The staff at the Northern Hospital had all turned up for work that day, the first after the press release, and work carried on as normal, if normal was a word one could use to describe a hospital. Karen was proud of the nurses and doctors who could have been looking after their own needs, but carried on, albeit quietly without the normal banter with the patients and each other.
Her own life meant very little to her, but she began to realise that maybe she could achieve something worthwhile at last. There would be stories of great courage and tragedy, many lives lost, others changed forever. She realised she was privileged to work in the service of others.
She hurried out of the staff room to look for Alex. As she made her way to his generous corner office overlooking the central park, where spreading Poinciana trees provided large areas of shade over garden seats, she marvelled at the design and ambience of the Northern Hospital. The fifteen storied buildings had been designed to withstand flood, the lower three floors dedicated to visitors and staff parking. It was made up of four towers surrounding the central park, each connected by Navilon encased walkways on the fifth level. Each tower provided a Veto pad on the roof with fast lift access from every floor. The plan was always to evacuate the lower floors with speed, and more floors if necessary. They had also used the Navilon product in the windows, and this provided insulation and less work on the air-conditioning plants, and like many homes, most electrical functions were voice controlled: the windows, lights, air-conditioning and beds operated on commands. Shared accommodations were excluded, the Northern Hospital contained mostly private rooms, and it made those patients less dependent on the nursing staff.
She found Alex in his office along with all the senior staff members, where he had just finished outlining the details of Star Flight. His swarthy skin was a noticeably lighter shade. Alex Videon’s parents had emigrated to Australia from Italy in the year 2000 and he was born in Melbourne shortly thereafter. His mother had left Italy pregnant with a burning wish to have her son born in Australia. He wasn’t a handsome man, but he was charming and fun-loving and well liked by all the staff.
His dark curly hair clung in little curls around his face, like a fancy frame around a treasured photograph. Karen often teased him about his baby curls, all to no avail, as he was a man with confidence and high degree of self-esteem. He laughed often, fixing her with his dark warm brown eyes, telling her she was just jealous. When Alex dressed up, which he did with style and flair, he would draw admiring glances, and like many Italians he exuded charm.
Karen took a chair in the corner and waited until the other staff members had gone. ‘More evacuation procedures.’ She said.
‘Yes, I can hardly believe this’s happening. I spent all day yesterday in Canberra with the minister for Health. They called in every hospital chief around the country. It was quite a day.
It’s easy to do exercises and drills, but the real thing is frightening, and it couldn’t happen at a worse time, we’ve got a high number of critical patients here at the moment. We’ve got some work ahead of us. The army’s taken over the churches and public halls in the Hinterland, and they’ve allocated some to us. They’ve also given us a team of men and trucks.’
‘Some patients could die during the move?’ Karen said.
‘Yes, I know. It’s going to be almost impossible to avoid the risk of infection. Some of these patients are on around-the-clock care. It’s going to be a nightmare. Army personnel will be working alongside the nurses, and none of them are trained medical people.’
‘Matron will have everything organised, but what can I do to help you?’
Alex sighed. ‘Just look after yourself. The patients aren’t going to like this either, there’s going be some difficult situations to handle. Matron’s going to have her hands full.’
‘I know. I’ve been thinking of nothing else. I’m scared Alex, I don’t know if I can get through this.’
Alex placed his hands on her shoulders. ‘Yes, you can. You’re one tough lady. I know what you’ve been through in the past and this’ll be no different.’
‘But they were just my problems, this involves everybody. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like. How can we survive in those mountains without everything we’re used to having? Like electricity, transport, communications? My God, how are we going to feed ourselves when the supplies run out?’
Alex sensed her rising hysteria and hugged her to him. ‘You don’t need to worry about it.’ He soothed ‘That’s going to be the army’s job.’
‘I don’t envy them that.’ She said pulling away from his embrace.
Alex looked down at the floor. ‘We have to survive first. Man’s very ingenious, we’ll find ways. We have to focus on the immediate danger. One step at a time. C’mon, there’s so much to do.’
Once outside Alex’s office they found a frantic scene confronting them. Army personnel and staff carrying boxes and crates were scurrying everywhere. They’d already started packing equipment. A portly, agitated male patient stood by the nurse’s station shouting abuse at one of the nurses.
‘You’ve got a nerve! It’s cost me a fortune to come here, and I expect to be looked after, not pushed ‘round like this. You’re going to hear from my lawyer! You’re not taking me out of here in some army truck. It’s ridiculous! I want to see the person in charge!’
The nurse was trying vainly to pacify him. ‘I’m sorry sir she’s very busy. If you go back to your room I’ll call her when she’s free.’
‘You’d better make sure you do.’ He yelled, as a wards man escorted him away. ‘You’ll have reason to worry about your job too!’
‘Good work nurse.’ Karen said as she approached the station.
‘Sister Torrens, the patients are all complaining, what are we going to do? All these army people are frightening everyone.’
‘Just do your job nurse, that’s all we ask. The patients will accept it when they realise it’s for their safety. It’s up to you to persuade them that it is.’
‘I’ll try my best.’
Karen walked away, not wanting to answer the nurses natural questions.
The day wore on with Karen fielding complaints and questions from every direction. She had been on duty without a break for over nine hours, and she was bone tired. Many patients welcomed the excitement as something to take their minds off their pain, but just as many were as outraged as the man at the nurses station, and demanded answers she could not give. She dared not think what would happen when they were evacuated to the mountains.
Brian telephoned, and his conversation did nothing to improve her mood. ‘Bill’s furious, I thought you said he was okay last night.’
‘I told you it’s no use talking to him while he’s drinking.’ Karen said. ‘Give him time. He’ll look at it differently tomorrow.’
‘Yeah, but when’s henot drinking. I pity Veronica.’ Brian commented. ‘He’ll be as angry as a brown bear pulled out of hibernation.’
‘That won’t be anything new.’ Karen added. ‘He’s always angry with her.’
‘I was just in Southport and the Trancabs are being bombarded with holidaymakers wanting to get home. The airports have cancelled all international flights, and can’t cope with the rush of people demanding to get on planes. It’s only a few steps away from mass panic.’
‘Won’t it be better if they all go home?’ Karen said.
‘Maybe so… It looks like I won’t be home for a while. Will you be okay on your own?’
‘Yes, just keep in touch, okay?’ Karen hung up feeling slightly relieved. She liked being on her own sometimes, and after a day like today, she welcomed the thought of going home to be alone. She really should call Uncle Bill. Maybe he would come up to the house if he thought she was alone, and she could talk some sense into him. She decided against it, there was still so much to be done at the hospital. There would be plenty of time to be alone later.