Free A Doctor to Remember by Joanna Neil

put a neck brace on you to prevent any further injury. Once that’s in place I’ll do a quick examination to make sure everything’s all right. Okay?’
    ‘Yes.’ The girl was tight-lipped, ashen-faced with pain. She was about seventeen or eighteen, a slender girl with long, chestnut hair that splayed out over the grass.
    Saffi helped him to put the collar in place, carefully holding Katie’s head while Matt slid it under her neck. Then he fastened the straps and began his examination, checking for any other injuries.
    ‘Shall I start giving her oxygen through a mask?’ Saffi asked. Any damage or swelling in the area could eventually deprive the tissues of oxygen and add to the problem.
    ‘Yes, please.’ He went on checking the girl’s vital signs. ‘Heart rate and blood pressure are both low,’ he murmured a short time later, glancing at Saffi. ‘We need to keep an eye on that. I’ll get some intravenous fluids into her to try and raise her blood pressure.’
    She nodded. ‘She’s losing heat, too. Her skin’s flushed and dry. We should get her covered up as soon as possible.’
    ‘Yes, it’s most likely neurogenic shock. But first we need to get her on to a spinal board. I’ll go and fetch it from the car.’ He gave a brief smile. ‘Last time I saw it, it was underneath a large sack of chicken feed.’
    She pulled a face. ‘Oops.’
    He was soon back with the board, and quickly enlisted a couple of onlookers to help him and Saffi logroll their patient onto the board. ‘We need to do this very carefully, no jolting. Is everyone ready?’
    On a count of three they gently laid Katie on the board and then Matt covered her with a blanket before securing the straps.
    As if on cue, the ambulance finally arrived, and Saffi sighed with relief.
    Matt made sure the transfer into the vehicle went smoothly, and once Katie was safely inside, a paramedic stayed beside her to watch over her. The driver closed the doors and then walked round to the cab. Matt spoke to him briefly and a few seconds later Katie was on her way to the hospital.
    ‘I’ll follow her and see how she gets on,’ Matt said. ‘Do you want to come with me or should I call for a taxi to take you home?’
    ‘I’ll go with you,’ Saffi said quickly. ‘I want to know what the damage is.’
    ‘Come on, then. I’ll ask the paramedics if they can drop you off at home when they’ve finished at the hospital.’
    He was as worried as she was, she could tell, from the way his mouth was set in a grim line. When they were almost at their destination, though, he relaxed enough to ask, ‘How are you coping with all this…coming with me on callouts?’
    ‘All right, I think. It’s like stepping into the unknown…I’m a bit scared of what I’ll find.’
    ‘But you decided to come along anyway. That must have been hard for you…I could see you were in two minds about joining me.’ He sent her a sideways glance. ‘So what made you do it in the end?’
    ‘I felt I had to see things through.’ Her lips made a flat line. ‘After all, this was my career before I fell down the stairs and lost my memory. I need to know if I can go back to it at some point.’
    ‘Do you think that will happen?’
    She sighed. ‘I don’t know. It’s one thing to stand to one side and watch, but it’s a whole different situation making decisions and holding someone’s life in your hands.’
    He nodded agreement. ‘Yes, I can see how that would be difficult.’
    He turned his attention back to the road, pulling up at the hospital a few minutes later. They hurried into the trauma unit.
    ‘Hi, there,’ Jake greeted him at the central desk, and smiled at Saffi. ‘Are you here to find out about the girl from the riding accident?’
    ‘We are,’ Matt said. ‘What’s been happening so far? Have you been in touch with her parents?’
    ‘They’re on their way…should be here in about half an hour. She’s been down to X-Ray and right now the neurologist is