"Ryan, I promise, nothing's going to happen." Ryan sarcastically mimicked.
They were in HOAG emergency room not even two hours later, waiting for someone to call Ryan in to an examining room.
"Ryan," Sandy said, "It was an accident. I'm sorry. Really sorry. I didn't see you."
"You broke my arm." Ryan said.
Even though Sandy secretly agreed with Ryan that his arm was most definitely broken, he tried to stay positive, "We don't know for sure that it's broken. It may just be bruised. Or sprained. Let's just wait and see what the doctor has to say."
Ryan just shook his head and asked, "How could you not see me?"
Before Sandy could get a chance to explain again and apologize again, the nurse came out and called Ryan into an examining room.
"Okay. What seems to be the problem this morning?" the nurse asked as the two followed her into the examining room. Father and son? She hoped, even though they didn't look anything a like.
Ryan thought about his answer as he sat on the bed. Considering the fact he was dressed only in a bathing suit and sandals, cradling his right arm, which was bend in a pretty odd way, he thought it was pretty obvious what the problem was. But the nurse was kind of cute, and seemed really nice so he fought back his first response and just said, "He broke my arm."
The nurse stared at Ryan for a second and then looked over at the man standing next to him before she asked, "Oh, and how did he do that?"
"He hit me with a surf board." Ryan answered.
"On purpose or by accident?" the nurse asked as she picked up Ryan's chart and began to make notes.
"By accident!" Sandy said, very defensively.
The nurse looked at Ryan to see his reaction, and when Ryan just shrugged and nodded his head, she turned back to Sandy and asked, "And you are?"
"I'm his.... father." Sandy answered, still a little too defensive and really never sure what to say to that question. Then he went on to explain, "And it really was an accident. We were surfing, and I didn't see Ryan sitting on his board, and we kind of crashed into each other."
"You crashed into me," Ryan corrected, "And now I know why you've never seen a shark. If you could miss me sitting on a surf board in the middle of the ocean with no one else around then I could see you missing a shark unless it came up and bit you on your........"
"Ryan!" Sandy warned and then said, "Look, I know you're mad, but I am really sorry. It really was an accident."
Ryan just sighed and shook his head, "I'm not mad." he said, "I just can't believe the first time I agree to go surfing with you, my arm gets broken."
But again, Sandy just told him, "We don't know for sure yet that it's broken."
The nurse tried hard to suppress a smile. She didn't want to laugh, not at the kid with a broken arm, or the father who broke it. As she began to take Ryan's vitals, she turned to Sandy and broke the news to him, "I know I'm not a doctor, and we will have to wait for the x-rays. But your son's arm? Definitely broken."
"Ok," she smiled at Ryan, "Your blood pressure, temperature and pulse are all normal. The doctor will be in shortly to examine your arm and order some x-rays. I'll see you again when its time to put the cast on."
Sandy watched the nurse leave. Even though he already knew that he did in fact break Ryan's arm, just having the nurse confirm it made him feel a whole lot worse.
"How you holding up?" he asked as he hovered over Ryan, "Does it still hurt a lot? I'm sure they can give you something for the pain."
Yeah, it hurts. It hurts like hell, Ryan thought, but he just told Sandy, "Its okay. How long do you think I'll need a cast?"
"I don't know. Few weeks. Maybe a month. Not really sure," Sandy told him, and then again said, "Ryan, I am sorry."
Ryan attempted to smile at Sandy, "I know. You keep saying that. It's okay. Really. It was just an accident. I know that. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I know it was an accident."
Even though Sandy knew Ryan meant what he said and really didn't blame him, Sandy couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty. He could only smile at Ryan as the door opened.
"Good morning. I'm Dr. Cunningham," the doctor said, "I see by the chart that you had a surfing accident. What happened?"
Ryan pointed at Sandy and told the doctor, "He broke my arm."
"Ryan," Sandy said, "Stop saying that."
But Ryan just shrugged and told them both, "But it sounds funny."
"It's not funny." Sandy advised him, "It was an accident. Look, Dr. Cunningham, we were surfing this morning. Ryan was sitting on his board. I was riding a wave in and didn't see him until it was too late. I jumped off my board to try to avoid a collision, but my board came down on his arm."
"On his arm?" The doctor repeated. Even to Ryan and Sandy the story sounded strange, so they both could only imagine what the doctor thought.
"I put my arm up to protect my head," Ryan clarified, "Otherwise I'd have to say he broke my head."
Dr. Cunningham only nodded and began to examine Ryan's wrist and arm. As he did, Sandy couldn't help but notice Ryan wincing and grimacing and biting down on his lip. Sandy knew it must hurt like hell, but Ryan never said a word. And that made Sandy feel even worse.
After he was done, Dr. Cunningham picked up Ryan's chart and began making notes before telling them, "Well, I'd venture to guess there are at least two fractures. We'll do some x-rays to see how serious the breaks are and have an orthopedist come in as well. Hopefully we'll be able to set the breaks without the need for pins or screws."
"Pins or screws? In my arm?" Ryan asked.
"Why. Why would you have to do that?" Sandy stuttered.
The doctor looked from Ryan to Sandy. It was hard to tell who was more upset. The poor kid with the broken arm, or the poor father who caused the broken arm.
"If the breaks are serious enough, then we may have to operate to reset the bones," Dr. Cunningham explained, "It's hard to tell right now. We'll get a better understanding of the severity with the x-rays. But Ryan, given how swollen and misshapen your arm is, it is a possibility. Someone will be in shortly to take you to radiology. In the meantime, I've ordered something for the pain, and I'll contact the orthopedist on call."
After the doctor left, Ryan laid back on the bed. The idea of surgery made the saying 'he broke my arm' no longer very funny.
"Real nice bed side manner." Ryan snidely said of the dearly departed doctor.
"Ryan," Sandy said, "It's going to be okay. Just relax. It'll be okay. I promise."
Ryan just stared at Sandy. It was pretty obvious that he was upset and full of guilt so Ryan knew it wouldn't do any good to complain or whine. It was an accident, plain and simple. Ryan knew Sandy would never do anything to intentionally hurt him.
A short time later, the cute nurse returned with Ryan's pain medication. "Have you ever had morphine?" she asked, holding up a needle. Ryan just nodded his head.
"Any reaction?" she asked. This time Ryan just shook his head. He never took his eyes off the shot. He hated needles. But he didn't want to say anything, not to the real cute nurse or to the guilt ridden Sandy. So he just turned away when the nurse injected the morphine into his thigh.
"There." She said when she was done, "You should feel some relief shortly. Someone from radiology will be here in a little bit to take you for x-rays. If you need anything, my name is Annie."
Ryan lay back again and closed his eyes. He decided to try to relax and wait for the morphine to kick in.
"What time is it?" Ryan asked a little while later, not opening his eyes.
"It's after nine," Sandy told him, "How you doing?"
"Good." Ryan said, with a slight smile. The morphine was beginning to kick in and take the edge off both the pain and his apprehension about surgery.
"You know," Ryan told Sandy, with a smirk, "I'm not going surfing with you again. Not for a long time. A really, really long time."
"Yeah, I kind of guessed that already, kid." Sandy said, as he leaned down and squeezed Ryan's left shoulder.
Sandy watched a few minutes later as an orderly took Ryan down to radiology in a wheelchair. He realized that he had to call Kirsten and tell her where they were and explain to her how he broke Ryan's arm. It was a conversation he wasn't looking forward to.
They were in HOAG emergency room not even two hours later, waiting for someone to call Ryan in to an examining room.
"Ryan," Sandy said, "It was an accident. I'm sorry. Really sorry. I didn't see you."
"You broke my arm." Ryan said.
Even though Sandy secretly agreed with Ryan that his arm was most definitely broken, he tried to stay positive, "We don't know for sure that it's broken. It may just be bruised. Or sprained. Let's just wait and see what the doctor has to say."
Ryan just shook his head and asked, "How could you not see me?"
Before Sandy could get a chance to explain again and apologize again, the nurse came out and called Ryan into an examining room.
"Okay. What seems to be the problem this morning?" the nurse asked as the two followed her into the examining room. Father and son? She hoped, even though they didn't look anything a like.
Ryan thought about his answer as he sat on the bed. Considering the fact he was dressed only in a bathing suit and sandals, cradling his right arm, which was bend in a pretty odd way, he thought it was pretty obvious what the problem was. But the nurse was kind of cute, and seemed really nice so he fought back his first response and just said, "He broke my arm."
The nurse stared at Ryan for a second and then looked over at the man standing next to him before she asked, "Oh, and how did he do that?"
"He hit me with a surf board." Ryan answered.
"On purpose or by accident?" the nurse asked as she picked up Ryan's chart and began to make notes.
"By accident!" Sandy said, very defensively.
The nurse looked at Ryan to see his reaction, and when Ryan just shrugged and nodded his head, she turned back to Sandy and asked, "And you are?"
"I'm his.... father." Sandy answered, still a little too defensive and really never sure what to say to that question. Then he went on to explain, "And it really was an accident. We were surfing, and I didn't see Ryan sitting on his board, and we kind of crashed into each other."
"You crashed into me," Ryan corrected, "And now I know why you've never seen a shark. If you could miss me sitting on a surf board in the middle of the ocean with no one else around then I could see you missing a shark unless it came up and bit you on your........"
"Ryan!" Sandy warned and then said, "Look, I know you're mad, but I am really sorry. It really was an accident."
Ryan just sighed and shook his head, "I'm not mad." he said, "I just can't believe the first time I agree to go surfing with you, my arm gets broken."
But again, Sandy just told him, "We don't know for sure yet that it's broken."
The nurse tried hard to suppress a smile. She didn't want to laugh, not at the kid with a broken arm, or the father who broke it. As she began to take Ryan's vitals, she turned to Sandy and broke the news to him, "I know I'm not a doctor, and we will have to wait for the x-rays. But your son's arm? Definitely broken."
"Ok," she smiled at Ryan, "Your blood pressure, temperature and pulse are all normal. The doctor will be in shortly to examine your arm and order some x-rays. I'll see you again when its time to put the cast on."
Sandy watched the nurse leave. Even though he already knew that he did in fact break Ryan's arm, just having the nurse confirm it made him feel a whole lot worse.
"How you holding up?" he asked as he hovered over Ryan, "Does it still hurt a lot? I'm sure they can give you something for the pain."
Yeah, it hurts. It hurts like hell, Ryan thought, but he just told Sandy, "Its okay. How long do you think I'll need a cast?"
"I don't know. Few weeks. Maybe a month. Not really sure," Sandy told him, and then again said, "Ryan, I am sorry."
Ryan attempted to smile at Sandy, "I know. You keep saying that. It's okay. Really. It was just an accident. I know that. I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I know it was an accident."
Even though Sandy knew Ryan meant what he said and really didn't blame him, Sandy couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty. He could only smile at Ryan as the door opened.
"Good morning. I'm Dr. Cunningham," the doctor said, "I see by the chart that you had a surfing accident. What happened?"
Ryan pointed at Sandy and told the doctor, "He broke my arm."
"Ryan," Sandy said, "Stop saying that."
But Ryan just shrugged and told them both, "But it sounds funny."
"It's not funny." Sandy advised him, "It was an accident. Look, Dr. Cunningham, we were surfing this morning. Ryan was sitting on his board. I was riding a wave in and didn't see him until it was too late. I jumped off my board to try to avoid a collision, but my board came down on his arm."
"On his arm?" The doctor repeated. Even to Ryan and Sandy the story sounded strange, so they both could only imagine what the doctor thought.
"I put my arm up to protect my head," Ryan clarified, "Otherwise I'd have to say he broke my head."
Dr. Cunningham only nodded and began to examine Ryan's wrist and arm. As he did, Sandy couldn't help but notice Ryan wincing and grimacing and biting down on his lip. Sandy knew it must hurt like hell, but Ryan never said a word. And that made Sandy feel even worse.
After he was done, Dr. Cunningham picked up Ryan's chart and began making notes before telling them, "Well, I'd venture to guess there are at least two fractures. We'll do some x-rays to see how serious the breaks are and have an orthopedist come in as well. Hopefully we'll be able to set the breaks without the need for pins or screws."
"Pins or screws? In my arm?" Ryan asked.
"Why. Why would you have to do that?" Sandy stuttered.
The doctor looked from Ryan to Sandy. It was hard to tell who was more upset. The poor kid with the broken arm, or the poor father who caused the broken arm.
"If the breaks are serious enough, then we may have to operate to reset the bones," Dr. Cunningham explained, "It's hard to tell right now. We'll get a better understanding of the severity with the x-rays. But Ryan, given how swollen and misshapen your arm is, it is a possibility. Someone will be in shortly to take you to radiology. In the meantime, I've ordered something for the pain, and I'll contact the orthopedist on call."
After the doctor left, Ryan laid back on the bed. The idea of surgery made the saying 'he broke my arm' no longer very funny.
"Real nice bed side manner." Ryan snidely said of the dearly departed doctor.
"Ryan," Sandy said, "It's going to be okay. Just relax. It'll be okay. I promise."
Ryan just stared at Sandy. It was pretty obvious that he was upset and full of guilt so Ryan knew it wouldn't do any good to complain or whine. It was an accident, plain and simple. Ryan knew Sandy would never do anything to intentionally hurt him.
A short time later, the cute nurse returned with Ryan's pain medication. "Have you ever had morphine?" she asked, holding up a needle. Ryan just nodded his head.
"Any reaction?" she asked. This time Ryan just shook his head. He never took his eyes off the shot. He hated needles. But he didn't want to say anything, not to the real cute nurse or to the guilt ridden Sandy. So he just turned away when the nurse injected the morphine into his thigh.
"There." She said when she was done, "You should feel some relief shortly. Someone from radiology will be here in a little bit to take you for x-rays. If you need anything, my name is Annie."
Ryan lay back again and closed his eyes. He decided to try to relax and wait for the morphine to kick in.
"What time is it?" Ryan asked a little while later, not opening his eyes.
"It's after nine," Sandy told him, "How you doing?"
"Good." Ryan said, with a slight smile. The morphine was beginning to kick in and take the edge off both the pain and his apprehension about surgery.
"You know," Ryan told Sandy, with a smirk, "I'm not going surfing with you again. Not for a long time. A really, really long time."
"Yeah, I kind of guessed that already, kid." Sandy said, as he leaned down and squeezed Ryan's left shoulder.
Sandy watched a few minutes later as an orderly took Ryan down to radiology in a wheelchair. He realized that he had to call Kirsten and tell her where they were and explain to her how he broke Ryan's arm. It was a conversation he wasn't looking forward to.