I hope I didn't keep y'all waiting too long for answers on Frank's condition. Hopefully this chapter will take care of some questions. Please leave a review! :)
July 15th, 2015 – University Hospital
"Do you know this man?" the doctor asked.
"Yes. He's... he's my father-in-law."
"Sam, you need to step out, please," the doctor stated. "Amy!" he shouted to get the attention of another nurse.
Samantha slowly backed away. Her eyes scanned every monitor attached to him, reading his vitals and assessing his condition. She felt her hands shaking uncontrollably as she looked down, noticing the blood-covered gloves for the first time. She quickly ripped them off, threw them onto the floor, ran from the bay, and pulled her phone from her pocket.
With shaking hands, Sam attempted to call Charlotte. Seeing that she was struggling, Nick, a fellow nurse, took the phone from Sam and assisted her with dialing the number.
"Stop," Sam said sharply as she grabbed the phone. "We can't call her." She returned the phone to Nick. "Call Elizabeth; she's with my mother-in-law."
...
Jack was in the barn working when his phone rang. Seeing it was Elizabeth, he let it ring as his hands were full at the moment. He made a mental note to call her back once he was finished. He tossed the two bags of feed that lay across his shoulder onto the stack he'd started in the feed room. Returning to his truck, he picked up two more fifty-pound bags of feed, flipped them onto his shoulder, and proceeded to the room once more.
After his third trip, as he walked out of the room to return to the truck, he saw Elizabeth run into the barn with a horrified expression.
"Beth?" he asked as he quickly closed the distance between them. "What's wrong? Is it one of the kids? What's going on?"
Breathless, Elizabeth grabbed Jack's arms. "Jack, no. The kids are fine."
"Then what is it," he asked, cupping her face in his hands and looking into her eyes. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"Jack, it's Pops."
…..
Jack and Elizabeth jumped into the truck, rushed to the house, and ran inside, where Charlotte had the children lined along the island. Plates of fruit sat before each one as the kids chattered and ate their snacks.
"What's going on?" Charlotte asked once she saw the looks on Jack and Elizabeth's faces.
"Kids, run outside," Jack said as he stepped into the kitchen.
"But...," Colton started but was cut off by his mother.
"Kids, run outside. I'll be there in a minute," Elizabeth said firmly.
"Yes, ma'am," all three said and hurried down from their stools.
"What's going on, Jack," Charlotte asked again with an edge of fear in her voice.
"Ma," Jack said as he laid his hands on her arms. "Sam just called from the hospital. Something has happened to Pops."
The smile that held permanent residence on Charlotte's face slowly vanished as Jack's words soaked in. "Frank? What do you mean?"
"It seems that he rolled the tractor onto himself," Jack answered as he moved his arm around his mother's waist to support her.
"But, he was just out mowing when I came over here this morning. He's okay, right?"
"I don't know the details, Ma."
Elizabeth took a step toward Charlotte. "Mom, Sam sounded pretty frantic on the phone. I think we need to get over there right away."
Charlotte felt her legs give way as her son's arm tightened around her, keeping her from falling. "I need to get to my husband."
"I'm driving," Jack said as he helped his mother toward the door.
"I'll call Rosie to watch the kids, then I'll meet you there," Elizabeth stated as she held the door open.
Jack helped his mother into the truck, having to steady her as she stepped up. Running to the other side, he jumped into the cab, slammed it into reverse, and left gravel flying through the air.
"I can't lose another one," she said quietly between sobs as she stared out the window.
Now on the highway, Jack stepped on the gas pedal, speeding up well over the speed limit. He occasionally glanced at his mother, each time she stoically stared out the window.
…..
Sam waited at the emergency room entrance as Jack pulled up. She opened Charlotte's door and helped her out, never letting go of the woman's arm. Once Jack parked and returned to his mother, they made their way in to get an update on Frank.
The waiting room felt colder than usual, Charlotte thought to herself. Chills ran through her body like razor blades, and she rubbed her arms to warm up. Jack was beside her and wrapped an arm behind her, holding his mother against him to ease her chills.
Elizabeth arrived shortly after Jack and Charlotte and joined the family in the waiting room. Seeing that Jack was attending to his mother, she sat beside Sam.
The sliding doors of the emergency entrance opened, and a crew pushing a gurney ran inside, calling out stats and vitals of the latest patient. Charlotte heard the words "broken neck" called out, and she felt another wave of nausea roll through her.
Ten minutes had passed, though it felt like an eternity when Dr. Legums found the family in the waiting room.
"Mrs. Hogan?"
"Yes," Charlotte replied as she quickly got to her feet, Jack beside her, still holding her arm. "How is Frank?"
"Hello. My name is Dr. Legum. I'm the orthopedic surgeon that was called down to assess your husband. Ma'am, I don't know how much you know, but your husband was on a tractor that rolled onto him. The seat was pressed against his sternum, and the steering wheel was on his legs. He was under it, we believe, for around an hour before first responders could get to him."
Charlotte could feel her legs giving out, then her son's hands lowering her into a chair. The doctor pulled another chair around and sat down to face her. The softness in his eyes eased Charlotte in the most minut amount, but she was grateful for any little bit.
"Frank is on his way up to CT to..."
"What happened? What's going on?" Tom called out when he ran into the room. "How's Pops?"
Jack reached over Charlotte and turned a chair, motioning for Tom to sit down. "Dr. Legum was just telling us."
Tom sat down and reached for his mother's hand. Her hand was damp and shaking, and Tom sandwiched it between his in an attempt to steady her nerves. Her hand clutched his as they waited for the doctor to continue.
"I was just telling them that Frank is on his way to CT. We've stabilized him, but he has multiple issues that we will be addressing once we know the extent of his injuries."
Charlotte gripped her sons' hands and sucked in a short, shallow breath. Stinging tears pushed their way out and rolled down her cheeks as the doctor continued.
"We know he has a fractured pelvis, but we don't know how bad. His leg is definitely broken, and he has a possible broken wrist. He's been in and out of consciousness, so we will be looking for any head injuries. And when he was awake, he complained about chest pain. He has severe bruising over his sternum where the seat was pressing on him, so there's a possibility of a fractured sternum."
Sam sat quietly beside Elizabeth, and the two held onto one another. Sam was taking inventory of Frank's injuries, and thinking as a nurse, she calculated everything that could go wrong. Complications, surgery possibilities, healing times, and impairments he could have for the rest of his life. She'd seen a great deal of these types of injuries come through the emergency room, and she was aware of the outcomes of many: some good, numerous bad.
"Once I get the results of his CT scan, my team and I will evaluate the seriousness of each of his injuries and decide where to go from there. Either a nurse or I will update you as soon as we have more information from the CT scan."
Charlotte laid her head in her hands and finally allowed herself to cry. Sitting on either side of their mother, Jack and Tom laid their hands on her back.
"How long until we get the results of the CT scan?" Jack asked.
"About two hours. By then, I should have the results of the other tests, so I will be able to give you a full update and all of his options."
"How is my husband...really?" Charlotte asked.
"He's in severe pain, and he's been sedated." The doctor leaned forward and rested his elbows on his legs. "Charlotte, Frank will have a very long road ahead of him. He's looking at months of recovery and physical therapy." Dr. Legum stood, as did the family. "I will make sure you are updated as soon as we know something."
"Thank you, Doctor," Tom said as the man turned to leave.
The family eased back into their chairs and remained silent for several excruciating minutes. Finally, Elizabeth moved to the edge of her seat, reached out for Charlotte's hand, and began to pray.
…..
An hour and a half had passed at a snail's pace as Charlotte, and her family waited. She waited for the news of her husband and what his future might look like.
Tom stood from his chair, stepped out into the hallway, looked one way and the other, and then returned to his seat. Something he'd done three times prior as the hands on the clock continued their trek across the numbers. Elizabeth lifted her phone from the seat beside her to see the source of the latest vibration. Rosie and Lee were checking in, asking if they'd gotten any news. Elizabeth sent a quick reply, then read Rosemary's following text.
"Lee wants to let you all know that you're in their prayers and not to worry about a thing. He, Walker, and Lance have already taken care of all the animals and let the dogs out."
"Tell him thank you," Jack said, his voice remaining somber.
Elizabeth typed the words, pressed send, then returned her phone to the chair.
"Mrs. Hogan?" a woman asked as she entered the room.
"Yes," Charlotte almost shouted as she got to her feet, followed by everyone else.
"Dr. Legum asked me to come to update you on Frank's condition. He was rushed to surgery straight from CT, so the doctor could not update you."
"Surgery? What's happening," Jack asked as he wrapped an arm behind his mom.
"His pelvic fracture was worse than they originally thought. There was internal bleeding, so they rushed him to surgery right away. Once they realign his pelvis, they will do an external fixation."
"What's that?" Jack asked.
"They will place screws into Frank's Ilium, of which the doctor will attach external rods to secure his pelvis in place until it heals. He also has an oblique fracture of the tibial shaft and a fracture to the fibula. They will operate on his leg to insert a rod and screws to stabilize the tibial fracture."
After answering a few more questions for the family, the nurse stood and exited the room into the hall. Sam followed her, stopping her at enough distance from the door that Charlotte couldn't hear.
"Suzy?"
"Hi, Sam. So sorry about your father-in-law."
"Thanks. So, how bad is it really?"
"It's just like I told your family," Suzy answered.
"Please, Suz, I know how this kind of injury usually ends," Sam said with pleading eyes.
"It's not good, Sam. As soon as those scans appeared on the screen and he saw that Frank had started hemorrhaging, Dr. Legum went into 911 mode. They had Frank moved from the CT room and into OR3 within minutes. He started crashing as soon as they got him to the OR. They were able to stabilize him again, but I'm not sure for how long. I will run up and get an update for you right now."
"Thank you, Suz."
Suzy laid her hand on Sam's arm and gave it a slight squeeze. "We're all here for you."
"I know. Thank you." Sam turned toward the waiting room and stopped. She closed her eyes, drew four deep breaths, then returned to her seat with the family.
Tom was still standing and sat beside his wife. Leaning to her, he asked quietly, "Is everything alright?"
Sam gave Tom a small smile and nod but didn't divulge any of the information that Suzy had given her for fear it would upset Charlotte.
…..
"Where's that doctor?" Charlotte asked. The tone in her voice was anger, something the family rarely saw rear its head in Charlotte.
Jack moved in front of his mother and urged her to sit down. "Please, Ma. Sit by me, and they'll be here as soon as possible."
Charlotte threw her arms into the air, breaking Jack's hold on her. "I don't want to sit down! I want answers!"
Jack and Tom stared at their mother in shock. They had never heard her speak that way in their lives and weren't sure how to process her anger. She was always the never-wavering rock of the family, even through the death of their father.
"Come with me, Mom," Elizabeth said, pushing between Tom and Jack. "Let's go for a walk."
The two women walked down the hall, arm in arm, with no words shared between them. Charlotte and Elizabeth were both in quiet prayer as they passed the nurse's station, patients' rooms, and the locked doors that led to the operating rooms. Every possible nightmare played horrific visions in Charlotte's mind as she looked at those doors. Flashes of Thomas lying in the dirt plagued her thoughts, and she didn't think she had the strength to go through this again.
Thomas's death was shocking, sudden, and the worse day of her life. But there were no questions. His life was over, and they knew it. They didn't have to wait for hours as they operated on him. They didn't have to wait hours to hear if he'd survived. The news was right in front of them, lying lifeless in the middle of an arena.
Frank was different. The not knowing was killing her, and the thought of losing another husband was becoming more than she could bear.
After walking as far as the hallway would take them, they turned around and started toward the waiting room. As they neared it, Charlotte spotted Dr. Legum and began running toward him. He stepped into the room, and Charlotte and Elizabeth entered right behind him.
"How's Frank? Is my husband okay?"
"Please, everyone, sit down," the doctor requested as he dragged a chair out and took a seat.
The family obeyed and formed a half-circle facing the doctor.
"Frank is stable and in recovery. I know Nurse Suzy partially filled you in on Frank's condition already, but I'll cover everything again. While in CT, he began hemorrhaging, and we had to rush him into the OR. Frank coded on the table right before surgery. We had to shock him twice to get him back. He's been stable since then, but we will monitor him over the next 24 hours. He had a lateral compression fracture, where this part," the doctor pressed his hand onto his left hip," was pushed inward. Once we got his pelvis reset and the bleeding stopped, I installed an external fixator. He has four screws in his Iliam bones, two on each side. External rods are connected to these screws, holding his pelvic bones in place so they can heal. It may be a bit scary looking when you first see it, so I just wanted to warn you. Frank will have to wear this for at least six weeks."
"Once that was completed, I began working on his leg. Frank had two breaks in his left leg. His fibula is fractured and will heal on its own. But he had an oblique fracture of the tibial shaft. I stabilized the bone with a rod and screws. Frank's recovery would be around four to six months with only the pelvic injury. But because of both, one will delay the other, so he will not be able to start physical therapy as soon as he should. As a safety precaution, he'll be put on blood thinners while on bed rest. His wrist was not fractured, only sprained. His sternum is cracked but will heal on its own, and he has a cracked rib."
Charlotte, Jack, Tom, and Elizabeth stared in shock; their jaws dropped in disbelief at the magnitude of Frank's injuries and how close they'd come to losing him. Charlotte reached out with both hands, searching for her sons. Jack and Tom each moved their hand in hers and gripped her tightly.
"Do any of you have any questions?" Dr. Legum asked.
"Is my husband going to be okay?" Charlotte asked, her voice hoarse.
Dr. Legum rested his arms on his legs and focused on Charlotte. "The next 24 hours are the most critical, and we'll know more when he wakes up. His recovery will be long and hard, but if he does well with therapy, I believe he will recover well over time."
A flood of emotions washed through Charlotte, breaking the dam as she began to sob uncontrollably. Jack and Tom sandwiched her in an embrace as they supported and comforted her, each one talking softly, letting her know that Pops would be okay.
"Once your husband is settled in his room, a nurse will come down and get you so you can see him," the doctor started. "Only two can see him at a time."
"Thank you, Doctor," Jack said.
"I want to warn you of what you'll see. Frank has a breathing tube to breathe for him until he wakes up. He has a lot of wires, tubes, IVs, and several monitors, and we are monitoring him closely, as I said. You'll see the external fixator over his pelvis. His leg is wrapped and in a sling. He got pretty banged up when the tractor rolled, so you'll see a lot of cuts and bruises. Your husband was very fortunate, ma'am. Most of the people I see come in from these types of accidents, and those injuries never make it to the operating table."
"It wasn't luck, Doctor," Charlotte stated. "He has the Lord on his side."
"Yes, ma'am. I believe that." The doctor stood and returned his chair to the line. "Someone will come down and get you soon."
"Did you hear that, Ma? Pops is going to be okay," Tom said as he rubbed her back.
"Maybe," she stated. "I need to see him for myself."
"Of course," Jack added. "Soon."
Charlotte lifted her head and looked back and forth between her sons. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
"No," Jack said firmly. "You yell at us all you want. We can take it."
"Yes, Mom. Scream, yell," Tom started. "If you need to throw something, let us know, and we'll find something for you."
Charlotte chuckled slightly, thankful for the distraction from her son, no matter how mild it was.
"Mrs. Hogan?" a nurse called out. "Hi. I'm Lisa. I'm here to take you to see your husband."
Charlotte practically jumped to her feet, then started to the door. She stopped at the doorway and turned to look at her family, her eyes moving from one to another.
"Do you want to be alone with Frank?" Jack asked. "Or do you want someone with you?"
Unsure what to say, she shrugged her shoulders as stinging tears began to well in her eyes.
"Go with her," Tom said as he pushed on Jack's back. "She needs someone with her."
"What about you?" Jack asked.
"I'll see him soon. Go be with Ma."
Jack stood and began to cross the room, holding his hand down to Elizabeth as he passed by. She took his and squeezed it before their hands separated.
…..
Charlotte stopped outside the door that led into Frank's room. She wanted to see her husband with her own eyes, prove to herself that he was, in fact, alive, but she was afraid. Jack put an arm around her and guided her into the room.
Frank lay lifeless in the large bed. A vent was attached to a white hose taped to his upper lip, the sheet was draped over the fixator that held his pelvis in place, numbers flashed and changed on a multitude of screens that flanked both sides of his bed, and his left leg hung suspended in a sling. The hum and pumping of the ventilator sent chills down both of their spines...for different reasons.
As they crossed the room to the bed, Charlotte clutched onto Jack's arm. Frank's face was covered in cuts and bruises, and the tape from the ventilator pulled at the skin around his mouth. Charlotte held her hand above Frank's arm, wanting to touch him but unsure if it would hurt him.
"It's okay, Ma," Jack said as he gently pushed his mother's hand onto Frank's arm. His hand remained on hers, and he could feel her shaking against the still arm of her husband.
"Frank?" she asked as she lifted her other hand to his hair. "Frank. Can you hear me, sweetie?" Charlotte combed her fingers through Frank's peppered hair. She could feel a dusting of dirt through it, and she choked on the lump in her throat. "Frank?" she whispered in his ear as she leaned in beside him. "Frank, baby, please don't leave me."
Getting choked up, Jack turned his head away while keeping his hand on his mother's back. He closed his eyes and instantly saw the vision of his mom leaning over his father's body as they carried him from the arena. She had gripped his shirt as tears spilled onto Thomas's dirt-covered arm. She cried out for him as they carried him away.
Jack's eyes popped open, and he shook the image away. Returning his gaze to his mother and Frank, Jack laid a hand on Frank's good leg and remained silent as his mom continued to talk.
"Frank, please wake up or squeeze my hand," she begged as she pressed her fingers against his palm. "I love you, Frank." Charlotte brushed her knuckles along Frank's cheek, paying attention not to touch a scrape or bruise.
Jack retrieved a chair and pushed it behind his mother. He squeezed her arm, getting her attention, and she lowered into the seat, never taking her hand out of Frank's.
"Do you want some water or anything, Ma?" Jack asked softly.
Charlotte shook her head, her eyes locked on Frank's face, "No, thank you."
Jack grabbed another chair, moved it to the opposite side of the bed, and sat down. He scanned Frank's body, stopping at the shapes beneath the sheet. Wanting to understand exactly what they had done to repair Frank's pelvis, Jack lifted the sheet and pulled it back, revealing the hardware that was now attached to his father-in-law. Jack swallowed hard as he looked over the rods that went directly into Frank's flesh. He reached for the sheet and pulled it up, covering the metal rods.
"He looks like he's in pain," Charlotte stated, barely audible.
"I don't think he can feel anything, Ma. He's on a morphine drip."
"Good. I don't want him in pain. He looks so bad," she said as her voice cracked.
Jack reached across the bed, holding his hand out, and Charlotte laid her hand in his. "He's going to be okay, Ma."
Charlotte nodded but did not speak.
"Ma, do you want to pray?"
"Can you please?"
"Of course," Jack replied, then closed his eyes and began.
…..
When Jack stepped into the waiting room, Tom, Sam, and Elizabeth jumped to their feet.
"How is he?" Tom asked.
"Bad. He's bad," Jack answered, shaking his head. "Ma is asking for you," Jack said to his brother. As Tom passed, Jack laid his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Prepare yourself for the worst so it's not such a shock when you walk in. Mom needs us to remain strong."
"Okay," Tom replied, nodded, and walked out the door.
When Jack turned around, Elizabeth stood before him and moved her arms around his waist. Jack's embrace was tight and urgent as the flood of tears he'd been holding at bay broke loose and flowed down his cheeks. Sam moved in beside them, laid her hands on Jack's arm and back, and pressed her forehead to his shoulder.
"The fact that Frank survived surgery and has made it this long is a good sign," Sam tried to reassure Jack. "It's an excellent sign."
"Thank you, Sam," Jack said as he sat down.
"How's your mom?" Elizabeth asked, taking the seat beside him.
"Strong but losing it. This is just too much for her."
"Does Frank really look that bad?" Elizabeth softly asked.
"Yes," Jack answered as he looked at his wife. "His skin is almost grey, he's got cuts and bruises all over, tubes, wires, and that fixation rod thing. I don't know how Ma is holding it together as well as she is."
"And I'm sure this has been hard on you, too," Elizabeth added.
Jack lifted his hand to Elizabeth's cheek and brushed his thumb across her warm skin. "Yes, it has been. All kinds of memories that I'd like to forget."
Jack leaned back in his chair, and Elizabeth moved into his arm as he put it around her. Sam was sitting across from them, her phone in her hand, texting with Savannah.
"How are the kids?" Elizabeth asked.
"They're fine. Mine are at home with my parents."
"That's good," Elizabeth said as she looked down at her phone.
"Anything from Rosie?" Jack asked.
Nothing for a while. I think I'll go call her to check on the kids and give them an update."
"Okay," Jack said, then Elizabeth stood and left the room.
"How close was Frank?" Jack asked. "I know that nurse told you more than she told Charlotte."
"It wasn't good, Jack. But Dr. Legum shared everything in his update. Suzy had told me about Frank coding, and I didn't want to worry Charlotte more than necessary."
"Thank you, Sam," Jack said as he gave her a genuine smile. "Ma has been through enough."
"Yes, Jack. She has."
Elizabeth returned with news that the kids were doing fine. They were excited with having the Coulter kids over and had begun building a fort in the basement. Jack, Elizabeth, and Sam remained in the waiting room, not wanting to leave in case something should happen. Sam and Elizabeth made a trip to the cafeteria and returned with sandwiches for everyone. The three ate theirs and saved the other two for Tom and Charlotte.
"I can't sit here any longer," Sam stated and stood. "I'm going to go check on them."
"Okay," Jack said, then took a drink of his water.
Sam made her way to Frank's room, never getting stopped due to all the nurses knowing her. She found Tom and Charlotte still holding vigil at Frank's bedside, willing any movement or motion from the man.
"Tom?" Sam said softly from the door.
Tom stood and joined Sam in the hall, constantly looking over his shoulder at his mother.
"How is she?"
"Quiet," Tom said. He pressed his hands to Sam's arms and rubbed them up and down. "She just looks at the monitors like she's waiting for them to change."
"This is just so difficult for her. She feels helpless," Sam stated. "Do you need a break? I can stay here with your mom."
"Sure," Tom said, looking back into the room.
"I got everyone sandwiches. There's one in the waiting room for you."
"Thank you, Baby," Tom said and kissed her. "I'll let Ma know where I'm going."
Sam watched from the hall as Tom walked up behind his mom and laid his hands on her shoulders. He leaned over, whispered something to her, kissed her cheek, then returned to the hall.
"I'll see you in a little bit," Tom said, kissing Sam again.
She held his hand as he walked away, their fingers slipping apart as the distance separated them. Sam entered the room and stood at the foot of Frank's bed. She studied each and every monitor, then crossed to the computer and logged in, pulling up Frank's chart. She read every word, memorized every vital, double-checked every test result, then logged off and took a seat. Sam held Frank's hand in hers, his skin was slightly cool, and she lifted it to her lips and kissed it.
"Did you learn anything that we don't know?" Charlotte asked, pointing at the computer.
"No. The doctor was very thorough in his updates to us. He told us everything."
Looking at her daughter-in-law, she asked, "What's your opinion on his condition?"
Sam's gaze moved from Frank to Charlotte, and she could see the pleading in her eyes. "Honestly?"
"Yes, that's all I ask for."
"He's lucky to be alive. He will be in a lot of pain, and his recovery will be long and difficult. Looking at his X-rays, I think he'll walk again, but I don't think he'll ever be 100%."
Charlotte swallowed hard against the news. Her eyes moved to Frank's, then back to Sam's. "I just want my husband home."
"We'll all make sure that happens as soon as possible," Sam assured her. "If we need to do anything to the house, the boys will do it."
Charlotte nodded and looked at her husband. "I know they will."
…..
Lee and Rosemary rushed down the hall, searching each waiting room until they found the Thorntons.
"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked as she stood. "Where are the kids?"
"Sam's parents came to the house with Savannah, Luke, and Austin. They said they'd watch all the kids for a couple of hours so we could come here."
"Larry and Claire are wonderful people," Jack said as he stood.
"Hey, Brother," Lee said as he wrapped Jack in a hug.
"Hey," Jack replied.
"How's Frank?" Rosemary asked, then hugged Tom.
They filled their friends in on Frank's condition, then enjoyed some of the food Rosemary, and Lee had brought with them. Freshly baked cookies from the kids, granola bars, crackers, small bags of chips, and water bottles filled a basket Rosemary had put together.
Sam returned to the waiting room, and Elizabeth left to be with Charlotte. As Elizabeth stepped into the room, her breath was snatched from her lungs at the site of Frank. No amount of warnings from the others could completely prepare someone to see a loved one in this condition, and Elizabeth moved into the room, her gaze locked on the man in the bed.
"Beth," Charlotte said as she held her hand out for her daughter-in-law.
Elizabeth laid her hand in Charlotte's as she stood across the bed, as both women watched the rise and fall of Frank's chest.
…..
The sun had set, and visiting hours came to an end. Sam organized a bed to be brought in for Charlotte so she could stay with her husband while the others went home.
Jack and Elizabeth walked into their house together and were greeted by three wildly excited children. Having left before nightfall, Rosemary and Lee were there and had their children gathered and ready to go home.
"Thank you for everything," Jack said as he hugged Lee, then Rosemary.
"Of course," Lee stated. "You're all family."
"Thank you, Rosie," Elizabeth said as she hugged her friend.
"Let us know when you want us here tomorrow, Liz. Anytime."
Jack stood in the doorway, his hand in the air in the slight wave of goodbye, watching as his friends drove out of sight. He closed the door, wrangled his three older children together and up the stairs, and tucked them into bed. When he went to his bedroom, Elizabeth was sitting on the bed with Brianna in her arms, eating her final meal of the day before going to sleep.
Elizabeth moved her daughter into her bed, pulled back her own covers, and slid in beneath them. Jack was already in bed, waiting for his wife with his arm out. She moved in against him as his arm encircled her. No words needed to be shared, not after the kind of day they had been through, and they lay in silence. The exhaustion of the long, drawn-out day and the stress it had provided sent them quickly into a dreamless state of restless sleep.
…..
July 16th, 2015 – University Hospital
Jack, Elizabeth, Tom, and Sam were again sitting in the cold, stark waiting room. Elizabeth decided to bring Brianna to ease Lee and Rosie's work slightly, and she gently rocked the carrier with her foot as her daughter slept.
There had been no changes in Frank's condition through the night, and Charlotte finally fell asleep sometime in the early morning hours. As they waited for her, allowing her to get some must needed rest, they absentmindedly listened to the TV currently airing the local news.
A heat wave was moving in, sending the temps into the high 90s, and there was no rain in sight. Hearing this news, Jack knew his mares would need to be moved to the west pasture, where they would have more shade from the trees and the pond to seek relief if required.
Jack was in his chair, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, when Tom stood and made one more trip into the hall and back to his seat.
"I'm going to go check on your mom again," Sam said as she stood and left the room.
Sam peered into the room where Frank still lay eerily still. The lights were still dimmed, and Charlotte appeared to be sleeping. Sam eased into the room and leaned over Charlotte until she could see the woman's face. Charlotte's eyes were open, locked on Frank, and tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Oh, Charlotte. Come here," Sam said as she sat on the edge of her bed.
Charlotte sat up and moved into Sam's arms, welcoming the warm embrace of her daughter-in-law.
"How long have you been awake?" Sam asked as she flattened the woman's hair back.
"Not long," Charlotte replied, wiping her cheeks until they were dry. "He hasn't even moved."
"He's on a heavy morphine drip. He probably won't until they dial it back. His body needs to heal first."
Charlotte stood, straightened her clothes, and moved closer to her husband. "Good morning, sweetheart," she said as she pushed his hair back.
…..
News of Frank's accident reached the church, and a prayer chain and a meal prep chain had instantly formed. John Cooper, Frank's associate pastor, and three elders arrived at the hospital and began searching for the Thorntons. John spotted Sam returning to the waiting room, and the men followed her.
"Hey, John," Jack said, standing to greet the men.
"How's he doing?" John asked as everyone sat down.
Jack and Tom shared Frank's condition and all that they knew.
"Do you think I could see him and Charlotte?"
"Of course," Jack replied. "I'll take you."
Once at Frank's room, Jack stepped inside and spoke briefly to his mother. Turning, he motioned for John to come in and left them alone.
"Hi, Charlotte," John said as he hugged her. "I'm so sorry about Frank. We have an army praying for him right now."
"He would really appreciate that," Charlotte stated as she patted John's shoulder. "Please, have a seat." Charlotte motioned to the other chair as she sat on Frank's right side. She picked up his hand and slipped her fingers between his.
"How are you doing, Charlotte?"
"I've been better," she said as she gave him a forced smile.
"I'm sure you have. Do you need anything?"
"Just my husband to wake up and talk to me."
"Of course," John said. He looked over Frank's body, noticed the hardware that Jack and Tom had mentioned, and shook his head in disbelief. "Charlotte, do you care if I share Frank's condition with the congregation? So many are asking about him and wanting to know how they should pray for him."
"Healing. Pray for healing. But yes, you can share anything you'd like. Frank needs all the help he can get right now."
"Will you let me pray over him now?"
"Yes, of course," Charlotte answered and laid her hand in his.
…..
Shortly after John and the elders had arrived, a small group of women showed up with an entire home-cooked meal. They set it up buffet style in the waiting room, and the Thorntons filled their plates. A meatloaf, potato salad, green beans, and a tossed salad were only part of what they'd brought. Nancy, Charlotte's best friend, fixed an extra plate and took it to her once John returned.
The afternoon was much the same: each one taking turns to spend time with Charlotte and seeing no progress with Frank. Even after cutting back on his morphine, Frank had not woken or moved. Another group of women appeared that evening with another full meal for the family. Other women had even taken food to Sam's parents and children, as well as Lee, Rosie, and the kids.
Jack and Tom begged their mother to take a break and go home, but she refused to leave his side. Elizabeth and Sam made a trip to Charlotte's house and packed a small bag for her. They brought her a change of clothes and several things from her bathroom to freshen up.
As another day closed and another night drew upon them, still with no change from Frank, the Thorntons said goodbye to their mother and left for home.
…..
July 17th, 2015 – University Hospital
It was early morning, and the alarms began to sound in Frank's room, jerking Charlotte from her sleep. She jumped to her feet and rushed to his side.
"Help!" she screamed as nurses flooded the room.
"Please, ma'am, we need you to wait outside," one of the nurses said and gently guided Charlotte out of the room.
She stood outside the door and watched the frantic motions of the medical staff. A doctor hurried in and was quickly updated by one of the nurses. Charlotte could see them place a syringe into Frank's IV and inject a clear fluid.
"What's going on?" Sam asked, having just gotten to work for her shift.
"I don't know," Charlotte cried, pointing to the activity around her husband.
"I'll find out," Sam said and ran into the room.
Frank's heart rate was racing, his temperature had climbed to 104.1, and his blood pressure had dropped. Sam recognized the signs immediately and knew that Frank had developed an infection that possibly had led to sepsis. Sam stepped to the corner of the room, took out her phone, and called her husband, telling him to get everyone there right away.
Frank was administered antibiotics, then rushed to surgery to find the source of the infection. Sam remained with Charlotte until everyone arrived, then she led her mother-in-law to the waiting room so she could be surrounded by family. They waited hours before the doctor finally came to give them an update.
Holding his hands up as he stepped into the room, Dr. Legum informed the family, "We got the infection, and he's stable."
A collective sigh of relief filled the room, and everyone fell back into their chairs. The doctor pulled a chair around once again and sat down.
"An infection had developed in his pelvis, leading to sepsis. We treated him with strong antibiotics and rushed him back to surgery, where I was able to debride all of the infected tissue. He's in recovery now and is being watched closely. His temperature had already begun to drop, and his heart rate was back to normal. As soon as his blood pressure is where I want it to be, we will move him back into his room, and a nurse will come to get you."
"Thank you, Dr. Legum," Tom said.
"We're doing everything we can to help your husband, Mrs. Hogan. And again, these next 24 hours will be critical as we continue to monitor him."
"Thank you," Charlotte said in a hoarse voice.
Dr. Legum left the room, and everyone's focus shifted to Charlotte. She was exhausted. Her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep and crying, her shoulders were hunched over in defeat, and her smile had been replaced with a sorrowful, sullen frown that the boys had only seen on their mother once before.
Sam had returned to her work, and Jack and Tom remained at their mother's side. Elizabeth stood, left the room, and stepped outside for fresh air. She removed her phone from her purse, called Rosemary with the update, and then called John Cooper.
...
The waiting game had begun again. Charlotte was at Frank's side, never willing to leave, while everyone rotated through to be with her. Frank was stable, his fever gone, his blood pressure where it should be, and the breathing tube had been removed, but nothing more. The more time passed, the more distraught Charlotte became with the thought of going home alone. The family had been able to get her to eat, though not much. Church women continued to flood them with meals, magazines, and anything they could think to bring to help the family pass the time. Almost always, someone was there from church: praying, talking, or playing a game of chess.
The third day was coming to an end, as was Charlotte's hope for hearing her husband's voice. All she wanted was to hear him say her name, to know he was still there, to think that he'd walk out of the hospital to live the long life that they'd promised to one another.
Jack leaned back in his chair as his gaze moved back and forth between his mother and Frank. Charlotte was holding her husband's hand, missing the feel of his fingers wrapped through hers. She rested her arms on the edge of the bed, laid her head in her free hand, and began to pray. She prayed for a miracle, her husband's healing, and her own peace in adversity. She prayed non-stop for over fifteen minutes, then rested her head on her arm.
Jack continuously watched her, ensuring she was taking care of herself, and tried to keep her stress down in what little ways he could. Upon seeing her resting, Jack crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, taking advantage of a brief moment for a nap.
Charlotte and Jack were both in and out of the edge of slumber. The beeps and hums of the machines would lull them to sleep, then pull them back out. Just as Charlotte was about to doze off once more, a sound jerked her awake, along with Jack. They scrambled to their feet, hovering over Frank, their gazes locked on his face.
Frank's eyes fluttered open, and once they focused on the face he longed to see, he spoke.
"Charlotte."
