it.”