Return to Camelot
Part 14
J.R.'s car careened into the parking lot at Dallas Memorial Hospital. Sue Ellen adamantly protested J.R.'s efforts to get her medical attention for her overwrought emotional state. J.R. walked around to the passenger side of the car to open the door for Sue Ellen. Dr. Chamberlain was waiting by the Emergency Room entrance to the hospital with a wheelchair for Sue Ellen.
Dr. Chamberlain held open the passenger door of J.R.'s car, while J.R. tried to extract a semi-conscious Sue Ellen from the car.
Sue Ellen mumbled incoherently, "No…I'm not goin' back in there, J.R. Please, don't make me? I just want to go home."
J.R. silently pleaded with Dr. Chamberlain for help.
Dr. Chamberlain instructed an orderly to take the wheelchair back into the ER, and exchange it for a gurney. Sue Ellen drifted in an out of consciousness, as she was placed on the gurney, and wheeled into the Emergency Room.
Dr. Chamberlain had a great deal of experience with post-partum depression cases, including women who had suffered from PPD after suffering a miscarriage or, in Sue Ellen's case; an ectopic pregnancy. Dr. Chamberlain had prepared a syringe containing one and a quarter cubic-centiliters of Methotrexate to help eliminate the possibility of continued fetal cell growth.
J.R. asked, "Is she gonna be okay, Doc?"
Dr. Chamberlain queried, "Do you know if Sue Ellen has ingested any pain medication?"
J.R. replied, "I have no idea. I came back to the house and found her lyin' on the floor in the nursery, clutching one of our son's old baby toys."
Dr. Chamberlain ordered blood and urine samples from Sue Ellen, as well as a dose of Valium to calm her nerves. J.R. nervously held Sue Ellen's hand as she lay on the gurney. An ER nurse walked into the room, and closed the privacy curtain, while she inserted a catheter inside Sue Ellen. Moments later, a phlebotomist from the hospital lab drew blood samples from Sue Ellen's arm.
J.R. tried to stay out of the way of the ER staff as they followed Dr. Chamberlain's instructions. J.R. occasionally wiped at Sue Ellen's eyes with a tissue, as tears rolled down the sides of her face. Sue Ellen quickly succumbed to the Valium, as her eyes closed, and she fell asleep.
J.R. lowered his head next to Sue Ellen's ear, and whispered, "Sue Ellen? You've got to stay with me, Sugar. You've got to help the doctor help you."
Dr. Chamberlain came back into the room almost fifteen minutes later, and said; "The urinalysis didn't show any indications of pain medication in Sue Ellen's system. How long had she been so despondent?"
J.R. shrugged his shoulders, never once shifting his gaze away from Sue Ellen, and said, "She's been sleepin' a lot, but you said that she probably would. She was fine when I left to go into Dallas to take care of some business this morning. Sue Ellen said that she had a headache, but emotionally, she seemed fine. I just don't understand what happened"
Dr. Chamberlain calmly asked, "J.R.? Was this Sue Ellen's first miscarriage?"
J.R.'s features dimmed, as he said, "No, she had a miscarriage almost eleven years ago. A passing car accidentally hit her. She didn't…I mean, we didn't know that she was pregnant then, either."
Dr. Chamberlain said, "I'm glad that you called me, J.R. It appears that Sue Ellen might be suffering from post-partum depression."
J.R. asked, "Isn't that what some women go through after givin' birth?"
Dr. Chamberlain replied, "Yes, it is, but in certain cases, where the pregnancy hormones have a tendency to stay in the mother's system, PPD can wreak havoc with a woman's emotions."
J.R. quietly asked, "Isn't there something you can do to help her? It's killin' me seein' her like this. I can't seem to be able to reach her."
Dr. Chamberlain said, "Well, there are some options available to help Sue Ellen. First, I could start her on estrogen therapy, in certain cases, hormonal therapy has proven to be extremely effective."
J.R. asked, "What other options are there?"
Dr. Chamberlain said, "I could prescribe anti-depressants. Has Sue Ellen ever taken anti-depressants? I wish I had access to her medial records. I'd be better prepared to help the situation."
J.R. said, "I'm fairly sure that her medical records are still in London."
Dr. Chamberlain flashed J.R. an inquisitive glance, and asked, "London? I thought you lived in Braddock County?"
J.R. said, "I do…uh, we do, but Sue Ellen moved to England after our divorce?"
Dr. Chamberlain asked, "You're remarried then?"
J.R. replied, "No, we're livin' together. We have talked about gettin' remarried, but I want to wait until we can resume…uh, you know."
Dr. Chamberlain said, "Oh, yes. I understand."
Dr. Chamberlain continued, "J.R.? Has Sue Ellen ever seen a psychiatrist for depression, or has she received any other forms of psychological counseling?"
J.R. regretfully said, "Yes, right after our son was born. Those were difficult times for both of us."
J.R. persisted, "While I'm answerin' all of your questions, what in the hell are you gonna do to help her, for God's sake?"
Dr. Chamberlain understood J.R.'s frustration, but said, "I need to know one more thing about Sue Ellen's medical history, before I can continue treatment; has Sue Ellen ever had a substance abuse problem?"
J.R. frowned, and said, "Yes, Sue Ellen had a drinking problem. I blame myself for that. I wasn't a very dutiful husband when we were married. Our relationship has changed. We've changed. I love Sue Ellen more than I could imagine was possible, and there's nothin' I wouldn't do to help her and make her life better."
Dr. Chamberlain touched J.R.'s shoulder, and said, "We'll start Sue Ellen on estrogen therapy. That, and the Methotrexate should alleviate the majority of her emotional issues. Unfortunately, Sue Ellen may still be at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder."
J.R. lifted his hands to his face, as he exasperatedly ran his hands over his face, and then through his hair.
Dr. Chamberlain said, "J.R., Sue Ellen is a strong woman. I firmly believe that with your help, and the therapy I've prescribed, she'll be feeling better, physically and emotionally in a week or two."
J.R. huskily asked, "When can we resume our, um…physical relationship?"
Dr. Chamberlain smirked at J.R., and said, "I take it you and Sue Ellen have an active sex life?"
J.R. folded his arms across his chest, and defensively growled, "Yes, not that that's any of your business..."
Dr. Chamberlain said, "Tell you what, J.R. why don't we see how Sue Ellen is healing after the follow-up exam I have scheduled for her for next week, in addition to how effective the estrogen therapy is working for her depression, and we'll take it from there, alright?"
J.R. pondered Dr. Chamberlains' suggestion. He exhaled as his insecurities, and feelings of hopelessness and helplessness turned to feelings of relief, and positive expectations.
Dr. Chamberlain told J.R. to wait in the room with Sue Ellen while he called in a prescription for estrogen therapy for Sue Ellen to the hospital pharmacy.
J.R. lowered his head and softly kissed Sue Ellen's forehead.
J.R. ran his fingers through Sue Ellen's hair, as he quietly spoke, "God, Sugar. I never expected anything like this to happen to you. I shouldn't have gone into Dallas this morning to talk with Randy. I'm so sorry, Honey. When you pull through this, I'll make it up to you, somehow. I'll spend the rest of my life makin' this up to you, I swear it."
Dr. Chamberlain returned with some informational pamphlets about post-partum depression for J.R. to read while the Valium he had given to Sue Ellen left her system. The doctor also handed J.R. a container of estrogen tablets for Sue Ellen to take until her follow-up visit with him, next week.
J.R. asked, "Will she have to stay here overnight?"
Dr. Chamberlain said, "No, you can take Sue Ellen home, J.R. I would advise you to keep a close eye on her, though, just to make sure that her depressive symptoms don't get any worse."
J.R. clasped Dr. Chamberlain's hands, and said, "Thank you, doctor. Thank you for everything you've done for Sue Ellen, and for us."
Dr. Chamberlain smiled, and said, "Keep me posted if there's any change in her condition, J.R. I'd also like you to accompany Sue Ellen to her follow-up visit with me next week, if that's at all possible?"
J.R. smiled, and said, "I will, Dr. Chamberlain, and I'll be there next week, right by her side. You can count on it."
Dr. Chamberlain had an orderly wheel Sue Ellen's gurney outside to J.R.'s car. J.R. carefully lifted Sue Ellen into his arms, as the orderly opened the passenger door, and held it open while J.R. gently placed Sue Ellen inside of his car. J.R. reclined the passenger seat of his car, and fastened the seat restraint across Sue Ellen's chest.
The orderly wheeled the gurney back into the emergency room, while J.R. walked around the car to the driver's side, and climbed into the car. J.R. placed the key into the ignition and started the engine. He glanced over his right shoulder, as he backed the car out of the parking stall.
J.R. shifted the transmission into drive, as he drove his car out of the hospital parking lot.
J.R. placed his hand over Sue Ellen's knee, and said, "You're gonna be fine, Sugar. I'll never let anything like this happen to you again."
J.R. parked his car in the driveway at Southfork. Bobby walked across the veranda to see where J.R. and Sue Ellen had been.
J.R. asked, "I'm glad you're here, Bobby. Will you hold this door open for me while I get Sue Ellen out of the car?"
Bobby said, "Of course, J.R. What happened to Sue Ellen? Is she alright?"
J.R. lifted Sue Ellen into his arms, and quickly carried her into the house. Bobby closed the car door, as he walked across the veranda, and followed J.R. inside the house.
John Ross raced down the stairs, and nervously asked, "Daddy, what happened to Mamma?"
Clayton and Miss Ellie walked into he foyer from the parlor. They were equally curious about what had happened to Sue Ellen.
J.R. said, "Let me get Sue Ellen upstairs, and put her to bed, and then I'll explain everything."
J.R. carried Sue Ellen upstairs, and into their bedroom. He lowered Sue Ellen on top of the mattress, and untied her robe. J.R. lifted Sue Ellen's torso into his arms, as he removed her robe, then he laid her back down on the bed, lifting her head to the pillow.
J.R. adoringly gazed at Sue Ellen, and whispered, "I love you, Sugar. I love you more than I ever imagined I could. I'm here to help you, Honey. I'll never leave you when you need me again, ever."
A single tear fell from J.R.'s eye onto his cheek, as he lovingly held Sue Ellen's hand in his. He brushed at a stray lock of Sue Ellen's hair with his fingers, and deftly tucked it behind her ear. J.R. wiped at the tear as it slid down his cheek, then he heavily sighed.
J.R. lifted Sue Ellen's hand to his lips, and delicately kissed her fingers.
J.R. lowered Sue Ellen's hand to her side, before covering her with the sheets, and the bedcovers. J.R. arose from the bed, and walked across the room, toward the bedroom door.
J.R. left the bedroom door open, as he glanced over his shoulder at Sue Ellen's sleeping form.
J.R. pensively smiled, as he started to walk away from the door, to go downstairs, and explain what had happened to Sue Ellen to the rest of the family…