How To Save A Life (Grey's Anatomy)

Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Season 1, Episode 8

I was discharged from the hospital a week ago and am currently staying with Alex at his apartment. I don't like it, but I don't really have a choice since I'm recovering from surgery and they wouldn't have discharged me without a place to go. I still haven't spoken to him, and honestly, even if I wanted to, which I don't, he's always at the hospital working.

I've talked to the chief and he said if my doctor thinks it's okay when I go to my checkup, I can start working next week. That's what I'm getting ready for now as I walk through Alex's disgusting apartment. I have been pushing myself all week and walking everywhere I go to get stronger. 

Not only is my job motivation, but I need to move out of Alex's apartment as soon as possible. I don't know where I'm going to go yet, I don't know anyone here, I just moved. Hopefully, I'll meet some people on my first day.

I step over a pile of Alex's clothes and scrunch up my nose in disgust, who leaves dirty laundry in the living room? I grab my bag and make my way out the door and down the street. I'm about to call for a taxi when all of a sudden my hand goes back to my side. Last time I was in a taxi I got into an accident. Granted, it wasn't the driver's fault, but still, it kind of freaks me out.

Instead, I decided to walk to the hospital. Probably not the best for my health because it is a longer distance than I've done this week, but soon I'm going to be running through the hospital fighting for surgeries. I can handle a walk to the hospital.

∞∞∞∞∞∞

I cannot handle a walk to the hospital. I practically collapse as I walk through the front doors of the grand building. Luckily there are chairs in the waiting room and I let myself fall into one. I severely underestimated the walk and I'm sweating like a pig. I close my eyes and let myself rest for a minute. I might have fallen asleep, I'm not sure but I'm startled by a voice from behind me.

"Audrey?" I sigh in defeat and turn to see my brother staring at me. He storms up to me with his arms out in disbelief as I put a hand on my forehead. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm here for a check-up," I say matter of factly as I try to stand but almost fall down. He catches my arm and holds me up.

"I know that smart-ass, but why didn't you get a taxi, or better yet, call me?" He questions, leading me over to the elevator. I want nothing more than to push him away but I'd probably fall over if I did that. "You could've opened your incision." I try to shush him, his voice becoming increasingly annoying as he presses the button for the elevator.

"That healed days ago. It's past tearing open from a simple walk. I'm fine, Alex. Don't you have somewhere to be, residents to annoy?" He rolls his eyes as he helps me in the elevator.

"You have to be more careful. Can you stand?" He says trying to balance me and by now I've gained some energy back and can balance on my own. I nod and just before the elevator doors close, I push him out. "Wow, real mature." He says and I wave as the door closes in his face. I close my eyes and breath out in relief.

When the elevator door opens again I'm met with the face of Izzie Stevens. She nods at me as she walks in then all of a sudden she remembers who I am.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Audrey, right?" I give her a warm smile and nod. "You must be here for your check-up, how are you feeling?"

"A lot better actually. Tired, but ready to start working." She laughs and presses the button for the fourth floor.

"Yeah, that's not something that will go away any time soon. We're always tired here." We both laugh and I nod my head. I've wanted to be a surgeon for so long, I've already come to terms with the fact that I'm going to be drop-dead exhausted. I probably won't like it any more than anyone else, but at least I know what I'm getting myself into. The elevator door opens again and she walks out.

"Well, it was nice seeing you. Hopefully, I'll see you again soon!" She says before taking off at a jog down the hall. Yeah, I hope I'll see her again soon too because that would mean I'd be cleared to start work.

I get off the elevator at the next stop and walk to one of the nurse's stations in the main lobby of the hospital. They hand me some forms and I go to a seat to fill them out before being escorted to a room. A doctor comes in to check my incision and does some tests before saying how impressed he is with my recovery. As he finishes his examination, Dr. Webber walks into the room.

"Dr. Karev, good to see you on your feet." He smiles and I return the gesture while pulling down my shirt to cover the scar since the doctor was done with his exam.

"Thank you, sir." I hesitate to ask about work but he notices.

"You must be eager to start working." He says and I nod. "Take the weekend, get some rest, and come in on Monday. I'll assign you to a resident and catch you up then." It takes everything in me to stay professional and not jump around the room in excitement. 

I thank him and he leaves me to get ready to leave. As I pull my bag over my shoulder and walk out of the room, I can hear beeping coming from another room. I walk out into the hallway and bump into George.

"Oh sorry. Wait-oh, Audrey, what are you doing here?" He asks and I'm about to answer him when a nurse runs out of a room.

"Dr. O'Malley? Our patient's pulse OX is dropping. She's agonal. She needs to be intubated." She says urgently and when I look at George he looks like he just saw a ghost.

"Isn't there anyone else who can do this?" He says as she runs back into the room.

"George, we learned about this in med school. You can do it." I say hesitantly, watching him as he struggles to move into the patient's room. "What?" I say when he doesn't move.

"Earlier when I intubated a patient I missed and put the tube in the esophagus instead of the trachea." He mutters and I look at him confused. I grab his arm and pull him into the room.

"You're fine, George." Pulling him over to the patient, he grabs gloves and the necessary tools before walking behind the patient. I know I can't touch the patient because I'm not technically a doctor here yet but I know how to intubate, so I stand beside him for support. "Just visualize the anatomy. Shine the light and-" I speak softly beside him as he works.

"Stats down to 86%." The nurse says from beside him.

"Crich pressure, please." He says without looking up and continues. "Okay. I see cords."

"Good. Good, George." I say as he gets the tube and starts to intubate. Once the tube is in he grabs the purple bag and attaches it to the end of the tube and starts squeezing.

"Check for breath sounds." He says to the nurse and she grabs her stethoscope and listens. After a second she speaks.

"Clear and equal. CO2 detector mellow yellow. Smooth moves, doctor." She says and smiles at him.

"Kicked ass," I say and laugh. I can see another doctor watching through the window and leave the room before heading home. I can't wait until I can actually touch the freaking patient.