Johnny Angel Ch. 33
Disclaimer: See chapter one.
Author's Note: A huge thank you goes out to everyone who read and reviewed and to the reviewers I couldn't reply to directly.
Previously: "Fine, if it will make you two happy, then help me up," Sam groused as he reached out his hands. Maybe he could finally get some sleep once the doctor has seen him and dispelled his brother and Bobby's fears about something being wrong with his leg.
Sitting in the overcrowded ER waiting room approximately an hour or so later, Bobby tried to keep Dean calm as they waited for Sam's name to be called.
"What the hell is taking them so long?" Dean grumbled loudly as he stood up and began to pace the room like a caged animal. "Seems like we've been here for freaking ever."
"Keep your voice down ya idjit. Can't you see your brother is sleeping?" Bobby chided as he gave Dean an exasperated look. "It's obviously a busy night. They'll get to Sam as soon as they can so sit you rump down and relax."
"Yeah, well they better hurry up or I'm gonna…" Dean drifted off as he finally heard Sam's name being called.
Walking over and kneeling in front of his brother, he gave Sam's shoulder a gentle nudge. "Time to wake up Sammy, they just called your name Kiddo."
"Hmmm," Sam muttered confusedly, before opening his eyes and glancing around the room and remembering he was in the hospital emergency room. "Yeah, okay."
Standing up with the aid of his brother, Sam stumbled the few steps over to the open door with Dean's help and then sighed in relief upon seeing the wheelchair that the nurse had waiting for him. Easing himself down into the olive green drab colored seat, he wrinkled his nose at the strong smell of antiseptic emanating from the floor which was presently being mopped by someone from the janitorial staff.
"Please be careful as you walk," Nurse Jackie warned the other two men who were accompanying her patient as she pushed him back to treatment room five. "We wouldn't want you to get hurt."
"Yes Ma'am," Dean voiced, taking in the nurse's shapely curves as she pushed his brother along at a leisurely pace. "Mmmmm, how does Sammy always manage to get the good looking babes and I always get stuck with Nurse Ratchet?" he wondered as he followed the nurse into the small treatment room and then helped her to get Sam positioned on the bed inside.
Having gotten her patient situated, Jackie turned to Sam's family members and said, "Now if you two gentlemen don't mind stepping out of the room for just a minute, I need to get Sam here changed into a hospital gown."
Knowing that Dean was about to make an unnecessary comment by the devious glint in his eyes, Bobby grasped him by the shoulders and led him towards the door, while whispering "Don't even think about embarrassing that boy or I'll be the one kicking some ass tonight."
"Jeez Bobby, you're no fun at all," Dean groused as he left the room, but not before tuning one more time to take in the nurse's cleavage as she bent over Sam to help him unbutton his shirt.
Leaning against the wall after the door closed behind him, Dean quietly hummed to himself until he heard the door to Sam's room open once again.
"Okay, you gentlemen can go inside. The doctor should be here shortly." Jackie informed the two hunters with a charming smile.
"Thanks," Bobby stated appreciatively and then followed Dean in the room to find Sam lying on the bed wearing a lime green colored gown and covered up to his waist with a baby-blue colored blanket.
"Wow Kiddo, you barely know Nurse Jackie and already you let her talk you out of your pants," Dean scolded jokingly as he walked over to Sam's beside and brushed away the stray bangs that had fallen into his sibling's expressive eyes.
"Shut up Jerk," Sam voiced, a crimson blush emerging on his face just as the door opened and a man dressed in a white doctor's smock with a stethoscope hanging around his neck walked into the room.
"Good evening Sam, my name is Dr. Joseph Jernigan. What seems to be the problem?" the doctor inquired as he glanced the young patient over with a practiced eye before looking at the medical history and the notations written down in the young hunter's chart.
"I'm fine Doc. It's my brother and Uncle Bobby here who seem to think that I needed to come see you," Sam answered as he motioned towards the others with a nod of his head.
"It's Sam's right leg, Doc. We think there could be something wrong with it," Bobby stated worriedly as he pulled his ball cap off his head and wrung it nervously with his hand.
"Well then, why don't we have a look at it," the doctor voiced as he flung the blanket back and immediately noticed the reddish discoloration of the leg. "Sam, how long has your leg had this redness look to it?" Dr. Jernigan asked while palpitating the edema or swelling of the leg.
"Not long at all, maybe a day or so I guess," Sam answered, wincing at the discomfort the doctor was causing him by handling his leg the way he was.
"Sam, I'm going to order a test called a Doppler ultrasound. I want to get a good look at what is going on in the deep veins of your leg. You won't feel any discomfort at all from the test, but it will help me to confirm my suspicions about what is wrong with your leg," the doctor stated as he wrote down the order for the test on Sam's chart.
"And what might that be Doc?" Dean asked anxiously as he stood by his brother's side. He hated it when doctor's were vague with them about their suspicions.
"I can't be one hundred percent certain without the test, but from the discoloration, the swelling, and the warmth of your brother's skin, I would say Sam is suffering from a DVT or Deep Venous Thrombosis."
"Speak English will ya doc, I'm not sure what you're talking about," Dean said as he carded his fingers through his short hair in agitation. His mind was just too panicky with worry for his brother to even think about what the prognosis meant right now.
"Basically, it is a blood clot that is situated in one of the deep veins of the leg," Dr. Jernigan informed the angst filled brother with a somber smile. "Most likely it developed when Sam was bedridden from the catatonic state I read about in his file and it is just know beginning to make itself known."
"Damn it," Dean swore as he clenched his fists in anger. "Shouldn't they have caught that before Sammy was released from the other hospital the first time."
"Dean, until the symptoms start showing, there really isn't a way for us to know that a blood clot is forming unless an ultrasound or venography is done on a daily basis with a bedridden patient and that just isn't feasible to do cost wise as well as patient wise," Dr. Jernigan explained as he closed the manila colored file and held it in his hands.
"So, uh, how dangerous is this DVT thing?" Bobby asked knowing Dean was too addled to think at the moment with Sam's health being in jeopardy once again.
"It can be extremely dangerous if a piece of the blood clot breaks off and moves through the bloodstream causing an embolism in the brain, lungs, or heart," the doctor answered succinctly. "Hopefully, we've caught this in time and we'll be able to take care of it with medications such as heparin and warfarin. In a worst case scenario, we'll have to administer a clot busting drug or do surgery to place a small mesh filter in Sam's vein to keep the clot from moving."
"So, does that mean I'll have to stay in the hospital?" Sam asked dejectedly at the thought.
"Yes, but only until we are able to adjust the warfarin to the right levels. After that point, you can go home as long as you wear the pressure stocking you will be given at all times and take the medications as prescribed. The pressure stocking will help to prevent any other clots from forming by improving the blood flow in your leg," the doctor responded honestly.
"Okay, I guess I can handle that. When do you want to do the test?" Sam inquired as he carded the fingers of his left hand through his hair.
"I'll call the radiology department and see how soon they can set it up," Dr. Jernigan replied as he placed Sam's chart back into the holder at the foot of his bed. "Until then, is there any other questions before I leave?"
"No, we're good. Thanks Doc," Bobby stated after checking with Dean and Sam to make sure they didn't have any questions.
"You're welcome. I'll send Nurse Jackie back in later to let you know when the test will be done," the doctor informed the small family before taking his leave.
"So…." Dean voiced unsurely, as he stood at Sam's bedside. He could see how disappointed Sam was to know he'd be staying in the hospital once again.
"M'sorry, I'm such a burden," Sam mumbled as he fiddled with the blanket covering his lower half. "I'm sure you and Bobby are tired of putting up with my being in the hospital all the damn time. You two can lea…"
"Hold it right there ya idjit," Bobby grumbled as he walked over to the other side of the bed and popped Sam lightly on the chest with his ball cap. "You're family boy and family sticks together through thick and thin. So don't be thinking that we're leaving ya here by yourself because we're not. You're stuck with us here for the duration whether you like it or not."
"Bobby's right Kiddo. There isn't anywhere we'd rather be than right here with you," Dean told his brother as he tugged his fingers through Sam's hair in comfort. "I know you're still tired so why don't you go ahead and get some sleep."
"'Kay," Sam whispered contentedly, his eyes already closing in exhaustion as he snuggled further into the bed. "Thanks guys, I really didn't want to be here by mysel…" Sam's voice drifted off as sleep overcame him.
"I guess we've got a long night ahead of us," Bobby voiced just above a whisper as he watched Sam fondly. "I'll go get the coffee."
"Thanks Bobby, I don't know what we'd do without ya man, You''ve been like a father to us since Dad…..well, I just want you to know you mean a lot to us too, " Dean stated gratefully.
"No thanks needed Kid,' Bobby replied gruffly, leaving the room quickly before Dean could see the tears misting in his eyes. He really did love those boys with all his heart.
TBC Hope everyone who celebrates had a wonderful Fourth of July, and for those who don't…I hope you had a beautiful summer day also! More to come soon.