Life in my hands
Posted on January 26th, 2015 by Tyler Slade

It was my first day of surgical rotation at Star Fleet Medical, and I could not have been any more excited. I started the day taking another look through an available operating room. Memorizing the placement of all of the tools and their functions. Standing over the empty bio bed, imagining what the first procedure I was going to perform, and I hear the woosh of the bay doors opening.
" Well Dr. Slade, I see you are making yourself comfortable."
I spun around and the apparent shock must have been painted all over my face as Admiral Beverly St.Claire Head of Star Fleet medical stood before me.
I stammered " Admiral I am sorry I didn’t know anyone else was here" as I stood frozen in my place rigidly at attention.
" Please Dr. Slade as you were, I will never reprimand a practitioner on familiarizing themselves with their procedure area and equipment." Admiral St.Claire said as she continued to walk towards me.
" So Doctor Slade what is your procedure that you are preparing for?" She asked.
Feeling slightly embarassed " I dont have a procedure scheduled yet ma’am, but it is my first day of surgical rotation so I wanted to be well versed in my surroundings." I said confident in my response. She cracked a half smile and gave me a quick quiz of the equipment that I would use during a procedure, and after answering all of the questions correctly she looked me straight in my eyes.
" How confident are you with cardiac procedures? " She asked. " Very Confident, the circulatory system fascinates me" I answered with an inquisitive look.
" What procedure did you say that you have scheduled today?" She asked. " I don’t admiral I am still waiting for my first scheduled procedure" I replied. She smiled and then studied me for another brief moment before changing her facial expression from a teacher to what I liked to call " Admiral face " and said
" Well now you do, be back here in this operating room and 1100 hours. You and I will be replacing the aorta of a man that has had his tissue regenerated 4 times now and still has aortic aneurysms. Do you feel like you can assist me?"
I was completely taken by surprise " Yes Admiral It would be an honor and a privilege" I replied probably sounding far to excited.
" Well Dr. Slade we shall see if you are as good as your professors think you are." she said with a wink and then turned and walked from the operating room.
" thank you ma’am I will not let you down" I called after her as she walked away.

I returned to the Operating room at 1030 hours so that I would not be late, only to find that the entire observation deck is full with on lookers including my entire Star Fleet Med Class. As I walked into the prep area I was greeted by three nurses one led me to the sonic sterilizer, which I stood in for scrubbing. The second nurse wrapped me in an anti microbial gown and the third and final nurse covered my hands in sterile tactile enhancing surgical gloves. After all of the preparing I was led into the operating room where I met with Admiral St.Claire and she gave me a run down of how the procedure was going to take place step by step. As we stepped up to the surgical position at the bio bed I took the place next to the Admiral as her secondary.
She looked at me and asked " Dr. Slade what are you doing?"
I was confused " I am awaiting the patient and your instructions admiral" I answered.
" It will be difficult for you complete this procedure if you are standing there, please take left primary position on the opposite side of the bio bed."
I did as I was instructed, my pulse racing that I was taking a primary surgical position on my first procedure second to the head of Star Fleet Medical. The patient was brought in and the procedure began. Being that We had so many on lookers Admiral St.Claire was explaining every single step of the procedure as it was completed including giving me credit when I would perform a part
" Dr. Slade is placing the laser suture to both the distal and proximal edges of the aortic replacement."
The procedure went perfectly, and could even have been described, at the time, as text book. Come to find out a year later it was text book and Admiral St.Claire insured that my name was attached right next to hers on how to replace a chronic failing aorta. If I wasn’t sure before then that procedure of literally having that man’s life in my hands and being able to return it to him made it clear to me that I was going to be a great Doctor because I wanted to save lives.