Note: I am not a doctor, nor do i have any medical training so if its inaccurate blame my google searching.
Chapter 6:
About an hour later the nurse came in followed by a doctor. Julie muted the TV.
"Good evening Miss. Taylor. I'm Doctor Jones and I have your x-ray results. Are your parents here yet?"
"Um. No sir, they are traveling from Dallas so it should still be a little while."
"Okay well it's not great news. Nurse Angela here is going to go ahead and give you an IV and get you started with some pain meds. After looking over the x-rays I would think you are in a good bit of severe pain. Yes?"
"Well… yes i am… but is an IV needed? I could take pills…"
"Sorry darling… if you don't like the IV you're not going to like the rest of my news either."
Tim suddenly got very nervous. Julie got scared. Tim wanted to hold her hand but the nurse was in between them.
"Well what is it?" She asked a little rudely but she was distracted with Nurse Angela starting the IV in her left arm.
"Ow!"
"Calm down please Miss Taylor…" Nurse Angela said.
Julie growled and Tim couldn't stop himself from laughing.
"Sorry. Sorry." He said when he caught his breath.
"What is the rest of the news?" She asked again.
"You have 3 cracked ribs."
Tim's eyebrows shot up. Three? Jeez. That bastard.
Julie flinched. Three? That seems like a lot for one punch.
"Three? Are you sure… It was just one uh… hit."
"Well it was a bad one at just the wrong angle. Yes you have three ribs on your right side that are each cracked. They will heal but it will take about six weeks. I'll have some reading material brought in for you about things not to do and some important things to remember during healing. They are not jagged so you are not in danger of puncturing any internal organs at this time. "
"Oh jeez… okay…" She said.
"Also… your wrist is broken."
Julie wanted to cry.
"Broken?"
"Oh cool, you'll get a cast for me to sign." Tim said trying to lighten the mood in the room.
Julie tried to smile.
"Actually… Based on the x-ray it is a little bit complicated. The broken ends of the bone are not aligned properly so there is a gap between the 2 pieces of bone. I will need to manipulate the pieces back into position in a surgical procedure called a reduction."
That sounds like shit. Tim thought.
"That sounds horrible." Julie muttered.
"Yes well it is a procedure I only preform under general anesthetic so we will need parental consent before we can do that. I am trying to consult with the pediatric orthopedist because i would prefer he do the procedure since you are a pediatric patient. He will not arrive till morning... Anyway... Then you will have a soft cast for about 2 weeks while the stitches heal and then you will get a hard plaster cast."
"How long?"
"Best guess is 8 weeks once you get the hard cast. Some patients heal faster some slower but 8 would be average."
Jeez. I want to go rip JD limb from limb. He really hurt her. I hope he rots in jail. Tim thought.
Oh my God. This is so much… I'm just… oh my God. Julie thought.
She swallowed. "Okay."
"Alrighty. Angela is gonna give you that shot now. You'll also get some fluids just so we make sure you aren't dehydrated and then she will immobilize your wrist for now until we get consent for the procedure."
"Um…?"
"Yes?"
"Do I have any other option besides having surgery?"
The doctor frowned. "No… not really… why?"
"Well I just don't love the idea of surgery. I've never had surgery or broken a bone… actually this is my first time even being in an ER except as a baby for a fever. Now you just told me I have four broken things. FOUR. I'm a little…. Uh scared… and frustrated and I dunno… MAD."
3 sets of eyebrows went up during her outburst. She got a little loud.
"Angela will take care of you now. I'll be back when your parents arrive." And off he went.
"What's in the shot?" Tim asked Nurse Angela.
"Morphine. No allergies right darling?"
"Right. I don't have any allergies." She said.
"Okay hun just lie on back. This will help with the pain and will probably put you to sleep for a little while."
"Um... Angela?"
"Yes?"
"Can i have crackers or something? or a drink?"
"Sure. I'll bring some. Relax now."
"Tim?"
"Yeah?"
"You're staying right?"
He smiled. "Of course."
Julie relaxed a little after the shot and watched as Nurse Angela wrapped her right wrist with a metal rod under her arm to stabilize it and then wrapped from elbow down to her hand with a brown elastic bandage. Then she propped it with 2 more pillows.
"Julie hunny, it's best if you keep your arm above your heart to reduce swelling okay?"
"Yes ma'am." Julie said sleepily and kind of slurred.
Angela smirked and turned to Tim. "The medicine is already kicking in. She'll be out soon. If you or her need anything just hit the red button."
"Thank you ma'am." He said as she slipped out.
"Tim?"
"Yeah Jules?"
"Thanks for saving me."
"You're welcome… I am now really wishing I would have kicked his ass though. I'm sorry you have so many injuries and that you're scared."
"I'm okay… at least he didn't… well… you know."
"Still… he hurt you."
"I'm a virgin Tim. It coulda been worse…"
Tim swallowed and clenched his jaw.
"Tim... I hate him."
"Okay. Me too Julie… rest now. When you wake up your parents will probably be here."
She flinched.
"They are gonna be so mad Tim." Her words were slurring like a drunk.
"They won't be mad at you Julie. Just him."
"I wasn't supposed to go out. No parties. It was just a sleepover at Tyra's for her birthday…. oh crap… is Tyra okay? Did she even get home? She was with Landry... I hope she is okay."
"I'll call her. You rest. I'm here. The cops are here. You are safe. Just rest please."
"Thanks for protecting me Tim. I like you."
He smiled a huge smile.
"Uh thanks? I like you too Julie. Nighty night."
Tim thought about her words. That was... well... she is on drugs now... little doped up Taylor... who knows what else she could say?
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