Melting the Argentine Doctor's Heart by Meredith Webber

Author:Meredith Webber [Webber, Meredith]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781460377536
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

IT WAS an idyllic afternoon. Looking back, it seemed to Caroline that both she and Jorge had set aside the past and all its pain and problems and lost themselves in the joyousness that filled the air throughout the plaza. Ella took it all in, watching the make-up football games, joining children on the slides and swings, throwing sticks into the river and watching them float, throwing stones to see the splash.

By the time they returned home, Ella was sleepy so for a second night she had noodles for tea, a quick bath, then into bed, not even staying awake to the end of the story Jorge was reading her.

Not wanting to see him sitting on the bed with Ella nestled up to him as he read, Caroline had walked across to the clinic to check on their patient. Juan was there, an anxious look in his eyes, although he hesitated when Caroline questioned him.

‘He’s had more antibiotics,’ he said. ‘He shouldn’t be suffering from an infection.’

He was! The man’s pulse was racing, his face flushed, his wounded foot swollen to almost twice its size. Caroline checked the dressings, picking up signs of a nasty ooze, and knew immediately that an infection had taken hold.

‘I think Jorge might have to operate again. I hate asking you to watch Ella for me, so perhaps there’s someone else. I’m happy to pay someone to—we call it babysit—if you can find someone you trust.’

‘Mima will do it—but not for money. She is happy Jorge has helped us so much here in the settlement and she likes little Ella. I will get her and take her to the hut and tell Jorge what you think.’

By the time Jorge and Juan returned, Caroline had updated their patient’s status, filling in her findings on the file by the side of the bed. She was bathing him with wet flannels, hoping to lower his temperature, not wanting to give him drugs before Jorge decided what he’d do.

‘I’ll have to open up the wound and clean it out,’ he said as he examined the stained dressings. ‘You will assist?’

He looked at Caroline and she read his distress. An infection could kill the man, and Jorge would surely blame himself for not having headed it off.

‘Of course,’ she said, and knowing how he thought added, ‘and it wouldn’t have made any difference if you’d been here all afternoon. Juan said he only developed the fever in the last hour.’

Jorge nodded, accepting her words, although she knew he’d still be wondering.

He and Juan shifted the man into the treatment room, Juan taking up his position at the man’s head, ready to watch over the anaesthetic and the monitor. Jorge opened the big cupboard and began to pull out what he’d need, while Caroline unwrapped the injured foot, grimacing as she saw the swollen, angry wound.

‘I wanted to keep his heel if possible as it would give him more stability, but the blood supply to the foot is so poor it might not be possible.

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