A Brain by Robin Cook Read Free Book Online Page A

genitals.
    â€œHi, Lisa, I’m Dr. George Newman. Do you remember me?”
    Opening her eyes, Lisa gazed into another masked face. These eyes were blue. On the other side of her was another face with brown eyes.
    â€œI’m the Chief Resident in Neurosurgery,” said Dr. Newman, “and this is Dr. Ralph Lowry, one of our Junior Residents. We’ll be helping Dr. Mannerheim as I explained to you yesterday.”
    Before Lisa could respond she felt a sudden sharp pain between her legs, followed by a curious fullness in her bladder. She took a breath. She felt tape being placed on the inner part of her thigh.
    â€œJust relax now,” said Dr. Newman without waiting for her to respond. “We’ll have you fixed up in notime.” The two doctors directed their interest to the series of X rays that lined the back walls.
    The pace in the OR quickened. Nancy Donovan appeared with a steaming stainless steel tray of instruments, and with a loud crash she heaved it on top of a nearby table. Darlene Cooper, another scrub nurse, who was already gowned and gloved, reached into the sterile instruments and began to arrange them on a tray. Lisa turned her head when she saw Darlene Cooper lift out a large drill.
    Doctor Ranade wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Lisa’s right upper arm. Carol Bigelow exposed Lisa’s chest and taped on EKG leads. Soon the sonar-like beeps from the cardiac monitor competed with John Denver on the transistor.
    Dr. Newman came back from studying the X rays and positioned Lisa’s shaved head. With his pinky on her nose and his thumb on the top of her head, he drew a line with a marking pen. The first line went from ear to ear over the top of her head. The second line bisected this one, starting at the middle of the forehead and extending back to the occipital area.
    â€œNow, Lisa, turn your head to the left,” said Dr. Newman.
    Lisa kept her eyes closed. She felt a finger palpate the ridge of bone that ran back from her right eye toward her right ear. Then she felt the marking pen trace a looping line that began at her right temple and arched upward and backward ending behind her ears. The line defined a horseshoe-shaped area with Lisa’s ear at its base. This was to be the flap that Dr. Mannerheim had described.
    An unexpected drowsiness coursed through Lisa’s body. It felt like the air in the room had become viscous and her extremities leaden. It took great effortfor her to open her eyelids. Dr. Ranade smiled down at her. In one hand was her IV line; in the other hand a syringe.
    â€œSomething to relax you,” said Dr. Ranade.
    Time became discontinuous. Sounds drifted in and out of her consciousness. She wanted to fall asleep but her body involuntarily fought against it. She felt herself being turned half on her side with her right shoulder elevated and supported by a pillow. With a sense of detachment she felt both wrists bound to a board that stuck out at right angles from the operating table. Her arms felt so heavy she couldn’t have moved them anyway. A leather cinch went around her waist securing her body. She felt her head scrubbed and painted. There were several sharp needles accompanied by fleeting pain before her head was clamped in some sort of vise. Despite herself, Lisa fell asleep.
    Sudden intense pain awoke her with a start. She had no idea how much time had passed. The pain was located above her right ear. It occurred again. A cry issued from her mouth and she tried to move. Except for a tunnel of cloth directly in front of her face, Lisa was covered with layers of surgical drapes. At the end of the tunnel, she could see Dr. Ranade’s face.
    â€œEverything is fine, Lisa,” said Dr. Ranade. “Don’t move now. They are injecting the local anesthetic. You’ll only feel it for a moment.”
    The pain occurred again and again. Lisa felt like her scalp was going to explode. She tried to lift her arms only to feel