afraid the ECG shows that you’re right about the heart attack, Doug. Probably caused by a blood clot in one of the vessels leading to your heart.’ His tone was calm and steady. ‘I’m going to give you a drug that will break it down.’
‘One of those clot-busters I’ve been reading about?’
‘That’s right. We need to get the blood flowing back through that artery for you. Before I give it, I need to ask you a few questions.’
Doug winced, his face pale behind the mask. ‘I ought to warn you that I hate quiz night at the pub. I never go. If you’re about to start on capital cities, you can forget it. I left school at sixteen and went out on my father’s boat.’
Ethan smiled. ‘You don’t suffer from any bleeding disorders? Haven’t had surgery lately?’ He asked a series of rapid questions and then took the drugs from Kyla. ‘How long does the air ambulance usually take to arrive and where do they land? I’m not sure he’s stable enough to travel.’
‘The paramedics are skilled and you can go with him. They carry a defibrillator, along with all the other gear you’re likely to need.’
Ethan administered the drug carefully. ‘And they can fly here?’
‘Oh, yes, providing the weather is all right, and today it should be fine.’ Kyla took the empty syringe from him and disposed of it with swift efficiency. ‘We need to call the hospital and fill out details for the transfer.’
‘If I go with him, that will leave you with no doctor.’
Kyla smiled. ‘Logan’s still on the island and he won’t be long, I’m sure. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you’re indispensable, Dr Walker,’ she said cheerfully, her eyes sliding to Doug’s taut features. ‘We nurses are extremely versatile.’
His gaze followed hers and he frowned and checked Doug’s pulse. ‘How’s the pain now? Any improvement?’
Doug nodded. ‘Better,’ he rasped, just as Evanna came back into the room.
‘Air ambulance will be here in fifteen minutes,’ she said in her calm, gentle voice. ‘I’ve explained to the patients in the waiting room that there will be a delay until Logan gets back.’
Kyla looked up. ‘Did you call him?’
‘Yes. Mrs Taylor has a nasty laceration of her leg and she’s very shaken up but nothing’s broken. He’s going to bring her back here to be sutured and I’ve said that one of us will spend some time in the home with her, discussing how to avoid falls.’
Kyla frowned as she reached for the phone. ‘She ought to join your exercise class, Evanna. Did she trip over something?’
‘Not sure. Janet just found her at the bottom of the stairs. It was fortunate that she didn’t break anything or we’d be keeping the ambulance busy today.’ Evanna glanced at her watch. ‘If you don’t need me here, I’ll get started. I’m going to filter Logan’s patients and see as many as I can for him.’
She left the room and Kyla handed Ethan the phone. ‘You’ll want to speak to the head of the coronary care unit at the Infirmary. His name’s Angus Marsh. He’s a nice guy.’ She walked over to Douglas. ‘It’s time we let your wife know what’s going on. This is an Island, Doug. She’ll see the air ambulance and pretty soon someone is going to tell her who the patient was. The first thing she’ll do is worry and what will be going on in her head is going to be worse than the real thing. The second thing she’ll do is kill me.’
As if to prove her point, the door flew open at that moment and Leslie hurried into the room.
‘Who needs phones when there’s the island grapevine?’ Kyla breathed, stepping back from the couch and watching as Leslie lifted her hands to her cheeks.
‘What have you been doing to yourself, Douglas Rory Fraser McDonald?’
Doug gave a feeble groan but there was no missing the affection in his eyes. ‘What are you doing here, woman?’
‘I was buying fish from Geoff on the quay and he told me he’d seen you looking really off colour and heading up this way.’ Leslie stared at the ECG machine in horror and then turned to Kyla. ‘Nurse MacNeil? What’s going on?’
Kyla’s gaze flickered to Ethan but he was on the phone, talking to the consultant at the hospital, arranging the transfer. ‘Douglas has had some chest pain and it looks as though he might have had a heart attack,’ she said gently. ‘He’s doing very well and there’s certainly no need to panic. We ‘re going to transfer him to the mainland just until they’re happy with his condition. Just a precaution. The helicopter is going to be here in a minute.’
Leslie gave a soft gasp. ‘You’re going to the mainland? You’ve had a heart attack? And just when were you planning on telling me this, Doug? Next Christmas?’
‘Stop fussing. Kyla was just about to ring you but they’ve been working flat out since I arrived.’ Doug kept his eyes closed and his voice was thready. ‘Go back and check on our Andrea. I’ll call you from the hospital.’
‘Andrea is fine. She’s thirteen now. She can get herself to school.’ Leslie looked at Kyla, her face grey with shock and worry. ‘Can I go with him?’
Kyla nodded. ‘You should be able to but I’ll have to check with the crew. Leslie, you look very pale. Sit down.’ She quickly dragged a chair across the room and the other woman plopped onto it gratefully.
‘I’ll be fine in a minute,’ she muttered, rubbing her hand across her forehead. ‘It’s just a bit of a shock, that’s all.’
Ethan replaced the phone just as Evanna popped her head round the door again. ‘The helicopter is here. The paramedics are bringing a stretcher in for you.’
‘I’ve spoken to the hospital and they’re expecting him.’ Ethan checked Doug’s observations again and then helped the paramedics move him onto the stretcher.
They loaded Doug into the helicopter, helped Leslie on board and then Ethan sprang up beside him in a lithe, athletic movement. ‘How do I get back?’
Kyla grinned. ‘If you’re lucky, they bring you back. If you’re unlucky, you swim. Don’t worry, the water’s quite warm at this time of the year. See you later, Dr Walker.’
She ducked out of range of the helicopter’s blades and made her way back into the surgery. Walking into the crowded waiting room, she explained what had happened and quickly assessed who could see her instead of a doctor.
‘Is Doug going to be all right?’ Paula Stiles, who worked in the gift shop, asked the question that was on everyone’s mind.
Patient confidentiality was a total nightmare, Kyla reflected as she gave as little information as possible while still providing the necessary reassurance.
Then she opened the door of her own room and switched on the computer. Interesting start to the day, she mused as she tapped a few keys and brought up her list for the morning. Not even nine o’clock and already she felt as though she’d done a day’s work.
And she didn’t want to think about how Ethan must feel. He’d travelled for most of the
