-=**=- Prelude to Austria -=**=-
Chapter VIII
"Miss Huddleston is in room 321." A nurse announced as she approached Neil and the Huddleston's. "You may go in to see her for ten minutes at a time, every two hours. That's all the Doctor will allow, at least for the moment. For the first visit Dr. Wagner is allowing you all to go in together, but after this he would prefer you to go in separately, just so we can monitor her vital signs under different situations to determine if she is upset by the visitations. Since you are all close to her, I'm sure we won't see that, but we have to be cautious just the same. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to Miss Huddleston's room."
Neil's feet felt like dead weights as he forced them one in front of the other to trudge down the hall to Christy's room.
Along the way the nurse explained some thing's to Neil and the Huddleston's. "You must understand that Miss Huddleston has had extensive surgery. Her head is swollen, as are her neck and shoulders. Did Dr. Wagner mention to you that she has a broken shoulder as well?" They all shook their heads. "Well, I suppose he was most concerned with the head injury. That *is* the most serious. Just to warn you, she has her arm bandaged to her body as well. She has thick, heavy bandages on her head. If she awakens, you probably won't be able to open her eyes until the swelling has gone down. She may not be able to open them at all. We need to reassure her that when the swelling goes down, she will be able to open her eyes again.
"Here we are, Room 321. Don't speak too loudly because she may have a headache, but don't whisper either or she won't hear you through the bandages over her ears." The nurse paused before she opened the door. "Please, whatever you do, *don't* scream or carry-on about her appearance. It will get better with time. If it upsets you, please leave the room before you say anything. Does everyone understand?" They all nodded. "Very well, I'll be back in ten minutes, if you haven't already left by then. I'll warn you… She is very swollen, and her skin ashen."
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Seeing Christy for the first time, was difficult, to say the least. Julia stayed only a moment then covering her mouth, she hastily retreated. George, too was upset by the sight. William stayed to comfort his little girl for a while, before he too, could take no more.
As William was leaving a nurse came in to check Christy's vital signs.
"A little high." The young nurse commented as she finished recording Christy's vital signs. "But then I suppose we all would have the same reaction after such a traumatic experience."
Neil stood off to the side, not saying anything, just looking at Christy in the bed. "What's wrong?" The nurse asked.
"I'm not sure what to do. I'm a physician, but I've never been on this end of things before."
"How are you related to Miss Huddleston?"
"I am her fiancé. We were to be married on Saturday." Neil said sadly.
"I'm sorry. But you know what I'd suggest first, is that you come over to her left side and hold her hand. Talk to her as though nothing has changed between the two of you. Don't talk about next Saturday as your wedding date, but discuss your wedding as though you were planning it with her. Don't make it sound as though you are sad or that things are different between the two of you. Make her believe everything is going to work out all right. Maybe if you are convincing enough *she'll* believe it and she won't give up." The nurse smiled at Neil. "It's worth a try. We don't know how much of a role the *will to live* plays in the outcome of a patient's recovery. But I'm convinced down to my toes, that if a patient *wants* to live half the battle's been won. I'll leave you two alone for awhile. We'll check her vitals while you're still in the room talking to her, and then after you leave to see how she's doing."
**Neil pulled up a chair on the left side of the bed and took my hand. I could feel it! I wanted to cry out to him that my head hurt so badly, but it hurt too much to even try to speak. I would just lay quietly for now, it was too much trouble to even try to open my eyes, let alone my mouth.**
"Christy? Christy can you hear me?" Neil said softly. "I'll not leave you, Christy Love. I promise. I'll be here, at the hospital, as long as you need me. The Doctor will only allow us to visit for ten minutes at a time and then only every two hours. Only one of us at a time will be allowed to come in. So I'll not get to visit with you as often as I'd like, but I'll be in whenever I can and I'll be praying for you when I'm not in here with you. Your mother and father are here with George. They will be in to visit you when I cannot.
"God is with you Christy. He'll not leave you. He's the only one that can be with you all the time." **Neil was trying to hold back the tears, I could tell. But I understood why he felt the way he did. I didn't know the extent of my injuries, but I knew how badly my head hurt plus my back and right shoulder as well.**
"As soon as you're up and about we'll be married Christy. I promise. Not a moment longer!" Neil paused as he kissed my hand, I could feel his warm tears on the back of my hand. "Everything's going to be alright Love. Hang on to me, I'll be your strength when you need it. I won't let go of you and I don't want you to let go of me. I can hold you up Christy. Squeeze my hand Love and let me know you're listening."
**I tried to squeeze his hand as he had asked. I tried with everything that was in me, but I couldn't move my hand, not even my fingers. It felt like iron, I couldn't move it no matter how hard I tried!! 'Oh Neil! I'm sorry!! Please don't stop talking to me! I hear you, I just can't let you know that I do! Please don't give up on me Neil! I need you! I need your strength or I'll never make it, I can feel it--I feel weak, so weak in my own strength. I'll hold on to you and your energy to help carry me through. I feel so tired Neil. I'm afraid to go to sleep, what if I don't wake up again? Oh I wish I could speak to you!'** He was quiet for quite some time.
"I love you Christy, my love. Hold on, please! Stay here with me. I don't want to be alone again." He paused for a few moments. "I met the Chaplain of the hospital today, Christy. I'm sure he'd marry us as soon as you're better, if I'd ask him to. Get well soon love. I miss you terribly. I feel as though it's been an eternity since I heard your voice last.
"Charlie's worried about you. He helped me to find you. When your horse whinnied he got upset, and you know Charlie doesn't get upset easily! He showed me the way to your horse. Bird's Eye Taylor heard your horse when it reared. He tracked you down and stayed with you until I found you yesterday afternoon. He didn't want any wild animals to get you so he didn't leave to get help. Without him I might not have you anymore. We'll have to think of a way to thank him for all he's done, love. You have to help me, you're good at that sort of thing--better then I am."
The nurse came back into the room. She checked the vital signs and told Neil that they were very good. "You must be doing something right, because this is excellent, Dr. MacNeill! I'm impressed." Neil just continued to look at his Christy. He hadn't been this worried since Margaret was in premature labor during the Typhoid epidemic, years ago.
"You've got about two more minutes Dr. MacNeill. I'll be back when it's time for you to leave." The nurse said quietly as she turned to leave.
"Christy I've got to leave in a few minutes. I want you to rest. Sleep will help you to heal faster. I'll be in to visit you tomorrow morning. I'm sure your mother, father and George will want to visit with you also. So they'll get the next three visits. I'll be back in about eight hours. I'll miss you, Love. I'll be praying for you while I'm not in here with you. Come to think of it, I'll be praying for you even when I am in here with you!" Neil chuckled nervously.
**I felt him kiss my hand again. 'Oh Neil! Don't go!' I wanted to cry out to him. 'Don't leave me alone! I'm afraid of this darkness and it's so very dark in here! When you're holding my hand I feel safe and secure. Don't go away!' I wanted desperately to cry out to Neil! Why couldn't I communicate with him somehow!?!?**
"I wish I could stay here with you Love, but they won't allow me to stay for more then ten minutes at a time. I can hardly wait to take you home with me! I've been looking forward to you becoming Mrs. MacNeill. I know I've seemed a little standoffish, but that's only because I wanted everything to be special for us both." Just then the nurse came into the room and nodded to Neil that it was time for him to leave. "I'll tell you more the next time I'm allowed to come in. I love you… Sweetheart." He whispered into her ear.
**'That was the first time I had ever heard Neil call me *that*! I liked it. Oh how I wished he could stay with me! I hurt so badly, but his hand made me feel strong. His presence was so reassuring to me!'**
"I'll see you in the morning Love." Neil said as he kissed Christy's hand and turned to walk out the door. Taking one last look back at his love with tears in his eyes and on his cheeks. He closed his eyes and walked slowly out the door.
The nurse took Christy's vital signs. Her heart rate was extremely high. Her temperature was normal. Her respiration was also excessively fast. She looked at the bandages on Christy's head and noticed tears streaming from her eyes. Shocked by this she wiped the tears away and they were immediately replaced by more! "Amazing!" She said just above a whisper.
**'My heart felt as though it were going to break! Bring Neil back to me, *please*! I wanted to plead with the nurses--the Doctor's, anyone who would listen to me! Please don't make him go away! I won't be able to go on without him here to give me strength! Bring him back, please!'**
The nurse turned and raced for the door. "Doctor MacNeill come quickly!" she called down the hall.
Neil bolted down the hall back to Christy's room. "What is it? Is something wrong? Is Christy unwell?"
"Look!" The nurse pointed to the tears on Christy's cheeks. Neil inched forward for a closer look.
He reached for Christy's hand. "I'm sorry love! I didn't mean to upset you!" He kissed her hand again, holding it to his mouth this time. He sat back down on the chair beside the bed and dried the tears away. This time they were not replaced by more.
The nurse noticed that Christy's respiration was back to normal. She checked her pulse--that too was normal once again. She looked at Neil and smiled. "I don't know what you call what the two of you have together, but I'm going to start praying that God will bless me with the same thing you two have!! I've never seen anything like this before!" She backed away from the bed and motioned for Neil to turn in the chair so she could whisper something to him so Christy couldn't hear it. "I'll have to get clearance from Dr. Wagner for you to remain in here, but I don't think there is any chance he will say you can't! Especially after I tell him what I've just witnessed! I've said it before, but it's the only word I can think of to describe this--it's *amazing*!!"
**'Oh Neil! You came back to me! Thank-you! Thank-you!! Thank-you!!! I wish I could show you how happy I am! I love you so much! Don't let go of my hand, please? It gives me strength to keep going. I can draw on your strength when I don't feel I have any of my own.'**
"I can stay Christy! We could see your tears. They won't make me leave after that! I'll feel so much better just being here beside you Sweetheart! I know what your tears meant. I'd miss you terribly too if they made me go away!" Neil pause a few moments as he brushed the tears from his face. "Now I want you to get some sleep! Doctor MacNeill's orders!" Neil chuckled softly. "We can talk some more later." He leaned forward in the chair with Christy's fingers entwined in his, just as he had when she was recovering from typhoid. He closed his eyes, resting his head on the side of the bed he began to pray--praying fervently until he dozed off. **I finally felt secure enough to allow myself to get some sleep as well. After all I couldn't disobey Neil's direct order!**
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End of Chapter 8
Chapter 9 Coming Soon!!