Chapter 136: 11.02
"Alright, I'm almost done right here, if you'd like to go ahead with the repair." Helena told Callie and Arizona, Wilson by her side, as they operated.
"Callie, I , uh, that you should go with a primary repair." Arizona told her wife.
"Eh, I feel the artery's missing too large a piece." Callie argued, then turning to Jo. "We'll do an interpositional graft."
"W- you agreed with me in pre-op." The blond argued.
"Well, I changed my mind once I got in and saw the extent of the defect." The brunette shrugged.
As Arizona looked at her, almost asking for help, Helena adverted her gaze, announcing. "I've just finished ligating the bleeders, so we're all set up here."
She knew this was not as much about the patient as it was about their marriage.
"Yeah, and I don't see any more bone fragments , Dr. Torres, so-" The resident started.
"When you so quickly disregard my medical opinion it makes me like you forget that I'm a pediatric surgeon, who knows that interpositional grafts can cause complications in children." Arizona spat out.
At that, the short girl let out a little sigh, sharing a look with her younger friend.
"Well, when you question me in the OR, it makes me that you don't think I can't do my job." Callie argued. "We'll use the PTFE graft, Wilson."
"Use the great saphenous vein, Wilson. We don't need any synthetic materials." Arizona disagreed.
"Ok. Fine." The taller woman scoffed. "Cut into the kid's leg."
——
"I got Ali's clothes on her bed, she's getting dressed, now." Mark told his wife, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Is she still in her blue fase that started this week?"
"Absolutely. Blue dress, blue shoes and blue hair bow." He chuckled.
Helena crossed the kitchen island to sit by Caroline, putting the bowl of chopped up peaches in front of her. "Ok, baby. Why don't we try some peaches, today? "
As Mark made them both some coffee, the woman put some bread slices in the toaster, asking. "Have you talked to Callie lately? About this whole break thing she has going on with Arizona?"
"Yeah. Seems like she didn't even wanna do it at first, she's doing it from Robbins." He told her.
"I'm worried about them, Mark. I-I mean, Arizona is as overwhelmed with work as I am, and without her wife's support, now. And Callie is also doing a million things at once, as she can't even talk to Arizona. Keep an eye on her?" She tried, moving back to where her baby sat.
"I will."
"Now, honey, why don't you eat some peaches?" Helena suggested, encouraging the girl to do it by herself. "They are delicious."
At that, the girl pouted, before throwing the plate to the floor, as she let out. "!"
Both parents immediately froze, as Mark asked, his eyes wide. "Did s-she just?"
"No, no, no, no!" Caroline muttered, shaking her head.
"Mark, get the camera! We're not missing it twice!"
——
Helena walked down the hallway, her pace fast, hurrying to her patient's room. As she got to the hallway it was in, she saw Arizona doing the same, also late. They shared a look as they entered the room.
"I sent your husband down to the gift shop. He fainted, the last time we talked about needles." Nicole smiled at the pregnant woman.
"Oh, he's such a light weight." She chuckled.
"Well, hopefully he's buying you some chocolate." Then, she turned to the Dimpled Duo, reprimanding. "You're late."
"I'm so sorry, I had to come in extra early for a peds surgery." Helena justified.
"And, uh, I was checking on a baby in the NICU, and-"
"Don't care." She shut them off, turning to the OBGYN that had joined them on the fellowship. "Graham, start talking."
"Jaclyn Werlein, 23 weeks along, recent fetal echo of her baby's heart. Unfortunately confirmed critical aortic stenosis. Today, we'll be performing a fetal aortic valvuloplasty in order to open up the narrowed aortic valve." He presented.
"You're BP is a little high." Herman pointed out. "You feeling ok?"
"I'm a little nervous. The idea of a giant needle going through me and then my baby's teeny heart... there doesn't seem to be much room for error." The patient explained.
"I assure you, Jaclyn, that we'll-" Helena started.
"Dr. Herman has made us the go-to hospital for fetal cardiac intervention." Graham interrupted. "She's the only surgeon that even does this procedure in the Pacific Northwest. She's why I'm here." Then, he shot Arizona and Helena a look. "To learn from her."
——
"Position is critical to success." Nicole explained, in the OR, as Graham assisted. "If the fetus isn't facing forward, chest up, we can't get to the apex of the heart. Perfect approach, Graham. We have direct access, now."
"I've been practicing in the lab."
"Dr. Herman, I'd be happy to assist, if you'd have me." Helena shot her shot.
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