Chapter 27 – Infection
NORMAL POV
Brax supported Casey through the doors of the hospital where they ran into Nate.
"Casey?" Nate queried and glanced at the un-well Casey. "What happened?" Nate asked.
"Casey's injured his hand and has cut his leg real bad. It's a mess." Brax explained, receiving a scowl from Casey.
"I'm fine! I don't need to be here!" Casey yelled as he wobbled.
"I'll be the judge of that. Come right this way."
Nate walked towards one of the hospital rooms and Brax still having a tight grip on Casey, gently forced Casey into the room. Casey huffed as he sat on the bed. Nate took the shirt away from Casey's hand and having a quick look, saw a few small cuts. Nate flushed out the wounds and pulled out any remaining glass before continuing.
"Alright, let's take a look at this cut on your leg shall we?" Nate said.
Casey turned away he did not want his injury being known to everyone again.
"It's on his right thigh." Brax spoke firmly.
Nate put on some new gloves and went to touch Casey's leg only to have Casey shift away.
"It's fine!" Casey snapped.
"From what I saw of that wound on your leg you are not fine Casey!" Brax snapped.
"Brax just calm down." Nate replied softly and rolled up the material of Casey's shorts.
Nate pulled away some of the bandaging and gave a scowl. "Arg, without even properly examining that I can tell you now that wound is deeply infected."
Nate continued to pull the rest of the bandaging off, Casey wincing as it pulled at the skin. Nate examined the wound further before coming to his conclusion.
"Casey this wound has become heavily infected with Staph bacteria. If left untreated like you had been, it would eventually spread through your system, leading to further complications. Now you wanna tell me how this happened?" Nate questioned firmly.
"No, so can we just leave it. Do what you have to do so I can go." Casey replied harshly.
Nate sighed and continued to clean the wound on Casey's leg before applying some ointment and more bandaging. Removing his gloves and cleaning up his equipment. Nate stared at Casey.
"Casey, I'm going to be putting you on a course of antibiotics for your wound which I expect you to adhere to otherwise that Staph infection will get worse."
Casey huffed. "He will." Brax replied sternly as he glared at his brother.
Nate took more of Casey's vitals. "It seems you have a bit of a fever too, that would explain your unsteadiness. I'll have to give you something for that too." Nate explained.
Nate then encouraged Brax outside the room. Brax gave a questioning look. "Something wrong?" Brax asked.
"Examining the cut on Casey's thigh it appeared to have been perfectly incised." Nate explained.
"What does that mean?" Brax questioned.
"It means it wasn't done with a regular blade. Only a cutting blade could make a wound like that...A scalpel blade." Nate continued.
"How would he have gotten something like that?" Brax asked and Nate shrugged.
"But I would like to find out."
Nate wandered into the pharmacy of the hospital to get Casey's medication while Brax walked back into the room, staring at Casey with his arms folded.
"You going to explain to me why you done that?"
Casey stared at Brax, ignoring him. "Casey you could have gotten real sick because of hurting yourself! Nate said..."
"So what!" Casey snapped back.
Before Brax could yell back Nate walked back into the room to explain the medication, giving Brax a chance to calm down.
"Now take these twice a day for two weeks then if anything gets worse come straight back into the hospital. Okay Casey?" Nate informed.
"Yup." Casey replied. He just wanted to get out of there.
Nate sighed. "Casey, I know you are going through a rough time right now, but I must urge you to talk to someone, it will help you deal with what you are feeling."
"I'm not talking to some stranger about my problems! I'm dealing just fine!"
Brax huffed and ran his hand through his hair. "Casey you are not dealing with this! You need to start talking to us mate...to someone." Brax spoke.
"None of you can force me to talk to anyone. I'm old enough to make my own choice!" Casey yelled.
"You're right, I can't force you to talk to a counselor but if you want me to organize someone..."
"I don't okay!" Casey yelled.
"Casey if you keep harming yourself like this things are just going to get worse, now you've been admitted into hospital 3 times already now if you are admitted again you won't have no choice in the matter and I will admit you to a psychiatric unit for counseling and there you will not be released until you prove you can manage appropriately." Nate explained.
"I said I don't need any of that! So just leave me alone! Now are we done?" Casey snapped.
Nate nodded and gave a weak smile at Brax before he left.