Chapter 2

♦

“Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement”

-The Godfather

“25 year old male, GSW to the chest. Bp 105 over 82, heart rate 90 over 60 and oxygen sat of 95. Has lacerations on chest, face and right leg and possible Hemothorax on right chest.” The paramedic stated as they wheeled the patient hurriedly into the ER.

“Hello sir, I am Doctor Theodora Choi. Can you look straight for me?” Theodora said, shining light into the patients eyes. Her heard was beating erratically as she looked at the patient. She was absolutely terrified for a reason she could not pin point.

“Great okay. Wheel him to trauma room 2. Let’s get the bleeding in control asap and page Cardiac!” 

She followed them into the trauma room and stood on the right hand corner. Her hands furiously shaking as took another look at the patient.

“Lift in 3. 1, 2, 3.” She said as they heaved the sheets he was lying on above the bed placed in the trauma room. 

“What do we do Doctor Choi?” The nurse asked but Theodora was frozen. It was not her first gunshot victim but it was the first she ever handled alone. 

“Um, Page Doctor Diaz.” She stuttered, running her hands through her dark locks.  

“Already did, but the patient is bleeding out. We need your orders, now.” 

“I don’t-I don’t know.” She stuttered more. Theodora took a step back and took a deep breath. If she does not think fast  her patient would die. 

“What are you doing just standing there?!” 

Theodora whipped around to see Doctor Diaz behind her looking furious.

“If you can’t treat one gunshot victim how the hell are you going to be a doctor?!” She yelled. Theodora was embarrassed. She stared at her attending not being able to move. Diaz pushed her aside and ran towards the patients bed. 

“Get out of here Doctor Choi. Go get some rest. You clearly need it.” 

Theodora hesitated for a second but did as her boss said. She ran towards the interns locker room and slammed the door shut. It wasn’t easy for her. Nothing was. Not being in San Francisco for her internship program, not being alone without her family and especially not having even a little time for herself under the clutches of her attending who really hated her. 

She didn’t know how long she sat there and when the tear works started but the next thing she knew she was balling her eyes out. It was her last torture-de-la-Diaz shift and it was also her last week as an intern. 

The door opened and there was Diaz, her arms crossed, leaning against the door frame. Theodora quickly straightened herself up ready to apologize but was quickly cut off by the older woman. 

“You don’t need to apologize Choi.” She said. Diaz walked a few steps and sat across the young doctor. 

“You have always been on your toes doing a great job but today you froze. And the only one to blame for this is me.” 

Theodora looked surprised. She absolutely did not expect this. Rather she thought that her boss would send another tort