Childhood Disease
Chapter Two: X-Rays
Once the back doors of the ambulance opened Roy saw Dixie and Dr. Brackett waiting for them.
"Give me an update!" Dr. Brackett ordered as he shined a pen light in Johnny's eyes.
"He vomited again two minutes ago. His fever's also gone down to 102." Roy said, a bit mystified by that.
"Treatment 2!" Kel ordered to the attendants who wheeled Johnny down the hall and in to Treatment Room 2.
Smoothly they transferred him on to the exam room table before exiting the room taking their gurney with them.
"Dix draw blood for CBC type and cross match. Also I want x-ray's taken of the cranial area. I want that done STAT." Kel said while Roy hung the IV.
"Right away Kel." Dixie muttered before she went to the phone and ordered a portable x-ray be brought to the treatment room.
Roy now feeling like a third wheel just took a few steps back and leaned against the far table watching Kel work on his partner.
After Dix drew the blood and gave it to another nurse she turned and saw Roy still standing there.
Crossing to him she placed a hand on his arm before gesturing to the door.
"Let's us get a cup of coffee." She said.
Roy sighed but followed her out in to the hall.
The last thing on his mind was a cup of coffee, but he knew Dixie and he knew that she had things well under control in Johnny's case.
Entering the doctor's lounge Roy crossed to a table and sat down while Dixie got two cups of coffee before joining him at the table.
"Roy…you did nothing wrong." Dixie said, seeing the look on Roy's face.
"Yeah I know that but…I saw the look on Johnny's face…I knew he wasn't feeling well…I…I ignored the signs." He replied.
"Don't blame yourself. It might not have made any difference anyway if you hadn't seen the signs." Dixie said as she passed one of the two cups of coffee to Roy who took it and stared in to the black liquid.
"Dix," Roy began after a moment, "do you have any idea what could be wrong with him this time?"
"It could be any number of things Roy. However, we should know for sure in an hour." Dixie replied.
Roy nodded his head already thinking to himself that he should just sit there and wait, but Dixie was way ahead of him.
"Why don't you call your captain and update him? I'm sure he's already called in a replacement for you and Johnny." She suggested.
"Yeah…but what kind of update can I give him? The usual 'they don't know' tirade?" Roy asked.
"The truthful tirade." Dixie replied with a smile before she patted Roy shoulder.
Standing up she took her cup of coffee to the small sink before setting it down and leaving the lounge.
EMERGENCYEMERGENCYEMERGENCYEMERGENCYEMERGENCY
An hour later Dixie reentered the doctor's lounge to find Roy still seated there.
She doubted he had even moved an inch this past hour, but it didn't matter because she had a feeling that Roy wouldn't call the fire station so soon, so she had done it for him…this once anyway.
Now she was here to collect Roy because the results were in.
Raising his head Roy looked at Dixie; seeing her motioning for him to follow.
Standing Roy left the doctor's lounge and walked with Dixie all the way to Treatment room 2.
Upon entering the room Roy saw that Johnny wasn't there, and then it dawned on him that he remembered some nurse telling him that Johnny had been moved to the ICU.
Glancing at Dr. Brackett's face Roy could tell that Johnny had a serious problem.
Knowing that he had a concerned paramedic behind him, Kel Brackett sighed before looking back at Roy DeSoto.
"There's no easy way of saying this Roy but the x-ray's show that Johnny has a brain tumor." Kel began.
"What? That…that's impossible!" Roy exclaimed, stepping forward to see for himself.
"Its right there," Kel replied; pointing out the mass on the x-ray, "It's the size of an orange, Roy."
Hearing that caused Roy to audibly gasp as he continued to stare at the x-ray.
When he had been younger his mother had a tumor and had nearly died from it, so now whenever Roy heard the word tumor he had to force himself not to start shaking.
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Roy turned and fixed Dr. Brackett with semi pleading eyes as he asked, "So what are you going to do?"
"Well, I haven't seen a tumor quite like that one. I hate to say it but…there's really no one here that can read these scans in greater depth." Kel replied.
Roy was shocked at this; he always thought that Dr. Brackett was the miracle worker of miracle workers, and to hear Kel Brackett say that he couldn't understand a simple x-ray was mind boggling!
Seeing Roy's face Kel had to smile a little for he understood completely how Roy felt.
"I'm sorry Roy, but this tumor requires specialized care, and I can't provide that, which is why I'm going to have him transferred over to Saint Frances to see Dr. Connors."
"Who's he?" Roy asked.
"Dr. Connors is a neurologist Roy; he's the best in the state." Kel replied.
Roy sighed, knowing that there was still one question that had gone unanswered here.
"Dr. Brackett there is one thing I want to know and I want to know it straight. Is Johnny going to die?"
Kel was silent for a moment before he glanced back at Dixie who lowered her eyes a bit; already knowing the answer.
"It's a possibility Roy, it's a possibility." Kel answered, fully knowing that this knowledge was sure to tear Roy up inside.
"Thanks doctor." Roy muttered before he turned and left the room, suddenly feeling as if his whole world was now crashing down on him.
Walking over to the nearest bench Roy crashed down in to it; banging his head against the wall as his mind tried to process everything that had happened in the past ten minutes.
Knowing that Captain Stanley would want an update, Roy nearly rose to go over to the phone but then he stopped himself. He couldn't tell Hank that Johnny had a brain tumor and could possibly die…not over the phone at any rate, so instead he rose up to call one other person…Joanne.
Slowly he explained to her what exactly was going on as far as he knew.
Joanne assured him that she was on her way to the hospital and would be there soon, while suggesting that he call his captain.
Roy had been about to say that it might not be a good idea, but Joanne had already hung up leaving Roy holding the bag.
Slowly Roy hung up the phone before grabbing it again and placing more change in.
Then he dialed the station and waited for Hank to pick up which didn't take long.
Within seconds he heard the familiar, "Station 51, this is Captain Stanley."
Roy opened his mouth to speak but no words would come because his mind had gone blank.
"Hello?...Hello this is Station 51."
Licking his lips Roy closed his eyes before saying, "Cap…it's Roy."
"Roy! How's Johnny doing? Dixie called a little while ago and said they were waiting for the results of the x-rays." Hank said.
"Yeah. The uh…the results came in a few minutes ago." Roy answered trying to think of some way to stall the inevitable.
"Well?" Hank prompted.
"Cap…I…" Roy paused before he took a deep breath; pressing ahead, "Johnny has a…Johnny has a brain tumor."
The silence on the other end was deafening.
Roy could hear Hank hitch his breath when he first heard the news, and now Roy was listening to Cap's breathing while he imagined Cap trying to process the information.
"What are they going to do about it?" Hank finally asked.
"None of the people at Rampart can do a thing about it Cap. That's why Dr. Brackett is going to be sending him to a Dr. Connors at Saint Frances." Roy replied.
At this point Hank Stanley wished that his shift was over because he doubted he could work with a clear and level head now knowing that his youngest paramedic could lose his life over a brain tumor.
"We'll…we'll be over at Saint Frances as soon as the shift ends, Roy. Let us know when they've transferred him." Hank requested.
"Yes, sir." Roy answered before he said goodbye and hung up.
Walking back to his bench Roy sat back down before leaning forward and lowering his head; his shoulders slumping in defeat.
This day had gone from bad to worse in the course of an hour and now it felt to Roy as if it was steaming ahead and he was just along for the ride.
Knowing Dixie would come get him when he could see Johnny, all Roy could do for the present was wait for Dixie to come…or wait for Joanne to arrive.
