The Fire
Talks
Chapter Ten
by GCS and Hotshow
As soon as the guys got back into the squad and on the road back to the station the tones went off calling them on their second run of the day. This time the engine was called out with them to a hiker over a cliff. "Well Roy I guess it's a good thing I got loosened up this morning, looks like we'll have to do some climbing." Johnny smiled towards his friend. Roy could see the excitement welling up in his partner. Johnny loved to climb. Up or down it didn't matter. He loved it all. Roy could not help but chuckle at the childlike appearance Johnny sometimes had when he anticipated a difficult run.
Pulling up at the designated location the two paramedics saw Vince Howard already on the scene looking down over the edge of the cliff. "Good morning Vince, what do we have?" Roy asked as he shook Vince's hand.
"Hey Vince, nice to see ya again. I enjoyed eatin' with ya last night. We got one over the cliff? Can you see him? How far down is he?" Johnny bounced on his heels as he rattled off his rapid fire questions.
"Good morning Roy, John," Vince smiled at Johnny's anticipation. "As far as we know there is at least one man down the side of this drop. I haven't found the caller, so I don't know if he is alone or not. I can see some red over to the right down about 100 feet, but I can't tell if that is him or not." He pointed to the area he mentioned.
"Okay thanks," Roy turned to his partner. "I'll get the binoculars and maybe we can see him." By that time the engine crew had arrived and Johnny was busy filling Captain Stanley in on the details. Mike was moving the engine into place so they could tie off their lines to the front of the engine. Chet and Marco were helping Johnny get the gear from the squad loaded into the stokes in case they needed it below. They would have the stokes from the engine if they had to send the victim up before treatment. Vince was busy directing traffic around the emergency vehicles. In no time Johnny and Roy were belted up and ready to go. Stepping to the edge of the drop off Johnny smiled over at Roy and winked. "Take it easy Johnny. We don't need to have to rescue you."
Johnny leaned back and jumped off the edge easily gliding down the face of the cliff. Roy moved slower and more deliberately. Captain Stanley yelled over at his men, "Gage slow it down." Johnny was in his element. He often hiked and climbed on his days off and was very skilled at it. He arrived beside the victim. It was a young man probably 17 or 18. He was unconscious. Johnny felt around on his neck and the back of his head for injury after making sure he had a pulse. Roy joined him on the small outcropping and slipped a safety line around the man's waist.
Johnny pulled the HT from his pocket. "HT 51 to Engine 51."
"Engine 51," Captain Stanley responded.
"Cap we'll need the stokes, a C-collar."
"10-4. Chet send down the stokes from engine and a C-collar." Captain Stanley pulled the bio-phone from the other stokes and opened it up connecting the antennae. "Rampart this is Squad 51 how do you read?"
"Squad 51 we read you loud and clear," Nurse Dixie McCall responded thinking that now she knew why they had not performed their morning radio check. They must have gotten called out as soon as they came on shift this morning.
"Rampart we have a victim of a fall while hiking on a cliff. We are extracting the victim now. Please stand by."
"Standing by 51," Dixie reached up and dialed the hospital operator to have Dr. Brackett paged.
Johnny and Roy had the victim packaged and ready to send up in no time. Roy came up the cliff with the victim while Johnny stayed below to hold a rope to help steady the stokes on the way up. Once up top Roy began to get the vitals and transmit to Rampart. Johnny climbed up in much the same way he went down, fast. He knelt down beside the stokes and helped Roy to start the requested IVs. Together they loaded the patient into the waiting ambulance. Roy rode in with the patient; Johnny followed in the squad. "See ya later Vince," he called as he pulled away.
No sooner did Johnny back into the ambulance bay than the radio squawked, "Squad 51 what is your status?"
"Squad 51 available at Rampart." The dispatcher proceeded to send them on another run to a single car accident involving a pedestrian. Johnny quickly loaded the gear Roy had waiting beside the ambulance and jogged into the automatic doors to find his partner. He spotted Roy beside the nurse's desk sipping coffee. "Roy," he called and held up the HT to let him know they had a run.
"Well here we go again Dix. See ya later." Roy jogged over to his partner and they were off again. Their morning went pretty much the same way from beginning to end. At around 1:00 pm they finally backed the squad into the station already tired and weary. Slowly walking into the dayroom they were greeted by Mike who was putting two plates on the table with their missed lunch. Marco was busy pouring them drinks. Chet handed them napkins and forks.
Captain Stanley came into the room at that time and went straight for the coffee pot. "Welcome back. I was beginning to think we might not see you boys until dinner." Both paramedics nodded their heads and continued eating afraid they might not get to stay there long enough to finish. They were lucky this time and the tones remained quiet. After lunch Roy relaxed on the couch to finish reading "The Fire Talks". Johnny got up and went to get his notepad from his locker. He had some things he wanted to jot down while they were fresh on his mind. He walked slowly across the bay rolling his shoulders. He felt stiff and achy again after a busy morning of runs, and his scratched arm was really getting sore. Chet followed a little behind him. Johnny didn't notice Chet. Stepping up to his locker he opened the door and heard the spring of the launching water bomb only there was an additional clanging noise as the device broke apart sending the spring toward Johnny's right eye. It happened so fast and unexpectedly that Johnny didn't have time to react before he was hit in the eye by the flying metal piece. "Ouch!" he yelled as he grabbed the side of his dripping wet face and stumbled backwards falling back onto the bench.
Chet burst through the door having seen the whole thing through the window. "Johnny what happened?"
"You happened Chet. That, that contraption of yours malfunctioned and hit me in the eye." Johnny sat cradling his head in his hand. The rest of the crew had come into the room having heard the yelling.
"What happened?" Captain Stanley was the first to ask.
"Let me take a look," Roy sat down next to Johnny and reached for his hand to pull it away from his eye.
"It hurts Roy."
"I don't know what happened. The spring just flew off and hit him in the face. That's never happened before," Chet was trying to explain to Cap.
"Johnny you have to let me see."
"Okay Roy just give me a minute. It stings," Johnny said as he slowly pulled his hand away from his face and squinted at his partner. His eye appeared very blood shot and watery, and Johnny couldn't keep it open. Roy gently pulled the upper eye lid up and shined his pen light into Johnny's eye.
"I don't think it's too bad Cap, but we should probably get it looked at by a doctor. He may have scratched his cornea."
Just as Roy finished that statement the tones sounded sending the crew to yet another run. Johnny jumped from the bench, "Guess that will have to wait."
Pulling up at the designated location the two paramedics saw Vince Howard already on the scene looking down over the edge of the cliff. "Good morning Vince, what do we have?" Roy asked as he shook Vince's hand.
"Hey Vince, nice to see ya again. I enjoyed eatin' with ya last night. We got one over the cliff? Can you see him? How far down is he?" Johnny bounced on his heels as he rattled off his rapid fire questions.
"Good morning Roy, John," Vince smiled at Johnny's anticipation. "As far as we know there is at least one man down the side of this drop. I haven't found the caller, so I don't know if he is alone or not. I can see some red over to the right down about 100 feet, but I can't tell if that is him or not." He pointed to the area he mentioned.
"Okay thanks," Roy turned to his partner. "I'll get the binoculars and maybe we can see him." By that time the engine crew had arrived and Johnny was busy filling Captain Stanley in on the details. Mike was moving the engine into place so they could tie off their lines to the front of the engine. Chet and Marco were helping Johnny get the gear from the squad loaded into the stokes in case they needed it below. They would have the stokes from the engine if they had to send the victim up before treatment. Vince was busy directing traffic around the emergency vehicles. In no time Johnny and Roy were belted up and ready to go. Stepping to the edge of the drop off Johnny smiled over at Roy and winked. "Take it easy Johnny. We don't need to have to rescue you."
Johnny leaned back and jumped off the edge easily gliding down the face of the cliff. Roy moved slower and more deliberately. Captain Stanley yelled over at his men, "Gage slow it down." Johnny was in his element. He often hiked and climbed on his days off and was very skilled at it. He arrived beside the victim. It was a young man probably 17 or 18. He was unconscious. Johnny felt around on his neck and the back of his head for injury after making sure he had a pulse. Roy joined him on the small outcropping and slipped a safety line around the man's waist.
Johnny pulled the HT from his pocket. "HT 51 to Engine 51."
"Engine 51," Captain Stanley responded.
"Cap we'll need the stokes, a C-collar."
"10-4. Chet send down the stokes from engine and a C-collar." Captain Stanley pulled the bio-phone from the other stokes and opened it up connecting the antennae. "Rampart this is Squad 51 how do you read?"
"Squad 51 we read you loud and clear," Nurse Dixie McCall responded thinking that now she knew why they had not performed their morning radio check. They must have gotten called out as soon as they came on shift this morning.
"Rampart we have a victim of a fall while hiking on a cliff. We are extracting the victim now. Please stand by."
"Standing by 51," Dixie reached up and dialed the hospital operator to have Dr. Brackett paged.
Johnny and Roy had the victim packaged and ready to send up in no time. Roy came up the cliff with the victim while Johnny stayed below to hold a rope to help steady the stokes on the way up. Once up top Roy began to get the vitals and transmit to Rampart. Johnny climbed up in much the same way he went down, fast. He knelt down beside the stokes and helped Roy to start the requested IVs. Together they loaded the patient into the waiting ambulance. Roy rode in with the patient; Johnny followed in the squad. "See ya later Vince," he called as he pulled away.
No sooner did Johnny back into the ambulance bay than the radio squawked, "Squad 51 what is your status?"
"Squad 51 available at Rampart." The dispatcher proceeded to send them on another run to a single car accident involving a pedestrian. Johnny quickly loaded the gear Roy had waiting beside the ambulance and jogged into the automatic doors to find his partner. He spotted Roy beside the nurse's desk sipping coffee. "Roy," he called and held up the HT to let him know they had a run.
"Well here we go again Dix. See ya later." Roy jogged over to his partner and they were off again. Their morning went pretty much the same way from beginning to end. At around 1:00 pm they finally backed the squad into the station already tired and weary. Slowly walking into the dayroom they were greeted by Mike who was putting two plates on the table with their missed lunch. Marco was busy pouring them drinks. Chet handed them napkins and forks.
Captain Stanley came into the room at that time and went straight for the coffee pot. "Welcome back. I was beginning to think we might not see you boys until dinner." Both paramedics nodded their heads and continued eating afraid they might not get to stay there long enough to finish. They were lucky this time and the tones remained quiet. After lunch Roy relaxed on the couch to finish reading "The Fire Talks". Johnny got up and went to get his notepad from his locker. He had some things he wanted to jot down while they were fresh on his mind. He walked slowly across the bay rolling his shoulders. He felt stiff and achy again after a busy morning of runs, and his scratched arm was really getting sore. Chet followed a little behind him. Johnny didn't notice Chet. Stepping up to his locker he opened the door and heard the spring of the launching water bomb only there was an additional clanging noise as the device broke apart sending the spring toward Johnny's right eye. It happened so fast and unexpectedly that Johnny didn't have time to react before he was hit in the eye by the flying metal piece. "Ouch!" he yelled as he grabbed the side of his dripping wet face and stumbled backwards falling back onto the bench.
Chet burst through the door having seen the whole thing through the window. "Johnny what happened?"
"You happened Chet. That, that contraption of yours malfunctioned and hit me in the eye." Johnny sat cradling his head in his hand. The rest of the crew had come into the room having heard the yelling.
"What happened?" Captain Stanley was the first to ask.
"Let me take a look," Roy sat down next to Johnny and reached for his hand to pull it away from his eye.
"It hurts Roy."
"I don't know what happened. The spring just flew off and hit him in the face. That's never happened before," Chet was trying to explain to Cap.
"Johnny you have to let me see."
"Okay Roy just give me a minute. It stings," Johnny said as he slowly pulled his hand away from his face and squinted at his partner. His eye appeared very blood shot and watery, and Johnny couldn't keep it open. Roy gently pulled the upper eye lid up and shined his pen light into Johnny's eye.
"I don't think it's too bad Cap, but we should probably get it looked at by a doctor. He may have scratched his cornea."
Just as Roy finished that statement the tones sounded sending the crew to yet another run. Johnny jumped from the bench, "Guess that will have to wait."
Chapter Eleven
The station was called out with several other stations to a major structure fire. As Johnny came up alongside the squad and climbed in with his hand over his hurting eye Captain Stanley looked over from the call station. He responded "KMG365" and handed Roy a copy of the call slip. Leaning on the driver's side window frame he asked, "John are you all right to take this run or do I need to call you guys in unavailable?"
"I'm okay Cap," he said gradually lowering his hand and squinting. "It just still stings a little." Johnny looked over at his captain and could see the doubt in his face. "Honest Cap. I'm good." Hank patted the window frame and ran over to his place in the Captain's seat in Big Red. The squad raced out of the open bay doors with the engine close behind.
Pulling up to the heavily involved warehouse Station 51 was directed to enter from the rear. Johnny jumped out of the squad and grabbed his turnout coat from the side compartment. He ran over to the engine and pulled off the feeder hose draping it around the hydrant as Mike pulled the engine into position for the attack. When the engine came to a stop Johnny set about the task of hooking up the hose to the hydrant and waited for Mike's cue to turn it on. He kept his injured eye closed and looked awkwardly at Mike who had to signal him twice before he saw it. Johnny nodded his understanding and the water was on its way. Jogging back over to get his orders from Captain Stanley Johnny could feel the moisture leaking from his eye and running down his cheek. Not wanting to worry his captain Johnny opened the eye when he approached. It was blood red and watering terribly, but it was open. "John you and Roy pull an additional inch and a half and enter the same way as Chet and Marco. You will take one side of the room while they take the other. There have been no reports of missing personnel, so it looks like this will just be a fire scene. Hopefully we will have no injured firemen either."
Roy grabbed the hose and looked worriedly at Johnny. "I'm okay Roy let's go." Johnny placed his hand on Roy's shoulder to back him up on the hose, and together they entered the building. They both waved at Chet and Marco and the group proceeded deeper into the smoky haze. The fire was fast eating its way up the walls and dancing across the ceiling. This was an old structure built of mostly heavy wooden beams and ceiling supports. Roy could barely make out Chet and Marco as they headed up the other side. He could hear the commands coming from the HT in his pocket from the Battalion Chief. This was a huge building and this fire was going to take some time to put out. Johnny tapped Roy on the back to see if he needed to change positions. Roy shook his head. He was still worried about Johnny's eye and his sore cat scratched arm. He wanted to look out for his accident prone partner. For some reason the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He had a bad feeling something was about to happen, and he wanted to be in front of Johnny this time.
All four of the firemen from 51 could hear the ominous noises around them. Something about this fire eerily reminded them of the way the fire scenes were described in the novel they had been reading. The way the fire snaked up the walls as if something were feeding the flames. The way the fire seemed to leap from the puddles on the floor as though they contained an accelerant. But that was crazy. It was just a novel. Yes it had a lot of details from actual fires in LA, but it wasn't real. Was it? The men worked their way deeper putting out the fire along the way. This time when Johnny tapped Roy he acquiesced. Johnny now took the lead. Roy kept his eyes moving, checking for structure weaknesses and hazards. Chet and Marco had also switched positions. Chet yelled to Roy and pointed up at a beam on fire above their heads. Roy tapped Johnny and pointed upwards. Johnny directed the hose at the errant flames; so far it seemed that the firemen were winning this battle. Suddenly a portion of the ceiling above Marco and Chet fell knocking the two down. Johnny looked to Roy and told him to go see about their shift mates. Johnny would keep the fire off of them. Before he could get all the way over to them both Marco and Chet were sitting up and preparing to stand. "Are you all right?" Roy asked as he reached out to help Marco stand and pick up the hose.
"I'm okay. Just knocked me down," Marco turned to offer a hand to Chet.
"Chet?" Roy asked.
"I'm okay too Roy. Let's get back to work." Chet put his hand on Marco's shoulder to steady him as Marco released the water from the hose again working to regain lost ground with the nearby flames.
Roy watched the two men for a few minutes to make sure they were all right before turning to go back to relieve Johnny on their hose. As he turned to head back over he watched in horror as the large beam that had been on fire a few minutes ago dislodged itself from the roof and swung down on his unaware partner. "Johnny!" he screamed. Johnny looked up, but he had his right eye closed from the stinging pain and constant watering. Since Johnny didn't see the beam out of his one open eye, Roy's warning went unheeded as the beam contacted with Johnny's helmet knocking it from his head and sending him crashing down onto the warehouse floor.
"I'm okay Cap," he said gradually lowering his hand and squinting. "It just still stings a little." Johnny looked over at his captain and could see the doubt in his face. "Honest Cap. I'm good." Hank patted the window frame and ran over to his place in the Captain's seat in Big Red. The squad raced out of the open bay doors with the engine close behind.
Pulling up to the heavily involved warehouse Station 51 was directed to enter from the rear. Johnny jumped out of the squad and grabbed his turnout coat from the side compartment. He ran over to the engine and pulled off the feeder hose draping it around the hydrant as Mike pulled the engine into position for the attack. When the engine came to a stop Johnny set about the task of hooking up the hose to the hydrant and waited for Mike's cue to turn it on. He kept his injured eye closed and looked awkwardly at Mike who had to signal him twice before he saw it. Johnny nodded his understanding and the water was on its way. Jogging back over to get his orders from Captain Stanley Johnny could feel the moisture leaking from his eye and running down his cheek. Not wanting to worry his captain Johnny opened the eye when he approached. It was blood red and watering terribly, but it was open. "John you and Roy pull an additional inch and a half and enter the same way as Chet and Marco. You will take one side of the room while they take the other. There have been no reports of missing personnel, so it looks like this will just be a fire scene. Hopefully we will have no injured firemen either."
Roy grabbed the hose and looked worriedly at Johnny. "I'm okay Roy let's go." Johnny placed his hand on Roy's shoulder to back him up on the hose, and together they entered the building. They both waved at Chet and Marco and the group proceeded deeper into the smoky haze. The fire was fast eating its way up the walls and dancing across the ceiling. This was an old structure built of mostly heavy wooden beams and ceiling supports. Roy could barely make out Chet and Marco as they headed up the other side. He could hear the commands coming from the HT in his pocket from the Battalion Chief. This was a huge building and this fire was going to take some time to put out. Johnny tapped Roy on the back to see if he needed to change positions. Roy shook his head. He was still worried about Johnny's eye and his sore cat scratched arm. He wanted to look out for his accident prone partner. For some reason the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He had a bad feeling something was about to happen, and he wanted to be in front of Johnny this time.
All four of the firemen from 51 could hear the ominous noises around them. Something about this fire eerily reminded them of the way the fire scenes were described in the novel they had been reading. The way the fire snaked up the walls as if something were feeding the flames. The way the fire seemed to leap from the puddles on the floor as though they contained an accelerant. But that was crazy. It was just a novel. Yes it had a lot of details from actual fires in LA, but it wasn't real. Was it? The men worked their way deeper putting out the fire along the way. This time when Johnny tapped Roy he acquiesced. Johnny now took the lead. Roy kept his eyes moving, checking for structure weaknesses and hazards. Chet and Marco had also switched positions. Chet yelled to Roy and pointed up at a beam on fire above their heads. Roy tapped Johnny and pointed upwards. Johnny directed the hose at the errant flames; so far it seemed that the firemen were winning this battle. Suddenly a portion of the ceiling above Marco and Chet fell knocking the two down. Johnny looked to Roy and told him to go see about their shift mates. Johnny would keep the fire off of them. Before he could get all the way over to them both Marco and Chet were sitting up and preparing to stand. "Are you all right?" Roy asked as he reached out to help Marco stand and pick up the hose.
"I'm okay. Just knocked me down," Marco turned to offer a hand to Chet.
"Chet?" Roy asked.
"I'm okay too Roy. Let's get back to work." Chet put his hand on Marco's shoulder to steady him as Marco released the water from the hose again working to regain lost ground with the nearby flames.
Roy watched the two men for a few minutes to make sure they were all right before turning to go back to relieve Johnny on their hose. As he turned to head back over he watched in horror as the large beam that had been on fire a few minutes ago dislodged itself from the roof and swung down on his unaware partner. "Johnny!" he screamed. Johnny looked up, but he had his right eye closed from the stinging pain and constant watering. Since Johnny didn't see the beam out of his one open eye, Roy's warning went unheeded as the beam contacted with Johnny's helmet knocking it from his head and sending him crashing down onto the warehouse floor.
Chapter Twelve
"Negative on the verbal response, Rampart." Roy immediately pinched Johnny's earlobe producing a slight wrinkle of his forehead. Leaning back on his heels, closing his eyes for just a second, Roy breathed a sigh of relief. "Come on Junior it's time to wake up."
"51 check for physical response." Dr. Brackett requested.
"Physical response sluggish but present."
"10-4, transport as soon as possible."
"10-4, 51 out."
"How's he doin' Roy?" Captain Stanley asked as he came over and helped Roy and the ambulance attendants load the gurney in the back of the waiting ambulance.
"Well other than the cat scratch and his eye you already know about, that beam hit him pretty hard. He definitely has concussion. Luckily the beam didn't dislodge completely, and we were able to get him out before it fell on him."
"I'll have Marco bring the squad over as soon as we get this under control. Keep me posted." Cap closed the doors and slapped them hard. The ambulance immediately underway, he stood momentarily with his hands on his hips and watched it disappear down the road.
"Treatment two," Dixie said as she led the way down the busy ER hall. She pushed open the door and stepped aside to let the gurney pass.
"Has he shown any sign of waking up?" Dr. Brackett immediately moved to check Johnny's pupil response.
"No," Roy fidgeted with the strap on his HT, but proceeded to give Dr. Brackett an update on vitals. Dixie was already in the process of getting new ones. X-rays were ordered and in short order everyone was ushered from the room. "Doc?"
Dr. Brackett paused outside the door, rubbed his chin, "I don't know Roy. I'm concerned he may have a skull fracture. He's been out for a long time. We'll have to wait on the x-rays. What happened to his eye?"
Roy rolled his eyes and sighed, "The phantom set up a water bomb. Johnny got hit with it right before we were called out. Somehow the parts broke loose sending the whole thing in Johnny's face. He was hit in the eye by the spring." Roy reached up and sympathetically rubbed his own eye. "I looked at it. Other than being red and watery he said he was okay. I knew he needed to have it looked at, but we got the call. He insisted he was all right. Cap let him go on the run."
"Okay that explains the eye, what about his arm?"
"That was actually from a few days ago while rescuing a cat. I put some antibiotic cream on it this morning, but it looked like it was getting infected. I should have made him come in. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if he had been 100 percent." Roy's shoulders drooped. He hung his head.
"Roy, we all know Johnny downplays his own health. You didn't make that beam fall and hit him in the head did you?" Dixie laid her hand on Roy's arm and looked up into his eyes. "Well?"
"No."
"Then let's not waste time feeling guilty about what we might have done to prevent something we had no control over. Johnny's a big boy." She smiled and patted Roy's arm.
"Yeah, okay." He nodded with a slight smile on his face.
"Come on Roy, let's get some coffee. Kel will come find us when he has something to tell." Dixie took Roy by the arm and together they walked to the lounge. That's where they were when Marco arrived. He joined them at the table. Dixie left the two men waiting to get back to her duties. Dr. Brackett joined them a short time later.
"There's no skull fracture, but he definitely has a very serious concussion. He still hasn't come around. That has me a little worried." Dr. Brackett paused in thought. "As you suspected Roy his arm is infected causing a low grade fever. His cornea is scratched. I put a bandage on it, but it will heal by itself. He's being moved upstairs to ICU until he wakes up. He's going to a very bad headache for a while."
"When do you think he'll wake up?" Marco asked.
"I'm not sure about that Marco. I had hoped he would be awake now. The infection in his arm and resulting fever are not helping."
"We have to get back to the station." Roy rose slowly. "You'll let us know when he wakes up?"
"Sure Roy. You guys be careful out there." Dr. Brackett downed the rest of the coffee he had poured when he entered the lounge. "One injured fireman is enough for one day."
Buzz…..Bleep…..Whoosh…..
Buzz….Bleep…..Whoosh…..
One brown eye cracked open and scanned the room. A hand slowly reached up to feel gauze on the other eye and travel down to his nose that itched. He felt the nasal cannula. That explains the constant whooshing noise. Wonder what happened to my eye.
The one open eye looked over at the machine making the offending buzzing and bleeping noises. Fuzzy numbers appeared, but their meaning escaped him. Man my head feels like it's going to explode.
Shifting in the bed trying to find a more comfortable position brought on a new sensation.
Dizzy and suddenly very nauseous the one open eye wide, he turned frantically in the bed looking for the call button which he couldn't see. He lost the struggle turning on his side and leaning over the side of the bed. Exhausted from the struggle and too dizzy to move he stayed put. Maybe I'll just die right here. That would have to feel better than this; at least the room wouldn't be spinning.
That is where he was when he slipped back into unconscious oblivion, half on the bed and half off. His arm and head hanging over the rail that kept him from falling completely out onto the messy floor.
That is exactly how Dixie found him a few minutes later. "Well Johnny it looks like you woke up while no one was looking." She smiled and gently lowered him back onto the pillow. She pushed the call button.
"Yes Ms. McCall?" The pretty floor nurse asked from the open door.
"Have housekeeping come up here right away and clean up this mess. Page Dr. Brackett for me, please." Dixie went to the sink and filled a bowl with warm water. She bathed Johnny's face and neck.
Mmmm, that feels good. Don't stop. It's warm. The one brown eye cracked open and looked up into beautiful caring blue eyes.
"Hello handsome. It's good to see you awake." Dixie smoothed the hair from his face. "I see you're feeling nauseous. How's your headache? Any dizziness?" Johnny closed his eye and nodded affirmatively. "Kel will be up in a minute and we'll get something to help that."
"Kel is here and I just ordered it from the floor nurse. She'll be in with it in a minute. How are you feeling Johnny?" Confusion spread across Johnny's face. His forehead wrinkled. "Having a little trouble remembering?" Johnny slowly nodded. "Okay I need you to answer a couple of questions for a neuro check. Do you know your name?"
Thinking for a minute he was slow to respond. "J…John," he whispered.
"What day is it?"
Again slowly, "Um…don't know."
"Do you know what year it is?"
One eye scanned the faces before him and he nodded.
"Having trouble remembering? It's okay Johnny. You took a pretty hard hit and have a Grade 3 concussion. Confusion, even light amnesia is one of the symptoms."
The brown eye widened and his mouth opened slightly.
"Hey don't worry. It's temporary. It could last up to twenty four hours, but things will clear up." Dr. Brackett patted Johnny's leg. "I'm going to give you something for your nausea and headache. You also have a nasty scratch on your arm and thanks to the phantom an injury to your eye. We'll leave the gauze over your eye until later today or tomorrow. Get some rest. I'm sure things will be clearer when you wake up."
The floor nurse handed Dixie the requested medications, and she smiled at Johnny as she slid the needles one at a time into the IV port.
He was drifting in a matter of minutes. What happened to me, and who is the phantom? His mind couldn't grasp what Dr. Brackett had said so he gave up and gave in to the medication. He was asleep.
"Kel, do you think he will remember when he wakes up?"
"I don't know Dix. He was out for over an hour. He may have temporary amnesia for a couple of days or longer. He may never remember parts of the accident at all. Grade 3 concussions can cause nausea and dizziness for an extended period of time not to mention he's going to have a headache that will keep him hurting for a while. The low grade fever from that cat scratch is probably making him feel achy with flu like symptoms. That will slow his recovery. He has a long way to go, but he'll be all right in time."
"Well I know Roy will be glad to hear that he finally woke up. I think I'll go call the station."
"That sounds like a good idea. Tell Roy that when Johnny does get out of here he'll probably need somewhere to stay. He won't be happy about it, but I suspect he'll be experiencing some dizziness for at least a week if not longer. He'll need someone keeping an eye on him. I'll see you downstairs."
As Dixie and Dr. Brackett's voices faded down the hall the room grew quiet except for the buzzing, bleeping, and whooshing noises intermingled with Johnny's deep relaxed breathing.
"51 check for physical response." Dr. Brackett requested.
"Physical response sluggish but present."
"10-4, transport as soon as possible."
"10-4, 51 out."
"How's he doin' Roy?" Captain Stanley asked as he came over and helped Roy and the ambulance attendants load the gurney in the back of the waiting ambulance.
"Well other than the cat scratch and his eye you already know about, that beam hit him pretty hard. He definitely has concussion. Luckily the beam didn't dislodge completely, and we were able to get him out before it fell on him."
"I'll have Marco bring the squad over as soon as we get this under control. Keep me posted." Cap closed the doors and slapped them hard. The ambulance immediately underway, he stood momentarily with his hands on his hips and watched it disappear down the road.
"Treatment two," Dixie said as she led the way down the busy ER hall. She pushed open the door and stepped aside to let the gurney pass.
"Has he shown any sign of waking up?" Dr. Brackett immediately moved to check Johnny's pupil response.
"No," Roy fidgeted with the strap on his HT, but proceeded to give Dr. Brackett an update on vitals. Dixie was already in the process of getting new ones. X-rays were ordered and in short order everyone was ushered from the room. "Doc?"
Dr. Brackett paused outside the door, rubbed his chin, "I don't know Roy. I'm concerned he may have a skull fracture. He's been out for a long time. We'll have to wait on the x-rays. What happened to his eye?"
Roy rolled his eyes and sighed, "The phantom set up a water bomb. Johnny got hit with it right before we were called out. Somehow the parts broke loose sending the whole thing in Johnny's face. He was hit in the eye by the spring." Roy reached up and sympathetically rubbed his own eye. "I looked at it. Other than being red and watery he said he was okay. I knew he needed to have it looked at, but we got the call. He insisted he was all right. Cap let him go on the run."
"Okay that explains the eye, what about his arm?"
"That was actually from a few days ago while rescuing a cat. I put some antibiotic cream on it this morning, but it looked like it was getting infected. I should have made him come in. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if he had been 100 percent." Roy's shoulders drooped. He hung his head.
"Roy, we all know Johnny downplays his own health. You didn't make that beam fall and hit him in the head did you?" Dixie laid her hand on Roy's arm and looked up into his eyes. "Well?"
"No."
"Then let's not waste time feeling guilty about what we might have done to prevent something we had no control over. Johnny's a big boy." She smiled and patted Roy's arm.
"Yeah, okay." He nodded with a slight smile on his face.
"Come on Roy, let's get some coffee. Kel will come find us when he has something to tell." Dixie took Roy by the arm and together they walked to the lounge. That's where they were when Marco arrived. He joined them at the table. Dixie left the two men waiting to get back to her duties. Dr. Brackett joined them a short time later.
"There's no skull fracture, but he definitely has a very serious concussion. He still hasn't come around. That has me a little worried." Dr. Brackett paused in thought. "As you suspected Roy his arm is infected causing a low grade fever. His cornea is scratched. I put a bandage on it, but it will heal by itself. He's being moved upstairs to ICU until he wakes up. He's going to a very bad headache for a while."
"When do you think he'll wake up?" Marco asked.
"I'm not sure about that Marco. I had hoped he would be awake now. The infection in his arm and resulting fever are not helping."
"We have to get back to the station." Roy rose slowly. "You'll let us know when he wakes up?"
"Sure Roy. You guys be careful out there." Dr. Brackett downed the rest of the coffee he had poured when he entered the lounge. "One injured fireman is enough for one day."
Buzz…..Bleep…..Whoosh…..
Buzz….Bleep…..Whoosh…..
One brown eye cracked open and scanned the room. A hand slowly reached up to feel gauze on the other eye and travel down to his nose that itched. He felt the nasal cannula. That explains the constant whooshing noise. Wonder what happened to my eye.
The one open eye looked over at the machine making the offending buzzing and bleeping noises. Fuzzy numbers appeared, but their meaning escaped him. Man my head feels like it's going to explode.
Shifting in the bed trying to find a more comfortable position brought on a new sensation.
Dizzy and suddenly very nauseous the one open eye wide, he turned frantically in the bed looking for the call button which he couldn't see. He lost the struggle turning on his side and leaning over the side of the bed. Exhausted from the struggle and too dizzy to move he stayed put. Maybe I'll just die right here. That would have to feel better than this; at least the room wouldn't be spinning.
That is where he was when he slipped back into unconscious oblivion, half on the bed and half off. His arm and head hanging over the rail that kept him from falling completely out onto the messy floor.
That is exactly how Dixie found him a few minutes later. "Well Johnny it looks like you woke up while no one was looking." She smiled and gently lowered him back onto the pillow. She pushed the call button.
"Yes Ms. McCall?" The pretty floor nurse asked from the open door.
"Have housekeeping come up here right away and clean up this mess. Page Dr. Brackett for me, please." Dixie went to the sink and filled a bowl with warm water. She bathed Johnny's face and neck.
Mmmm, that feels good. Don't stop. It's warm. The one brown eye cracked open and looked up into beautiful caring blue eyes.
"Hello handsome. It's good to see you awake." Dixie smoothed the hair from his face. "I see you're feeling nauseous. How's your headache? Any dizziness?" Johnny closed his eye and nodded affirmatively. "Kel will be up in a minute and we'll get something to help that."
"Kel is here and I just ordered it from the floor nurse. She'll be in with it in a minute. How are you feeling Johnny?" Confusion spread across Johnny's face. His forehead wrinkled. "Having a little trouble remembering?" Johnny slowly nodded. "Okay I need you to answer a couple of questions for a neuro check. Do you know your name?"
Thinking for a minute he was slow to respond. "J…John," he whispered.
"What day is it?"
Again slowly, "Um…don't know."
"Do you know what year it is?"
One eye scanned the faces before him and he nodded.
"Having trouble remembering? It's okay Johnny. You took a pretty hard hit and have a Grade 3 concussion. Confusion, even light amnesia is one of the symptoms."
The brown eye widened and his mouth opened slightly.
"Hey don't worry. It's temporary. It could last up to twenty four hours, but things will clear up." Dr. Brackett patted Johnny's leg. "I'm going to give you something for your nausea and headache. You also have a nasty scratch on your arm and thanks to the phantom an injury to your eye. We'll leave the gauze over your eye until later today or tomorrow. Get some rest. I'm sure things will be clearer when you wake up."
The floor nurse handed Dixie the requested medications, and she smiled at Johnny as she slid the needles one at a time into the IV port.
He was drifting in a matter of minutes. What happened to me, and who is the phantom? His mind couldn't grasp what Dr. Brackett had said so he gave up and gave in to the medication. He was asleep.
"Kel, do you think he will remember when he wakes up?"
"I don't know Dix. He was out for over an hour. He may have temporary amnesia for a couple of days or longer. He may never remember parts of the accident at all. Grade 3 concussions can cause nausea and dizziness for an extended period of time not to mention he's going to have a headache that will keep him hurting for a while. The low grade fever from that cat scratch is probably making him feel achy with flu like symptoms. That will slow his recovery. He has a long way to go, but he'll be all right in time."
"Well I know Roy will be glad to hear that he finally woke up. I think I'll go call the station."
"That sounds like a good idea. Tell Roy that when Johnny does get out of here he'll probably need somewhere to stay. He won't be happy about it, but I suspect he'll be experiencing some dizziness for at least a week if not longer. He'll need someone keeping an eye on him. I'll see you downstairs."
As Dixie and Dr. Brackett's voices faded down the hall the room grew quiet except for the buzzing, bleeping, and whooshing noises intermingled with Johnny's deep relaxed breathing.
