Author's Note: Just a quick Warning this chapters describes a minor medical procedure in a bit of detail. If that is not your thing, you can skip or just skim over it. It is at the end of the chapter
Chapter 205 – Faith Examines Jack
When the trio got upstairs, Faith stopped Jack.
"Jeremiah tells me that it is your left hip." Faith said. "I am going to want to visualize the area. So I want you to strip and then cover yourself with a towel. Since I am here, we are going to unwrap your torso and check on the bruising there as well."
Jack ducked his head as he felt the color rise in his cheeks.
"There is no need to be embarrassed." Faith said. "I am a medical professional and I need to make sure that there is nothing going on."
Jack nodded his head. As much as Jack knew it was necessary, he was still embarrassed mainly because Faith was a woman. He had only ever been to a male doctor and most didn't have a nurse. Even when he was in Fort Garry and had been injured. The doctor came out and treated him at the Mountie station. What made the embarrassment worse was that he and Faith were about the same age and if he wasn't married, he could have seen Faith as someone he might have spent time with.
"We will wait here." Faith said. "When you are situated, just call out and we will both come in."
"Thank you." Jack said.
Jack quickly went into this room. He grabbed a towel off the top of the vanity. He removed his clothes and laid down on the bed. He not only covered himself with the towel, but also the sheet.
"I am ready." Jack called.
Faith gave a quick knock and then entered the room followed by Jacobs. Faith went over to the bed and set her bag down. Jacobs stayed back by the door. He was there to help, but he didn't want to embarrass Jack any further.
"So Jack." Faith said. "Jeremiah told me that it was your left hip. Can you tell me a little about the pain?"
"It is mostly just a dull ache." Jack said. "Although, it was a sharp pain when he pushed on it this morning. I have noticed pain when I take a step sometimes. Especially when I am climbing the stairs. It is weird, it hurts on both the front and back of my hip."
"When did it start?" Faith asked.
"I first noticed it on Wednesday." Jack said.
"What were you doing when you noticed the pain?" Faith asked.
Jack blushed and ducked his head.
"Elizabeth and I were together, together, " Jack said.
"Oh." Faith said. "Any other pain? How has your breathing been?"
"No other pain." Jack said. "Breathing has been okay. I quickly learned how far I can push before needing a break."
"Okay." Faith said. "As long as you know your limits. If something happens, I hope that you feel like you can talk to Elizabeth or me or Jeremiah."
Jack nodded.
"I am going to move the sheet and take a look at the area." Faith said.
Faith lifted the sheet and folded it back, exposing Jack's hip and leg.
"Well." Faith said. "First thing I notice is that there is a reddish bruise across the front of your hip at the top of the hip bone and wrapping around the side. I am going to see if there are any open cuts or marks. I am sorry if this is painful."
"Just do what you have to." Jack said.
Faith started to palpate along Jack's hip. She heard Jack gasp a couple of times and grimace in pain a couple of others. She moved the sheet and towel just a bit but it didn't seem like the bruising went into Jack's groin area, but stayed at the top of the hip and moved across the bottom of his abdomen. Jack laid there trying not to think about where Faith was looking/touching, it was embarrassing enough without his body reacting in that way.
"Jack, can you roll up on your side just a bit?" Faith asked. "Facing away from me. I want to see how far this wraps around you."
Jack did what Faith asked. She immediately put a pillow behind Jack's back to help support him. She saw that the bruise on his hip wrapped just around his side and then ended where there was a small cut which was raised and red.
"You have a small cut here." Faith said. "I am going to clean it, but I think that is where the pain is coming from. The cut has a layer of skin already covering it, but it is quite red."
Faith adjusted the sheet so Jack wasn't so exposed. She then set about cleaning the cut with the water from the basin on the dresser. As she was cleaning it, she realized that there was a foreign body in the cut.
"Jack." Faith said. "There is a foreign body in the cut. I am going to have to open it up and remove whatever is in there."
"Do you have what you need with you?" Jacobs asked.
"Yes." Faith said. "I could use some hot water and a cloth."
"I will go get some water and soap." Jacobs said.
Jacobs quickly left to get what Faith needed. He knew that there was hot water on the stove.
"Andrew." Elizabeth said. "While we have a few minutes. There is something that I want to ask you."
"I am listening." Andrew said.
"It has been brought to my attention that I could take over the company and pretty much remain anonymous." Elizabeth said.
"Yes." Andrew said. "That is one of the options that I was going to present to you and Jack. You would need to name a person or persons to act on your behalf. It can be someone currently in the company or you can bring someone in from the outside. There are a couple of other options, but they would involve you being more hands on."
"I don't want that." Elizabeth said. "If I am going to take over the company, I want to name someone to run it for me. I want to be hands off as much as possible. Jack and I want our life here in Hope Valley."
"I can draw up those papers." Andrew said. "I would just need to know who you want to run the company. I would still suggest that you wait until later this summer and see what Viola does."
"Good." Elizabeth said. "Then it will give the people I want time to make the needed changes so they will be able to take over."
"Who did you want to name in your place?" Andrew asked.
Elizabeth smiled. She looked at her aunt and uncle. She then closed her eyes and was just about to talk when she heard footsteps on the stairs. She turned and saw Jacobs.
"Did you need something?" Elizabeth asked.
"Hot water and soap." Jacobs said. "Faith found a small cut and wants to make sure that it is clean."
"Soap, wash clothes and towels are on the dresser." Elizabeth said. "Hot water is on the stove."
"I will get what I need." Jacobs said. "Thank you."
Elizabeth Rose, Wynn and Andrew were all looking at Elizabeth. They knew that she had something important to say, but they figured that she would wait until Jacobs went back upstairs. They were just going to be patient with her for a few more minutes. Wynn's head was spinning. He normally could read his niece, but he was having a hard time reading her at the moment. He wondered if it was because she was worried about Jack or was it something else. Especially given the conversation that they had earlier, Wynn was concerned that Elizabeth was so calm.
Wynn wasn't the only one that was worried about Elizabeth. Elizabeth Rose was also worried about her niece. She knew that Elizabeth was under stress and Charlotte was a major source of that stress. Elizabeth Rose was also concerned that if her niece Beth was carrying twins that it could be problems later. She knew that no set of twins had lived in their family. While they were waiting, she said a quick prayer that God would provide a doctor with the right knowledge and also to protect her niece and family.
"Jack." Faith said. "This is going to be painful. Do you want me to give you something?"
"I think that is a good idea." Jack said. "My pain is already high today."
"I will give you a small shot of morphine." Faith said. "I don't want to give you a full dose if I can help it. Then I will use a local anesthetic to numb the area a bit. We should be thankful to Jeremiah for ordering it. I used it when I was at the hospital in Union City, but because it is so expensive, I hadn't been able to get it for the infirmary."
"Thank you." Jack said. "So are there other things that you think the infirmary needs?"
"Not anymore." Faith said. "Between what I ordered from the hospital in Union City and the crates of items that Jeremiah got, I am pretty much prepared for anything. I mean I am no surgeon, but I can remove splinters and the like. I have plenty of bandages and wraps. Abigail mentioned that you were hoping for a doctor as well. I mean I don't mind the traveling doctor, but I don't think he likes me."
"Yes." Jack said. "We would love a full time doctor, but he also needs to be the right fit for the town. I agree the traveling doctor leaves something to be desired, but it is better than nothing. At least you are here and the widows are pretty good with first aid as well."
"That is true." Faith said.
"Can I share something?" Jack asked.
"Yes." Faith said.
"Elizabeth told me she prayed about it." Jack said. "And she is convinced that we will have a doctor before the year is out and he will be here when he is needed most."
"Well." Faith said. "I hope she is right. Especially with the spurline getting laid, the mill expanding and the mine reopening."
"I am going to believe my wife." Jack said.
"Are you good with lying like that?" Faith asked. "Maybe you could grab a pillow and put it in front of you."
"I think I will do that." Jack said. "My breathing is okay like this, so if I can stay like this it would be good."
"If you are comfortable like that." Faith said. "Then I want you to stay in that spot."
"Sorry about this." Jack said.
"Nothing to be sorry about." Faith said. "This is why I am here. I am just glad that Jeremiah came to talk to me. He was worried. He doesn't want you to have another set back. You haven't noticed a fever or anything."
"No." Jack said. "I have been using the medicated tea that Dee brought. I have also taken a few aspirin every day since I first woke up. So maybe I just kept it at bay."
"So other than the back of your hip here and around on the backside." Faith said. "There is no pain in your legs or anywhere else other than your chest."
"Right." Jack said.
"I don't want you to do it now." Faith said. "But you can move your hip alright?"
"Little pain when I open my hip up." Jack said.
"I would expect that." Faith said. "Especially based on where this cut is. You are using that muscle right there."
Jacobs was back with a basin of hot water.
"Elizabeth said there is soap and wash clothes on the dresser by the pitcher and basin." Jacobs said.
Faith turned around and saw it. She had used the water, but had overlooked the soap before.
"Got it." Faith. "Okay, Jack. I am going to give you a shot of morphine now."
Faith gave Jack a shot in his butt as he gripped the pillow. She then proceeded to wash around the cut with soap and hot water. She then washed and dried her hands.
"How are you doing Jack?" Faith asked.
"I am doing okay." Jack said. "I am feeling the effects of the morphine, but I still want you to use the local."
"I can't use much of it." Faith said. "But I will use what I can."
"Just do it." Jack said. "I honestly don't want to know."
"Then close your eyes and think of something else." Faith said.
Faith quickly laid out the instruments that she needed. Jacobs washed his hands and then came over.
"Ready Jack." Faith asked.
Jack nodded.
"Alright." Faith said.
Faith injected Jack with the local and then gave it a moment to work. Both watched as Jack gritted his teeth and crushed the pillow to his chest, while burying his head in it. Jacobs handed Faith the scalpel and she sliced the cut open. A small amount of blood and pus immediately came out. Jacobs immediately dabbed the area to keep it clear. Both of them saw the tip of the foreign object. Jacobs handed Faith the tweezers and she pulled out what appeared to be a three inch piece of metal wire. She put it in the basin with the other used instruments. She then cleaned the wound with a bit of alcohol which caused Jack to moan in pain.
"Sorry." Faith said. "We got it out. I just needed to make sure the cut was cleaned out."
"I understand." Jack rasped.
"Alright." Faith said. "I am just going to put three or four stitches in to close this up. We will keep an eye on it for the next few days. We are going to have to watch for infection as there was just a little bit of pus when I first opened it up. I think the bruise was not connected to the cut, but could have been from the blood trying to deal with the foreign body. I am still going to have Jeremiah check that bruise morning and night for the next five days."
Jack nodded. Faith took the needle and thread from Jacobs and expertly put four stitches in to close the wound.
