Thanks all of you who have reviewed. I appreciate them so much... You guys are great. I can play the story in my head whenever I want, but it is the reviews that make me try to put the story into written words...
"Hey man, you OK?" Chin asked.
"Nothing major. Hurt my arm. Need to get it looked at." Steve explained
"Is it your forearm again? Do you think you re-injured it? Kono asked.
"No, it's my elbow. It think it is dislocated. I need to have it popped back in and then I'll be fine. Hopefully it shouldn't take too long." Steve said.
"Did Danny finally get tired of you hovering around him and rough you up?" Kono asked with a smirk.
"Nah, nothing that exciting or funny. Danny is in no shape to be fighting with anyone. A kitten could take him right now." Steve said. Then he continued. "He overdid it, tried to be tough for Grace and is paying the price. Gave him an extra dose of the good stuff and he's passed out right now. He should sleep for a while. Hopefully, I'll be back before he wakes up." Steve began.
"He's in my bed and Grace is in Mary's old room. There's food in the fridge. Danny's pills are on his nightstand." Steve explained. He isn't due to have them again for at least 4 hours and I should be home by then. I should be back, but just in case, Grace will probably be up around 7 or 8. If you hear her and can get her downstairs for breakfast so she doesn't wake Danny, that would be great. Thanks guys. I really appreciate it." Steve said. He was gently craddling his arm. He had flinched a few times as he moved and jostled his arm. He was starting to break out in a sweat from the pain. His other hand was fisted. His eyes were dark and filled with pain. He was starting to sway a little as his vision was blurring.
Chin read his body language without too much difficulty. He put his arm around Steve's waist and guided Steve gently into his SUV which he and Kono had driven over in. They drove to the hospital mostly in silence. Chin could tell that Steve was doing everything that he could to keep the pain at bay and not lose it. It was OK. Chin didn't need chatter. He enjoyed having silence to think and repsected Steve enough not to bother him just to chat when he was clearly in pain. Steve would let out a little moan as Chin hit bumps and curves in the road. He pulled his arm closer to him and leaned forward slightly in an attempt to protect it and keep it from being jostled. Chin helped Steve out of the car and steadied him when he started to sway. Chin guided him into the ER before he went to move the car. Steve was checked in. They waited for him to be seen. Steve's pain was escalating by the minute. The pain was getting to him and he was worried about Danny. He knew that Kono could handle it, but he couldn't help but worry about Danny.
Finally he was called in and given some medication for the pain. Chin helped him out of the sling. Chin was taken aback at how swollen Steve's elbow was. Steve had x-rays taken checking for adjacent fractures or injury. It appeared as though it was a simple posterior dislocation. Chin was escorted out for when they were putting the elbow back in place. Steve was given something extra for the pain when the elbow was put back into its correct location. They told him that he would be in a protective splint and the sling for a week while everything healed up. The technician came in and brought the casting supplies. They put on a protective cotton sleeve and measured the fiberglass bandages and then molded them to the bottom of his arm. It extended from more than half way up his arm below his arm pit to his wrist and was only on the bottom surface of his arm. It was held in place and smoothed by hand. Once it was hardened, it was wrapped with ace bandage from just below his arm pit to his wrist to keep it in place. It made it look a lot worse than it was. It was a hard shell to provide protection and support. He was placed gently back in the sling. They gave him more medication and took follow-up xrays which showed that he was back in alignment. He was released into Chin's care with discharge instructions and a script for pain medication and told to return if there was any problem with the arm or loss of sensation or pulses.
Steve was tired. He was tired from the medication. He was tired from the pain. He was tired from worrying about Danny. He just wanted to sleep. He put his head against the passenger window in Chin's SUV and closed his eyes. He slept through the entire ride home. Chin had stopped at the pharmacy and had picked up some malsadas for breakfast as well as some fruit. Steve still slept. Chin called Kono and gave her the heads up that they were coming. She got the guest bed made up and ready for Steve. Danny and Grace were still sleeping. Chin pulled in the driveway and helped Steve out of the car and into the house. He was still half asleep and pretty goofy from the pain medication. Chin smiled at him. It was odd to see Steve like that. He got him upstairs and into the guest bed. He pulled his shoes off and pulled the covers over him. He left the door open a little. With that Chin turned and left the room. By the time he got back downstairs Kono was asleep on the couch. Chin sat in the recliner, kicked back and joined the snooze party.