Read Online Medical Mission by George Ivanoff - Free Book Online

has occurred.’ When Josh looked at her with a quizzical expression she elaborated. ‘Envenoming simply means that the venom has actually gotten into your system, so we need to make sure to get some antivenom into you. Now, I’m told it’s reasonably sure that you were bitten by a King Brown, but we need to be absolutely certain. We don’t want to give you the wrong treatment. So I’m just going to get a Venom Detection Kit and conduct a little test. Okay?’
    Josh nodded. A wave of nausea and dizziness overcame him and he closed his eyes for a moment. Next thing he knew, Doctor Pam was back.
    â€˜This is going to sting a bit,’ she warned. ‘Sorry.’
    Using a long cotton bud, she poked at one of the punctures. Josh gasped and gritted his teeth. The doctor then put the swab into a little bottle.
    â€˜This will take about ten minutes,’ she said and disappeared again.
    Josh’s heart pounded as he waited, his mind going through worst-case scenarios. What if they couldn’t identify the snake venom? Then what? Did they just keep pumping him full of different antivenoms, until one worked? Or would he die? A horrible, slow, painful death?
    And then he realised that he was alone. What happened to his friends? Didn’t Ratchet say she would bring them? Why weren’t they here? His heartbeat quickened.
    How long has it been? he wondered Shouldn’t the test he finished by now?
    Doctor Pam came back in. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘It’s definitely Mulga venom, so we’re going to have to get you to Adelaide for the black snake antivenom.’
    â€˜Hang on,’ said Josh, voice shaky. ‘So it wasn’t a King Brown?’
    â€˜Sorry,’ said the Doctor. ‘Mulga is another name for a King Brown. It’s also sometimes called a Pilbara Cobra.’
    â€˜So then it needs brown snake antivenom,’ insisted Josh, his voice still strained.
    â€˜No,’ explained Doctor Pam, patiently. ‘The King Brown is not actually from the brown snake family. King Brown is probably a silly name for it. It definitely needs the black snake antivenom.’
    â€˜And where are my friends?’ Josh was working himself up into a panic. ‘Why aren’t they here? What’s happened to them? They said they were coming.’
    â€˜It’s okay. Relax,’ said Doctor Pam, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ‘They’re in the waiting room. I’ll get you moved out of emergency, then they can come and visit you. But first I’m going to put some numbing gel onto your hand. We’re going to have to attach an IV drip, so this will make sure the needle doesn’t hurt. And then I’m going to put a compression bandage on your leg. That will slow the movement of the venom through your system.’
    Josh took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. ‘Okay.’

    An orderly wheeled Josh into a waiting area, which was little more than an alcove with a couple of chairs. The pain was making it hard for him to think straight and nausea was starting to build up.
    â€˜I think I’m going to be sick,’ said Josh.
    The orderly calmly reached under the stretcher and pulled out a sick bag, holding it in place just in time. Josh vomited, his breakfast splashing into the plastic bag, with a few stray splatters hitting the floor.
    When he finished, the orderly quietly cleaned it up and passed Josh a clean bag. Josh clung onto it, the sour taste of orange juice and milk mixed with stomach acid still in his mouth.
    As the orderly left, Sally and Ratchet came in. His first thought was, Where is Pete? Why isn’t he with them?
    â€˜The doctor told us the RFDS are going to take you to Adelaide,’ said Sally.
    Josh was about to ask for Pete when a nurse came in. She checked his blood pressure and heart rate, then attached an IV drip, inserting a needle into the vein on the back of his left hand and taping it