The Family Doctor

by Bobby Hutchinson

  “Apparently it’s a traditional French custom. It clarifies it or something. How was he to know that O’Connor was violently allergic to eggs? We had his allergy marked down on the admitting form, but none of us suspected there’d be eggshells in the broth. I tell you, I’ve seen some panic situations in the ER, but today took the prize. Practically every doctor in the entire hospital was down there at one point. Nobody could see any obvious reason for such extreme symptoms. It was Jensen who finally asked for a detailed list of what the broth was made of.”

  “Tony’s going to be okay, isn’t he?” Kate felt ashamed of her earlier lack of sympathy for his medical problems. He certainly didn’t deserve to be in ICU on a respirator.

  Leslie nodded. She finished her sandwich and gulped some of her coffee, swearing when it burned her tongue. “He’s stable at the moment, but it was touch-and-go there for a while. They even called next of kin—his family’s upstairs right now. Apparently his mom is really up in arms. According to the nurses, she’s been making noises about suing the hospital for malpractice.”

  They looked at each other and shook their heads.

  “Can you imagine the headlines?”

  Kate could, only too well. “Sounds like Tony’s mom is really scared,” she mused. She struggled again with her personal feelings, but she knew what her professional role was. “I’ll go up and see what I can do. Maybe just talking to somebody would help her feel better about things.”

  “Better you than me,” Leslie said, sounding skeptical. “One of the nurses up there told me the woman’s a real piece of work.”

  “Well, I’d rather have her unload on me than on a lawyer.”

  Leslie raised her eyebrows. “Anybody ever tell you that the normal reaction to a bad scene is to run the other way?”

  Kate grinned. “Yeah, but I get paid good money for standing still and deflecting bullets. Back when I was nursing, I told myself I could do a lot more for emotional issues than I ever could for physical ones.” That conviction had inspired her to go back to school and take one course after the other in psychology and conflict management. “And you’re a great one to talk about running away from emergencies, Les. Besides, I’d like to meet Tony’s mother. Talking to someone’s mother can give a lot of insight into why their kids are the way they are.” Kate chewed the last of her bun, reflecting that she could use all the help she could get as far as Tony was concerned. It was humiliating to be able to resolve everyone else’s anger but her own.

  “Yeah?” Leslie gave her a narrow-eyed look. “So that’s what you and Galina talk about each time I go to the bathroom, huh? You’re trying to analyze me.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself. Your mom tells me how sexy the guys in Rehab are and asks why you and I don’t spend more time down there. Beats me. By the way, how’s Galina doing with rehab these days, Les?”

  Leslie’s mother, Galina Poulin, was in her seventies, stubborn, opinionated, funny and delightful. In January, she’d decided to wash the bathroom walls in the town house she and Leslie shared, and she’d fallen and broken her hip. Galina had stubbornly refused to consider physiotherapy until the night Kate came to dinner.

  It had taken a great deal of persuasion to convince Galina to even visit the rehab unit. When at last she agreed, Kate introduced her to the therapists, and one of them, Isaac Harris, had charmed her and talked her into coming twice a week for therapy.

  “She loves Isaac—she giggles and blushes when I tease her about him,” Leslie laughed. “She’s really making headway. I wondered there for a while if she’d ever walk again, but now she’s off the crutches, just using a cane. I owe you for that one, Kate.”

  “Hey, your mom’s done it all by herself. I only hope I have half her energy when I’m her age.”

  Leslie beamed. “Me, too. She’s one of my best friends.”

  “Not many people can say that about a parent.” She never could, Kate reflected sadly. “It says a lot about the kind of person you are, Les, that you and Galina get along the way you do.”

  “Yeah, doesn’t it? Divorced single female, emotionally dependent, insecure and tied to my mom’s apron strings.”

  They looked at each other and chorused, “Not.”

  The hospital’s PR system came on. “All ER staff please report back to Emerg, all staff back to Emerg, stat.”

  Leslie groaned, gulped the last of her coffee and got to her feet. “I’m not sure I even wanna know what that’s about.”

  “Good luck.”

  “Today we need it,” Leslie sighed. “Let me know how you make out with Mother O’Connor.”

  “I will. See you later.” Kate watched her friend hurry off, then finished her coffee and reluctantly made her way up to the Intensive Care Unit.

  The nurse at the desk indicated which waiting room the O’Connor family were in and confirmed that Dr. O’Connor was steadily improving. As Kate headed down the hallway, she could hear a woman’s loud, angry voice.

  “—never heard of such a thing, eggshells in soup. It had to be deliberate. God knows Tony has enemies here—he’s in a position of power and that always means stepping on somebody’s toes. Did you call the pastor like I said, Wilson? I’d like Reverend Anderson to come. I know they say Tony’s improving, but did you see his color? White as a sheet.”

  Kate paused in the doorway. There were five people in the room, two men and three women. The plump, older woman with the tightly permed white hair must be Tony’s mother, Kate deduced. She’d been the one talking when Kate came in.

  They all turned toward her. “Hello,” she said with a reassuring smile. “I’m Kate Lewis, the patient rep.” She directed her attention to the older woman, stepping toward her and extending a hand.

  “And you are…?”

  “I’m Dorothy O’Connor. I’m Dr. O’Connor’s mother.” She gave Kate an assessing look.

  Dorothy’s eyes were red rimmed behind her pink-framed glasses, and her face had settled into what Kate thought were permanently dissatisfied lines. “How do you do?” Kate kept her hand extended, but Dorothy ignored it, so she turned to the others with a questioning smile.

  Dorothy immediately took control. “This is my oldest son, Wilson O’Connor, and my son-in-law, Peter Shiffman.”

  The men mumbled greetings, and then Dorothy introduced the two women. “And these are my daughters, Judy Shiffman and Georgia O’Connor.”

  Judy was obviously older than Georgia, but both sisters were slender and of medium height. Judy had Tony’s dark hair, and was wearing a tailored dress, stockings and heels, her makeup meticulous. Georgia’s hair was fiery red, drawn up in a careless knot at the back of her head, and she wore jeans and no makeup. They each gave Kate a strained smile and a nod, although neither said anything beyond hello.

  “I wonder if there’s something I can help you with?” Kate began. “Do you have any questions you need answered regarding Dr. O’Connor’s care? Any concerns you might have that you’d like to talk over? I know this is a very stressful time for you, and I’d like to make it easier in any way I can.” She directed her remarks at Dorothy.

  “And just how can you make anything easier?” Dorothy’s voice was sarcastic. “This hospital won’t get away with this fiasco, you know. You just tell me how my son could sprain his ankle this morning and then end up in intensive care with his life slipping away from him.” She raised her glasses and dabbed at her eyes with the lacy handkerchief she held clutched in one hand, but anger overpowered tears. Her voice rose. “Why, it’s malpractice, plain and simple, any idiot can see that. My son’s a doctor, and he’s chief of staff here, too. It makes you wonder what happens to the ordinary Joe when he walks in off the street. What would the papers do if they got hold of this news? I can tell you there’d be an uproar, and rightly so.”

  Tony’s brother, Wilson, stepped forward and put an arm around his mother, nodding in agreement and looking at Kate as if it was all her fault.

  “Maybe we ought to give the Vancouver Sun a
call,” he said to Kate in an accusing tone. “You people need to know that gross carelessness of this sort simply won’t be tolerated.” He sounded pompous and self-righteous. “Like Mother says, it’s malpractice, and someone should pay.”

  Kate waited until he was finished speaking, reminding herself that this wasn’t about her. She took a deep breath and kept her voice even, her tone friendly and nonjudgmental. “It sounds as if you’re all very upset and angry, and you have every right to be. This must be terribly stressful for you.”

  Dorothy snorted. “Darned right it’s stressful. My poor son is lying in there not able to talk—” she pointed dramatically toward the Intensive Care Unit, and her voice wobbled “—and not one person is doing anything about it. As far as I can tell, nobody even cares.”

  Kate had to bite her tongue hard in order to keep from telling Dorothy that she was totally wrong, that the entire hospital was in an uproar. Specialists had been called in, and every physician, nurse, tech and aide was horrified at the series of events that had led to this emergency.

  Everyone, down to the newest member of the cleaning staff, cared a great deal. But Kate knew that blocking Dorothy’s anger would only exacerbate it. Listening and sharing information were tried-and-true ways to defuse that anger, difficult as they were.

  Now Georgia O’Connor stepped toward Kate, and she sounded more worried than angry. “Could you find out exactly what’s going on with Tony? They asked us to leave because a couple of doctors were examining him, and the nurse said they’d speak to us when they were done. They came out, but so far, nothing.” She drew in a shaky breath, obviously on the verge of tears. “We just want to know how he’s doing.” Her large brown eyes were filled with concern, her forehead creased in worried lines.

  “Absolutely,” Kate said. “I’ll go now and check with the nurse, then I’ll come right back and let you know exactly what she says.”

  Kate found four doctors grouped around the nursing station, and when she asked, they assured her that the chief was improving rapidly. She suggested that the family needed reassurance, and Dr. Clark agreed. He walked to the waiting room. Kate followed, listening quietly as the doctor, with admirable candor, explained the entire sequence of events to the O’Connor family without making a single excuse.

  Dorothy interrupted repeatedly, her tone accusing, her manner confrontational, and Kate had to admire the way Clark listened with patience and forbearance and then each time quietly reiterated the fact that the patient was improving rapidly and it looked as if there’d be no further side effects. Tony would remain in intensive care overnight, but there was every reason to believe he’d be back on his feet within a day or so, and the medical staff were doing everything in their power to help him recover.

  “Exactly what does that mean?” Wilson O’Connor demanded. “It sounds as if my brother’s at death’s door already because of the incompetence of the staff around here.”

  “What’s happened is unfortunate,” Clark said. “But we really are doing our best for Tony, I assure you. I consider him a friend as well as a colleague.”

  Tony’s mother gave another snort. “With friends like he’s got here at St. Joseph’s, I’d like to know who needs enemies.”

  Dr. Clark’s face flushed at this obvious insult and he gave a pointed glance at his watch, nodded to everyone and walked out of the room, murmuring excuses about being late for an appointment.

  “Can’t stand to hear the truth,” Dorothy said in a self-satisfied voice.

  “Actually, you were pretty rude to him, Mom.” Georgia’s chin rose, and she returned her mother’s belligerent gaze. “He was only trying to be helpful.”

  “Well, we all know whose side you’re on, don’t we?” Dorothy’s skin flushed magenta, and her eyes narrowed as she glared at her daughter. “Just because you’re hoping to be a doctor yourself doesn’t mean you ought to defend something like this.”

  Georgia swallowed and it was obvious she was holding back tears. “I’m on Tony’s side. All I care about is that he gets better. I don’t think laying blame on anybody is helpful.”

  Kate silently applauded.

  “Well, I’m sure you’d handle everything so much better than I do,” Dorothy said in a sarcastic voice. “Although two divorces aren’t exactly what I’d call an example of good judgment.”

  Georgia’s face flushed and Kate felt a rush of sympathy for her.

  “I don’t think this is any time to be jumping down Mom’s throat, Georgia,” Wilson admonished, again taking his mother’s side. “She’s under a lot of stress here.”

  “We all are,” Georgia said in a trembling voice. “Why does everything always have to turn into a huge fight? We’re in this together. We’re all worried about Tony.”

  There was silence for a few seconds.

  “Georgia’s right,” Judy agreed. “We should pull together instead of arguing at a time like this. And it sounds as if the worst is over, which is a good thing because Peter and I are going to have to leave now, Mom.” Judy pointed at her watch. “Otherwise we’ll get caught in rush hour traffic and be late picking up the kids from school.”

  “School! Oh, my goodness.” Dorothy clapped a hand over her mouth. “I forgot all about McKensy. How could I do such a stupid thing? She’ll be waiting for me when her class gets out. She won’t know why I’m not there.”

  This time, Kate noted, Dorothy’s hysterics rang true.

  “When that call came, I got so upset I didn’t think to make arrangements for her,” Dorothy wailed.

  “We’ll go and get her,” Judy soothed. “We have to pick up Ryan and Tricia anyhow, and we can collect McKensy on the way. Her teacher knows me. We’ll take her home with us for the night, Mom.”

  “She’ll need her teddy and her quilt and some clothes,” Dorothy said, rummaging in her purse. “Here’s the house key—just drop it next door with Mrs. Draycott.”

  After Judy and Peter left, Wilson explained that he had to go back to his office, but he promised he’d come and drive Dorothy home later on.

  “I can drive you, Mom,” Georgia offered. “I’ve got my car.”

  “Oh, I’d rather go with Wilson,” Dorothy said. “There’re things I need to talk over with him.”

  Georgia shrugged. “Whatever you like, Mom.”

  When the nurse told Dorothy she could go in and see Tony for ten minutes, Kate was left alone with Georgia.

  “Sorry about all that,” Georgia said in an embarrassed tone. “I guess it’s pretty obvious Mom and I rub each other the wrong way.”

  “It’s a tense time for all of you.”

  “Yeah, it really is,” Georgia sighed. “I should try and be more patient with her, I guess.”

  Kate felt that Dorothy was the one who should do the trying, but she didn’t say so. “It seems as if you all have busy lives and lots to think about,” she remarked. “Do you have kids, Georgia?”

  “Nope. I was smart enough to know that wasn’t a good idea for me.”

  “McKensy is Tony’s daughter?” Kate knew very little about Tony’s personal life. She vaguely remembered hearing through the hospital grapevine that he had a child and he was divorced, but she’d assumed the child lived with his ex-wife.

  “Yeah. McKensy’s nine, she’s a great kid. Mom lives with Tony and takes care of McKensy for him.” Georgia’s eyes reflected the affection she felt for her niece. “Tony’s the best father any little girl could have.” Kate thought she detected a wistful note in the other woman’s voice.

  “Sounds as if you and Dr. O’Connor are really close.” It was Kate’s turn to sound a little wistful. Her only sister lived in San Diego. Marie was eight years older than Kate, and the age difference had meant that they’d never really gotten to know each other. Kate sent gifts to her niece and nephew for birthdays and Christmas, and now that they had a computer she e-mailed them regularly, but she missed being close to family.

  Georgia nodded. “I always say Tony’s my guardian angel. When my
second marriage fell apart, he was there for me, and when I wanted to go back to graduate school and study medicine, he offered to support me.” She swiped at her eyes. “Mom thought it was totally nuts, me going back to school. But Tony convinced me I could do anything I set my mind to. I’d never have made it through the first year if it weren’t for him.”

  Kate was beginning to see Tony O’Connor in an entirely new light.

  “What branch of medicine are you planning to practice?”

  “Obstetrics.” Georgia’s face became animated. “I think bringing babies into the world has to be the most exciting way anyone could spend their working hours.”

  “I agree.” Kate smiled, but deep inside was the usual twinge of sadness and regret that nipped at her whenever babies were mentioned. Because of an ovarian cyst and a resulting hysterectomy when she was nineteen, she could never have babies of her own. Ironically enough, she’d been the kind of little girl who’d had dozens of dolls and played with them long past the time she should have lost interest in them. She’d always dreamed of growing up and having lots of kids, and the operation had sent her into a depression that lasted on and off for several years, until she met Scott and his daughter, Eliza.

  Dorothy came bustling back into the room. “Well, they say he’s improving, but I can’t see it. Go in and see what you think, Georgia.”

  Georgia hurried off and Kate tried again to get to know Dorothy O’Connor. “Georgia was telling me about your granddaughter, McKensy.”

  Kate hoped it was a topic that would steer Dorothy in a more positive direction, even if only for a few moments. The woman was difficult, no doubt about it.

  “McKensy’s my darling girl.” The angry set of Dorothy’s mouth softened into a smile, the first Kate had seen. The older woman looked pretty when she smiled, and the frown lines between her eyes eased.

  “She’s thoughtful, and so smart. Straight A student, just like Tony was.” In the next moment the smile faded and the frown lines reappeared. “It’s just a blessing she took after him and not that flyby-night mother she has.”