Hi, guys! This was supposed to be uploaded on the 26th, but I'm super busy tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday, so I thought I'd upload it early. Thank you again for you reviews.
Disclaimer: Bob's Burgers and its characters belong to Loren Bouchard.
A Cry in the Park
Chapter 7
Bob was awakened at around 6pm that evening by Robin gently shaking his shoulder.
"Excuse me, Mr. Belcher?" she whispered. "We need to take Louise for her hyperbaric treatment now, so if you could please step aside..."
"Sure," Bob also whispered, scooting back in his chair and stretching out his stiff legs. Not wanting to wake his wife, he gently pulled the chair she was sleeping in out of the way.
The IV's were temporarily removed from Louise's arms, the marks covered with band-aids, and the sleeping girl was gently placed on a gurney before being wheeled out of the room. Bob had intended to go with Louise, but before he could properly think about it, he had fallen back asleep, truly exhausted.
Louise was wheeled down the sterile hallways, still dormant, and only awoke when she was placed on the table that would put her inside the monoplace oxygen chamber, which resembled a giant, clear glass tube.
"It's all right, Louise," Robin smiled down at her, noticing she was looking around confusedly. There were doctors strolling around in their white coats, observing the two oxygen chambers, one of which already had a man inside. "We're just going to put you inside this oxygen chamber here, and it'll help you get well again. You may feel a little pressure in your ears, but it's nothing to worry about. There's also a TV above you, so you can watch that, if you like." Louise did not say anything; she didn't look like she even understood what Robin had said, so the doctors slid her table into the tube and closed the hatch. More intravenous fluids that were rehydrating her were again attached to her arm through a small port in the side of the chamber.
Louise had fallen asleep before they had even turned on the oxygen.
Bob and Linda only awoke when Louise was brought back to her room; her arms and legs hadn't changed during her ninety minute treatment, but the doctors hoped that consecutive sessions would heal the damaged tissue. Linda stayed with Louise as her IV's were put back in her arms, while Bob went to awaken his other children. When they arrived back at the room, the nurses were beginning to clean Louise's back wounds.
Her electrical bed had been adjusted so that she was in a sitting position, and her hospital gown was parted.
"Okay, Louise," said Lucy, "we're just going to clean the wounds on your back. It's going to sting a little, okay?" It was pointless talking to Louise; the girl was so physically exhausted that she was unable to sit up unassisted, let alone talk, but the two women continued to do so.
The nurses began to clean the pressure wounds on her bruised back with a saltwater solution. It was painful, but Louise only only sat there, eyes half open, head lolling against Lucy's shoulder, her parents unable to hold her hands because she had a nurse either side of her, and her siblings were stood at the foot of the bed, watching silently.
Linda, who was the closest, could see the wounds which resembled little craters; they were red, blackened and shiny, with bits of dead tissue surrounding them. Linda wasn't that squeamish, but she had to try very hard not to gag. Bob had moved over to the window, and was determinedly staring out of it, sweating heavily. Linda spoke to Louise while her wounds was cleaned and even though she didn't answer, she still did her best to comfort her daughter.
Soon enough, the nurses had finished; they tilted the bed back, being careful to keep her shoulders and lower back on the foam blocks that were keeping her slightly elevated. Louise had already gone back to sleep.
Dr. Cabell had now entered the room, and Linda immediately rounded on him. A decent sleep had fully rejuvenated her, and she was ready for anything.
"How come I was not allowed in with her this morning?" she said, referring to the emergency room.
"Louise had to be examined by our trauma team, and we needed calm and quiet to -"
"Yeah, they said that, but I want to know why. I wouldn't have been in the way; I could have just been there for her, and it might have helped." Cabell remained silent. "Was she scared?" Linda asked. "In the emergency room, was she scared?" That was what annoyed her the most about not being allowed to be with Louise; she might have needed her, and she wasn't able to comfort her child.
"She was more tired than anything else," Robin told her. "She asked for you both a few times," she added.
"See; she needed me!" said Linda, a hint of triumph in her voice. "My baby needed me, and you wouldn't let me in!"
"Alright, ma'am, I'll tell you why it was best for you to remain outside. In the ambulance, when we were checking Louise over, we noticed that her pulse was rapid and weak, and we wanted to do everything we could to avoid putting any untold stress on her. If you and your family had come in, she might have gotten overly excited. I'm sorry we couldn't tell you this earlier; we didn't want to worry you more."
"Is she okay now? Is her heart okay?" Linda almost gagged; all she could were the words 'rapid and weak pulse' over and over again, echoing inside her head until they bashed against the sides of her skull.
"Yes, her pulse is stronger," said Cabell, as he and Robin checked the equipment hooked up to Louise, while the family stood there, shocked. That was the most frightening news of all, and none of them said a word because they couldn't think of anything to say.
"Listen, Lin, I'm going to take the kids' home for a while," said Bob after an hour, when Louise had still not awakened. "Get them something to eat, get a bit of rest, and maybe bring some things for Louise."
"Okay," said Linda, not taking her eyes off of her sleeping daughter. Bob kissed her, and then Louise before leaving with his other children; Gene quickly ran back to give Louise a hug, followed by Tina.
The three of them walked silently through the hospital, not saying a word to one another. Each of them were lost in their own thoughts. Once outside, Bob scoured the car park for his car.
"Kids', do you remember where we parked?" he asked, genuinely not knowing. He couldn't see the car at all, and he was confused. Gene and Tina remained silent, waiting for him to figure it out. "Oh, that's right," said Bob a few moments later, realisation dawning upon him. "We didn't drive here. Well, I guess we'll have to take a cab," and pulled out the emergency phone to call a taxi.
The drive home was strangely quiet; they were overjoyed, but also wrought with worry. The joy outweighed the worry, however, for they were all smiling. Bob was immensely pleased, but then he was so happy he was sure seeing a cat playing with a ball of string would make him tear up with joy.
"Right, that'll be $7," said the taxi driver as he inched up outside the Belcher home, outside of which was Teddy, Mort, Regular Sized Rudy, Millie, Zeke, and the Pesto boys.
"Right," said Bob, reaching into his pocket for his wallet, only to find that it wasn't there. He felt in the other pocket, but his wallet wasn't there, either. "My wallet's inside, can I just -" but the driver, who had been looking at him in the mirror, cut him off.
"Now I know where I recognise you from! You're that little girl's dad!" he grinned. Bob remained silent. "You know what? This one's on me," he said, and Bob's jaw dropped.
"No, it's okay, really; my wallet's just inside..." Bob said, but the driver waved his hand.
"Seriously, it's fine. It's on me."
"... Thank you. Thank you so much," said Bob genuinely, as he and the children exited the taxi. Gene and Tina were being extremely careful to not make any eye contact with Millie.
"No problem!" called the driver as he sped off.
"Bob! Bobby!" called Teddy, as Bob pulled his keys from his pocket. "How's she doin'?"
"She's gonna be okay," said Bob, after a moment's hesitation; he didn't think he could talk about how his daughter was in danger of losing limbs, and having a possible kidney transplant. Teddy grinned, as did the others.
"That's great!" Mort beamed. "Is she awake yet?"
"No, she's still sleeping."
"We're going to bring some stuff for her," said Gene.
"Oh, here," Teddy reached into his jacket pocket and held up Kuchi Kopi. "The guy brought it up after they put Louise in the ambulance."
"Thanks, Teddy," Bob took the night light. "We'll let you guys know when you can see her," and he unlocked the door. A mound of envelopes were piled in front of the door, and Bob was confused at the mountain of paper. Picking up an envelope, he saw that it was addressed to him and Linda, and so he opened it. Inside was a card which had the word 'congratulations' printed on it in surrounded by fireworks. The card read 'Mr and Mrs. Belcher. You don't know us, but we have been following the story of your daughter's rescue ever since it broke last week. We can't tell you how happy we are that she's safe and sound, and we hope she makes a speedy recovery.
Best regards,
Mr and Mrs. Adams.'
"Wow, that's really nice," said Bob, genuinely touched. The other envelopes appeared to be the same, so they gathered all of them up into a pile, and placed them on the table in the kitchen.
Everything looked so different and yet the same. The last time they had been inside this house, Louise had still been trapped in the well. Now, it seemed so quiet. "Okay, why don't you guys get some of Louise's things, and I'll make us some dinner?" Bob suggested; and Gene and Tina went off to Louise's room, while Bob remained in the kitchen.
Tina and Gene stood in Louise's little room, wondering what to bring for her. At this particular moment, she wasn't able to do anything.
Eventually, they decided on some of her mangas, her Bakeneko and Akkoro Kamui plushes, and two board games, and they headed back into the kitchen to have dinner with their father, which they ate in silence.
"Do you think Louise is awake yet?" asked Tina, breaking the silence.
"She might be," said Gene. "She seemed pretty tired."
"I don't blame her," said Bob. "I doubt she slept much in the well."
"Is Louise's heart going to get better?" asked Tina.
"You know, I think we should take some of those cards to the hospital," said Bob, trying to lighten the mood, and pretending he hadn't heard the last question. "It might cheer her up."
"What time should we go back?" asked Gene.
"Well, if you're all finished, we could go right now," Bob suggested, and the kids' rose from their seats and made their way over to the door. Bob was sorting through the pile of envelopes, before picking out a handful and stuffing them into his pocket.
Climbing into the car, they made their way to the hospital; in order to get there, they had to drive past Wharf Park. Bob couldn't help slowing down as he approached, before stopping completely. He looked at his children in the mirror, before they got out of the car, and began to walk through the park.
When they reached the well. they were rather shocked to see that the area still looked the same. The benches were still ripped down, the barriers were still in place, Styrofoam cups littered the ground, the air compressor still remained, and practically of the volunteers were still there.
After Louise had been pulled from the well, the men had been so exhausted that they had literally slept where they fell. But now, they were beginning to clean up, and Bob walked through the park, followed by the children.
Tim and Charlie were still there, as were Richards and Davis, and Carol; the five of them helping the volunteers to clean up the site.
"Hello, Mr. Belcher," said Davis as he spotted the man. "How's Louise doing?"
"She's going to be okay," said Bob.
"That's great to hear," he smiled, before beckoning them over. Following him, the three Belchers' looked down at the well; it had been covered with a metal plate and welded shut, rendering it impossible for anyone else to fall in. "It's been filled with cement," Davis told them, "and the rescue tunnel will also be filled with cement today." For now, the tunnel remained exposed; Gene's curiosity got the better of him, and he ran over to the rescue shaft and peered down. It was so deep, he couldn't see the bottom, and he crouched down in fascination.
"Gene!" Bob, fearful that his son would fall, ran over to the boy, and grabbed him. He couldn't stop himself from looking down into the tunnel, as well. It really put into perspective at how deep underground Louise had been trapped. Bob stared into the abyss while Tina joined him, looking into the tunnel, as well.
"Wow," Tina muttered quietly.
Tears were streaming down Bob's face. Rising to his feet, he faced the first person he saw, which happened to be Davis, and hugged him tightly.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he sobbed, hugging Richards, then Tim, then Charlie, and eventually, every single person in the park.
"We were just doing our jobs, sir," said Richards honestly, looking a bit embarrassed, surrounded by policemen, firemen and volunteers.
"But you saved her! You saved my daughter," said Bob, more tears running down his face. "I can't thank you all enough!" Bob didn't know how to show his appreciation; his daughter was alive because of them.
"Honestly, sir, we just did what we had to," said one digger, still covered in dust.
"Is she allowed visitors yet?" asked Tim; as he and Charlie were still lying down by the well when Louise had been brought up, they hadn't seen her properly; they had stood up when Louise appeared, but there was too many people around her. They wanted to visit and see how she was doing.
"Oh, well, she's not up for visitors yet," Bob told him, "but when she is, we'll let you know." The men began to disperse shortly after, and continued their arduous task of cleaning up the park, and the family went back to the car.
When they arrived back at the hospital, they were stopped by a nurse just before they entered the ICU.
"What's that you've got there?" the nurse smiled down at Tina who was holding Bakeneko.
"Some stuff for my sister," she said.
"How lovely. Okay, well, we're gonna have to wash the toys before she can have them."
"Why?" asked Bob.
"It's to prevent infection. Everything coming in to the ICU has to be thoroughly cleaned, even the night light," she looked at Kuchi Kopi, who Bob was holding.
"Oh, Kuchi Kopi can't be washed," said Bob, dread filling his stomach at what happened the last time that had happened. "He's made of vinyl, and has batteries."
"Okay, but if he can't be cleaned, then I'm afraid it can't come in to the ICU."
"It's her favourite toy," said Bob, trying to make her see sense.
"I know that, sir, but it was underground and is probably covered with germs, and we can't risk it. What if we clean it with a cloth?"
"That'll be fine," said Bob. "She needs this." The nurse nodded and took the toys.
When they entered Louise's room, she was still asleep, and Linda was filling out some forms. "Hey, honey," Bob kissed her on the cheek. "Has she woken up yet?"
"Not yet," Linda scribbled something at the bottom of the paper, and handed it over to Lucy.
"What's that?" Gene asked.
"Louise has to have surgery tomorrow," Linda told him, her voice thick.
"What kind?" asked Bob, sitting down next to her.
"A fasci-... fasci-something," Linda was unable to remember what it was called.
"A fasciotomy," Lucy told them. "We make a few incisions in the arms and legs, and it relieves pressure caused by swelling."
"Is it bad enough for surgery?" Bob thought that Louise had been through enough; couldn't they just let her rest for a few days?
"I'm afraid it is. You see, the circulation in Louise's arms and legs was cut off in the well, and as her body rehydrates, the limbs swell, and the swelling causes the pressure to slow down the return of blood circulation."
Nobody knew quite what to say to that.
"So, this will help her?" asked Bob eventually.
"Yes; it will improve circulation and blood flow. Louise will also be having debridement surgery, where we will remove the dead tissue from her affected limbs."
"But isn't this all too much? I mean, can't she rest for a while?" asked Linda.
"I'm afraid it needs to be done sooner rather than later," said Lucy apologetically. "If we don't, then we will have to amputate."
"What's that thing in Louise's neck?" asked Gene, breaking the silence that followed Lucy's explanation. He had been staring at the catheter ever since they had arrived.
"It's dialysis," explained the nurse. "It takes the blood out of your sister's body, cleans it in this machine, and then returns it to Louise." Gene imagined dozens of tiny little elves in a sort of Santa's Workshop type place running around inside the machine. In his minds eye, he saw the minuscule elves taking Louise's blood (which had solidified) and pouring washing up liquid all over it, scrubbing the blood using wooden tubs and wash boards, before rinsing it and putting it in the dryer. Gene saw the clean blood, now shiny and sparkling, making its way back into his little sister's body.
"So, why does Louise have blood that needs to be cleaned?" he asked.
"Well, you see, your kidneys have a special job; they clean all of the waste from your blood, and other things inside your body to keep you healthy. When Louise fell in the well, her kidneys stopped working after a while, and they weren't able to clean out the waste, so this machine is doing it for her."
"Will her kidneys work again?" asked Gene with intent fascination.
"Yes, after a while," Lucy smiled at Gene, then turned to Bob and Linda. "She should come off the dialysis before the end of the week," she told them, and the parents nodded. At least there was some good news.
Just then, slight movement from the bed caused them all to turn their attention to it; Louise was stirring.
"We went back to the park, and those policemen asked me when Louise could have visitors," Bob said to Linda, as they watched their daughter slowly wake up.
"What did you tell them?"
"I said she wasn't up to it right now," Linda only nodded as Louise's eyes fluttered open.
"Hey, Louise," she said softly. "How are you feeling, sweetie?" Again, Louise did not answer, instead merely looking around confusedly with bleary eyes. "Poor baby," whispered Linda, gently stroking her forehead. "You know what?" She turned back to Bob. "They brought her some food before you came back, and she barely touched it! I don't get it; I thought she'd be starving."
"I think she's just too tired," Bob looked pityingly at his daughter.
The television was on, and was tuned to the local news station, in the middle of a report. Tina recognised the park on the screen and pointed it out, causing the family to watch the story.
"...to normal, now," a reporter was saying, as the volunteers cleaned up the park behind him. "And, of course, the well has already been filled and capped securely, and the rescue tunnel that was dug to free her is to be filled in, as well. You can see that all of these volunteers are still cleaning up the rescue site; of course, all of the machinery will be taken back, and the benches will be put back up -" Linda muted the TV, and turned back to Louise, who was still awake, but might as well still have been sleeping. "Thank God they've covered the well," she muttered, taking her daughter's hand.
"They've also welded a lid onto it," Bob told her, grabbing the remote and un-muting the television.
"And now, we're speaking with the man who pulled Louise from the well," the reporter was standing next to Patrick Baker, whom the Belchers instantly recognised. "Sir, would you mind telling us how you managed to free the girl?"
"Well, the doctor told me to get her out, no matter what, even if I had to break her arms and legs. The doctor said that if I had to do it, then I had to do it." Patrick began, having already relayed this story to several other reporters. "Once I got my head and shoulders into the well, I just started removing all the bricks, and putting them in a bucket, just clearing all the rubble off of her. There was a lot, and so it took me a while. Eventually, I managed to free her arms, and she just stared at me, and then I reached forward and picked her up, and I pulled her into the tunnel, and she just lay there in my arms. Her arms and legs were black, and she was completely silent. I didn't have to tell her to calm down or anything. When I had pulled her into the tunnel, Louise went limp."
"She went limp?" the reporter interrupted. "How do you mean?"
"I mean, I pulled her into the tunnel, and her whole body went limp, like she had fainted; I think it might have been too much for her."
"Wow, that must have been frightening."
"It was," Patrick admitted, not saying anything about how he had briefly panicked because he thought that Louise had died. He then spoke about how happy he was that Louise was recovering, and he expressed a wish to visit the girl, and the interview was over.
Now that the report had finished, Bob muted the television and turned back to Louise, who was still barely awake. They were trying to absorb what they had just heard, particularly about Louise falling limp after being freed; they could only imagine at how scared she must have been, and how relieved she must have felt to be rescued. Although they tried, especially the children, they could not fathom what it was like to be stuck in a small, dark space underground, being unable to move, and, after a while, unable to call for help.
"Excuse me, Mr and Mrs. Belcher?" Robin approached them, jerking them out of their thoughts. "There's a woman outside wanting to speak with you; a reporter. Would you like her to come in?"
"Uh..." Bob and Linda looked at one another. "Sure. Why not?" Robin returned to the door, and let in amateur reporter Olsen Benner, followed by Ed and his trusty camera.
"Good afternoon, Mr and Mrs. Belcher," she began professionally. She still looked dishevelled after almost a week of continuous news coverage; now Nathan was pestering her to get an exclusive interview with the family, and if she could manage it, talk to Louise herself. "I'm really sorry I have to do this; but my boss is insisting for an interview."
"That's okay," said Bob amiably. He and Linda were a lot more accommodating for the media now, naturally, and they had promised her an interview, after all.
"Could you not interview the children?" asked Linda, as she did not want them exposed to the press.
"Of course not; I just want to quickly speak to the both of you. First off, I just want to say that I'm so glad that Louise is out," said Olsen sincerely, as she took out her notebook and pen, and Ed pointed the camera at them.
"Thank you; so are we," said Linda.
"How does it feel now that Louise is out? To see her again after all that waiting?"
"It feels .. amazing; I mean, there aren't any words to describe how happy we are," said Bob. "I'm just so relieved."
"Tell me, if you can, how you felt when you discovered that Louise had fallen in the well."
"I just – I didn't want to believe it," said Bob. "This girl came into the restaurant and said that Louise was in trouble; she'd fallen into a well, and I couldn't believe it, so I followed her to the park, and called Louise, and when I heard her voice, that's when I knew it was true. It was awful."
"I – I had never been so scared in my entire life," Linda admitted. "I felt like my heart had stopped, and I was reaching down the well, trying to pull her back up, but she was too far to reach. I was trying to be calm, but I was terrified."
"Has Louise's condition changed at all?" Olsen asked, and Lucy, who was standing nearby, answered her.
"Her condition still remains serious, but stable," she confirmed.
"And what about the rumours of amputation? Will you need to amputate, or can it be avoided?"
"We shall not know for several more days."
"Is Louise scheduled to have any surgeries?"
"Yes; she is due to have a fasciotomy and debridement tomorrow," said Lucy, after glancing at Linda and Bob, who had nodded their okay.
"How do you feel about the trust fund that's been set up to pay Louise's hospital bills?" Judging from the looks' on Bob and Linda's faces, this was the first they had heard of it.
"Someone set up a trust fund?" asked Bob, his eyes welling over.
"Yes, the money raised will go towards the hospital bills."
"That's so generous!" Linda gasped. "I – I don't know what to say; I – I'm overwhelmed!"
"Okay, this is the last question; Mr and Mrs. Belcher, is there anything you would like to say to the people who saved your daughter?"
"I want to thank each and every one of them," said Linda sincerely. "I'm so glad she's out of the well, and she's safe and alive, and it's down to all of those people that she's here with us now. Thank you so much, to everyone."
"Thank you, Mr and Mrs. Belcher," said Olsen, finishing up her writing in the little notebook. "Could I trouble you for a few pictures?" As Bob and Linda couldn't see a problem with that, they agreed.
Ed moved over to the left side of Louise's bed, and aimed his camera. The resulting photograph, which made the front page of the local newspaper, and several others, the following day, showed Louise lying in her bed, her eyes barely open. It showed the bruises on her face, the catheter in her neck, the IV's in her blackened arms, and the equipment surrounding her. "Could one of you sit on the other side of the bed?" Olsen asked, moving a few feet away from the foot of the bed; the parents complied, and Ed snapped a picture of Bob and Linda at the bedside. Linda was holding Louise's left hand, and Bob had one of his hands gently resting on Louise's right arm, as Olsen had told them to do. Ed took two pictures; one of Linda and Bob looking at Louise, and another of them looking at the camera. When she had finished, Olsen left, thanking them before she did so.
Linda noticed that Louise was still awake, and that she was still staring blankly ahead.
"Right, that's it," she said, and everybody looked at her. "From now on, no one speaks to any reporters unless Louise says it's okay," she ordered.
"Why?" asked Tina.
"Look at her," Linda gestured to her bedridden child. "She didn't even know that man was here! When she wakes up properly, if she wants anyone to speak to the press, then we can; but not until she's ready. It's her story, after all."
A couple of hours later, Louise had fallen asleep, when a doctor they hadn't seen before entered the room.
"Hello, Mr and Mrs Belcher, my name's Doctor Kettleman, and I specialise in child psychology," he shook their hands, gesturing for them to sit.
"Are you here to talk to Louise?" asked Bob.
"Well, I hope to in the future, but, right now, I just want to have a quick chat with you two, about what you might expect from her."
"Like what?" Linda leaned forward slightly.
"I believe Dr. Cabell mentioned emotional trauma?" he asked, and the parents nodded. "It is very likely that she will suffer from that. It's too early to tell right now, and I don't want to make any formal diagnosis yet, but given what she's been through, it would be astounding if she came through mentally unscathed."
"What is.. emotional trauma?" asked Bob.
"In her case, there would be things like nightmares, flashbacks, trouble sleeping; she may be overwhelmed by certain fears, things like that. These are all perfectly normal things for her to experience. She may have some sort of anxiety, possibly when you leave her sight, and she may mentally regress a little bit, and become clingy. Again, it's all completely normal, so I don't want you to worry. From what I've seen, you seem to be a very supportive family, and that will be the most helpful thing." Bob and Linda looked relieved.
"So, we just keep doing what we're doing?" Linda clarified, and the doctor nodded.
"Yes, and also remember to look after yourselves; it was a stressful time for you, too. If you feel worried, then please, talk to me. It's natural for you to feel overprotective of her now. You may have nightmares too, but again, it's all normal. I obviously wouldn't speak to her today; I don't want to overwhelm her."
"I think she's too tired right now," said Linda, and Kettleman nodded.
"That's fine. Would it be alright to see if I can speak to Louise in a week or two?" he suggested.
"Well, if she wants to," said Bob slowly. "She's.. not very good at expressing her feelings," he admitted. "If she doesn't want to talk, then we're not gonna force her."
"That's perfectly fine," nodded Kettleman. "Absolutely fine. If she decides she wants to talk -" 'She won't,' Bob thought, "then we can arrange something. If not, perhaps give her a little time to recover, and then try again?"
"How come?"
"It'll be a way for us to see how she's coping. It's very likely that she will struggle, and keeping support options open could be a big help."
"Okay, we'll do that," said Bob, privately thinking that Louise would never breathe a word of it. "And, uh, we'll let you know."
"No problem," the doctor rose, as did the parents. "It was nice to meet you." He nodded again.
"Thank you so much, doctor," said Linda.
When he left, they resumed sitting, and they were silent. It was quite scary to think about how Louise could go through yet more trauma.
"Well, we'll just have to help her," said Bob finally, as if in response to a question.
"We can do that."
"What's emotional trauma?" asked Gene. "Is Louise gonna be like I was when we found out Bruce Willis was dead the whole time?"
"We don't know," said Bob honestly. "From what the doctor said, it's mainly bad dreams, and she might feel anxious."
"They can help her, right?" asked Tina quietly, looking worried.
"Of course they can," Bob assured her. "They're doctors. There isn't anything doctors can't do."
"Except get down and boogie," said Gene.
After a good night's sleep, in which Bob and Linda again fell asleep at their daughter's bedside, they were awoken by Lucy and Robin examining Louise. To their surprise, Gene and Tina were there, as well, curled up asleep in their chairs.
Linda glanced at the clock, it was after eight in the morning, which meant that she had missed Louise's first hyperbaric treatment of the day. Linda promised herself that she wasn't going to miss another, if she could help it.
While the Belcher parents were stretching and waking up properly, Dr. Cabell entered the room, followed by another man the family did not know.
"Good morning, Mr and Mrs. Belcher," the man smiled, with his light hair and matching beard neatly trimmed. "I'm Dr. Rhode; I'm a surgeon, and I'm going to be doing Louise's fasciotomies today. The procedure will last for about two hours, and when it's over, Louise will be taken to the recovery room, and you'll be able to see her there. Do you have any questions?"
Linda had far too much on her mind, that she couldn't seem to think of any questions, and Bob was once again sweating profusely and looking dangerously pale, and so the doctors carefully moved Louise onto a gurney and began to wheel her out of the room.
The family made to follow, but they were stopped by Cabell.
"I'm afraid you won't be allowed in the operating room," Cabell said apologetically, "you will have to remain in the waiting room, and when we've finished, we'll come and get you."
"I want to go with her," said Linda; even though Louise was still asleep, she still wanted to be there for her. Bob wanted to as well, but he was certain that he would pass out upon seeing a needle, so he happily obliged the doctor's orders.
"I know you do, ma'am, but family aren't allowed in the operating room, and we can't bend the rules for anyone. As soon as we're done, we'll take Louise to the recovery room, and then you can see her."
Linda was so angry with Cabell; from her point of view, he was preventing her from caring for her daughter, and she was so blind-sided with concern and worry for Louise that she couldn't see any other point of view. Cabell took advantage of the mother's momentary silence and signalled for Lucy and Robin to escort the family to the waiting room where they had sat the previous night.
"I don't see why I can't go in there," said Linda, as soon as the two nurses had left, completely ignoring the other family in the room. "It's not like I'll be in the way; I just wanted to be in the room!"
"I know, Lin," Bob tried to console her, sitting on one of the sofas with his children. "But we have to let them do their jobs." Linda only huffed in annoyance and threw herself down next to Bob.
The other family, which consisted of a mother, father and two little girls, were staring at them. Linda didn't feel like her usual bubbly self, but Bob looked over at the family.
"Hey, there," he grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "What you in for?" he chuckled at his attempt at the joke, but the family didn't, leaving him floundering.
"Our son is having a heart transplant," said the father seriously, eyeing Bob, wondering how anyone could be so cheerful in the waiting room at a hospital.
"Oh, s-sorry to hear about that," Bob apologised, noticing the family's frazzled looks. Had they looked like that when Louise had been trapped in the well? "I hope he'll be okay."
"Thank you," said the young mother, clutching her husband's hand tightly. "What's wrong with your child?"
"She's having a.. fasciotomy," Bob struggled to remember the word for a moment, "and then debridement after."
"What's a fasciotomy?" asked the mother, her pretty, young face crinkling in confusion.
"They make incisions in the arms and legs," Linda said, flipping through a stack of magazines and newspapers on the table in front of them. "It relieves pressure and helps with circulation."
"Why does she need that?" asked of the little girls, putting down her colouring book and shaking her bunches out of her eyes.
"Our daughter fell in a well," said Bob, wondering if that sentence would ever become more realistic. "And she was trapped, so this will make her better."
"Wait," said the father, his dark eyes narrowing. "You're not the parents of that kid that was pushed into the well and rescued yesterday?"
"Yes, we are," said Linda; both she and Bob were still getting used to the fact that seemingly the whole of Seymour's Bay had been watching their daughter's rescue.
"Wow!" the elder of the two little girls was now staring at them with fascination.
"I gotta say, we've all been watching the news on it," the father told them, "it kept us distracted while we had to wait in here for hours."
"Wow," Linda echoed the little girl. It still felt unreal that while they had been waiting anxiously for their child to be freed, so had lots of other people. She didn't know what to say, so she glanced at the newspaper in her hand and started. On the front page was a photo of a newly-freed Louise, strapped down to a backboard, just after she had been brought up. 'Louise free after 5 days,' the headline read. Quickly turning the page, Linda continued to read.
"Nine-year-old Louise Belcher was rescued from an abandoned well yesterday by dozens of workers who spent five days digging a tunnel to free her.
"The girl, bruised, and covered with dirt, was pulled from the well after 12:20 Wednesday, and strapped to a backboard, before being hoisted up out of the shaft to the cheers of her family, neighbours, and rescue workers. She had been trapped for 114 hours.
"It was just so amazing to finally see her," said Deputy police chief Jack Davis, who had helped supervise the rescue operation, "I'm relieved that she's out now, and glad it's over."
Louise, who had had no food since falling into the 14-inch wide well the previous Friday, appeared exhausted and disoriented, and was rushed to a waiting ambulance, and taken to Ocean City Memorial Hospital.
Examinations revealed that Louise has a broken ankle, and a fractured coccyx. She is suffering from hypothermia, dehydration, and her chest, stomach and back are badly bruised. She is also suffering from kidney failure, and her arms and legs were black due to constricted blood flow.
Louise has been admitted to the intensive care unit, and is being fed intravenously, and is on dialysis. Louise also suffered several pressure wounds, similar to a bedsore, on her back, along with septicaemia, where the wounds became infected.
The rescue ended an almost week-long process in which rescue workers dug a parallel shaft next to the well, and then dug a connecting tunnel. 114 hours after she fell in, two paramedics slithered into the tomb-like tunnel, one squeezed his head and shoulders into the well, and managed to free Louise.
Early Wednesday morning, workers reached the well, causing additional work to widen the hole so that a paramedic could reach through and pull her out.
The rescue efforts began at 10pm on Friday when a eighty-five foot shaft was drilled 5 feet away from the well, four hours after the child became trapped.
A microphone was dropped into the well, so that police could communicate with the little girl, and it was believed that she was not badly injured. As the night went on, pipes containing oxygen and warm air were lowered into the well to keep the girl alert.
Finally, at 11:30am Wednesday morning two paramedics descended into the shaft and saved the girl, bringing her to the surface, and bringing an end to the ordeal.
Louise's parents, Bob and Linda, accompanied their daughter to the hospital, along with their two other children, where Louise underwent a complete medical examination.
Her nightmare began at 6pm Friday evening; while running an errand for her father, Louise was approached by 15-year-old Logan Bush, who had previously bullied her. He wanted to perform a wrestling move on her, but instead pushed her, causing Louise to fall into the well. After Logan ran off, two teenage girls heard her cries for help and alerted her parents.
The article was accompanied by two more photos; one of Louise on the gurney being taken to the ambulance, and another of her arriving at the hospital, Bob and Linda just visible in the shot. She didn't know there had even been reporters waiting at the hospital. "Wow," she repeated, handing the paper to Bob. "I still can't believe they've taken such an interest in this."
When Cabell returned, he took Linda and Bob to the recovery room, while Gene and Tina had to remain in the waiting room.
"The operation was a success," he told them as they followed him down the hallway, before entering the recovery room.
The room itself looked like a typical hospital ward; there were several beds separated by curtains; nurses bustling about; monitors, IV's, tables, and the like.
The room was noisy; nurses and doctors conferring with each other, speaking to other patients' and their families'; the constant beeping of different types of machines, the sound of IV bags being adjusted; chairs being moved, curtains being draped back and forth and other such noises.
Louise was in a bed halfway down the room, an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose, with a nurse bending over her. "She's still under," said Cabell, leading the parents over to their child. "She should wake up in a few hours, and when she does, she'll be transferred back to her room."
Under the blanket, Linda and Bob could see that Louise's legs were elevated. Her arms, which had been strapped to boards, were resting palm side up with her elbows bent and her hands next to her head. Fortunately, they could not see the incisions that ran from knee to ankle on either side of her calves, and the two-inch-long incisions in her thighs and tops of her feet, and the backs of her hands, nor the loose dressing that allowed the muscles to swell out of the limb. They could see the same incisions and swelling muscles on her blackened, inner forearms, however.
Louise was connected to several different IV's giving her pain medication and rehydrating fluids, and a blood pressure cuff was attached to her left arm, and she was also hooked up to various machines to monitor her vital signs. "Louise is stable; her blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature are all normal," Cabell told them, as Bob and Linda checked on their daughter.
"That's good," said Linda, relieved to hear some good news, as she bent over Louise.
"So, she's going to be fine? You won't need to amputate?" Bob looked worse than Louise; still sweating buckets, shaking, and swaying so badly he could barely stand.
"It depends on how quickly the blood circulation improves. We gave Louise a Doppler exam -"
"A what?" Linda straightened up and turned to face him.
"It's just like an ultrasound, only it shows blood flow. The Doppler showed us that Louise's arms and legs, and her hands and feet, are not receiving adequate blood supply, and we are hoping that the debridement and the hyperbaric chamber sessions are going to help improve the blood flow. We will also be leaving the wounds open because we expect swelling to continue. In a few days, we'll do some temporary skin grafts, taking donor tissue from Louise's hips and buttocks to cover the wounds."
"So, how long will it take before you know?" asked Linda.
"Several days, possibly a week," Cabell told her.
"You won't be able to tell any sooner?" asked Bob, looking worried.
"We want to avoid amputation if we can; that's why we're going to give Louise a chance to heal a bit first before we make any major decisions."
In the end, Bob and Linda had to go back to the waiting room, and Cabell told them that he would let them know when Louise had awoken and would be returned to her room.
"How did it go?" asked Tina, as soon as Bob and Linda had re-entered the waiting room. The other family had gone, and now it was just them.
"The doctor said everything went fine, but they still won't know for a few days if they need to amputate," Linda told him, sitting down on the sofa.
"How will they know?" Gene asked.
"They just will," Linda said.
"But how?" the boy repeated.
"They'll know when the blood starts flowing back into her arms and legs," Bob told his son. Like the rest of his family, he was still trying to take everything in.
"Did you see her arms and legs?" Gene asked his parents. "Will she have scars?"
"Her legs were covered," said Bob, looking rather ill. "Her arms were bandaged a bit. I don't know if she'll have scars. She might."
"Cool," Gene grinned.
Just as they had done the previous day, they waited and waited in the comfortable room. Gene grew bored, and went to bother the fish; soon joined by Tina, and Bob and Linda switched the television back on. They did not watch the news, so whether Louise featured on there again or not, they didn't have a clue. Instead, they watched a cheesy soap opera in order to take their mind off everything. "Can we get some fish like these?" asked Gene after a while, his nose pressed up against the glass.
"No," said Bob, looking over at him. "No, Gene. No fish. No." Gene opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Cabell entering the room.
"Louise has come round," he announced, "and we have taken her back to her room, so you can all
see her now."
Again, as they done before, the Belchers' made their way back into the intensive care unit, washed their hands, and stepped into Louise's room. She was awake, but only just.
"Hey, honey," said Linda softly, stroking her cheek. "How are you feeling?" Louise seemed to be no more alert than she was the previous day, and therefore, she did not answer her mother. But it was to be expected; after all, she had just had surgery. Within moments, she was sleeping again.
Her legs was still elevated, and her elevated arms were still strapped to boards, and the girl was still attached to the rehydrating fluids, and the heart and blood pressure monitors. Her face was still bruised and there were dark circles under her eyes. "Is it good for her to be sleeping so much?" Linda turned to Cabell.
"Well," he began, "we don't know how much she slept while in the well, but I would guess that it was around twelve hours, minimum. At this point, sleep is one of the best things for her, and it'll be a chance for her body to catch up on it, so we're just going to let her sleep."
"So, when will she wake up?" asked Gene.
"It's hard to say," said Cabell. "I would say she'll properly wake up within the next few days." Cabell excused himself and left the room.
"Whoa, twelve hours?" Bob looked shocked. "That's less than two hours a day!"
"No wonder she's so exhausted," Tina looked down at her sister.
"Right," said Linda, taking a seat next to Louise. "We've got some things to sort out."
"Like what?" asked Bob.
"Like work. Who's going back to work tomorrow, and who's going to be with Louise? Are we gonna keep the restaurant closed? The kids have to go back to school, and we need to decide who's going to fix their dinner, put them to bed and get them up."
"I don't wanna go back to school!" cried Gene. "I wanna stay with Louise."
"I'm afraid you have to go back to school, sweetie," said Linda.
"So, what about work? Which one of us is it going to be?" asked Bob
"Well, I want to stay here with Louise," said Linda.
"So do I," Bob and Linda looked at each other. "I'm sure we'll work something out," Bob assured her. Linda nodded and clutched his hand, and the four of them gathered silently around Louise's bed.
~ X ~
Hopefully, the next chapter will be up on November 2nd.