A Surgeon Who Is Not a Surgeon
The elevator stopped and the door opened into the hallway of the hospital. It was a simple hospital hallway with linoleum and brightly lit fluorescent lights. Kelly wore a white coat with a stethoscope draped around her neck and looked to anyone who saw her as just another doctor making rounds. She exited the elevator and began walking down the corridor, which had rooms lined up on both sides. She wasn’t sure in which room she would be able to find Ali, but she was sure that she would find a police officer standing guard outside it.
Twenty feet ahead, she saw a police officer standing outside Room 173. This must be Ali’s room, thought Kelly. She tried to walk straight into the room, but the moment she reached for the door handle, the officer spoke. “Just a minute, ma’am. I’m sorry but no one is allowed to see the prisoner.”
“I understand you’re doing your job, officer, but I have a job to do, too. I was sent to check the man’s condition and report back,” said Kelly very confidently.
The officer replied, “I am sorry, doctor, but as per the instructions that I have received, only the floor nurse and the approved doctors are allowed in.”
Kelly shot back a stern look at the officer. She wanted to convey to the officer that she did not like his stopping her like this at all and that he was delaying something very important. “I’m the vascular surgeon. I have come to evaluate him prior to the surgery. I hope you understand what a vascular surgeon does. Unless I examine the patient, nothing can be done to help him, and his condition could get even worse very quickly. If you want, you can accompany me inside.”
“Oh, so you’re the doctor who knows about the operation?”
“Yes. Now, can I see him or do you want to delay his surgery?” Kelly asked in a curt voice. She sounded as if she would love to submit in her report that the delay in the surgery took place because of the police themselves and would blame the officer for any medical complication that arose from the delay.
“Uh… Well… Okay,” said the officer reluctantly. He gave in to the demand of Kelly. The moment the officer relented, Kelly’s tone turned soft and courteous. “Thank you, officer, for allowing me to do attend to my patient.” With that, she turned the handle on the door, entered the room, and closed the door behind her.