Jake awakened with difficulty from a sound sleep. Last night had been hectic and bed was denied him ‘til the wee hours of the morning. With a squint at the clock, he noted the time was 9:15 a.m. Three hours of sleep was definitely not enough. Too bad. The day ahead promised to be as busy as the night before.
As he dressed, thoughts of the accident last night passed through Jake’s mind. It had been a bad one, resulting in a race of life or death for the pregnant woman in premature labor. Her husband had been rushed to surgery and Jake prayed the man would live. It was a wonder either one had survived the head on collision that had crumpled their compact car. The driver of the other vehicle died on impact. This was always the hard part of being a medic. Jake knew there would be a battle to save this couple. After stabilizing them, his job was mainly done and all he could do now was pray for them.
Back on the job by 10 a.m. Jake checked on the couple. The man, Del Owen, was holding on, as was his wife, Susan. It was a toss up whether the baby could be saved. This was the part of his job that kept Jake sleepless some nights. For the past ten years he had been a medic at this hospital and rotated between the E.R. and ambulance duty. After his discharge from the Army, Jake had wanted, no needed, a slower life style. Researching opportunities that fit his experience, He settled on a smaller hospital that allowed him to work both E.R. and ambulance as a medic. Larger hospitals would never have allowed the combination. Medics didn’t normally work in E.R. but Charity Hospital’s requirements made this possible, filling two positions with one person. The hours were long and often mentally exhausting. This was his ministry and even when nothing could be done to save a life, Jake knew he was doing what God wanted him to do.
“Hey Jake, you okay?” Ron, a doctor on duty, was concerned by the weariness he observed on Jake’s face.
“Yeah, just sleep deprived. What’s happened so far today? We could sure use a slow one.” Jake replied. Not waiting for an answer, he headed for the hospital chapel; he always started and ended his shift with prayer and treasured this quiet time.
Jake couldn’t remember a time he had not wanted to heal the sick and injured. He had dreamed of being a surgeon but it was not to be. While serving as a medic in Korea, a pain-crazed soldier had stabbed his wrist. Although the hand had been saved, some feeling had been lost. He had not expected to lose his dream due to saving a life and it had devastated him. At least he could still work in the medical field and make a difference.
Completing his quiet time with God, Jake signed in to start his day, greeting his co-workers with an inner peace. Today he was assigned E.R. duty where he assisted as needed and Jake was grateful he was not on the road. At break time he headed for the cafeteria knowing a cup of tea would go good about now and maybe a bagel with salmon cream cheese. If he hurried he might find a shady place to eat in the courtyard. Hearing the sound of sirens heading toward the hospital, Jake put aside the thought of tea and bagels. He hoped it wouldn’t be too bad and headed for the E.R. entrance.
After helping stabilize a mild heart attack patient for the doctor on duty there was a lull so Jake decided to check on Del and Susan. It looked like they might both survive but at what cost? Recovery would be long and painful. And then there was the baby. How would they manage? Standing by her bed, Jake examined Susan’s injuries. She would probably need plastic surgery to restore her looks. Multiple bone breaks would need time to heal. So far there was no sign of internal bleeding. It was still too early to know if the baby could be saved. Premature labor had been stopped for the moment but Jake knew it could re-start any time. They would know more after the ultra-sound. He wondered if the child was their first.
Next Jake visited Del who had severe head trauma along with a broken arm and leg. Surgery had relieved the pressure in Del’s head but he had not regained consciousness yet. There was a chance he might not ever wake up. Too young, Jake thought, or maybe he was just getting old as he prayed the young couple still had a chance. Time had run out for the sixteen-year-old boy driving the other car. He would never know the joy and pain of growing old. A deep sadness enveloped Jake as he thought of the boy. A freak accident, no one at fault and so many lives changed forever. Some called it “an act of God” but Jake didn’t believe that.
After his shift ended, Jake headed to the chapel to offer a prayer and give thanks for the blessings in his life. Although there had once been someone he loved, Jake had never been married and probably never would. He still experienced an occasional nightmare from his time in Korea; plus some of the horror he dealt with in his current job interfered with his sleep. To ask another to share in his times of despair was more than Jake could bear. Compared to others, this had been one of the better days. No serious emergencies and Del, Susan and baby were still alive. The ultra-sound showed the due date was closer than they had thought and the child should be okay if born early. As he knelt in the pew, he thanked God for all the good in the world. The peace Jake always found after his talk with God filled him. With a lighter heart, he left the chapel and was ready to go home.
“Hey Jake, hold up a sec,” Ron hurried to catch up. “Thought you’d like to hear this. That young couple you brought in? The word just came in and they’re both stable. Therapy will take awhile but at least they’ll have a life.”
“What a relief Doc. Thanks for telling me. As you know, this is what keeps us doing this job.”
“Yeah, I agree,” Ron said. “Maybe now you can sleep tonight and get rid of those dark circles beneath your eyes.”
“Come on, Doc, they aren’t that bad.” Jake grinned and walked out of the E.R. whistling a happy tune. Maybe he couldn’t save lives as a surgeon but he could and did as a medic.