Johnny's Leg
John Gage sat on the gurney in the treatment room and sighed. He looked down
at his rapidly swelling right knee and lower leg">
Johnny's Leg
John Gage sat on the gurney in the treatment room and sighed. He looked down
at his rapidly swelling right knee and lower leg, he was almost certain it
was broken. He just hoped nobody asked him how it happened.
Dr. Joe Early walked into the treatment room with Dr. Kelly Brackett. The
younger doctor was carrying a yellow envelope which contained the x-rays of
John’s leg. Both men were smiling as they chatted. “Let’s take a look at
this boy’s leg,” Early said. He looked over at the young paramedic and
smiled. “So Johnny, how’d ya do it this time?”
John lowered his head, “Iwasjumpingonthefloor.” He shot out as fast as he
could.
“Excuse me, I didn’t quite get that.” Dr. Early moved over to look at the
x-rays, “Well, there’s a hair-line fracture of the tibia right below the
knee. Also, your patella is bruised significantly along with pulled muscles
and tendons.”
John sighed. “Not again.” He looked at the doctors, “Surgery?” He was of
course referring to the knee.
“Not at this time, but you will be off work for at least six weeks.” Dr.
Brackett walked over to the gurney and put a hand on John’s shoulder. “I’m
sorry, Johnny. You’ll be put in a brace and given crutches, but for the
first two weeks you’ll be in a wheelchair.”
Johnny cursed. “It’s that damn Chet Kelly’s fault.” He spat out.
“How’s that Johnny?” Joe Early asked. He was somewhat amused since he had an
inkling what happened judging by the dime to quarter shaped bruises on the
right and left side of Johnny’s leg right below the knee.
Sighing, Johnny shrugged his shoulders. “Chet Kelly moved into my apartment
building last week. Not just in the same building but RIGHT BELOW ME!” He
raved.
“Take a deep breath Johnny.” Kel said. “Why don’t you explain it to us?”
“Chet’s been playing his stereo loud all week on our days off. I was so mad
at him this morning that I started jumping on the floor. My right foot came
down lower than my left foot; I sorta tripped up on a piece of wood on the
floor. Anyway, the asshole wouldn’t turn down his stereo. After I stopped
stomping, I noticed that my knee was killing me. I made it down the stairs
and to my truck.”
Kel put up his hand, “I know, you drove yourself here and hobbled into the
ER scaring the hell outta Dixie when you passed out from the pain.”
Johnny blushed even more as he remembered waking up in the treatment room
with Dixie McCall standing over him. If looks could kill…
Two nurses walked in along with an intern bearing the leg brace, crutches
and wheelchair. Dixie was right behind them. “Okay Johnny, once we get that
brace on your leg, I’ll help you get changed. Roy will be here soon to pick
you up.” The head ER nurse smiled.
“Ah Dix,” Johnny groaned, “Why’d ya hafta go and call Roy?”
“I had to call Roy because you won’t be able to drive yourself home. In
fact, you won’t be able to go home because your wheelchair won’t fit into
your apartment.” Dixie explained gently.
Johnny looked the woman in the eyes. He knew this was true. His apartment
was on the fourth floor of a five floor building with elevators that were
questionable. That combined with the narrow entry way and ‘L’ shaped
apartment, he knew he’d have too much trouble navigating from the living
room to the kitchen, to the bathroom and finally to his bedroom. The
waterbed also would pose a problem. “I know,” He gave his favorite nurse one
of his ‘Gage’ grins. “I’m just still pissed at Chet.”
Roy walked into the room just
then. “So Junior, what did you do this time?” He stopped in his tracks when
he saw the white fabric and plastic leg brace being fitted on his partner’s
right leg, “Holy cow!”
“I messed up my knee and sorta broke the leg.” Johnny admitted.
“Just how the hell do you ‘sorta’ break a leg?” Roy asked. “Never mind, I
don’t think I wanna know.”
“It’s all Chet Kelly’s fault anyway.” Johnny said. “And when I get my hands
on that short little Irish pri…”
“Hold it right there Mister.” Dixie intervened. She was aware of Johnny’s
‘gutter’ mouth and wasn’t going to stand for him being foul-mouthed in her
hospital.
Johnny winced as the intern and one of the nurses put the brace into place
and started fastening the Velcro straps. “Hey!”
“Hush, Junior,” Roy stepped up and watched them work. “Guess you won’t be
needing the jeans, huh?” He watched as Dixie put them into a plastic
hospital bag marked ‘Personal’. “Do you have something he can wear?”
“I’m thinking putting him into the wheelchair in just his hospital gown and
making him go out that way. What do you think?” Dixie smiled at Roy.
“I think you should make him go out there in his birthday suit.” Roy
snickered at the look that came over his best friend’s face.
“ROY!” Johnny growled as his face turned an even darker shade of red. “Just
get me a damn blanket will ya.” He shook his head as his eyes narrowed. He
started grumbling about head nurses and their sense of humor.
“Relax Junior. You aren’t going anywhere until we have you dressed
properly.” He assured his younger partner. “Then I’ll take ya home, get you
tucked into bed, then let little Jennifer play nurse.” He turned to Dix,
“She just loves that little doctor’s bag you gave her for her birthday last
month. She’s looking forward to taking care of her ‘Uncle’ Johnny.
Johnny sighed as he was helped into the wheelchair. Dixie wrapped a
lightweight blanket over his legs (one of which was pointing straight out
because of the brace), and tucked it in. She then mussed his hair and gave
him a peck on the cheek, “You take care, Johnny. And stop stomping on the
floor.”
Johnny leaned his head back and looked up at the woman. “Thanks Dix.”
Dr. Brackett handed Johnny his discharge papers and some prescriptions then
gave the younger man’s shoulder a squeeze, “See you in two weeks. Stay off
that leg.
Johnny set the papers in his lap then threw the doctor a mock salute, “Yes
Sir Doctor Sir.”
Everybody laughed as Roy pushed Johnny out of the room.
They stopped at the pharmacy and got Johnny’s ‘script’s filled. Roy went and
pulled his car around while Johnny was waiting. He was smiling when he
entered the pharmacy and found Johnny sitting asleep in the chair with a
brown paper bag added to the papers on his lap. Gently chuckling, Roy walked
up to his partner. “Come on Junior, let’s get you home.”
The end.