Cutting Without Consent to Save a Life

I performed emergency surgery on my attending's son without consent and saved his life. Now he's threatening

to destroy my career. The kid came in coding after a motorcycle crash. Massive internal

bleeding. My attending was scrubbing in but froze when he saw his own son on the

table. Just stood there, paralyzed. I had maybe ninety seconds before we

lost him. Protocol says wait for another surgeon. But waiting meant death.

So I cut. My hands moved on instinct, clamping bleeders, repairing the liver

laceration. The kid's vitals stabilized. He lived. My attending reported

me for operating without authorization. Says I violated every rule in the book.