As Kel came back in the room, this time with the x-ray machine and technician in tow, Roy reported what took place while he was gone.
"I'm not surprised he went out again," Dr. Brackett said. "We'll get these x-rays and after that, he might need surgery."
Nodding with worry lingering in his eyes, Kel assured him as they left the room, "I don't think the concussion is too bad. Normally I wouldn't suggest surgery so early, but I think right now the main problem is the pain levels. Until we fix the issues causing him the most pain, I doubt Johnny would be able to stay awake for long. Especially as it isn't a good idea to give him high levels of pain medication with the concussion."
"Kind of a Catch-22," Roy suggested.
"Exactly. We just have to balance the possible risk with the potential benefit," Kel said.
Seeing the x-ray tech leaving the room, he ordered them to be developed as soon as possible. Receiving a confirmation that they would, Kel and Roy headed back to check on Johnny. Once again, he responded to the two of them, but was still sluggish and unaware for the most part of what was taking place. The most Johnny could tell them was that, "it hurt". Working together, Kel and Roy got John ready for surgery and by the time they were done, the x-rays were delivered by a frazzled nurse.
Slapping the head, neck and shoulder x-rays on the light board, Kel let out a sigh of relief. Aside from the broken clavicle, nothing else showed up. Tugging those x-rays out, he replaced them with ones of the arms. Seeing that the previously broken wrist and arm were still fine, but the humerus was broken on the other arm, Kel shook his head. Replacing those with the spinal and chest x-rays, he saw that Johnny was lucky in that he escaped with just four broken ribs and two fractured ribs. No spinal damage was seen, which when Kel considered what had likely happened, he peered closure to ensure he wasn't missing anything. Once positive that nothing was wrong, he took them down and put up the leg x-rays. Not expecting to find anything, he was shocked to see the left leg was broken in three places.
Reporting these findings to Roy, Kel told him the course he wished to take.
"I would definitely like to repair the clavicle as it seems unstable. Also, the left leg as it too isn't very stable with the amount of damage done. The humerus is stable enough that I can place it in traction for now and hopefully in a couple days repair it. I am surprised," Kel said frankly. "That there isn't anything wrong with his spine. Johnny does have the rib fractures and breaks of course, but honestly, I am worried that perhaps I am overlooking something in his spine. I can't imagine not having an injury there with how you described everything. Even if Johnny was able to throw the bomb, or what have you, the blast would be powerful enough to possibly cause damage. I'd like Doctor Early to look over the x-rays. Until that, I'd like to keep Johnny immobilized."
Sighing, Roy nodded. He, too, was surprised Doctor Brackett hadn't found evidence of spinal damage considering how Johnny was found. Personally, he'd rather be safe than sorry.
"Alright, so when will he be headed to surgery?" Roy asked wearily.
"Hopefully within the half-hour," Kel estimated. "I reserved the room already and am just waiting for an anesthesiologist, as well as a nurse and an assistant doctor."
"Anything I can do?"
Shaking his head, Doctor Bracket smiled a bit, "Not really. Although helping to keep Johnny stable until the surgery ward calls will help as I got a few things to wrap up."
Doing so, Roy stayed by Johnny's bedside for the next fifteen minutes until Kel received the call that everything was ready for him. Watching Kel and a couple orderly's push his best friend onto the elevator, Roy shook off the melancholy threatening to overwhelm him and called over the HT to base. Receiving the orders to return to the same apartment that had injured John, he went into the squad and prayed that as the morning broke, things would begin to look up.