Title: Run Silent, Run Deep – Pt. 14
By: FanofRandy
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Emergency! is owned by Universal and Mark VII Productions. I make no profit from my imagination—only a personal joy and peace.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
He felt dizzy and sick to his stomach. His throat hurt and he was not certain exactly where he was, but he knew he was warm and dry. That was a positive change to his last memory of being in the cold bay waters with a stingray tail sticking out of his leg. He opened his eyes and squinted against the bright light. He searched for the familiar and finally found it.
Beside his bed, Roy sat in a chair. His head leaning on a propped arm, precariously perched on the side of the chair. Yes, he knew where he was now, and he knew how he got there. Not wanting to wake Roy, he moved his head to survey the rest of the room and his body.
He saw the monitors, the IV tubes running to and fro, and he saw his leg, wrapped and lifted in traction to keep the swelling to a minimum. He swallowed hard and realized that he must have been intubated for his throat was raw and dry. Once he gained his bearings, he tried to speak.
"R..Roy." He barely whispered before he choked on the word and began to cough. Roy was startled awake and responded quickly.
"Johnny. Johnny. It's okay, I'm here." He pressed the call button and reached for the water glass next to the bed. He brought the straw to Johnny's lips just as the coughing fit ended. Johnny took a long, slow sip of the cool water and then lay his head back down. He was exhausted and he had not done anything at all. "You okay?" Roy asked as he replaced the water glass and waiting for the doctors to arrive. Johnny nodded discernibly, but thought twice about speaking again. He took a breath and ventured,
"How long?" He breathed out, trying to spare his vocal chords.
"You've been here two days, Johnny. They took you off the vent last night. You started fighting it, so they took the tube out. That's why your throat is so sore." Roy explained, though there was no need. "The guys have all been here off and on. I took today off, but they are all on shift. Dwyer and Bellingham are fillin' in for us today." Roy rambled. Johnny nodded his understanding and gave a slight smile when he saw the door open.
"Hey, Tiger. How's my favorite patient doing today?" She teased. Dixie moved to his side and picked up his wrist to check his pulse. His eyes followed her until the door opened again. Dr.'s Early and Brackett entered with solemn looks on their faces. His smile immediately faded. He swallowed hard and tried his voice again.
"What's wrong?" He asked the doctors. It was only then that he realized that Roy and Dixie had the same solemn looks on their faces as well. He began to feel panicky and his pulse was rising. Brackett moved to his side.
"Just calm down, Hose Jockey." Brackett quipped. "You've had us worried, you know?" He hoped to calm his Friend, but knew that Johnny was smarter than that. "Are you ready to hear this?"
Roy's face dropped and Dixie turned to replace Johnny's chart. He could tell the news was not good by their actions. But, he needed to know. Afraid his emotion might betray him if he spoke, he merely nodded in assent.
"Johnny, Joe and I performed the surgery to remove the stingray tail from your left calf. We were both concerned about infection and the effects of the stingray venom. The tendon was nicked and there was some area in the muscle that was basically dead that we had to remove." Brackett took a deep breath before continuing. "Johnny, have you ever heard of necrotizing fasciitis?" Johnny's eyes told him that he was aware when they grew to large circles and began to dilate. He drew in a deep breath. "Calm down, son. There was a portion of the muscle that we had to cut away so it would not affect the rest of the leg. We have been monitoring the levels of infection and white blood cells. With the surgery and the IV antibiotics, we are certain that we stopped the spread of the infection." Tears formed in the corners of Dixie's eyes and she brushed them away quickly. Johnny looked around at each of his friends to see if he could read their faces. He landed on Brackett again.
"So…" Johnny whispered. "…how bad?"
Brackett and Early exchanged worried glances. "Joe and I have met with several physical therapists, Johnny. They have all reviewed your file and checked the leg." He paused to allow Johnny to take it all in. "We haven't stopped looking, but…well…they all said that a full recovery is impossible. I am afraid it looks like you won't be able to return to the department." The words hit Johnny like a cannon ball to the gut. The bile rose in his throat and he was unable to keep it down.
Dixie was immediately there with an emesis basin and Roy held his Friend's head as he vomited. It burned his throat and his arms and ribs ached from the ordeal of two days ago. But, if asked the most painful part of this day, Johnny would say it was when he was told he would not be able to return to the work he loved. Once he was done, Dixie wiped his face with a cool towel and Roy helped him lie back down on the bed. His eyes closed as he wished he was anywhere else but there.
"Johnny?" Roy pleaded. He looked at the others and shook his head. That told them that John Gage would not be talking anymore today. He was shutting down emotionally and would not be available until he was able to come to terms with this terrible news.
Against their better judgment, they all walked quietly from the room, leaving Johnny to process what he just heard.
E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!E!
Roy was sitting on the couch in the doctor's lounge when a familiar face appeared at the door. Roy was not aware the door even opened or of who stepped through. The visitor walked up to the dazed man and cleared his throat.
"Ahem." Roy came back to awareness. He looked up to find he was no longer alone. It took him a moment, but soon a flash of recognition crossed his features.
"J.D., right?" Roy stood and shook the man's hand. The Coast Guard Lieutenant nodded in reply.
"That's right. Roy, I am here to check on Johnny, man. I got here as soon as I could. I know it's been a couple days, but I called and they said he was in his own room now. That's a good sign, right?" J.D. questioned.
"He's alive, J.D. And, in a way, he's better. But…" Roy sputtered.
"Hey, what's goin' on? He's gonna be okay, isn't he?" J.D. was beginning to worry. Roy collapsed back on to the couch.
"No, J.D. He's not okay. Dr. Brackett just told him that he is not going to be able to be a fireman anymore." Roy hissed, bitterly. He went on to explain to J.D. about the damage to Johnny's leg and the therapists who had been consulted. The news was grim indeed and J.D. was worried for his new friend.
"Roy," J.D. started, "I know this guy…" He paused as he considered the ramifications of what he was about to say. "Well…he does things a little unconventionally, if you know what I mean. I met him when I tore my rotator cuff. It was a pretty bad tear and the doctors said I would never work as a rescue diver again." Roy looked up, hopeful.
"And…" Roy urged J.D. along.
"Well, he incorporates a lot of different things in his treatments…herbs, stretching, relaxation techniques, and some other stuff. It's kinda weird at first, but…hell, he got me back to my job in a little over a month and made me a believer." He took a breath. "I have referred a couple friends to him and they said they would go back to him anytime. Maybe it's worth a shot to have him come see Johnny?" The last sentence was more of a question than a statement. J.D. looked to Roy for confirmation.
"The state Johnny's in now…I don't know how he would take it. Maybe he can talk with Dr. Brackett and we can see what he says before we get Johnny's hopes up." Roy rationalized. J.D. agreed and wrote the man's number down on a piece of paper for Roy to give to Brackett.
"I hope Johnny will be okay. He promised me he would come back out on the water with me for another dive soon. After what he's been through, getting back in the water as soon as he can will be best. Kinda like gettin' back on the horse."
"Well, he knows something about that…horses, I mean. Let me go give this to Brackett and he can talk to this guy as soon as possible. J.D., thanks. Johnny doesn't really have that many friends outside of work. I am glad that he met you and you were there when he needed help." Roy's voice fell off.
"Roy," J.D. patted him on the back. "Johnny told me all about you and your friendship. He cherishes it and I am sure he holds no grudges for anything that happened the other day."
"Thanks, J.D…For everything." Roy said as he left to find Brackett. J.D. silently prayed that Johnny would be able to be helped by his therapist and that he would return to the work he loved so much.
TBC