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2011 Carol Awards Finalist
Dr. Anna McIntyre’s life was going along just fine until someone else started living it. Her patient died because of an identity mix-up; her medical career is in jeopardy because of forged prescriptions; and her credit is in ruins. She thought things couldn’t get worse, but that was before she opened the envelope and saw a positive HIV test with her name on it.
Her allies are two men who are also competing for her affection. Dr. Nick Valentine is a cynic who carries a load of guilt. Attorney Ross Donovan is a recovering alcoholic. The deeper Anna digs to discover who’s behind the identity thefts the higher the stakes. Finally, when her life is on the line, Anna finds that her determination to clear her name might have been a prescription for trouble.
He paused beside his brown delivery truck, shifted the bulky package, and turned in a tight circle to search for the right apartment.
Shouts filled the air. Firecrackers exploded all around him. A dozen red-hot pokers bored holes through his gut.
The package flew from his arms. He crumpled into a privet hedge at the edge of the sidewalk, clutching his midsection and recoiling when his fingers encountered something wet and slimy.
A wave of nausea swept over him. Cold sweat engulfed him.
Eric managed one strangled cry before everything faded to black.
* * *
Dr. Anna McIntyre bumped the swinging door with her hip and backed into Parkland Hospital's Operating Room Six, her dripping hands held in front of her, palms inward. "Luc, tell me what you've got."
Chief surgical resident, Dr. Luc Nguyn, didn't look up from the rectangle of abdomen outlined by green draping sheets and illuminated by strong surgical lights. "UPS driver, making a delivery in the Projects. Got caught in the crossfire of a gang rumble. Took four bullets in the belly. Pretty shocky by the time he got here."
"Find the bleeding source?"
"Most of it was from the gastric artery. Just finished tying it off."
Anna took a sterile towel from the scrub nurse and began the ritual of gowning and gloving made automatic by countless repetitions. "How about fluids and blood replacement?"
Luc held out his hand, and the nurse slapped a clamp into it. "Lactated Ringer's still running wide open. We've already pushed one unit of unmatched O negative. He's finishing his first unit of cross-matched blood. We've got another one ready and four more holding in the blood bank."
"How's he responding?"
"BP is still low but stable, pulse is slower. I think we're catching up with the blood loss."
Anna plunged her hands into thin surgical gloves. "Lab work?"
"Hematocrit was a little over ten on admission, but I don't think he'd had time to fully hemodilute. My guess is he was nine or less."
Anna turned slightly to allow the circulating nurse to tie her surgical gown. "Bowel perforations?"
"So far I see four holes in the small intestine, two in the colon."
"Okay, he'll need antibiotic coverage. Got that started?"
Luc shrugged. "Not yet. We don't know about drug allergies. His wallet had ID, but we're still working on contacting next of kin. Meanwhile, I have Medical Records checking his name in the hospital computer for previous visits."
"And if he's allergic—"
The nursing supervisor pushed through the swinging doors, already reading from the slip of paper in her hand. "They found one prior visit for an Eric Hatley, same address and date of birth as on this man's driver's license. Seen in the ER two weeks ago for a venereal disease. No history of drug allergy. They gave him IM Omnilex. No problems."
The medical student who'd been assisting moved two steps to his left. Anna took his place across the operating table from Luc.
Luc glanced toward the anesthesiologist. "Two grams of Omnilex IV please."
Anna followed Luc's gaze to the head of the operating table. "I don't believe I know you. I'm Dr. McIntyre."
The doctor kept his eyes on the syringe he was filling. "Yes, ma'am. I'm Jeff Murray, first-year anesthesia resident."
A first-year resident on his own? Where was the staff man? "Keep a close eye on the blood and fluids. Let us know if there's a problem." Anna picked up a surgical sponge and blotted a bit of blood from the edge of the operative area. "Okay, Luc. Let's see what you've got."
In the operating room, Anna was in her element. The green tile walls, the bright lights, the soft beep of the monitors and whoosh of the respirator, the squeak of rubber soles as the circulating nurse moved about the room—all these were as natural to her as water to a fish or air to a bird. Under Anna's direction, the team worked together smoothly. Conversation was at a minimum, something she appreciated. Do the job in the OR, talk in the surgeons' lounge.
"I think that's got it," Luc said.
"Let's check." Anna's fingertips explored the depths of the patient's belly with the delicate touch of a concert violinist. Her eyes roamed the operative field, missing nothing. Luc had done an excellent job. He'd do well in practice when he finished his training in three months.
Anna stepped away from the table. "I think you're through. Routine closure, leave a couple of drains in. Keep him on antibiotic coverage for the next few days."
Luc didn't need to hear that, but she figured the medical student did. She might as well earn her assistant professor's salary with a little low-key teaching.
She stripped off her gloves and tossed them in the waste bucket at the end of the operating table. "If you need me—"
"Luc, we've got a problem. Blood pressure's dropping, pulse is rapid." A hint of panic rose in the anesthesiologist's voice.
The scrub nurse held out fresh gloves, and Anna plunged her hands into them. "He must be bleeding again. Maybe one of the ligatures slipped off."
"No way," Luc said. "Everything was double-tied, with a stick-tie on the major vessels. You saw yourself; the wound was dry when we finished."
"Well, we've got to go back in and look." Anna turned to the anesthesiologist. "Run the IV wide open. Hang another unit of blood and send for at least two more. Keep him oxygenated. And get your staff man in here. Now!"
Jeff snapped out a couple of requests to the circulating nurse before turning back to Anna. "He's getting hard to ventilate. Do you think we might have overloaded him with fluid and blood? Could he be in pulmonary edema?"
"I want your staff doctor in here now! Let him evaluate all that. We've got our hands full." Anna snatched a scalpel from the instrument tray and sliced through the half-dozen sutures Luc had just placed. "Deavor retractor." She shoved the curved arm of the instrument into the edge of the open wound and tapped the medical student's hand. "Hold this."
Anna grabbed a handful of gauze sponges, expecting a gusher of blood from the abdomen. There was none. No bleeding at all within the wound. So why was the blood pressure dropping?
"Pressure's down to almost nothing." The anesthesia resident's voice was strained. "And I'm really having trouble ventilating him."
Dr. Buddy Jenkins, one of the senior anesthesiologists, pushed through the swinging doors. "What's going on?"
Anna gave him the short version. "Blood pressure's dropping, pulse is climbing. We've gone back into the belly, but there's no bleeding. And there's a problem ventilating him."
Jenkins moved his resident aside, then slipped a stethoscope under the drapes and listened for a moment. "Wheezes. And no wonder. Look at his face."
Anna peeked over the screen that separated the patient's head and upper body from the operative field. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the swelling of the lips and the red blotches on the man's face.
"It's not blood loss," Jenkins said. "He's having an anaphylactic reaction. Most likely the blood. Did you give him an antibiotic? Any other meds?"
Anna's mind was already churning, flipping through mental index cards. Anaphylaxis—a massive allergic reaction, when airways closed off and the heart struggled to pump blood. Death could come quickly. Treatment had to be immediate and aggressive.
"He had two grams of Omnilex," Luc said. "But his old chart showed—"
Jenkins was in action before Luc stopped speaking. "I'll give him a cc. of diluted epinephrine by IV push now, then more in a drip." He turned to the anesthesia resident. "Get that ready—one milligram of epinephrine in a hundred milliliters of saline."
"Luc, you two close the abdominal wound," Anna said. "I'm going to break scrub and help Dr. Jenkins."
Jenkins handed her a syringe. "Give him this Decadron, IV push. I need to adjust the ventilator."
Anna injected the contents into the patient's intravenous line. She said a quick prayer that the epinephrine and steroid would turn the tide, that they hadn't been too late in starting treatment.
The team battled for almost half an hour, at first gaining ground, then losing it steadily. Finally, Jenkins caught Anna's eye. They exchanged glances. There was no need for words.
She sighed and stepped away from the table. "I'm calling it." Her voice cracked. "Time of death is 11:07."
Luc let the instrument he'd been holding drop back onto the tray. Jenkins picked up the anesthesia record and began to scribble. Murray, the anesthesia resident, turned back to his supply table and started straightening the mess. The medical student looked at Anna. She nodded toward the door, and he slipped out of the room. She didn't blame him. This was probably the first patient he'd seen die.
Anna tossed her gloves and mask into the waste container. She shrugged, but the tension in her shoulders gripped tighter. "Any idea why this happened? The blood was supposed to be compatible. He'd tolerated Omnilex before. What else could have caused it?"
No one offered an answer. And she certainly had none. But she intended to find out.
The OR charge nurse directed Anna to the family room, where she found Hatley's mother huddled in a corner, twisting a handkerchief and occasionally dabbing at her eyes. The room was small and quiet, the lighting was soft, and the chairs as comfortable as possible. A box of tissues sat on the table, along with a Bible and several inspirational magazines. Soft music playing in the background almost covered the hospital sounds drifting in from the nearby surgical suite.
Anna whispered a silent prayer. She'd done this dozens of times, but it never got any easier. She knelt in front of the woman. "Mrs. Hatley, I have bad news for you."
Anna stumbled through the next several minutes, trying to explain, doing her best to make sense of a situation that she herself couldn't fully understand. When it came to the matter of permission for an autopsy, Anna wasn't sure of the medicolegal situation here. Hatley had died after being shot, but his injuries weren't the cause of death. Would she have to call the County Medical Examiner and get him to order one? The weeping mother solved the problem by agreeing to allow a postmortem exam.
There was a light tap at the door, and the chaplain slipped into the room. "I'm sorry. I was delayed." He took the chair next to Mrs. Hatley and began speaking to her in a low voice.
Anna was happy to slip out of the room with a last "I'm so sorry." Outside, she paused and took several deep breaths.
It took another half-hour for Anna to write a chart note, dictate an operative report and final case summary, and change into clean scrubs. She was leaving the dressing room when her pager sounded. The display showed her office number followed by the suffix "911." A "stat" page—respond immediately.
As she punched in the number, Anna wondered what else could possibly go wrong today. "Lisa, what's up?"
"Dr. McIntyre, there are two policemen here. They want to talk with you. And they say it's urgent."
* * *
Nick Valentine looked up from the computer and grimaced when he heard the morgue attendant's rubber clogs clomping down the hall. The summons he knew was coming wasn't totally unexpected. After all, he was the pathologist on autopsy call this week, which was why he was sitting in this room adjacent to the morgue of Parkland Hospital instead of in his academic office at the medical school. But he'd hoped for some undisturbed time to get this project done.
The attendant stuck his head through the open door. "Dr. Valentine, you've got an autopsy coming up. Unexpected death in the OR. Dr. McIntyre's case. She asked if you could do it as soon as possible. And please page her before you start. She'd like to come down for the post." The man's head disappeared like that of a frightened turtle. More clomps down the hall signaled his departure.
There was nothing new about an attending wanting a postmortem done ASAP. You'd think they'd realize there was no hurry anymore, but that didn't seem to stop them from asking. At least she was willing to come down and watch instead of just reading his report. Nick turned to the shelf behind his desk and pulled out a dog-eared list headed "Frequently Needed Pager Numbers." He ran his finger down the page. Department of General Surgery. Anna E. McIntyre, Assistant Professor. He picked up the phone and punched in her number. After he heard the answering beeps, he entered his extension and hung up.
While he waited, Nick looked first at the pile of papers that covered half his desk, then at the words on his computer screen. He'd put this off far too long. Now he had to get it done. To his way of thinking, putting together this CV, the curriculum vitae that was so important in academics, was wasted effort. Nick had no interest in a promotion, didn't think he'd get one even if his chairman requested it from the dean. But his chairman wanted the CV. And what the chairman wanted, the chairman got.
The phone rang. Probably Dr. McIntyre calling back.
"Dr. Valentine."
"Nick, this is Dr. Wetherington. Do you have that CV finished yet?"
"I'm working on it."
"Well, I need it soon. I want you to get that promotion to associate professor, and I have to be able to show the committee why I've nominated you. Don't let me down."
Nick hung up and rifled through the pile on his desk. Reprints of papers published, programs showing lectures delivered at medical meetings, textbooks with chapters he'd written, certificates from awards received. His professional résumé was pitifully small, but to Nick it represented the least important part of his job. What mattered most to him was what he was about to do—try to find out why the best efforts of a top-notch medical staff had failed to save the life of some poor soul. If he did his job well, then maybe those doctors would be able to snatch some other patient from the jaws of the grim reaper.
His phone rang. "Dr. Valentine, are you about ready?" the morgue attendant said.
Nick looked at his watch. Almost half an hour, and Dr. McIntyre hadn't responded to the page. He hated to start without her, but he might have to. "Give me another ten minutes."
While he waited, Nick figured he might as well try to make Dr. Wetherington happy. Now, when did he deliver that paper before the American Society of Clinical Pathology? And who cared, anyway?
* * *
Anna's administrative assistant met her at the doorway to the outer office. "Dr. McIntyre, I didn't know what to do."
"That's all right, Lisa. I'll talk with them." Anna straightened her white coat and walked into her private office, where two people stood conversing in low tones. Lisa had said, "Two policemen," but Anna was surprised to see that one of them was a woman.
The man stepped forward to meet Anna. "Doctor McIntyre?"
Anna nodded.
He pulled a leather folder from his pocket and held it open for her inspection. Anna could see the gold and blue badge pinned to the lower part of the wallet, but couldn't read the words on it. The card in the top portion told her, though. It carried a picture beside the words, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Lisa had been wrong. These people were from the DEA, not the police. Still, an unannounced visit from that agency made most doctors sweat. You never knew when some innocent slip might get you into trouble.
The man flipped the credential wallet closed. "This won't take long."
"Good. I've just finished an emergency case, and I still have a lot to do." Anna moved behind her desk and sat.
"Your chairman said you'd give us as much time as we need."
Anna glanced pointedly at her watch. "Well, have a seat and let's get to it. What do you need from me?"
The man lowered himself into the chair, his expression slightly disapproving. His partner followed suit. "We have some things we need for you to clear up."
"Could I see those credentials again?" Anna said. "Both of you."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Medical Error - Prescription for Trouble Series #2 by Mabry Richard Copyright © 2010 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Excerpted by permission of Abingdon Press. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
After reading his first one, Code Blue, I thought I would read another in his series - Precription For Trouble. This one has different characters but continues with another story using the authors medical background. Again it had a good moral presentation and I enjoyed the change from other books I normally read. if you do not like to read stories with bad language and sexual undertones in it, this is definitely a book you should check out.
14 out of 15 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.CyberMomLF
Posted June 12, 2011
I found the story and the two main characters to be intriguing. I actually purchased this as a free nookbook. Would be interested in reading some of his other books. Had no idea he was a Christian author until the end. It did not have an overtly religious tone, in my opinion. I would recommend!
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.onedesertrose
Posted August 3, 2010
Medical Error is written in an action-packed, medical perspective that will keep readers thoroughly intrigued, as it all intertwines around identity theft .
Eric Hatley's last day started out normal for a UPS driver. However, he ended up in the crossfire of gang warfare and wound up in Parkland Hospital OR. Life for Dr. Anna McIntyre changed that day due to a medical records mix-up on the patient.
Shortly thereafter, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) was knocking on her door for over-prescribing Vicodin through excessive prescriptions, with high numbers of pills and refills, which she states are forged prescriptions. A day later, the Dallas Police, Investigators Green and Dowling, show up to prove she was behind the excessive number of prescriptions floating throughout the neighborhood-a criminal trying to make a bust in the market.
Then Anna finds someone has maxed-out her credit cards and were getting into her banking account. On top all that off, she gets a medical report stating she is HIV positive, as her insurance information was being used by someone else, like Eric Hatley's case. Mix all these circumstances with romance, muggings, and attempted murders, and you are hooked!
My first thoughts about Medical Error had to do with identity theft that we hear so much about these days. How to be careful to secure our identity, and then what to do once it is breached. Anna found out the hard way that she was way more careless than she realized, and way too impulsive to solve the problem.
I'm not sure which was more intriguing though, the medical issues or the identity theft. Both kept me riveted as circumstances changed almost daily, as new information was forthcoming. Only problem was, they didn't know the source of the issues.
I love medical reads, and Dr. Mabry was definitely on top of the medical school/hospital issues at hand, from medial malpractice, lawsuits, suspensions, etc. Had me checking up some new terms so I knew what he was referring to, but that made it all that much more interesting for me-learned new information.
My only minor complaint is the continuous clichés, i.e, 'like fish to water, air to a bird, like a dog with a bone,' etc., yet some of the clichés turned out to be some great word pictures!
If you love medicine and a great mystery, Dr. Mabry's book, Medical Error, is one you need to read! You won't be disappointed with the twists and turns in the plot up to the very last chapter. Was it a co-worker, prior patient, the DEA personnel, the police, or even possibly Nick that was perpetrating all this? You'll have to read it to find out! My lips are sealed.
This book was provided free from Susan at The Suspense Zone for my review.
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 23, 2012
I read his first book, Code Blue, and really liked it so I was eager to start this one. I must say I was not disappointed. He uses different characters to tell another story about a medical doctor. I thought this second book was better than the first. The characters were truely interesting and well developed. The plot was intriging and I couldnt put it down. Once again I liked that thw book didnt contain foul language or sexual scenes. I also liked how the characters depended on God. Another great book from Dr. Mabry.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Hey folks, This book is not a medical thriller. It is simply a venue for the author to proselytize his religious view. It is a shame this sort of thing happens so frequently. If the author truly believes his message, he ought to be willing to tell folks ahead of time what his message is. I received the book for free, but some folks actually paid valuable bucks for this deception. Best wishes, Dave Wile
3 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 2, 2012
very good story line
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 2, 2012
Great medical mystery. However, they need to proofread it! Most notable was "ice" when the word was "office". Overall, very interesting storyline that keeps you trying to figure out the identity of the bad guy.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Dr. Anna McIntyre's life was going along just fine until someone else started living it. Her patient died because of an identity mix-up; her medical career is in jeopardy because of forged prescriptions; and her credit is in ruins. She thought things couldn't get worse, but that was before she opened the envelope and saw a positive HIV test with her name on it.
Her allies are two men who are also competing for her affection. Dr. Nick Valentine is a cynic who carries a load of guilt. Attorney Ross Donovan is a recovering alcoholic. The deeper Anna digs to discover who's behind the identity thefts the higher the stakes. Finally, when her life is on the line, Anna finds that her determination to clear her name might have been a prescription for trouble.
My Review - I liked this book. I was guessing until the very end and even when one person stepped up to plate I was still guess. HAHA. Can't wait to get the 3rd book in this series.
2 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 19, 2012
Just when you think you have figured it out, the story takes another turn and you are left guessing once again. Is it someone the doctor knows that is ruining her reputation and stealing from her or a complete stranger? If you think you have it figured out, you're wrong, just as I was.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted September 11, 2012
Slow start but I actually got into it. It was well written and kept you guessing till the end.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 17, 2012
This was a captivating book from beginning to end. I loved the medical theme, especially since I'm in the profession. The play on romance, twists and turns of the main plot, and underlying theme of faith kept me interested and entertained throughout. This is a good solid read.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 21, 2012
I am so glad to have found this new author to read!! He is really good!!!! I love the Christian touch so much!!! Keeps you in suspense till the end! Can't wait to read the others! C:o)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 30, 2012
This is the second book in the series that I have read. The story line is good, and I enjoy reading Christian fiction. It was a good mystery with a few twists to it. I would recommend it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 6, 2011
Someone takes away Dr. Anna McIntyre's life without killing her. They steal her identity. This engrossing novel is about the journey Dr. McIntyre takes as she continually discovers mix-ups in her personal and professional life. The line of disasters starts with a visit from Drug Enforcement agents accusing her of involvement in writing prescriptions with numerous refills for a controlled drug, then the local police department wanting her arrested for running a drug operation. Someone has obviously stolen her prescription pad and DEA number. Matters go from bad to worse until Dr. McIntyre realizes almost everyone around her is suspect of stealing her identity. Because of that she takes charge of her own investigation and the reader must wait until the end of the story to learn who the perpetrator is. With a couple of relationships involved, you may hold your breath that one of them is not involved. A page-turner and excellent character development. Another great medical suspense novel from Dr. Mabry.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I really enjoyed this book. It had a good plot and I had no idea who was behind what until I was supposed to know as i'm sure the author intended it to be. You are not left in the dark at the end either. I look forward to reading more books from this author.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 18, 2012
?vcvycrdn i
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Posted December 13, 2012
Like it, love it, hate it!JK LOL
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Posted November 29, 2012
He looked around unimpressed " greetings everyone" he bowed his head to war cry " oh Bone....we meet again old friend" he smiles wickedly ( i am the first Scourge!!!)
0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 2, 2012
A brown and black she walked in. Hrr name is Shortround. "Ill take bone." She purred. "Alright...ill Take lightning." She purred.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 28, 2012
Ill leave.
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Overview
2011 Carol Awards Finalist
Dr. Anna McIntyre’s life was going along just fine until someone else started living it. Her patient died because of an identity mix-up; her medical career is in jeopardy because of forged prescriptions; and her credit is in ruins. She thought things couldn’t get worse, but that was before she opened the envelope and saw a positive HIV test with her name on it.
Her allies are two men who are also competing for her ...