Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.
Heatwave
August 2018
When is this heatwave going to end? I wondered miserably as I wiped the sweat off my face with a damp rag. I was in the appliance bay, helping the others wash the fire appliances. Even with all the doors open, the lack of wind meant that the appliance bay was sweltering.
Arnold glanced at his mobile phone. "It's currently thirty-five degrees out there! I've never seen the thermometer that high."
"Really? Guess you've never had your temperature taken before then," Ellie quipped.
I had to laugh. "Of course, this wouldn't be quite so bad if it was windy."
"Or if we were in air conditioning," Elvis muttered.
"It's on upstairs," Penny pointed out. "Why do you think I've been standing here next to the fireman's pole for the past five minutes?"
The others hurried over to the fireman's poles. I rested the knuckles of my right hand against my hip.
"You can't stay there all day! What about the cleaning?"
"Couldn't we do that later tonight when it's cooler?" Elvis begged.
"No, because you know that only myself and Arnold on duty tonight," I replied. "And don't say that you'll do overtime, because I remember the chaos that occurred last time. Now, come on. I can't do the cleaning all by myself."
"Okay, Sam," Elvis said with a reluctant sigh. He bent over to pick up a firehose, but he accidentally kicked it instead, activating the nozzle, which sent a spray of water shooting straight at me. I yelped as the cold water hit me full in the face. Penny shut off the water. "Sorry, Sam," Elvis apologised.
"No need to apologise, Elvis," I replied as I wiped the water out of my eyes. "Turn it on again. That was refreshing!"
Everyone laughed until Station Officer Steele entered the appliance bay. "What's going on in here?"
"Nothing, sir," we replied in unison.
He walked over to us. "Then, would you kindly explain to me why Sam is soaking wet?"
"It was an accident, sir," I explained. "Elvis kicked the hose."
"Pity he didn't kick the bucket instead," Station Officer Steele muttered.
Ellie started to snigger, but a stern glare from Station Officer Steele made her freeze.
"I hope you're all aware that we're currently under a hosepipe ban due to the extreme heatwave?"
"Yes, but I thought that didn't apply to us?" I asked.
"You're right, it doesn't. But, we do need to set a good example to everyone by saving as much water as we can."
"Point taken, sir," I agreed. "Elvis? Put the hoses away, please. We'll just have to use the buckets to finish the job."
Station Officer Steele nodded his approval, and he returned upstairs. I picked up a bucket full of soapy water, and I dipped my sponge into it. The others did the same.
"I could really do with a drink," Arnold said after a few minutes.
"Me too," I added, as I licked my parched lips. "Right, everyone. Let's take a drinks break."
I'd barely finished speaking when we all heard the emergency alert going off upstairs.
"Guess that drinks break is going to have to wait," Penny said as the alarms sounded.
"There is a barbeque fire at the picnic grounds!" Station Officer Steele announced over the loudspeakers.
"Ellie and Arnold, you're with me in Jupiter," I instructed as we quickly put on our firefighting uniforms. "Penny and Elvis, you take Venus."
I put my helmet on before I climbed into Jupiter's cab and turned on the engine. Ellie and Arnold climbed in the other side. Ellie turned on the lights and siren as I drove Jupiter out of the appliance bay. Venus was right behind us.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Arnold glance at his mobile phone again. "It's thirty-six degrees now," he announced.
"Arnold, you don't need to keep telling us whenever the temperature goes up!" Ellie snapped. "We all know it's boiling hot!"
"Not to mention dry," I added under my breath. I don't know about the temperature outside, but it sure is heating up in here.
When we arrived at the picnic grounds, I saw Trevor's bus parked in the small carpark. I also saw a small crowd gathered near the gate, along with some barbeque and picnic supplies. The fire had spread from the barbeque to the grass, and it was now being fanned along by the slight ocean breeze. Seeing that, I made an educated guessed as to what had happened.
"Arnold, help me roll out the hoses," I ordered as I parked Jupiter. I left the motor running so we could operate the pumps. "Ellie, man the outlets."
We hit the ground running. By the time I'd bowled out my hose, Arnold had done the same with his and Ellie had connected them to the outlets.
"Water on!" I called.
Ellie turned it on. As soon as I felt my hose inflate with water, I pulled the nozzle lever back. Water sprayed out of my hose and it landed exactly where I wanted it to go, on the edge of the grassfire. Arnold joined me in fighting the grassfire, while Penny dealt with the barbeque. The flames were quite big, having spread quickly through the dry grass.
"Elvis!" I shouted. "Grab yourself a beater and come and help us!"
Elvis followed my instructions. With him beating out stray embers and Penny, Arnold and myself using the hoses, we finally managed to get the fire under control. A few minutes later, it was extinguished completely. After I'd turned off my hose, I raised my visor and I wiped the sweat off my forehead again. Trevor, Moose, Tom, Norman, Derek, Mandy, Sarah, James and Hannah sheepishly came over to me.
"Sorry we let our barbeque get out of control, Sam," Moose apologised.
"It was Norman's fault!" Mandy said, pointing to him.
"He was poking a stick in it," Sarah added.
"I was just trying to cook my sausage!" Norman snapped.
"Well, I hope you're happy now Norman, because all we have to eat now are burnt bangers!" Derek shouted.
"Great alliteration, Derek," Hannah said.
"You said you wanted them well-done, Norman," James pointed out.
While the kids were bickering, I started to feel a bit strange. I could still see, but I couldn't make my eyes focus on anything. It was like a grey filter had appeared over my eyes, blocking out the sun's glare.
"Didn't you know that we're currently under a total fire ban?" I heard myself say. I felt so strange. It was as though my brain was separated from my body and that it was someone else speaking. "If we hadn't been able to extinguish that fire, you could have all been facing hefty fines, not to mention arson charges."
"We're sorry, Sam," Trevor said dejectedly. "I didn't think that barbeques came under the total fire ban."
"Well, they do. I think I'd better go and help the others pack up," I said quietly. But as I removed the nozzle from my hose, I accidentally dropped it onto the ground. I bent down to pick it up, but since I couldn't see properly, I missed it on my first attempt to grab it. Seeing that I was struggling to pick the nozzle up, Tom kindly picked it up for me.
"Are you feeling okay, Sam?" Tom asked me with concern.
"Yeah, you're shakin' a bit there, Sam," Moose said.
I glanced down at my hands, which were indeed shaking. "I'm fine," I muttered weakly. Turning, I crouched down to roll up the hose, but the movement made me feel dizzy. "Um… Ellie? Can you please roll up the hose for me? I need to go and lie down for a bit."
"Sure, Sam," Ellie agreed.
"Clearly, he's not fine," I heard Trevor say to Tom and Moose as I climbed into Jupiter's cab. I removed my helmet before I lay down across the bench seat. I rubbed a hand across my stomach. I was starting to feel nauseas and feverish as well now.
"Ellie, you're going to have to drive us back to the fire station," I told her when I saw her walk past the cab to put away my hose. "I don't feel up to it."
I closed my eyes, hoping to relieve the dizziness. After a few minutes, I felt someone gently shake my shoulder.
"Sam?" Penny called. "Sit up. I'll drive Jupiter. Ellie's going to drive Venus."
I reluctantly sat up and I put my seatbelt on. Then, I rested my head in my hands. Penny and Arnold closed the doors, and Penny started up Jupiter.
"You're not feeling well, are you Sam?" Penny asked me once we were on our way back to Pontypandy.
"No," I moaned. "I can't see, and I'm feeling nauseous."
"Can't see?" Penny exclaimed with concern.
"Nauseous?" Arnold shifted closer to the door.
I sighed wearily. "Please, don't drive too fast, Penny."
"I second that!" Arnold had his finger in the door latch, ready to make a bolt for it. Penny slowed down a bit.
"What do you think is wrong with you, Sam?" she asked. "Whatever it is, it's come on very quickly."
"I'm not sure. I feel really weak too."
"Don't worry. We're almost back now. We'll get you into the sick bay, and then we'll call Helen for you, okay?"
I hesitated. I really didn't want to have Helen fussing over me, but I was feeling worse by the minute. "Okay," I reluctantly agreed. I adjusted the air conditioning to its lowest setting and turned it on full blast. The cooling air helped to relieve my fever a bit, but what I really wanted was a drink.
"Just give us plenty of warning if you think you're going to throw up," Arnold whimpered.
Even though my eyes wouldn't focus properly, I turned my head to glare at Arnold. Seeing my expression, Arnold grimaced.
"Sorry."
When we finally arrived back at the fire station, I managed to climb down out of Jupiter without help. I still couldn't see properly, but I knew my way around well enough to be able to find my way to the sick bay without any assistance. As soon as I saw the bed inside the tiny room, I collapsed onto it in a heap. I felt so exhausted, I couldn't move even if I'd wanted to.
Penny and Ellie followed me into the sick bay. Ellie sat down beside me on the edge of the bed, and she gently placed her hand on my forehead. Penny was already on her mobile phone, talking to Helen.
"…Yes, it came on suddenly while we were out fighting a grassfire. He said he couldn't see, and he's feeling nauseous."
"He's burning up with a fever too," Ellie added.
"Ellie says that he's got a fever too. Okay. What do you think it is? Mhmm… But he had the same lunch as us, and none of us are sick. Oh. Yes, that could be a possibility. Right. Well, we'll see you shortly." And Penny hung up her phone.
"Well?" Ellie prompted. "What does Helen think is wrong with him?"
"She said the symptoms sounded like food poisoning, but she won't know for sure until she examines him. She'll be here shortly. In the meantime, she wants us to try and get him to drink some water."
Food poisoning? How could anyone get food poisoning from fruit and cereal? Unless it was the milk, but I only bought that last night, and it didn't smell off to me.
Ellie stood up and she filled a glass with water from the sink. Then, she sat down on the edge of my bed again. "Come on, Sam," she urged. "You need to drink this water."
I was so desperate for a drink that I forced myself to sit up. To Ellie's astonishment, I drank the entire glass in just a few gulps. Then, I handed the empty glass back to her.
"More, please," I begged.
Ellie refilled the glass and she handed it back to me. I managed to drink just half of it before I lay down, exhausted, on my back.
"How are you feeling now, Sam?" Ellie asked me sympathetically.
"Tired…" I closed my eyes, hoping to give them a rest.
The sound of an approaching siren caught my colleagues' attention. "That'll be Helen," Penny said. She started to make her way over to the door, when I felt my stomach surge upwards.
"I'm going to be sick."
"Penny, grab the bucket out from under the bench!" Ellie snapped.
Penny handed it to her, and she managed to hold it up for me just in time. I bolted upright just as I brought up the water I'd just drunk. I managed to spit it all into the bucket.
"Any more?" Ellie asked.
I nodded, just a split second before I brought up a bit more water. Penny frowned with concern when she saw it.
"If he can't even hold down water, that's serious."
"What's serious?" Helen asked as she hurried into the sick bay carrying her medical bag. She set it down on the bench.
"Sam couldn't even keep down the water that he drank," Ellie explained, showing Helen the contents of the bucket. "He just brought it all back up again, but nothing else."
"Well, that settles it," Helen declared. "Sam, I'm afraid I'm going to have to place you on an I.V. to keep you hydrated."
I just moaned in response. I was too weak and miserable to really care what Helen did to me. I heard her open her medical bag, and she fiddled around inside it for a few seconds before she returned to my side. I was expecting her to prep my hand for the I.V., but instead she slipped something into my ear. Surprised, I flinched.
"Relax, Sam," Helen soothed. "I'm just taking your temperature."
I sighed tiredly. Helen removed the thermometer and she looked at it. Despite my dizziness, I saw her raise her eyebrows in surprise.
"Ellie and Penny, I want you to get Sam out of his firefighting uniform now!" Helen instructed. "You can leave his station uniform on for now."
Penny made a move to unbuckle my belt, but then she paused. "Uh, maybe we should get Elvis and Arnold to do that?"
"Never mind, Penny," I muttered as I unbuckled the belt myself. I also managed to unbutton my trousers and pull then down to a point where Ellie felt comfortable enough to pull them off from my ankles. She also removed my boots and socks. While she was doing that, Penny made me sit up, so she could remove my jacket.
While Ellie and Penny were removing my outer clothes, Helen turned the air conditioning unit down to its lowest setting and she turned it on full blast, just like I'd done in Jupiter's cab. Helen then placed several I.V. bags inside the small fridge under the bench.
"What do you think is wrong with him, Helen?" Ellie asked as she folded up my trousers.
"Well, I'm afraid it's not food poisoning," Helen replied seriously. "Sam has heat stroke. We need to cool him down as quickly as possible. His temperature is currently at forty point two."
Penny gasped. "Forty point two? Shouldn't we get him to hospital?"
"No, not yet," Helen replied firmly. "If we can get his temperature to drop quickly in the next couple of hours, and we can keep it down, there should be no need for him to go to hospital."
Thank goodness for that! Heat stroke? How on earth did that happen? I've never even had heat exhaustion before.
Helen rubbed some numbing cream on my left forearm. "Since you're dehydrated, I'll put the needle in your arm instead of your hand," she explained. "That should help prevent you getting a shock from the cold saline solution in the I.V."
I was too tired to do anything except close my eyes. Helen continued to prep the I.V.
"Sam will be okay, won't he?" Ellie asked Helen anxiously.
"Yes," Helen replied confidently. "I think we've caught it early enough to be able to control it without him needing to go to hospital."
I had almost fallen asleep by then, but despite my exhaustion, my mind was racing. I knew how dangerous heat stroke was, and I was wondering how I'd managed to get it. It had come on so quickly. One minute I'd felt perfectly fine, and the next I'd been almost blinded, and I'd lost most of my strength. Then, I remembered something. Or thought I'd remembered something…
"I have to do something," I muttered as I tried to sit up. My voice slurred slightly, and I still couldn't focus on anything. Helen placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Lie down, Sam. You're in no condition to be doing anything right now."
"But there's something I need to do," I protested weakly. But then, I lost what little strength I had left, and I collapsed back down onto the pillow. Helen gently stretched my left arm out and I heard her open a packet containing a new I.V. needle.
"You're not doing anything except to lie completely still," Helen told me firmly. "I don't want to hurt you if you move."
Since I was almost asleep, I barely even felt Helen insert the needle into my arm. Once she'd secured it with surgical tape, Helen took a bag of saline solution out of the fridge, and she set about connecting it up to the rest of the I.V. I drifted off to sleep long before she finished.
…
I wasn't sure how long I'd been asleep, but Helen was still in the sick bay when I stirred sometime later. She gently placed a hand on my forehead.
"How are you feeling now, Sam?"
"Cold."
"That's because the saline solution you're on now has been sitting in the fridge for a few hours. You're still feverish though, so you'll have to stay on the I.V. for now. I'll just take your temperature again."
"Could I have a blanket, please? It's freezing in here."
"Sorry, Sam," Helen replied as she retrieved her thermometer. "You need to cool down some more first. I can let you have a sheet though, if you like. Now, keep still for me, please."
I lay still on my left-hand side while Helen slipped the thermometer into my right-hand ear. I could see the I.V. line running into my arm, so I watched it until Helen removed the thermometer.
"Is my temperature back to normal yet?" I asked hopefully.
"I'm afraid not. It has come down though, to thirty-nine point four. That's almost a whole degree in three and a half hours."
"Oh. Is that good?"
"Well, it's an improvement. I would like to see it drop a bit faster than that. I'll keep taking your temperature every two hours or so, so I can see how much it's changing."
"Will I need to go to hospital?"
"I'll make a decision about that very soon. Aside from the fever, has any of your other symptoms changed?
"I'm not sure… At least I can see properly again now," I muttered. "I was afraid I was going blind."
"That's a rare symptom. Has your dizziness cleared up as well?"
"Yes, I think so. The room isn't spinning anyway, and nothing's blurry."
"Roll over onto your back. I'd better take a closer look at your eyes."
I did as Helen instructed. She took a small torch out of her pocket and she turned it on.
"Look to the left… And to the right… Good, now look up… and down…" She turned the torch off. "Well, I can't see anything wrong with your eyes, so that's good. Do you think you might be able to keep some water down now?"
"I'll try…" I started to sit up, but I didn't have the strength, so Helen helped me into a sitting position. "I can't believe how weak I am."
"That's normal with heatstroke, Sam. Now, let's see how you go with this water. If you can keep it down for five minutes, we'll see how you go with some electrolyte drink."
My hands trembled slightly as I took the glass of water Helen offered to me. Seeing how much I was shaking, Helen kept a hand on the glass just in case I dropped it. I managed to drink about half of the water in the glass before I pushed it away.
"Enough?" Helen asked.
I nodded. "Thanks. I just hope I don't bring it up this time. Where's everyone else?"
"Upstairs having dinner. Don't worry. We've taken care of everything. Station Officer Steele knows that you'll be off duty for the next few days, so he's rearranging the rosters. He came down here to see you a little while ago. He's very concerned about you. In fact, everyone is."
"Does Charlie know that I'm sick?"
"Yes. He's already been here to see you too, but he couldn't stay for long. He'll be back again in the morning to see how you are. He hates seeing you when you're sick or injured, you know."
I just sighed wearily in agreement. Helen went over to the bench and she started to prepare the electrolyte drink for me. It was a powder that was added to water. When it was ready, she brought it over to me.
"I think you're ready for this now. Drink it slowly. That will minimise your risk of bringing it up."
I did as Helen had instructed. This time I managed to drink the entire glass, but I was left exhausted again.
"Do you think you'll be able to keep that down?" Helen asked me gently.
I nodded as I lay back down. "Can I have that sheet now, please?"
"Of course. And, just so you're aware, I'm going to be spending the entire night here to keep a close eye on you. Station Officer Steele has agreed to join me once he goes off-duty. We'll take turns watching you."
Helen arranged the sheet neatly over me. I was still cold, so I pulled it around myself as tightly as I could. Helen frowned when she saw me shivering.
"I'm really sorry I can't give you a blanket, Sam. This is a situation where I need to be cruel to be kind."
"It's okay, Helen. I understand."
"Good. Based on your current condition, I don't think you'll need to go into hospital. However, if any of your symptoms worsen, I'll have you transferred there immediately. Let's just hope that your body temperature returns to normal during the night."
I hope it does too, I thought as I closed my eyes once again.
…
I awoke suddenly many hours later. Station Officer Steele was alone in the room with me, quietly reading a book. He looked up at me when he saw me moving around restlessly.
"Easy, Sam," he soothed. "I don't want you getting tangled up in the I.V. line."
I forced myself to relax and lie still. "What's the time?"
"About two a.m. How are you feeling?"
"Better. But… I, uh, I need to go to the toilet."
Station Officer Steele stood up. "Helen thought you might need to go soon, so she showed me how to disconnect the I.V."
And he did so, leaving the needle in my arm. I cautiously stood up.
"Do you need my help?" Station Officer Steele asked.
"No, I think I'll be okay if I go slowly. I'm not dizzy now. Just weak."
I made my way slowly out of the sick bay and I crossed the small hallway to the gents. After I'd relieved myself, I slowly made my way back to the sick bay. However, just as I reached the doorway, I lost what little strength I had, and I passed out onto the floor.
I was only unconscious for a few seconds, because when I came around, Station Officer Steele was kneeling over me, feeling my neck for my pulse.
"I'm okay," I muttered weakly.
"Are you sure? You're still feverish."
"That's probably why I fainted. Help me up, please."
Station Officer Steele did so, and he helped me over to the bed. I gratefully lay down on it again. Station Officer Steele moved my left arm so that he could reconnect the I.V. Once the saline solution was flowing into me again, he picked up the thermometer.
"Helen's concerned that your temperature isn't coming down quickly enough," he explained as he slipped the tip of the thermometer into my ear. "She thinks we may have to put you into hospital for a few days."
"No, please don't. I'm feeling all right now, aside from the weakness and the fever."
"Yes, well, heatstroke can be fatal, so we don't want to take any chances with you." Station Officer Steele removed the thermometer when it beeped, and he read the screen. "Thirty-eight point nine. Well, it's still dropping, which is good. Why don't you try and go back to sleep, while I go upstairs and talk to Helen?"
"Could I have a drink first, please?"
"Of course! Helen left some of that electrolyte drink in the fridge for you." He retrieved a glass and he handed it to me. I managed to sit up and drink the whole glass without assistance.
"Thanks," I whispered as I handed he empty glass back to him. "Oh, I've just remembered what I needed to do earlier."
"And what was that?"
"Fill in a report about the fire at the picnic grounds."
"Well, you don't need to worry about that. Penny's already done it. Just lie back down and try to go back to sleep."
Feeling my strength leaving me, I did as I was told, and I settled down to sleep again. Station Officer Steele tucked the sheet around me before he left the room. He was kind enough to turn off the light as he left.
I was half-asleep when Station Officer Steele returned with Helen. She placed a hand on my forehead.
"We'll monitor him closely over the next few hours," she whispered. "If there's no significant drop in his temperature, I'll take him to Newtown hospital."
"Why don't you just take him now?"
"Because I don't want to cause him any unnecessary stress by moving him. Stress can elevate the body temperature, so the best thing we can do is to be calm and methodical around him. Try not to panic or get upset because he'll pick up on that."
"Okay, I understand. Sorry I woke you."
"Don't apologise. I'm glad you woke me. Your concern was justified, however sometimes we do need to just let nature take its course. At least he's properly hydrated now. I was very concerned when he said he couldn't see properly earlier. The fever must have temporarily affected the part of his brain that controls his eyesight. We'll have to keep a close eye on that over the next few days. Anyway, I'm going back upstairs to try and get some more sleep."
"Okay. 'Night."
…
The sound of the alarms going off woke me suddenly the following morning. Groaning, I rolled over onto my left-hand side and I pulled the sheet over my head. Within seconds, I heard Venus' engine and siren start.
"Good morning," Charlie called softly as Venus' siren faded away into the distance. "I won't ask how you're feeling, because I'm sure you're tired of everyone asking you that. Besides, I can tell just by looking at you that you're still feeling sick."
"Thanks a lot, Charlie," I muttered sarcastically. "Do you have a glass of water handy?"
"Sure."
I sat up, and Charlie handed me a glass. This time, I managed to drink it without shaking. I handed the empty glass back to Charlie.
"Thanks. By the way, what are you doing here?"
"I'm just filling in for Helen. She went home to change and freshen up. She should be back soon. You were sleeping so peacefully that she felt she could leave you for a few hours. Oh, that reminds me. She wanted me to take your temperature again."
I groaned, but I let Charlie take my temperature. "I don't feel feverish anymore," I told him.
Charlie read the thermometer before he spoke again. "Well, you should. Your temperature is thirty-eight point two."
"Oh. Well, at least it's still dropping. Can I have something to eat, please?"
"You are feeling better!" Charlie muttered playfully. "I'll just phone Helen and see what she says." Charlie took out his mobile phone, and he dialled Helen's number. "Hello, Helen. It's Charlie. Sam's awake, and I've taken his temperature. It's down to thirty-eight point two. Yes, he has, and he's asking for something to eat now. Okay, thanks. See you shortly." He hung up his phone. "Helen is on her way back now. She wants to examine you before she lets you eat something."
I rolled my eyes. "That's typical of her. By the way, what's the time?"
"It's almost eleven o'clock."
Helen entered the room then. "Morning, Sam. How are you feeling now?"
"Better. That was quick."
Helen smiled. "I was just outside when Charlie phoned me. He said that you were starting to feel hungry."
"Yes. I want to eat and then get up to go for a walk."
"Let me check you over first. You still have a mild fever, so I don't want you taking any chances. I'm just going to check your blood pressure first."
Before I could say anything, Helen had wrapped a blood pressure cuff around my upper left arm, and she started inflating it.
"I can't feel my arm," I complained once the cuff was fully inflated.
"That's the idea," Helen retorted. "A hundred and two over seventy. Perfect." And she removed the cuff. "How's your stomach feeling?"
"Hungry."
Charlie sniggered. Helen threw up her hands in mock defeat.
"All right! I can take a hint. There's some jelly in the fridge, Charlie."
Charlie retrieved a couple of jelly cups, and he handed them to me, along with a spoon. I immediately began devouring them.
"Slow down, Sam," Helen warned. "You don't want to make yourself sick again."
I ignored her. "Can I have something else, please?" I asked as soon as I'd finished the jelly.
"Not yet. I want to make sure you're not going to bring that up."
"Helen, I'm feeling fine now," I protested. "I want to go for that walk now too, please."
Helen gave a sympathetic sigh. "Station Officer Steele told me that you fainted last night. But, I can't deny that some fresh air would do you some good. It's a bit cooler today, so I'm happy for you to go for a walk outside in the shade for about ten minutes, as long as Charlie goes with you."
"Understood. Thanks, Helen!"
Helen turned to Charlie. "Make sure he stays in the shade at all times. I want you to take Sam's temperature after five minutes. If it's gone up, bring him straight back inside, understood?"
"Understood, Helen."
"Very well, then."
Helen disconnected the I.V. line from me, but she left the needle in. I got up and I cautiously followed Charlie outside to the back of the fire station, where it was nice and shady. Feeling my energy fading, I sat down on the bottom of the external stairs. Charlie joined me. We sat in silence for several minutes, just enjoying the peace.
"I'm glad you're almost better," Charlie finally said. "You really frightened me."
"Sorry. I also scared myself."
"I'm not surprised. Helen said that if Penny hadn't reacted as quickly as she did, you'd probably be in hospital right now on life support with possible brain damage."
I cringed. "I know I was delirious for a bit, but I didn't realise it was quite that serious. I was more or less expecting to be taken to hospital after I threw up. We get warned about heat stress, but it's not a situation we really train for. I'll have to thank Penny when I see her again."
Charlie stood up and he took the thermometer out of his pocket. "Sorry. You must be sick of this by now."
"Just take it. Anything to stop Helen nagging me."
Charlie chuckled as he slipped the thermometer into my ear. He removed it when it beeped. "Thirty-eight exactly. It's still dropping."
I stood up. "Good. Let's go for a bit of a walk."
"Are you feeling strong enough for that?"
"I hope so."
We slowly walked around behind the fire station, ensuring we stayed in the shade. I had to lean against Charlie a few times, but I didn't feel close to fainting this time. However, I was exhausted by the time we returned inside. I paused to go to the gents again before we returned to the sick bay. Helen was waiting there with a fresh I.V. bag set up. She immediately handed me another glass of electrolyte drink, which I gladly drank.
"How did you go, Charlie?" Helen asked while I was drinking. "Did you wear him out?"
"He did it himself," Charlie replied. I handed the empty glass back to Helen. Then, Charlie helped me lie down on the bed. "His temperature has dropped down to thirty-eight degrees."
"Excellent! Hopefully, it won't take long to drop that final half-degree. I managed to change the bedding while you were outside."
"Thanks, Helen." I muttered. I yawned before closing my eyes and settling down to sleep. Helen gently took hold of my left arm and I felt her reconnect the I.V.
"I'll head on home now, unless you still need me," I heard Charlie whisper.
"Thanks, Charlie. I think Sam will sleep for quite some time now. I'll phone you later to let you know how he's going."
"Thanks. I appreciate that."
I didn't even hear Charlie leave the room.
…
It was dawn when I next opened my eyes. Helen was sitting in a chair next to the bed, fast asleep. I immediately felt sorry for her. She must have been here all night, looking after me. I wonder how long I've been asleep for? I licked my parched lips.
"Helen?"
She immediately woke up. "Yes, Sam?"
"Can I have a drink, please?"
"Of course! I'll give you some cold water this time."
I accepted the water, downing it in just a few gulps. "Thanks. Now, can I have a proper breakfast, please?"
"Sam, it's just after six o'clock!"
"So? I'm starving!" As if on cue, my stomach rumbled. Helen patted my shoulder.
"Point taken, Sam. I'll go upstairs and fetch you something. Stay there."
Helen returned a few minutes later with a bowl of muesli and milk, and some fruit. "Here you go."
"Thanks, Helen. How long have I been asleep? It was noon when I was last awake."
"You've been asleep for about eighteen hours."
My eyes widened in surprise. "Eighteen hours? How?"
"Easy. You really needed it. But it was a good, healing sleep. Now, stop talking, and eat your breakfast."
While I ate, Helen started dismantling the I.V.
"I think you're well enough to go home this morning," she explained. "Your temperature came back to normal around midnight, and it's been stable for the past six hours."
"Great! I'm feeling a lot stronger too now. So, when can I go back to work?"
"In a day or two. Once you can go for a full day without feeling weak or tired."
"That's fair. Thanks for looking after me. I know I'm not an easy patient."
"You were better than you normally are," Helen teased. "At least you were a perfect patient when you were asleep."
I chuckled. "And I suppose that was most of the time, right? Considering how I've been asleep for at least a whole day while I've been ill."
Helen winked in silent agreement. "Finish your breakfast, and then I'll take that needle out."
I froze with my spoon halfway to my mouth. "I think you'd better do that once I'm lying down again. And preferably under a general anaesthetic."
Helen laughed. "You're definitely better! Unfortunately, I can't give you a general anaesthetic. I'm not qualified to do that. You'll just have to put up with the discomfort."
"Discomfort? Helen, you know I have a high pain threshold, but I can't tolerate the pain of being turned into a pincushion."
"For the bravest man in Pontypandy, you sure do cower easily at the sight of a needle."
"And that's our secret," I reminded her sternly.
"Of course. Have you finished your breakfast?"
I handed the almost-finished bowl of muesli back to her. "I have now, thanks."
Helen put the bowl aside. Then, she washed and sterilised her hands. "Right. Let's get that needle out of you now."
I whimpered nervously as I clutched my left arm close to my chest. "Helen…"
"This won't take long if you cooperate. Now, hold out your arm, please." I reluctantly did so, and Helen gently removed the surgical tape that had keep the needle securely in place inside my arm. "Okay, I'm going to take the needle out now…"
I hissed in pain as Helen slowly pulled the needle out. "Ow!"
"I'm almost done… There! It's out now. That wasn't too bad now, was it?" I didn't bother to answer her. Helen taped a cotton wool ball over the area. "All done. Now, let's get you home. I want you to rest there for the next day or two."
"I suppose it's useless for me to argue against your orders this time, isn't it?"
"It's always useless for you to argue against my orders," Helen corrected as she helped me stand up. "Would you like the lean against me?"
"No, thanks. I'm sure I can make it home without help."
We left the sick bay and we entered the hallway just as Station Officer Steele came down the stairs.
"Sam! It's great to see you back on your feet at last."
"Thank you, sir."
"I'm taking Sam home now," Helen explained. "A few more days of complete rest and quiet should set him to rights again. I'll be back shortly to tidy up the sick bay."
"Thanks, Helen. We'll see you again in a few days, Sam."
I nodded in agreement.
A few minutes later, we entered my house through the back door. Since the sun was still coming up, Helen turned on the lights while I turned on the air conditioning. I set it to a comfortable twenty-four degrees.
"I think I'll go and have a shower," I said to Helen.
"Okay, Sam," Helen agreed. "I'll leave you alone now. I want you to find something quiet to do inside for the rest of the day. I'll be back to check on you again later tonight."
"Sure. Thanks, Helen."
While I had my shower, I considered what I could do that was a quiet, indoor activity, that would keep me occupied for at least three days. I had a lot of board games, but I couldn't play them by myself. Then, I considered having Sarah and James come over for a sleep-over, but since I knew that wouldn't be quiet, I dismissed the idea. However, thinking about my niece and nephew reminded me the they'd given me a jigsaw puzzle for Christmas last year, and I hadn't touched it. That's what I'll do. Now, where did I put it?
After I'd dressed into my casual clothes, I went in search of the puzzle. I found it in the top of the cupboard in my guest bedroom. It was a picture of Cardiff Castle. I took it downstairs to the sitting room, where I poured the pieces out onto the coffee table. Before I started, I turned on my CD player, so I could listen to some background music while I did the puzzle.
…
As promised, Helen returned later that evening. I was still working on my jigsaw puzzle. I got up to let her inside.
"Evening, Sam," Helen greeted me. "How have you been today?"
"Not too bad. I've managed to find something productive to do."
Helen frowned. "What is it?"
"A jigsaw puzzle."
I saw Helen breathe a small sigh of relief. "Good. I was afraid you might've started trying to invent things again."
I chuckled. "No, I was ordered to stop making inventions, remember?" I closed the front door, and we made our way into the sitting room. Helen looked at the puzzle. "I've done quite a lot today, as you can see."
"Yes. We might have to get you another one if that's how fast you're able to do them. Now, sit down, please. I'll start by checking your temperature again." Helen took a thermometer out of her medical bag, and she gently slipped it into my ear. "How's your eyesight been?"
"Perfect. I wouldn't be able to do this puzzle if I couldn't see."
"That's true. How about your appetite?"
"It's normal."
"What have you eaten since breakfast?"
"I had one of Bella's pizzas for lunch. I wasn't bothered to cook anything today, and since I can't go outside, I had it delivered."
"I'm not happy about you just having a whole pizza, but given what you've been through lately, I'll let it slide. The important thing is that you're able to eat without feeling sick." Helen removed the thermometer from my ear, and she read it. "Thirty-seven point four. Perfect. What are you having for dinner?"
"Fish and chips with a side salad," I replied. "Charlie's bringing it over."
"I'll bet that the salad was Bronwyn's idea."
"How on earth did you guess?"
Helen laughed. "It's just something I know she'd do with you to make sure you're looking after yourself. Now, let me check your blood pressure."
"Could I go outside tomorrow, please? Charlie's taking Sarah and James to the swimming pool, and he wants to know if I could join them."
Helen finished securing the cuff around my arm before she replied. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea, Sam. You just really need to rest and stay out of the heat."
I sighed dejectedly. "I know… I just hate being cooped up like this." I watched the cuff expand as Helen inflated it.
"I understand that, Sam, but you really need to think about your health right now. Leave it for a few days, just to be one the safe side. You can't be blasé about heat stroke, you know."
"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry about. Your blood pressure is still normal, so that's good."
At that moment, we heard someone enter the house through the back door. "Sam?" Charlie called.
"I'm in the sitting room with Helen," I replied.
Charlie entered the room carrying a plastic bag with my dinner in it. "I don't know why you're so keen to have hot food in this scorcher, Sam. Look at me! I'm dripping with sweat, and that's just from the walk here."
"Charlie, for the past two days, I've had nothing but cold saline solution forced into me, along with cold drinks, and I've been stuck inside rooms with the air conditioning set to eighteen degrees. The last thing I want right now is an ice cream."
"Point taken. Here's your dinner."
"Thanks." I took the bag from him, and I set it down on the coffee table next to my puzzle.
"Actually, Charlie, studies have proven that eating hot foods on hot days will help you feel cooler," Helen said. "That's why the Indians like curry so much."
"In that case, I'll have that for my lunch tomorrow, thanks Charlie," I told him with a wink.
"Sam, much as I love you, I am NOT driving all the way over to Newtown just to get you a food that I know you don't like. You hate curry!"
I grinned mischievously as I unwrapped the paper containing my fish and chips. "Guess that just means I'll have to have another pepperoni pizza for lunch then."
Helen shook her head as she stood up. "I think I'll be going now. Oh, and before I forget, here's some more powder to make the electrolyte drinks. Charlie, could you please make sure he keeps drinking that, as well as plenty of water over the next few days?"
Charlie took the container from Helen. "I will. Thank you so much for taking care of him, Helen."
"My pleasure. I'm just glad he's made a full recovery."
"Me too."
"I'll show you out, Helen," I said as I stood up. Helen followed me to the front door. "Thank you for looking after me while I was ill. I still can't quite believe I had heat stroke, of all things!"
"Yes, well, you really need to look after yourself better. You're not as young as you used to be."
"I know. And the first thing I'm going to do as soon as I get back on duty is to ensure that all of the appliances have bottles of water on board at all times. That's the last time we attend a fire without having any water for ourselves!"