Return to Camelot
Part 1
Sue Ellen lay motionless on the floor of the stage in the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency Dallas. J.R.'s movements seemed to occur in slow motion, as he dropped the plaque that Punk Anderson had presented to him for winning the Oilman of the Year Award, given to him by the Dallas, Texas Oil Industry Commission.
J.R. dropped to his knees by Sue Ellen's side, as he called out, "Somebody, get a doctor in here, damn it!"
Several of the guests rushed to the stage to see what had caused Sue Ellen's collapse. Bobby quickly pulled his mobile phone out of the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket, and dialed '911.' He requested an ambulance to the Grand Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency as soon as they could get there.
The 911-dispatch operator asked Bobby pertinent questions regarding the nature of the emergency. Bobby's words were difficult to come by, as J.R. kept pleading with Bobby to help Sue Ellen. Bobby answered the dispatcher's questions to the best of his knowledge, and was reassured that emergency help would arrive as soon as possible.
J.R. lowered his head to Sue Ellen's face to see if she was breathing. Oh, God, what would he do if Sue Ellen were to die? No, J.R., you can't think like that. You have to be strong for Sue Ellen. Clayton ran up onto the stage, and reached for Sue Ellen's wrist to check her pulse. Her pulse was weak, and her skin felt cold to his touch. Clayton glanced at Sue Ellen's unconscious form, and then turned to see how J.R. was faring.
J.R.'s eyes were empty, as he yielded to his worst fears for what had happened to Sue Ellen. Clayton removed his tuxedo jacket, and placed it over Sue Ellen's unresponsive body, in an attempt to keep her warm, and prevent her from going into shock. Clayton started to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Sue Ellen. He was frightened by Sue Ellen's shallow breathing.
The gathering crowd moved away from the stage as the Emergency response team made their way to the stage with a gurney and various life-saving equipment. J.R.'s visual field was clouded with a steadily increasing flow of tears, as he silently prayed for Sue Ellen's life.
The Emergency response team carried the gurney onto the stage, and knelt beside Sue Ellen's motionless form. They checked her pulse, and her heart rate. They administered oxygen, and started an I.V. of five-percent dextrose in Lactated Ringer's solution in her left arm, to maintain Sue Ellen's blood sugar levels. They would administer additional fluids, until further tests provided them with a better understanding of the reason behind her collapse.
One of the members of the Emergency response team asked for Sue Ellen's age.
J.R. wiped at his eyes, and said, "Uh…she's forty-seven."
The emergency responder reported Sue Ellen's age to the dispatcher, who would then relay that information to the emergency room at the nearest hospital. J.R. impatiently watched as emergency treatment was given to Sue Ellen, before the Emergency response team lifted Sue Ellen on top of the gurney, and carried the gurney down the stage stairs, and onto the ballroom floor.
J.R. closely followed the emergency response team out of the Ballroom, and through the hotel lobby, on their way to the waiting ambulance.
J.R. softly asked, " May I go with her to the hospital?"
The Emergency response technician asked, "Are you her husband?"
J.R.'s eyes misted over once again, as he swallowed the steadily rising lump in his throat, and said, "Yes…yes, I'm her husband."
Miss Ellie and Clayton told J.R. that they would meet him at the hospital. Bobby offered to drive J.R.'s car, and said that he would also meet J.R. as soon as he called the ranch to let them know what had happened to Sue Ellen, and tell John Ross and Christopher not to worry. Bobby promised John Ross that he would call him again, as soon as he found out any additional information.
J.R. tightly held onto Sue Ellen's hand as the ambulance sped through the downtown Dallas streets on their way to Dallas Memorial Hospital. The ambulance careened into the entrance to the driveway leading to the emergency room entrance, and came to a slow and deliberate stop in front of the double-doors to the emergency room.
The Emergency response team threw open the doors of the ambulance, and quickly lowered the gurney to the ground, and raced through the Emergency Room doors. J.R. adamantly refused to leave Sue Ellen's side, as he accompanied the gurney into the Emergency Room.
The Emergency Room nurse closed the privacy curtain over the entrance to Sue Ellen's cubicle, and started to remove Sue Ellen's gown. J.R. gasped as his eyes fell to a dark bruise on Sue Ellen's lower abdomen. The nurse noticed the discoloration immediately, and tentatively pressed her hand on Sue Ellen's abdomen. The nurse opened the privacy curtain, and yelled for a doctor to come into the cubicle immediately.
J.R. asked, "Why? What's wrong with her?"
The nurse gave J.R. an empty stare, and said, "Your wife is bleeding internally. Has she been involved in an accident recently?"
J.R. felt helpless, and isolated, as he imploringly looked at the nurse, and said, "No, not that I'm aware of. Why?"
A younger man, whom J.R. assumed to be a doctor, ran into the cubicle, and checked Sue Ellen's pulse. He asked the nurse about Sue Ellen's vital signs, as he glanced at Sue Ellen's bruised abdomen. He looked at J.R. and told the nurse to prepare the surgical suite as soon as possible.
J.R. interrupted, and asked, "What's wrong with her, doctor? For God's sake, tell me, please?"
The doctor touched J.R.'s shoulder, as he excused himself from the cubicle, and ordered an ultrasound, and a series of blood tests be performed on Sue Ellen without delay. The nurse started another I.V. on Sue Ellen's right arm, and injected medication that would prolong Sue Ellen's unconscious state while she underwent possible emergency surgery.
J.R. feebly touched the nurse shoulder, and said, "Ma'am, please tell me something? Anything? Is my wife gonna be okay?"
The nurse gave J.R. a half-smile, and said, "I'm sorry, Sir. I can't answer that question. The doctor will be with you shortly."
J.R. placed his hand on Sue Ellen's cold, clammy forehead. "Please, God? Please, don't let her die?" He silently solicited.
Miss Ellie and Clayton hurriedly walked up to the information booth, next to the Emergency Room, and inquired about Sue Ellen. Bobby arrived minutes after Clayton and Miss Ellie, and quickly walked over to where they were standing outside of the Emergency Room doors.
Bobby asked, "Is there any news? Have you talked to J.R.?"
Miss Elle's eyes welled with tears, as she turned, and buried her face against Clayton's chest.
Clayton gently stroked Miss Ellie's back, and said, "No, J.R. is in with Sue Ellen. We haven't heard anything, yet."
Bobby placed his hands on his hips, and asked, "Mamma, Clayton? Can I get you some coffee?"
Miss Ellie shook her head, 'no.'
Clayton said, "No, thank you, Bobby. I'm gonna stay here with Miss Ellie and wait for J.R."
Minutes later, J.R. emerged from the Emergency Room. His hair was disheveled and his eyes were red-rimmed, from his tears. Miss Ellie turned her head, when she heard the shallow sound of J.R.'s footsteps on the tiled floor.
Miss Ellie arose from her chair, and reached for J.R.'s hand. She held her first-born son in her arms, as J.R. gave in to his overwhelming emotions, and fears, as he cried on Miss Ellie's shoulder. Miss Ellie closed her eyes, as she held J.R. in her arms.
Clayton stood up from his chair, when he saw a man he presumed to be a doctor, judging from his attire, walk into the waiting room. The emergency Room doctor asked for J.R. Ewing.
J.R. lifted his head, and said, "I'm J.R. Ewin'. How is Sue Ellen?"
The doctor introduced himself as Aaron Chamberlain, an Emergency Room Physician on staff at the hospital
Dr. Chamberlain said, "Mr. Ewing. We've ran several tests on your wife, and I'm afraid that I have some bad news for you."
J.R. was incredulous, and angrily said, 'Well, don't just it there. Tell me what's wrong with her, for hell's sake."
The doctor shook his head, and said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Ewing. Mrs. Ewing has suffered from a ruptured ectopic, or tubal pregnancy. The loss of blood from her hemorrhage has caused her to go into hypovolemic sock, or shock from a low blood pressure volume. We've managed to stabilize her, but she is going to have to undergo surgery to stop the bleeding."
Miss Ellie glanced at J.R., and gasped, "Sue Ellen was pregnant?"
J.R. asked, "What will the surgery entail?"
The doctor replied, "There are currently two viable surgical options for your wife. We can either use a laparoscopic approach using a small incision through her lower abdomen, or through a larger pelvic incision. Under the circumstances, I want to avoid using the larger incision. Your wife is in a great deal of pain, and a large incision in her inflamed pelvic area would merely add insult to injury."
J.R.'s eyes were dark, as he blankly stared at the doctor. J.R.'s comprehension of what the doctor had told him was a confusing cluster of incoherent words to him. Pregnant? Had the doctor actually told him that Sue Ellen was pregnant?
The doctor placed his hand on J.R.'s shoulder, and said, "I'll be able to tell you more information when I've finished with your wife's surgery. Excuse me, please?"
J.R.'s empty eyes followed the doctor as he walked back into the emergency room. Miss Ellie and Clayton glanced at J.R., worried about his lack of response.
Bobby said, "J.R., I want you to know that I'm here for you. I've called the ranch, and told Teresa to look after John Ross and Christopher."
J.R. leaned against the wall outside in the waiting room and mumbled, "Uh, thanks, Bob."
Time stood still for J.R., as he apprehensively paced back and forth in the waiting room. Miss Ellie leaned against Clayton's shoulder, while Clayton held Miss Ellie in his arms. Bobby brought Clayton and Miss Ellie a cup of coffee, and asked J.R. if he needed anything.
J.R. absently said, "What? Oh, no…nothing. Thank you, Bobby."
The doctor walked into the waiting room, as J.R. rushed over to his side.
The doctor said, "Mr. Ewing, your wife lost a great deal of blood when she hemorrhaged, after her fallopian tube ruptured. Unfortunately, we had to remove the damaged fallopian tube in an effort to completely stop the internal bleeding. We also had to give Mrs. Ewing a blood transfusion."
The doctor continued, "We've treated your wife an injection of Methotrexate to inhibit the production of new cells, and halt further embryonic growth. Mrs. Ewing is in the recovery room, now. A nurse will be with you momentarily, as soon as your wife has been taken to the Intensive Care Unit."
J.R. clasped the doctor's hand and thanked him for helping Sue Ellen, then asked, "Is she gonna be alright, doctor?"
The doctor replied, "I'm afraid it's to soon to tell Mr. Ewing. We'll monitor her, here in the ICU, until we know any more information about her condition."
J.R.'s mind wandered back to the last time discovered that Sue Ellen was pregnant, before she had been accidentally hit by a car, and miscarried their baby. He recalled the recent day Sue Ellen told him that she knew without a doubt, the baby she lost then was indeed J.R.'s baby.
J.R. leaned his back against the waiting room partition, and violently pounded his fists against the wall. Miss Ellie reached out her hand to comfort J.R., but Clayton pulled her arm back. There would be plenty of time for consolation, once J.R.'s anger, pain and frustration subsided.
A nurse walked into the waiting room, and asked for Mister J.R. Ewing.
J.R. turned his head, and said, "I'm J.R. Ewin'. When can I see Sue Ellen?"
The nurse said, "Please, follow me, Mr. Ewing."
J.R. touched Miss Elle's hand, and said, "I'll be back in a little while, Mamma."
The nurse escorted J.R. to the Intensive Care Unit, and through a thick glass door, to Sue Ellen's room. Sue Ellen's body lay on a bed in the middle of a maze of wires, tubes, and monitoring equipment. Sue Ellen's complexion was pale and wan, and she was breathing with the assistance of an oxygen mask. J.R.'s initial reaction was to hold Sue Ellen in his arms, and take away her pain.
The nurse said, "I'm afraid you won't be able to stay with her for very long, Mr. Ewing."
J.R. muttered, "I won't stay long. I just want to make sure she knows that I'm here for her."
The nurse compassionately said, "Very well, Mr. Ewing. I'll be right outside the door, if you need anything."
J.R. pushed a chair next to Sue Ellen's hospital bed, and sat down on the chair. He lifted his hand, and brushed Sue Ellen's hair off of her forehead. J.R. touched Sue Ellen's cheek, as a solitary teardrop slid down J.R.'s face. The monotonous sound of the electronic monitoring equipment filled the room.
J.R. covered Sue Ellen's hand with his hand, and shakily whispered, "God, Sue Ellen. You don't know how much I love you, and if you die, I don't know what I'll do without you. It took me losin' you to make me realize how much I love you and need you in my life, and now that I have you back, I can't bear the thought of losin' you again."
The nurse opened the door to Sue Ellen's room, and said, "I'm sorry Mr. Ewing. I'm going to have to ask you to leave, now."
J.R. nodded his head in agreement, and stood up next to Sue Ellen's bed. J.R. leaned over the bed, and placed a delicate, feather-like kiss on Sue Ellen's lips. J.R. reluctantly let go of Sue Ellen's hand, as he turned to follow the ICU nurse out of the room.
J.R. watched as the nurse closed the door to Sue Ellen's room, and stood against the doorframe, while the nurse walked toward the nurse's station. J.R. stepped to the other side of the door, and placed his forehead against the observation window of Sue Ellen's room. J.R. closed his eyes, as tears slowly trickled down his cheeks, and fell drop by drop onto the observation window sill…