Family Matters

"Dr. Stratton." The desk clerk flagged Michael down as he strode past the nurses'station. "Your sitter phoned. She said she couldn't get you on your cell. She needs you to call home right away."Michael reached for the phone she set on the counter for him and punched in his number. When the babysitter answered, he wasted no time greeting her. "What's wrong, Heather?""Cody has a fever of 104 degrees. I think he's really sick. What should I do?"Michael frowned. Cody hadn't even had a cold for months. He must have been exposed to something at school. But what kind of flu bug would cause a fever that high? He'd have to phone Jennie and find out if his friends had been sick. "Just keep him comfortable until I get home. There's a bottle of children's acetaminophen in the medicine cabinet. Give him four of those. If his fever doesn't start dropping after that, call me back." He handed the phone to the clerk."Dr. Stratton. Your patient in 208 is totally dilated," an O.B. nurse informed him as she passed. "The baby's head is at plus one.""Tell them I'm on my way." He washed up quickly and donned his scrubs. When he hurried into room 208, Julie Miller was just beginning to push. She strained, her hair plastered against her forehead with sweat. At last she fell back against the pillow. "I can't do this!" she told anyone who would listen. "I never intended to do this without drugs," she said, half teasing, and completely serious. "Drugs, Dr. Stratton. Anesthesia. Pain relief.""The baby's coming too fast, Julie. What you've got here is a nice natural childbirth. Something a lot of people are going to envy you for.""But I...can't...""Oh, yes. You can." He moved to the foot of the birthing bed, pulled up the stool and sat down. "Let's have a baby here. I can see the head.""Can you?" she asked breathlessly, raising her head slightly as tears of exertion streamed down her cheeks."It's right here. I see dark hair, lots of it. Another few pushes and this will be over. Come on, Julie."Michael had seen hundreds of women through labor and delivery. But he still couldn't do it without feeling a little twinge of pride and sadness, thinking of his own son's birth eight years ago. Jennie had been so brave. And Cody had been such a gift to both of them. There had been a time when they both thought that loving their son might be enough to save their marriage. But it hadn't happened that way."I feel the contraction coming. It's coming. I don't... ""You can do it, Julie," her husband said, encouraging her."Focus all your energy on this push," Michael urged. "Let your body do this for you. Keep your knees wide. Hold on. Hold on.""Good," his nurse joined in, cheering her on. "Perfect."In spite of the fast, easy birth, this patient would need an episiotomy. He performed it quickly as Julie Miller began to strain again.The baby's head emerged. A shoulder came next and then the rest of the newborn slipped out, a fine, healthy boy, already bleating for his mother. Michael handed her the baby as the nurse wrapped Julie in warm blankets. "Thanks," she whispered.After Michael showed the father how to cut the cord and allowed the proud new parents to count fingers and toes, he examined the infant himself and gave him a high Apgar score. "Congratulations!" He shook the father's hand before he tucked his charts beneath his arm. Then he touched Julie's arm. "Good work, Mom."With that, he swung briskly out of room 208 and headed for the fourth floor and his next patient. He looked forward to his visits with Bill Josephs. "Well, Bill," he said, leaning back against the wall and studying his elderly client from a distance. "You look good enough to run a marathon.""I am looking good," the old man bellowed at him. "I am feeling good. When're you gonna send me home, Doc?""Well--" Michael appeared to consider as he winked at Bill's wife, adjusting his bedside manner to fit comfortable cBedford, Deborah is the author of 'Family Matters', published 2008 under ISBN 9780373786138 and ISBN 0373786131.