"Where are ya, Bo?" Cooter muttered as he trudged along, his determination all but completely sapped. He had been over the majority of the hospital, checking the break room, cafeteria, chapel and even the payphones, with no Bo to be found.
Giving up, he turned and made his way back to Luke's room, passing by a window. Seeing a familiar site, he looked out that window and saw Bo Duke, who sat on a bench in the outdoor courtyard.
Taking a deep breath, he made his way to the courtyard door, exiting it and walking over to his friend. Sitting down beside him, he removed his hat and scratched his head, silently admiring the pink crepe-myrtles that blew about in the wind.
"Cooter." Bo began, after about five minutes of thoughtful silence. "It's all my fault."
"What's your fault?" Cooter asked.
"Whatever it is that's wrong with Luke!" Bo replied, throwing up his arms in frustration. Cooter was a real gem, he thought, sitting there as if he didn't know what was going on. What he didn't realize was Cooter was just trying to get him to talk through his feelings.
"Whaddaya think is wrong with him?"
"I dunno." Bo replied. "But Dr. Kilmer and Major Edwards wouldn't both be here if it hadn't of been somethin' to do with them drugs. And seein' how Luke only took the antidote, it has somethin' to do with that one. And if I hadn't of been in trouble ta start with, he never would have took it."
Cooter replaced his hat and looked at Bo, who continued to stare at the ground. "So the way you figure it, two professionals who should have known better took advantage of you, hypnotized you and pumped you full of illegal drugs. And when you got sick by their actions, it was Luke's decision to test the antidote so you didn't get sicker, and somehow, the whole situation falls on your shoulders."
"But you don't understand…" Bo began. "If I hadn't went to see that dang hypnotist to begin with, we wouldn't be here today."
"And if the Mantooth's hadn't a put you through what they did…" Cooter replied. "You wouldn't 've ever had a reason to seek out the hypnotist to begin with."
Bo sighed. "I know Cooter, but….."
"But nothin'." Cooter replied. "This ain't your fault, Bo. When it comes right down to it, Luke's the one who decided to test that antidote, and he's a grown man. I sat right there in that room while the doctor explained the risks, and he took it knowin' risks were in place. But you can't even blame him for his decision. I'm almost certain if the situation were reversed, we could expect you to do the same thing."
"Well yeah." Bo replied. "I wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to Luke."
"And Luke didn't want anything else to happen to you." Cooter replied. "Don't make yourself out to be the bad guy because yer so dang loveable and everyone wants to take care of ya."
Bo looked over at his friend and managed a slight chuckle. "Why I didn't know you felt that way about me Cooter! But seein' how you just admitted it I need twenty dollars to…."
Cooter held up his hand. "Now don't push your luck." He said sternly before his lips curled into a wide grin.
Bo smiled back before sighing with dread.
"Ready to go find out the whole story?"
"Beat ya there." Bo fired off quickly, plucking the hat from Cooter's head and throwing it across the courtyard before he took off for the door, laughing."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Numb with emotion, Luke was amazed that he actually heard Dr. Kilmer and Doc Appleby as they explained the procedures that he would need to go through to receive dialysis treatments. By the time it was all over, he wasn't sure what was worse: the minor surgeries he would receive to prepare his body for the treatments or the fact that even after things got 'better' he would be still have to be hooked up to a machine two or more times a week just to keep his body functioning the way it should.
When the doctor finished and asked if Luke had any questions, Luke's only response was to lay his head against his pillow and close his eyes. As Uncle Jesse watched, a single tear escaped and made it's way down his cheek, the only hard evidence signifying what Luke was feeling.
"Luke…." Uncle Jesse began to console him. "It's gonna be okay."
"Okay?" Luke replied, swiftly rubbing the tear from his cheek. "How can it be okay, Jesse? Being hooked to a machine every week for the rest of my life? That's gonna cut in to chore time, not to mention eliminate any hope of ever going on the road with the Nascar circuit. And money! We don't have the kind of money to pay fer all these treatments!"
"Now you don't worry about the money, Luke." Jesse scolded him. "We ain't never had a lot but tha Lord's always provided when there's been a true need, and I don't see him abandonin' us now."
"You're uncle's right." Major Edwards announced. "The military isn't oblivious to the sacrifice you've endured by agreeing to test, and we will take full responsibility for all of the medical expenses, no matter how long they endure."
"But still." Luke replied. "I just can't see myself being hooked to a machine the rest of my life! Why I'd almost be better off………." He trailed off.
Uncle Jesse frowned. "Lukas Jesse Duke, I don't never wanna hear you talk like that again. Now all this is new to us, and it looks purty bad right now, but once we git used to thangs and see how they really are, they ain't gonna look this bleak no more."
"And don't forget the national donor list. You can put him on the list to receive a transplant, can't you Dr. Kilmer?" Daisy asked.
"Not for some time, Miss." Dr. Kilmer replied. "I'm sorry to dash your hopes, but Luke's situation is unique. You see, the drug he was given, we have discovered in past testing, will remain in his body in part for a period of up to seven years. Because it will remain for that length of time, you have to understand that any new kidney we planted in his body would also be exposed to that drug. And the chance that his new kidney could become damaged by exposure to the drug is higher than normal. And with thousands of people already on the list, suitable organs are given to the patients who are less likely to reject them."
"But there is something you might want to consider Daisy, Jesse." Dr. Appleby added. "You could always rally your extended family and your friends into possibly donating a kidney to Luke." He explained, seeing the crushed look on Luke's face and wanting to offer the family some hope.
"We can actually do that?" Daisy asked.
"Of course." Dr. Appleby explained. "The body is designed to get along on one functioning kidney just fine. If a suitable donor was found, and could give Luke a kidney, there's no reason both Luke and his donor couldn't continue to lead normal lives."
"And I wouldn't have to be on a machine any more?" Luke asked, perking up in interest.
"No Luke." Dr. Appleby explained. "You would have to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of your life however, so your body's inner defense mechanisms wouldn't see the new kidney as an invader."
"I can be tested!" Daisy volunteered, grasping Luke's hand in renewed hope.
"It's not that simple." Dr. Kilmer announced, an edge to his voice as the people around him tried to turn what he saw as a hopeless situation into a positive one. "For Mr. Duke to receive a new kidney, the possible donor would have to go through an intense physical examination, and the blood type and certain tissues would have to match. And even if a suitable donor is found with all the right matches, the possibility that the dormant drug could attack the new kidney is very real."
"Good afternoon, Mr. Duke."
Dr.'s Kilmer and Appleby, along with Major Edwards, jumped a bit at hearing a voice behind them. They turned and looked at the clean-shaven, red haired man who seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Settles, Atlanta Veteran's Hospital." He announced, shaking Luke's hand.
Dr. Kilmer looked at him in disbelief. "I don't know why you're here, but I'm perfectly capable of handling Mr. Duke's case, Myron." Dr. Kilmer announced.
"I'm disappointed, Bryan." Dr. Settles continued, flipping the pages in a file he had in his hand. "You of all people know the special interest I would hold in a case such as this." He replied, tossing the file toward Dr. Kilmer. "I took the liberty of reviewing all of Mr. Duke's documents."
As Dr. Kilmer caught the file, Dr. Settles turned his attention back toward Luke. "Mr. Duke, I know exactly where you stand. You see, my nineteen year old daughter has also suffered kidney failure as a result of exposure to this drug."
"Really?" Luke asked, having thought thus far he was the only one to have had this reaction. "How?"
"She came to work with me at the lab last summer, as a student intern." Dr. Settles explained. "One day, there was a vial of extremely concentrated antidote that got broken, and Rebekka's arm was cut. When that happened, some of the formula that was adhered to the glass entered her bloodstream. A couple days later, she discovered that she had been in the midst of a kidney infection. And no more than two months later, she started having the same symptoms you are."
"It was concluded long ago that you're daughter's lab accident did not cause her problem!" Dr. Kilmer argued. "Even if there were any residue on that glass, which I doubt, there would have been far too small an amount to do any of the damage you are claiming."
"Concluded to who's satisfaction, Bryan? Now I admit I've never had solid proof before, just suspicion. But after listening to your speeches about Mr. Duke's successful test of that antidote at all those meetings, then all of a sudden seeing the pair responsible for putting that test in action suddenly sneaking off to Capital City under hushed circumstances to see Mr. Duke, I just had to follow you."
"Myron, you had no right do that, and at the same time you are releasing confidential information to these people. I'll have to arrest you if you continue to do so." Gene Edwards reminded him.
"It's my understanding that this family already knows much more than they should concerning our research." Dr. Settles argued. "Mr. Duke, I've done my own research on this drug. As I'm sure you've concluded for yourself, anyone with a kidney ailment suffers under exposure."
As the Duke family took this in, Dr. Settles continued. "Unlike my colleague, I'm here to offer you real hope. You see, it is my theory that anyone without renal problems who is exposed to this drug becomes a perfect donor candidate, because the drug in essence, has already been accepted by the organs. And considering your cousin's exposure, I'd say if he's willing to donate, you have a good shot at a normal life!"
Ya know, this story has more ups and downs that a playground see saw. Right now, Luke's goin' up……and if Bo's on the other end……well maybe that wasn't the best example.
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