Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! Emergency! Emergency!
The chaos and pandemonium at the emergency department was rising to a fever pitch. Grown-up men were running around like confused rabbits in search of their last meal to save them from death. The sun that fateful afternoon decided to unleash his anger on everyone. Women were shouting and crying like they were just thrown out of their matrimonial home without a just cause.
Right in the heart of the chaos was a young man probably in his late twenties. He was admittedly unconscious. He was being carried by 3 men, dressed in what seemed to be new Ankara wears. The unconscious young man, dressed in a shiny black blazer was supposed to be a husband officially today. He had only one shoe on, his shirt within his suit was ruffled and stained with oral secretions and blood. He already had 2 episodes of seizures before getting to the hospital. His left hand hung freely out of the stretcher as he was carried to the emergency.
His clothes were soaked, almost dripping with the water they had poured on him after the first seizure. His mouth had multiple bruises and swelling from trying to force a spoon into his mouth.
The men in ankara carried him out of a black Prado jeep, the same car he was supposed to take to his wedding ceremony that same day. They rushed him into the emergency room raising their voices calling for immediate attention.
Dr. Amadi, a well-built doctor got on the scene. Dr. Amadi is the Dr that would finish his rotation and head for the gym. He was the one that always posted pictures of his strong biceps and his abs on Instagram. He already gave the crowd the sign to stay away from the patient. Nobody wanted to get on Dr. Amadi’s nerves. It was usually counter-productive. An overzealous patient relative had sustained a fracture to his knuckles when he tried to punch Dr. Amadi but instead punched the hard concrete wall behind Dr. Amadi after Dr. Amadi gave him the scariest look while his hand was in mid-air. Dr. Amadi came to the scene and found the shock of his life. It could not be! How? No! A zillion thoughts raced through his mind in a split second.
The patient was John, Dr. Amadi’s classmate in secondary school. John had been an example to everyone in the class. John had almost perfect grades in school. He was the good boy everyone wanted to be like. How could it be?
Dr. Amadi had assessed the patient. His vital signs were all within normal limits, yet he was on the brink of having another seizure.
Diazepam! Diazepam! Now! Dr. Amadi called out to the nurse on duty. It was too late. John was already having another seizure.
After a rigorous battle to resuscitate John and abort the seizures, Dr. Amadi turned to an elderly man standing and looking on nervously. He had rows of gray hair arranged in such a manner characteristic of the wealthy, the affluent. “what substance did John take”? Dr. Amadi asked bluntly.
Dr Amadi was never the type to beat about the bush. He always told his patients what the problem was, even of it was a terminal disease.
The elderly man who turned out to be a deacon in his church looking all confused replied “substance”?
“Yes! Substance, as in drug or something of that sort”…replied Dr. Amadi. “Tufiakwa! God forbid! My son does not do drugs” John’s father bolted back, making the characteristic gesture of turning his hand round his head and snapping his thumb against his middle finger.
Dr. Amadi knew that he was wasting precious time talking to the father. John had already begun to desaturate. The pulse oximeter on John’s left hand was already reading 86%. Dr. Amadi knew that John must have taken a substance in overdose. The signs were there, john’s pupils were already constricting. Dr. Amadi needed to know what it was so he could find the antidote, and he needed the information fast.
He didn’t have the time to begin explaining this to the father, so he asked, “where is the bride”? her short stature made her seem invisible in the presence of the tall and mighty Dr. Amadi.
“I am here”. A tiny voice responded from behind him.
Linda was an excellent model of beauty. Her pointed nose made her stand out in the sea of faces that were watching Dr. Amadi.
“Please come with me,” Dr. Amadi said to her. He took Linda to the back of the emergency and asked her, “what substance did your husband take? I need to know if you want him to live”. Linda broke down and started crying.
“Jesus oh! Kedu odi nonsense bu inha(what kind of nonsense is this?)”
Dr. Amadi had so many thoughts running in his mind. His training as a doctor would not let him lose his cool. So he asked Linda again, calmly this time…
"what did your husband take”?
What Dr. Amadi heard next shocked not only him but the generator that was gleefully singing beside the emergency so much so that the generator went off at that instant.
To be continued!