Chapter Twelve
Captain Stanley walked out of his office, wanting to get something from his locker. He opted to walk past the day room. It had been quiet, too quiet. Quiet was never good while Chet Kelly and Johnny Gage occupied the same building. As he walked past, he quickly glanced inside. Roy was sitting at the table working on a crossword, Mike was reading a book, and Marco and Chet were talking amicably on the couch petting Henry. Hank frowned, "Where's Gage?" he thought. As he walked behind the engine, he happened to see a man on the top of the hose tower. He went to open the back door and yell at the bystander, to tell him to get down, when he realized it was his elusive medic. Stanley stopped, put his hands on his waist and observed the perched rescue man. John stared at the sky, his legs swinging freely over the edge. He seemed to be taking deep breaths. Hank noticed the radio sitting next to him and smiled slightly. "I should get Roy." He thought as he turned around, forgetting why he got up in the first place. Standing in the door to the dayroom he said, "Roy, can I see you for a sec?" He tried to sound as casual as he could, trying not to stress the man out. Roy looked at his shift mates in confusion and shrugged his shoulders.
To Roy's surprise, the Captain made a right out of the dayroom, heading to the back of the station, as opposed to his office. Stanley pointed out the garage door windows. To Roy's credit, he hid his surprise of spotting his partner at the top of the tower. "I'm worried about him," Hank said to the senior medic. "Is he alright?"
Roy sighed, "I can't really tell you, it's not my place. But someone we met last shift has shaken him up." He put his hands on his waist wishing, not for the first time, his friend would tell everyone.
"I see, is he good to work?" Stanley didn't want to ask, but had too.
Roy vehemently nodded his head saying passionately, "Prior to contrary belief, he would say something if he wasn't able to do the job." Stanley simply nodded at the usually calm man. "I can talk to him if you want," Roy added, his defensive tone gone, "But I've noticed it's better if I wait for him to come to me."
Hank nodded, "I trust you Roy, let me know if I can do anything."
"I will." Roy promised. When Stanley left, he said under his breath, "What am I to do with you Junior?"
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Johnny had seen the impromptu meeting though the bay door windows. "Pull your shit together Gage." he said. "They probably think I can't work." After another minute passed, he came down from the hose tower. After replacing the squad's radio, he looked down at his hands. They weren't shaking anymore. Smiling at his victory, he went in search of some coffee.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Roy looked up from his crosswords at his partner. Not wanting to ask about how he was in front of everyone, he opted for, "What's a five-letter word for contempt?" looking at Johnny. John stopped in his tracks, clearly thinking. The wheels turning in his head visible.
"Scorn." he said and continued walking. After pouring himself a cup of coffee, he joined his partner at the table. He leaned back in his chair and put his feet up. Marco and Chet shared a look, they had been worried about their fellow crewmate, still were. He was quiet. Johnny had almost finished his cup of coffee when;
"Squad 51, respond to the sick woman at 764 Traymore Ln, 7-6-4 Traymore Ln, ambulance is responding, time out 1511."
Johnny chugged the remainder and left the mug on the table. Roy said to the group, "Don't touch the crosswords." staring them down.
Three pairs of hands went up "Okay geez." they silently promised as the two raced out of the room. Roy got into the driver's seat and turned the key, the engine spurred to life. He passed the slip of paper to Johnny and put on his helmet.
"Right out of the station pally." advised his navigator.
When they arrived, they were met by a frantic man. He was waving them down and ushering them in. "Hurry, she's inside." he said in a panic. "My wife's been sick this whole week, but now she's not waking up." Johnny stole a glance at his partner as they collected their equipment. Inside, the woman was lying on a bed, covered in blankets. Roy got to her first and immediately stripped all the blankets.
"I need a thermometer and a BP cuff John." he said sternly as he checked the woman. He rubbed her chest with his knuckles while he waited. "Ma'am, ma'am?" he asked. She groaned in response. Soon a thermometer, a stethoscope, and a BP cuff were thrust into Roy's hands and he went straight to work.
"Sir?" Johnny asked the man, causing him to rip his gaze away. "What's her name and how old is she?" Johnny asked, paper and pencil ready.
"Her name's Beth and she's 28. She's never been this sick before, what's happening?" he nearly yelled.
"Alright, I understand." John replied, "My name's John and that's my partner over there, we're helping your wife, but we need some answers." He said, trying to calm the husband down. "You said she's been sick a week?" The husband replied that she got sick about a week ago, and had been coughing a lot. "Roy," Johnny said, getting his attention, "Probable pneumonia."
Roy nodded his head and said, "Got a BP of 80/62, a heart rate of 130, and respirations of 20. Temp is 102.3, lungs are junky."
While Roy looked over the patient, Johnny hooked up the biophone and called Rampart. He quickly summed up what was happening and requested two IV sites.
"Go ahead with the two IV sites 51. I want D5W wide open in both. I suspect sepsis so let's try and get her pressure up some." Dr. Early said from the hospital. Johnny repeated the orders and put the receiver back in the orange box. He pulled out two IV kits and two bags of fluid, handing one to Roy.
"I found an okay vein on this side when I was getting a pressure, good luck over there." Roy said, "She's pretty dehydrated." he added in explanation. Johnny went over to the other side of the bed while he explained to the husband what they were doing.
"Sir, could you go wait outside for the ambulance, they should be here soon." Johnny suggested to the pacing man. He nodded numbly and left the room.
"She's pretty septic." Roy said, setting up the IV after getting a flash. Johnny nodded while he palpated for a vein.
"That's what Early thinks." There was a pause, "You weren't kidding," Johnny said, "Her veins are terrible over here." He took the tourniquet off and moved it further down her arm. "They're gonna have to deal with a hand vein, there's nothing else."
Roy took her pulse again, "You'd have to get one in the hand if we want to take more BP's anyway" Roy advised. Johnny stayed silent as he concentrated. Roy took the initiative and hooked their patient up to a 4 lead on their monitor. "Just so I can keep an eye." he said in explanation.
"Got it." Johnny said in triumph, now hooking up the needed fluid. "They're both wide open."
"We got sinus tach on the monitor, wasn't really expecting anything else." Roy said. Johnny murmured in agreement as he focused on securing his IV. While John was busy, Roy updated Rampart. As he was talking, he heard sirens in the background. He said to Johnny, "I'll go in with her."
"Figured," John replied focused, "Let's get her ready to go."