“Hi, I’m Gemma Carlisle’s guardian, Scarlett Carlisle. She just arrived by ambulance for a diabetic emergency. Do you have any updates? Is she in a room yet?”
“Hello, Miss Carlisle. Yes, Gemma is in room 318. She’s stable, but they’re still running tests and waiting for her bloodwork to come back.”
“Thank you. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” I tell her looking for her badge but it’s backward.
“Jennie,” she replies.
“Thank you, Jennie. Can you please add Nathan Connelly and Bennett Wilson to Gemma’s approved visitor list when you get a moment?”
“Of course.”
“Um, thanks,” Nathan says to her before turning to face me. “Scarlett, I don’t need to be on the list. I just wanted to stay with her until one of you got here. I didn’t want her to be alone, even if they wouldn’t let me in her room.”
“I’ve got some questions for you first. Besides, you’ll need a ride back to your vehicle.”
Nathan drags his hand across his jaw and blows out a deep breath. “I can get an Uber.”
I let out a tired sigh. “Still doesn’t answer my questions.”
“I’ll answer anything I’m able to,” he assures me, and sincerity shines in his eyes mixed with a hint of what might be regret.
Bennett comes rushing down the hallway where we’re still standing beside the nurse’s station.
“Any news? How is she?” It’s just then that he notices who I’m talking to. I hadn’t told him all the details on the way here, only that I got a call that Gemma was in the hospital.
“Connelly? What are you doing here?” Bennett questions, his brows scrunching in confusion.
“That was going to be my first question. What were the two of you doing, Nathan?” I ask him in a calm voice I’m surprised I’m able to keep, given the circumstances.
“Gems and I skate sometimes. Well, we kind of started out fighting over ice time before we realized we could share if we just kept to our own ends,” he explains, and then takes a deep breath. “I’m not even sure what I was doing there today. Typically I don’t skate with her on game days. But she seemed a little off when I saw her this morning before she and Eva left for school. She had mentioned she was going to skate after school since they had early release. I guess I just had this gut feeling I should be at the rink, and I’m glad I was because when I got there,Gemma was already puking into a bucket on the bench and she looked pale as a ghost. She said she left her backpack in her car with her insulin, but her Dexcom was alerting her of a high reading. And it was super high. Like 600s. Her eyes started rolling back in her head and I didn’t know what else to do besides call the ambulance. Thankfully we were at the rink and there was someone from the medical staff that came and helped her until the paramedics arrived. She just looked so . . . helpless. God, I’m so sorry, Scarlett.”
My brows pinch together. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about her skating again? I mean, I knew she skated at the two family skates, but I had no idea she’d been skating regularly.”
Nathan looks between the two of us, looking unsure of himself. “She started renting ice time a few days after the preseason family skate. She would sometimes take a bus there before she got her license. I’d drive her home sometimes when I was at the rink at the same time as her, but she’s been skating multiple times a week for months. Do you think that’s what made this happen?”
“No, skating is something she’s able to do safely when she listens to her body and stays on top of managing her sugars. I don’t get it, she’d been doing so good. That’s the only reason I felt okay sending her to school,” I tell them.
Bennett cuts in, “Why didn’t you tell me anything, Connelly? It sounds like this has been going on for months.”
“It wasn’t my story to tell. And I honestly didn’t realize she’d kept it from you,” he admits. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Cap.” Nathan looks so remorseful, and it throws me off because this is nothing he should apologize for. If anything I should be thanking him.
“Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle?” A woman with light blonde hair in navy scrubs approaches us.
We look at each other, but neither of us corrects her. “Yes?”
“Hi, I’m Dr. Frederick, I’m the doctor overseeing Gemma’s care. I’m working with our endocrinology team as well. Can we talk in here?” she asks, pointing to a small conference room.”
“Sure,” I respond before turning to Nathan. “Nathan, would you mind sitting in the room with Gemma while Bennett and I talk to the doctor?”
Looking uncomfortable, he nods reluctantly.
Once the door is shut behind us, the three of us take a seat at the small table. Bennett gives my hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze and I welcome his silent gesture of solidarity.
“I spoke with Gemma to try to see what caused her to go into ketoacidosis so quickly. After looking at her blood sugar readings over the past week, there was a very obvious shift a few days ago where Gemma had to adjust by taking more insulin due to higher readings. She stated there had been no dietary changes and that her lifestyle habits and physical activity had been the same as previous months. However, she did tell me about a new medication she is taking.”
When I stare back blankly, not registering what she’s meaning, I tell her, “I’m not aware of any new medications.”
“I figured as much. Gemma gave me permission to discuss this with you, as she is protected by law in Minnesota to not have her medical history disclosed to you without her consent.”
