A Horrible Episode – Part 5.
Disclaimer – Working on owning something, but own nothing yet!
Authors note – Once again, please review if you read this. It really does give encouragement and I appreciate good and bad feedback. Thanks.
Chapter 5 – Broken Fragments.
Corday came rushing through the door. "When did she wake up?" she asked Carter. "About 5 minutes ago" He replied. Corday walked over to Abby's bed to see if she could get a response. She hoped so for Carters sake. "Abby, can you hear me? Blink your eyes once if you can" It was the only way Elizabeth could get a reply from Abby who was intubated at present. Abby blinked once. She signalled to the tube in her throat. "Okay Abby, I'm going to check you over and if I'm satisfied, we'll take the tube out". Abby blinked again. Elizabeth started to check over Abby. She did a few routine observations – pulse, oxygen levels and blood pressure amongst others. "Okay Abby, everything looks good at the moment so I will extubate you now" Abby blinked. "Alright Abby, one, two, three, blow" Abby heaved as the tube came out. John rushed to her with a sock bowl and rubbed her back until the nausea had passed. He hated seeing her like this, and knew that she'd be thinking the same. Abby hated people being sympathetic towards her. She would rather that everyone would go away and leave her to fight on her own. Well, not this time he thought.
Abby lay back on her bed. "Abby, I'll let you get some rest for now, I'll come and talk to you later" Corday said. Abby shook her head in agreement. She didn't think she could cope with anything today. She had so many questions to ask but she didn't have the energy right now. She fell asleep with carter stroking her hair.
Abby opened her eyes a few hours later and saw John smiling at her. "What?" she croaked. "You, you're so beautiful" he replied. Abby remembered about her loss of feeling. She started to panic. "Carter! I can't feel my legs!" Abby was really panicking now, she couldn't breathe. "Abby, Abby, calm down. I'm going to put the oxygen mask on you for a while, okay?" Abby nodded. John slipped it over her face just as Elizabeth walked in. "Abby. How are you feeling? Are you ready for me to talk to you now?" Elizabeth noted that Abby seemed distressed, but thought that may be due to the trauma sinking in. Abby nodded. She listened as Elizabeth ran through the list of injuries. Head trauma, sever loss of blood, broken rib, and collapsed lung. It was her back that she was most concerned about. "Abby, you were shot in your back as you know. We have done X-rays and whilst quite miraculously there is no damage to the spinal cord, there are lots of fragments of bone that need to be removed. You will have a plate put in to join everything back up again". "But, I can't feel my legs, will I walk again?" Abby was silently sobbing. John was holding her hand. "We think the reason why you can't feel anything at the moment is due to the fragments pressing down on the cord. Once we have fixed it, there should be no long-term damage. It will be a long road Abby. It could take you months to recover; you will need lots of intense physio. However, the outcome looks good. You need to take it easy Abby". Abby nodded. "As you know Abby, we performed a rape exam. We got your results back, and I'm pleased to say there are no abnormalities. "Oh, thank God" Abby exclaimed. She started to sob heavily as the horror of everything that had happened to her began to sink in. Carter held her as best he could and comforted her. Tears were streaming down her face. "I'll leave you to it. We've scheduled the operation for tomorrow Abby". Corday gave Carter a sympathetic look and left the room.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay Abby. You have to trust me on this, Okay?" "I know, but he made me feel so dirty, so used. I can't ever imagine me ever being happy again," Abby sobbed. "Abby, look at me" Carter lifted her chin up so her eyes were level with his. "I was going to wait a while before I told you this but I think now might be the right time. The day you were attacked, do you remember we were going to go out that night?" Carter said. "Yes, John, but I don't see what that has got to do with anything" "I'm getting there. Well, that night, I was going to tell you that I loved you Abby. I do, I love you and I will be there for you forever". Carter was almost crying as he said this, Abby was sobbing her heart out. "Abby, did you hear what I said?" Carter tentatively asked. "Yes. I love you too John". Carter embraced Abby and held her until the last sobs had left her body. They fell asleep together.
Disclaimer – Working on owning something, but own nothing yet!
Authors note – Once again, please review if you read this. It really does give encouragement and I appreciate good and bad feedback. Thanks.
Chapter 5 – Broken Fragments.
Corday came rushing through the door. "When did she wake up?" she asked Carter. "About 5 minutes ago" He replied. Corday walked over to Abby's bed to see if she could get a response. She hoped so for Carters sake. "Abby, can you hear me? Blink your eyes once if you can" It was the only way Elizabeth could get a reply from Abby who was intubated at present. Abby blinked once. She signalled to the tube in her throat. "Okay Abby, I'm going to check you over and if I'm satisfied, we'll take the tube out". Abby blinked again. Elizabeth started to check over Abby. She did a few routine observations – pulse, oxygen levels and blood pressure amongst others. "Okay Abby, everything looks good at the moment so I will extubate you now" Abby blinked. "Alright Abby, one, two, three, blow" Abby heaved as the tube came out. John rushed to her with a sock bowl and rubbed her back until the nausea had passed. He hated seeing her like this, and knew that she'd be thinking the same. Abby hated people being sympathetic towards her. She would rather that everyone would go away and leave her to fight on her own. Well, not this time he thought.
Abby lay back on her bed. "Abby, I'll let you get some rest for now, I'll come and talk to you later" Corday said. Abby shook her head in agreement. She didn't think she could cope with anything today. She had so many questions to ask but she didn't have the energy right now. She fell asleep with carter stroking her hair.
Abby opened her eyes a few hours later and saw John smiling at her. "What?" she croaked. "You, you're so beautiful" he replied. Abby remembered about her loss of feeling. She started to panic. "Carter! I can't feel my legs!" Abby was really panicking now, she couldn't breathe. "Abby, Abby, calm down. I'm going to put the oxygen mask on you for a while, okay?" Abby nodded. John slipped it over her face just as Elizabeth walked in. "Abby. How are you feeling? Are you ready for me to talk to you now?" Elizabeth noted that Abby seemed distressed, but thought that may be due to the trauma sinking in. Abby nodded. She listened as Elizabeth ran through the list of injuries. Head trauma, sever loss of blood, broken rib, and collapsed lung. It was her back that she was most concerned about. "Abby, you were shot in your back as you know. We have done X-rays and whilst quite miraculously there is no damage to the spinal cord, there are lots of fragments of bone that need to be removed. You will have a plate put in to join everything back up again". "But, I can't feel my legs, will I walk again?" Abby was silently sobbing. John was holding her hand. "We think the reason why you can't feel anything at the moment is due to the fragments pressing down on the cord. Once we have fixed it, there should be no long-term damage. It will be a long road Abby. It could take you months to recover; you will need lots of intense physio. However, the outcome looks good. You need to take it easy Abby". Abby nodded. "As you know Abby, we performed a rape exam. We got your results back, and I'm pleased to say there are no abnormalities. "Oh, thank God" Abby exclaimed. She started to sob heavily as the horror of everything that had happened to her began to sink in. Carter held her as best he could and comforted her. Tears were streaming down her face. "I'll leave you to it. We've scheduled the operation for tomorrow Abby". Corday gave Carter a sympathetic look and left the room.
"Hey, it's gonna be okay Abby. You have to trust me on this, Okay?" "I know, but he made me feel so dirty, so used. I can't ever imagine me ever being happy again," Abby sobbed. "Abby, look at me" Carter lifted her chin up so her eyes were level with his. "I was going to wait a while before I told you this but I think now might be the right time. The day you were attacked, do you remember we were going to go out that night?" Carter said. "Yes, John, but I don't see what that has got to do with anything" "I'm getting there. Well, that night, I was going to tell you that I loved you Abby. I do, I love you and I will be there for you forever". Carter was almost crying as he said this, Abby was sobbing her heart out. "Abby, did you hear what I said?" Carter tentatively asked. "Yes. I love you too John". Carter embraced Abby and held her until the last sobs had left her body. They fell asleep together.