"Who's the patient's family member?"
Brandon had just twisted open the bottle to take a sip when the doors of the operating room suddenly swung open, and Emily Hansley hurried out.
She was the assistant surgeon that day, and she was helping Keith with the surgery.
"I am." Brandon stood up while his body swayed slightly from panic.
I supported him as we approached Emily. "Dr. Hansley, what's going on?"
"The patient experienced significant bleeding during the surgery. You need to be prepared for the worst. Here is the consent form."
What Emily had said left Brandon and me frozen in place.
"Is it critical? What's her current situation?" Lisa, who was still in her scrubs, happened to arrive at that moment.
She wasn't scheduled to operate that day, but a colleague had an emergency, so she had stepped in.
"We're continuously transfusing blood, and we're still searching for the source of the bleeding." Emily handed over the surgical complication notice.
Brandon didn't move his hands. He was paralyzed with fear.
Not knowing what to do, I looked toward Lisa for guidance.
She gave me a look, signaling for me to take it.
Just as I was about to reach out for it, Brandon took the form. He looked at Emily and asked, "Is there a risk?"
"There is, but Mr. Marrow and I are doing everything we can. Please sign this quickly so that we don't lose any more time." Emily's tone was firm and serious.
I squeezed Brandon's hand to steady him. He glanced at me before quickly signing the form.
"Thank you for your hard work, Dr. Hansley," Lisa spoke on behalf of both of us as Emily turned to leave.
Emily nodded before heading back into the operating room.
As the doors closed, Lisa came over to reassure us. She said, "This is just a formality. Don't assume the worst. Trust Keith."
Brandon didn't sit back down. He seemed restless. I stayed by his side and kept him company.
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