Stranded In Bear Canyon

Chapter 12

By 4:30 pm Mike Stoker had had a full day of surgical care to clean his wounds and repair his torn rotator cuff. X-rays of his head, neck, shoulder and arm were completed as well as a trip to orthopedics to fix his fractured arm and to round out his day he was sent to the cardiac unit for a battery of test to insure that no permanent damage was done to his heart by the allergic reaction. To everyone's relief none was detected. Finally in his assigned room for the duration of his stay at hotel Rampart, Mike was able to get some much needed rest. He was exhausted; his arm ached despite the pain medication. All he wanted was to slip off into some pain free slumber. The little voice in the back of his mind could hear the wind and rain on the window across the room from him and he wondered if his crewmates had made it out yet?

The door opened and blue eyes met blue eyes but no words were spoken. A now clean scrub clad Roy moved to Mike's side.

"Hey Mike, good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

"Tired….otherwise ok, I guess."

"Dixie and Dr. Brackett have you all stitched up. Dr. Nelson fixed your arm and shoulder. They say he is the best; he does all the Ram players when they get injured!"

"Really?"

"Yup, and Dr. Early did all your cardiac testing and he says everything is looking good. They found no permanent damage from yesterday's reaction."

"Well, that is a relief." Mike sighed.

"Sure is." Roy agreed.

After a beat Mike asked. "How is Steve?"

"Doing great. Dr. Brackett thinks he will get to go home tomorrow."

"Did the guys get out yet?" Mike asked.

Roy hesitated before he answered. "No, the weather went bad on us but the chopper is here and as soon as we get clearance we will be out to get them, I promise."

"How's, Johnny?" Mike inquired.

Roy bit his lower lip trying to decide how to answer. "He is stable for now; his blood pressure is a little low so Dr. early had him start a second IV to bring it up but we don't know what is causing it."

"And the fever?"

"Cap's last report had it at 102.5 degrees."

"This is bad isn't it, Roy?"

Roy didn't really want to answer him but he respected his friend enough to be honest with him. "We just need to get him here…. well you need your rest. I'll will checkin' on you later."

"Thanks."

E!

Back at the Cabin, Johnny woke up from his nap and was in alot of pain from his ribs. Cap noticed Johnny's discomfort and moved to his side.

"John, you alright?"

"Yea." He responded rying not to alarm his Captain.

"Spill it, Pal. Something's up….now what's wrong?"

Johnny sighed. "My ribs are really sore. I can't seem to get comfortable."

"I can ask for more pain medications."

"I doubt Brackett will approve it with a head wound." Johnny said dejectedly.

"I will ask anyway but Dr. Early wants you to start a second IV."

Johnny was not happy about Dr. Early's second IV. "Come on Cap, maybe it was just a bad reading….take it again."

"I had already taken it twice. Now here, I got it all set up for you. Here's your alcohol swab and I got your needle right here."

Johnny huffed. "Okay…swab it right here." He gave cap his arm. "How am I supposed to do this left handed?"

"John, I would do it for you if I could but you and I both know that I am not qualified for this."

"Ok."

Cap handed him the needle and Johnny tried to reach for his right arm but winced in pain. "Ah Cap, you're gonna have to do this for me. I can't reach across to my arm with these sore ribs."

Hank's eyes grew wide. "What?"

"Look…. tighten the tourniquet then find the biggest vein. Put your finger on it to make the blood pool… then take the needle and slowly insert it at an angle following the line of the vein."

Cap considered his situation and decided to proceed. He tightened the tourniquet and followed Johnny's instructions. Johnny winced at the needle stick.

"You will know you're in when you see a flash of blood in the top of the needle. That's it Cap…. now tape it down. Good... now add the IV line. Here let me adjust the drip."

Cap handed Johnny the drip regulator and Johnny set the correct flow. "Cap that was great… I think you missed your calling. You should have been a paramedic."

"No thanks….. I'll stick to being station captain…..less stress!"

The statement made both men laugh. Cap gave Johnny his next round of pain meds and antibiotics. "Ok, let's get your vitals so I can call Rampart." He headed out in Big Red to report in down by the bridge. He parked the rig and opened up the biophone.

"Rampart, this is squad 51."

"Go ahead 51." Dixie answered.

Roy at the base station listening.

"Update on Code I paramedic John Gage. Pulse is 64 respirations are 20 BP 90/60 and temperature is 101.5 degrees."

"Ok 51 stand by please."

"10-4.. standing by."

Momentarily, Dr. Brackett arrived and Dixie handed him the chart. After reading the chart, Kel moved to the radio. "51 is the patient on two IV's?"

"That's affirmative Rampart; both arms D5W."

"Is there alot of bruising or discoloration around the rib injury?"

"Yes on his side and it wraps around to his back. He is in alot of pain too. Is there anything else we can do?"

"Ok 51, get him in a G suit. Give him 10mg "MS, elevate his legs and get him the hell in here!"

There was a long pause before Kel continued. "Sorry 51, that was uncalled for. I guess I am due for a little rest myself."

"It's ok Rampart…..G suit, legs elevated and 10 mg MS….10-4."

"You think he's bleeding internally?" Roy asked already knowing the answer.

"With those symptoms… he has to be."

Cap closed the biophone. "I did not lose my engineer last night and I will be damned if I lose my Junior Paramedic tonight."

Cap put Big Red into gear and drove back to the cabin. He noticed the squad was back and Cap walked over and got the G suit out of its compartment. As Cap cleared the doorway, his sense of smell is overwhelmed by the smell of simmering spaghetti sauce. Marco was in the kitchen cooking while Chet was washing up in the dry sink. Chet spied the G suit and moved to Cap's side.

"How's he doing?"

"He has been better….. Chet help me get him in this suit."

The two men managed to get the pressure suit on Johnny with very little difficulty. Cap propped Johnny's legs up carefully with the cushions from the couch; very gingerly handling the leg with the fracture.

Cap then went to the drug box and found the MS; 10 mgs were drawn up and injected through the IV port sending pain relief through John's pain riddled body.

"Chows on." Marco announced.

"Great, Marco. I'm starving." Chet moved to the kitchen table where Marco set a big plate of spaghetti in front of him.

Cap wiped the sweat from Johnny's forehead with a damp towel and fussed with Johnny's blankets; smoothing them until they were flat enough for military inspection.

"Come on Cap; you gotta eat something." Marco said with concern.

Cap looked down at his sleeping paramedic making sure he had done everything he could to make him comfortable and with a pat on John's shoulder, he moved to the table. Marco set a plate of spaghetti in front of him.

"Thanks, Marco."

The three men sat down to eat and at first Cap was not sure he could eat but tried not to be rude to Marco. He took a bite and to his surprise it tasted wonderful; he actually was quite hungry.

"Hey Cap, after dinner can you come down to the slide area? I think if we use Big Red's chains we can move the last big tree and get through.

"Are you serious? Chet that's great."

"Yeah, Marco and I don't want to tell Mike that we left Big Red up here so we decided that clearing the road was safer."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Cap laughed. "Ok Kelly, are you done eating?"

"Sure Cap… let's go."

"Keep an eye on Johnny while we're gone?" He asked Marco

"Sure, Cap."

E!

Mike slowly stirred from his afternoon nap. He could feel someone in the room with him and as his eyes opened he was face to face with Dixie.

"Micheal, good to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Are you in pain?" She asked staring at him with her beautiful eyes.

"No, the arm is just a dull ache."

"You are due for your pain meds but I would like you to eat a little dinner for me first if you could, are you hungry?"

"Maybe a little, Miss McCall. Did the guys get out yet? Is Johnny okay?"

Dix smiled at Mike's concern for his fellow crewmates. These guys are really something special. "Roy is standing by right now and with a little luck the weather will ease up and you and Johnny will be roomates."

"Miss McCall, you didn't answer my question. How is Johnny doing?"

"Please call me Dixie, Miss McCall sounds like an old school teacher." She said with a sultry voice. "I talked to your Captain about an hour ago and he updated us on Johnny's condition and as it stands right now we have him stable but he will require more treatment when he gets here to set his fractures… a couple of stitches for Johnny is routine."

"I saw him Dixie; he is in a lot of pain. I asked him if he wanted to change places with me I would make Cap switch us but he wouldn't hear of it. Said he was a paramedic and he would be able to treat himself until he got out of there."

"And he has been doing just that, your Captain is doing a great job of helping him and they are doing alright. I sent them some dry clothes, plenty of food and more medical supplies. They could last for days up there now if they had to but we are hopeful that it won't come to that and this storm will let up soon. Now I am going to get you some dinner; I'll be right back."

E!

Cap and Chet arrived at the slide sight and Hank was surprised at how much work his two linemen had accomplished.

"Chet, you and Marco did a hell of a job out here."

"It's like I told ya Cap; we aren't going back to tell Mike we left Big Red up here!"

"Well, come on, Chet. Let's go have a look."

The two men jumped down from the cab of the engine and assess the tree."

"I figure if we hook the chains here you could pivot the tree out of the way." Chet told his captain.

"Kelly, I think you're right. Grab the chains and I'll turn around to get the right angle."

Chet pulled the chains from their compartment. As he hooked the chains to the tree he noticed

that the rain was coming down harder again.

Cap backed the engine into position and then jumped down to help Chet set up the chains. "Okay, we're all set. I want you way over there away from those chains in case one snaps. I can't have another man down."

"Okay Cap." Chet said moving out of the way.

Cap climbed back in the engine and puted her in gear. "Come on girl….we got an injured paramedic to get home!"

Cap got the rpm's up and eased off the clutch. At first the chains bounced and it seemed like nothing happened. Then slowly the tree slid across the road. Once the road was clear, Cap backed the engine up again releasing the tension on the chains so Chet could retrieve them from the tree. Hank jumped down and took the second chain off the tree.

"Miss your engineer days, Cap?" Chet asked with a grin.

"No, that's what I have Mike for." Cap smirked back.

"Well, Mike would have been impressed."

"Well then you can tell him all about it when we get home. Come on let's get Johnny and Marco."

The two men jumped in the Cab and headed back to the cabin anxious to put this Canyon behind them.

E!

Dixie stood in line at the cafeteria when Dr. Brackett sneaked up on her. "Fried chicken, french fries, a chocalate milkshake? Dixie Mccall, I have never seen you eat anything but a salad in this cafeteria in 6 years. If I didn't know better I might think that you were sneaking this to a certain patient I've been treating."

"Kel, what is with those guys at 51? Did you know that Mike Stoker offered to trade places with Johnny so he could be treated instead but Johnny turned him down flat? Said he could treat himself until he could get air lifted out."

"I wouldn't want to be Captain Stanley having to make that decision." Dr. Brackett said.

"Mike said he knew Johnny was in alot more pain than he let on about; just to make sure they took Mike first." Dixie said shaking her head in amazement.

"That's our Johnny. I just want to get him here; then I'll decide whether to treat him or kick his butt for covering things up. You better go. Your chicken is going to get cold."

"Thanks, Kel." She said sauntering away.

Roy passed Dix in the hall. "They're gonna clear us in about 20 minutes. I'll radio as soon as we get there."

"We'll be waiting."

Dix made it back to Mike's room. "Here you are."

"This doesn't look like any hospital food I have ever had before." Mike picked up a piece of chicken and started to eat.

"I have a few connections. Hey, I got some good news for you, too! I saw Roy heading out to the Chopper. They are cleared for take off in 20 minutes so we should have your shiftmates back here before you know it."

"Thank you, Dix. Now I know why Johnny and Roy always speak so highly of you; you're the best." Mike said around a mouthful of French fries.

"My boys are talking about me, huh?"

"Only with the utmost respect." He said, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Well, good to see I haven't wasted my time on them. You eat up and then I will get you your pain meds ok?"

"Yes ,ma'am."

Dixie left with a grin.

E!

Back at the Cabin, all the supplies had been packed up and stored in the squad. Cap put the biophone and the drug box in the engine cab as Chet and Marco carried Johnny out in a stokes and set it across the jump seats in the back of the cab. Chet carefully tied the stokes down. He looked up at Marco. "This is gonna be a rough ride."

"Marco, you take the lead with the squad. If you see something you don't like get on the radio and we will sort it out ok, Pal?"

"You got it, Cap." Marco ran over to the squad as the rain finally stopped.

"Chet, you're with me. Keep an eye on him; anything changes I want to know about it, ok?"

"I got him, Cap!"

The squad took the lead as the two vehicles slowly wound their way through the canyon. The road was rough but passible. Cap was relieved that Johnny was unconscious because the jostling would have been quite painful for his junior paramedic.

"How much further do you think, Cap?"

"Maybe 4 miles." Hank said staring straight ahead.

Suddenly Marco hit the brakes. Cap brought Big Red to a halt.

"Ah, Cap you better take a look at this!" He spoke into the mic.

"Ok Marco…..be right there….. Chet you stay here!"

"Got it, Cap."

Cap jogged up to the front of the squad and met Marco as the dark of night started to set in.
"Marco what do you got?"

"Wash out….ruts too big to cross."

"Well you're right there. We would most definitely have gotten stuck." Cap said with a grimace.

"What do we do now?" Marco asked worriedly.

"Try the radio; we are closer to LA. Let's see what happens." Cap grabbed the mic in the squad and called in. "LA this is engine 51…how do you read?"

The voice of Sam Lanier sounded like music to their ears. "51 be advised that a chopper is being dispatched to your location for your extraction."

"LA advise chopper we have changed location. "We are now located at mile marker 25."

"10-4, 51…ETA.. 10 minutes."

With no room to land, the chopper must haul each man up one at a time. Johnny was the first to arrive on board and Roy flew immediately to his side assessing his condition. Marco was next and quickly took a seat and buckled up.

"Cap, why don't you go next?" Chet suggested.

"Because I'm the Captain and it's my job to make sure you guys get out of here; so harness up Kelly…. Let's go!"

Chet put on the harness and Cap hooked him to the line. As they got Chet to the door, the wind shifted and Chet got bounced around a little before they got him inside.

"That was close!" Chet said wearily.

"Too close." Marco agreed.

"We need to hurry up and get out of here." Chet said with a shiver.

Cap had his harness on and attached the line from the chopper. As he started his climb toward the belly of the chopper he felt the chopper struggling to pull him up and maintain position. Making a decision, Hank pulled out his HT. "I'm cutting my line….get my men out of here… that's an order!" He shouted. With that said he cut his line and dropped into the darkness below!