Snow Day, part 14

[rabidsamfan]

By the time everyone, including Dr. Whittaker, Dr. Elliott, and the snowplow driver, who was waiting for his cast to set sufficiently hard for traveling, had gotten some breakfast, the sky had brightened as much as it was going to. But the snow was still coming down, even though cars inched their way along the main street and the muted roar of plows could be heard from the nearby highway. Mollie turned up in mukluks and an ancient parka, and she and Terry and Ernie started setting the place to rights and sterilizing the used equipment. Trapper checked over Gonzo and Stanley a little more carefully after he'd had his morning coffee, and got Dr. Elliott to take a look at the frostbite and Carson to look at Stanley's head. Then they sat down to debate whether or not to try to get Stanley and Gonzo down to San Francisco Memorial.

"According to the weather report, it's going to snow until late afternoon," Elliott said. "But it's not going to be windy, and the temperatures down at the lower elevations are warm enough to turn the snow into rain closer to town. The highway is right next door, and it's plowed down to the pavement."

"I want a CAT scan on Stanley as soon as I can get one," Carson said. "But I'm not thrilled with the idea of a bumpy three hour ride in an ambulance. If he'd just come to, or if his vitals would improve, I'd be a lot happier. Is there any chance we could get the chopper back?"

"I don't know," Trapper said. "I can ask Arnold when I call him. What about Gonzo?"

"Gonzo can wait," that worthy contributed from his bed. "You concentrate on Stanley, Trapper. I'll live."

"How's the pain?" Carson asked.

Gonzo shrugged. "Painful. And my hands and feet itch as well as hurt."

"Frostbite does that," Dr. Elliott agreed. "I'll get Mollie to put some more aloe on them. I'd recommend minimum use of the damaged areas for about three days. Longer if they show any sign of infection."

"But he's okay for an ambulance ride," Trapper said.

"Yes. But if you can get a chopper for one you might as well fly back both," Elliott pointed out. "We're just not equipped for extended intensive care, and the nearest eye specialist is in Sacramento. It's not that I mind the company..." he shrugged.

"No, I want to get them back to San Francisco myself," Trapper said, much relieved by the consensus. "But I needed an objective opinion. Arnold isn't going to want to spend the money on a chopper if he can avoid it."

"Won't Stanley's father pay for it?" Carson asked.

It was Trapper's turn to shrug. "Probably. But I wouldn't bet on it. He expects Stanley to cover his own expenses." He put his glasses back on. "But I'm covering all of the phone calls," he said, looking at Elliott.
Dr. Elliott grinned and held up his hands, "All right," he said. "I'll send you a copy of the bill. But don't forget that you covered for me the other night."

"With as much talking as this is likely to take, it'll probably come out even." Trapper said sourly. He wasn't sure he was looking forward to coaxing Arnold.

But Arnold, to Trapper's surprise, didn't require coaxing.

"I've already talked to the pilot, and he says as long as they can plow the place where he landed yesterday it should be possible."

"That's great, Arnold," Trapper said, "You'll need to get Matthews in, if he's available. And Willard, for Gonzo's eyes. And tell ICU we're coming. Have you gotten a hold of Stanley's father yet?"

"I've left messages at his hotel, but so far there's been no response," Arnold said, sourly. "I understand the old goat went off on an excursion with some bimbo named Tookie the other day and hasn't done more than send his chauffeur over to pick up a few clothes and a bottle of wine."

"Typical. If you reach him, tell him ... Aw, hell, Arnold, I don't know what you should tell him. Until we can get a CAT scan or Stanley wakes up, I've got no way of knowing how bad the damage is. His chances of survival are better than they were last night, but I'd be lying through my teeth if I told you that he was out of danger."

"Do you think Stanley needs his father to be here?" Arnold asked.

"I think Stanley would want that, yes," Trapper said. "I'm just not sure whether or not old man Riverside cares enough about Stanley to come."

"He cares enough about his image," Arnold growled. "I've already got the press on my back about this. If it will help I can let Riverside Senior know that he is going to get a lot of publicity making him look like a horse's ass until he shows up."

Trapper snorted. "That would probably do it. Go ahead, then, Arnold. But try not to lose your job over it. I'm going to need your help getting coverage until we know if...know when Gonzo and Stan will be all right."

"Right." There was an awkward silence. Then Arnold said, "Well, I'll get that chopper started. See you soon, Trapper."

"See you soon."



They were bundling Stanley up for the helicopter trip when he started to talk. At first it was just a mumble, but after a few minutes it got clearer. "Gates. Hurt. Find Gates." Ernie tried to reassure him, but Stanley didn't seem to hear.

"Stanley, it's all right. We have Gonzo safe with us."

"Find Gates," Stanley repeated. "Hurt."

"Here," Gonzo said. "Get me over closer to him."

Trapper grabbed the ends of the gurneys and swung them next to each other. "Be careful of your hands, Gonzo."

"Here, you touch him and I'll talk," Gonzo said. "Stanley, it's Gonzo. I'm right here. Trapper found us Stanley. I'm right next to you."

"Gonzo," Stanley said,

"Here, Stanley, I'm right here." "Hurt." Stanley said, but he seemed to calm down a little. "John?"

"I'm here too, Stanley," Trapper said. Stanley quieted for a few minutes, but then he began to ask for Gonzo again. It was hard, because he still wasn't responding to voiced commands, although he seemed to hear it when Gonzo answered him. They got him packed into the Stokes stretcher for the trip and he began a mumbled monologue that seemed to have something to do with asthma.

Carson Whittaker paused to take a sip of coffee and shook her head with a small wry smile. "I should have known Stanley would be a talker."

"A talker?" Ernie asked.

"As opposed to the silent type. You never know which one you're going to get when someone is in a coma."

"But isn't it a good sign?"

Carson tipped her hand in a gesture of uncertainty. "It's better than where he was, but we're still a long way from home. Sometimes head injury cases talk for days, but we lose them anyway." She shrugged uncertainly. "You've got your car up here, don't you?"

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Well, I've been thinking. There's nothing I can do on that helicopter ride better than Trapper can do it, and Mathews, who is the best head injury man in the state, will be waiting once they're on the ground, so maybe it would be just as well if I stay here and get a little sleep and drive back and you can fly back with Stanley and the others." Carson tipped her head and looked at Ernie from under a fringe of hair. "I'd be careful."

"Oh, that would be perfect," Ernie said, much relieved. "I didn't want to ask, but I'd feel a lot better if I can stay with them."

"And I'd feel better if I didn't have to take another helicopter ride," Carson said. "I've never been fond of them, and yesterday only reminded me of why. Besides, I think your voice is more likely to calm Stanley down if he gets fractious. Mine would probably just agitate him."

Ernie put a hand on her arm, comfortingly, "I doubt that. If I know Stanley, he's long forgiven any pain you might have put him through. He's good at that."

"Perhaps," Carson said, with a smile tinged by bitterness. "But if he hasn't it's likely to come out while he's babbling. And on the whole, I think I'd rather not know either way."

"Are you afraid he's still angry with you, or that he isn't?" Ernie asked.

Carson Whittaker shrugged. "It doesn't matter, does it?" She looked at Ernie directly now, her lips tightening into a determined line. "There isn't much point in my tearing opening old wounds, not when he needs all his strength just to survive. He's better off with the people who know him best."

Comments

[lame-pegasus.livejournal.com]

Very good! I loved this:

"He cares enough about his image," Arnold growled. "I've already got the press on my back about this. If it will help I can let Riverside Senior know that he is going to get a lot of publicity making him look like a horse's ass until he shows up."

Kick his ass, guys! Stanley certainly deserves better.

[pebbles66.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I almost missed this! Poor Stanley - I just want to kick his father!