OXYGEN

OXYGEN by Carol Cassella

From the back of the book:

Dr. Marie Heaton is an anesthesiologist at the height of her profession.  She has lived and breathed her career since medical school, and she now practices at a top Seattle hospital.  But a child's death on the operating table forces Marie to explain the nightmarish disaster and face the resulting malpractice suit.  Simultaneously, Marie is faced with a quieter crisis within her family, as her aging father's sight deteriorates, leaving Marie responsible for his care.  As her carefully structured life begins to collapse, Marie confronts questions of love and betrayal, family bonds and the price of her own choices.

Set against the natural splendor of Seattle, and inside the closed vaults of hospital operating rooms, Oxygen climaxes in a final twist that is as heartrending as it is redeeming.

I really liked this book.  As a nurse, I enjoy medical stories, especially ones that are realistic and have the medical parts down correctly.  The author of this book is an anesthesiologist so she has inside knowledge of the role that doctor plays during surgeries.  I've never worked in an OR but everything here seems correct and logical.

Marie has a lot to face after the death of the child, Jolene Jansen.  Faced with grief, loss of money, prestige, possibly her job and also faced with the possibility of incarceration, Marie responds in a manner that seems appropriate for her.  She begins to lose faith in herself, but is able to stay focused enough to find answers herself.  I liked Marie a lot.

Dr. Cassella has another book out, Healer, that I'm putting on my wish list.