Teaser #2 for 16 July
Okay, Sportsfans, I've been hard at work trying to live up to XV's pre-July ramp Up post and decided that while I had provided a teaser of FIREBREATHER I have not yet done so with LIKE I DO. So, to even the score and level the playing field and whatever the hell else I can think of, here's an excerpt from LIKE I DO. I'll look forward to posting on the 16th!
Cold… so cold. Hurts… legs… Pain….breathe… cold, so cold…
Quiet… no… noise. Wait… Bark? Dog? Patricia... Girls! Caroline?! Cassidy?! Where…? What…?
A curtain of blessed darkness slipped down, obliterating the searing pain.
“This one’s bad, Ed. We’re gonna need Life-Flight evac for all three of ‘em. Angie, how are those kids doing?”
“Coupla fractures… one of em’s got internal bleeding - abdomen’s rigid. Lotsa blood but I think that’s just scalp lacs. Doesn’t look like there’s underlying head trauma. Trooper’s on the radio callin’ in the helo now.”
“Stabilize both of ‘em and let’s get ‘em to Heritage. Helo will meet us there. Let’s move it people! And somebody shut that damned dog up!”
What…? Helo? Bleed…? Dog? My dog? Wha… oh… hurts…
“C’mon lady, stay with me, stay with me! Shit! She’s not breathing! Ed! I need to intubate right now! Number 8…Hold off on the cervical collar until I get her tubed. Dammit, her larynx is swelling! Hang on…hang on… okay, I got it! Chuck, bag her when you get the collar on. Try to keep her pulse-ox up until we can get her on a machine. I bet she’s got a hemo/pneumo… Holy crap! Her chest feels like rice crispies… this is bad. Real bad… hurry people…we’re losing her…”
Sirens wailing… flashing lights… strange hands… voices… warmth... Pain, so much pain…
“Lemme see that chest film! Start a central line! Her pulse-ox is in the toilet: get that vent going on 100% O2. Type and cross and get five units on the rapid infuser.”
“Left pupil’s blown - not responsive. IC pressure’s up. We’ve got a brain bleed - get Neuro down here right now!” A trauma nurse leapt for the phone.
“Uneven breath sounds… she’s bradying down!”
Can’t breathe… hurts so much… just give in, sleep, let pain take you… let go… so tired… NO! Wait! Daughters! Where… ? Girls! I love you, girls!
“Terry, she’s got a cardiac tamponade! I need a centesis syringe! Is that chest tube in yet? We’ve got to relieve that chest pressure! Move people; we don’t want to lose her!”
“Vent’s up on 100% oxygen. Pulse-ox is 73… we’ve got to get this up.”
“Her pulse-ox won’t matter if her intracranial pressure keeps climbing. Where the hell’s Neuro?”
“On their way, Doctor. Here’s the chest tube tray.”
“Jerry, get that chest tube in. Okay, centesis needle’s in the pericardium… damn! Look at all this crap! Where’s the bleeding coming from?”
“Somebody call for Neuro?”
“I did, dammit. Her pupil’s blown, ICP is climbing real fast.”
“Do we have head films? Let me see. Okay, here’s the problem. Subdural hematoma, left temporal area. Big sucker. How do you want this: properly up in surgery or quick and dirty?”
“Quick and dirty. Life-Flight’s due in any minute. Presbyterian is standing by. We just need to keep her alive until she gets there.”
“Quick and dirty it is. Get me a 10-blade, cut down kit, a bone drill, and xylocaine. Nurse, she’ll need prep: shave her head just here over the ear while I gown up.”
Buzz… like bees… cold…
“Xylocaine’s in… swab that area and drape her. ‘Kay people, let’s go. 10-blade… retract that. Good, hand me the bone drill. No, I need the ultra-low speed. Easy… alright, got the osteocytes harvested and… whoa! Suction! Hang on, I need to get at that bleeder. Got it. Give me gentle suction right there. Careful; don’t disturb that clot until I make sure the bleeding is controlled. Laser cautery… and… okay, that’s got it. Now suction that clot out. Good. Let me get some gelfoam in there and then pack the burr hole with osteocytes. Okay, just tape down that skin flap and cover the incision. How’s that pressure? Good; it’s dropping fast. She’ll be okay until they get her back to the city.”
City… home… where…?
“How are the kids doing? Will they all be on the same Life-Flight?”
“No, they’re sending a second bird for the kids. This one’s the priority. Fitzpatrick’s trauma team is standing by at Presbyterian. Helo’s one minute out.”
“All right people, secure everything and let’s head to the helipad.”
Need… talk to girls… wait! Need… Oh my darlings, I love you so…
And the darkness claimed her once again.
Cold… so cold. Hurts… legs… Pain….breathe… cold, so cold…
Quiet… no… noise. Wait… Bark? Dog? Patricia... Girls! Caroline?! Cassidy?! Where…? What…?
A curtain of blessed darkness slipped down, obliterating the searing pain.
“This one’s bad, Ed. We’re gonna need Life-Flight evac for all three of ‘em. Angie, how are those kids doing?”
“Coupla fractures… one of em’s got internal bleeding - abdomen’s rigid. Lotsa blood but I think that’s just scalp lacs. Doesn’t look like there’s underlying head trauma. Trooper’s on the radio callin’ in the helo now.”
“Stabilize both of ‘em and let’s get ‘em to Heritage. Helo will meet us there. Let’s move it people! And somebody shut that damned dog up!”
What…? Helo? Bleed…? Dog? My dog? Wha… oh… hurts…
“C’mon lady, stay with me, stay with me! Shit! She’s not breathing! Ed! I need to intubate right now! Number 8…Hold off on the cervical collar until I get her tubed. Dammit, her larynx is swelling! Hang on…hang on… okay, I got it! Chuck, bag her when you get the collar on. Try to keep her pulse-ox up until we can get her on a machine. I bet she’s got a hemo/pneumo… Holy crap! Her chest feels like rice crispies… this is bad. Real bad… hurry people…we’re losing her…”
Sirens wailing… flashing lights… strange hands… voices… warmth... Pain, so much pain…
“Lemme see that chest film! Start a central line! Her pulse-ox is in the toilet: get that vent going on 100% O2. Type and cross and get five units on the rapid infuser.”
“Left pupil’s blown - not responsive. IC pressure’s up. We’ve got a brain bleed - get Neuro down here right now!” A trauma nurse leapt for the phone.
“Uneven breath sounds… she’s bradying down!”
Can’t breathe… hurts so much… just give in, sleep, let pain take you… let go… so tired… NO! Wait! Daughters! Where… ? Girls! I love you, girls!
“Terry, she’s got a cardiac tamponade! I need a centesis syringe! Is that chest tube in yet? We’ve got to relieve that chest pressure! Move people; we don’t want to lose her!”
“Vent’s up on 100% oxygen. Pulse-ox is 73… we’ve got to get this up.”
“Her pulse-ox won’t matter if her intracranial pressure keeps climbing. Where the hell’s Neuro?”
“On their way, Doctor. Here’s the chest tube tray.”
“Jerry, get that chest tube in. Okay, centesis needle’s in the pericardium… damn! Look at all this crap! Where’s the bleeding coming from?”
“Somebody call for Neuro?”
“I did, dammit. Her pupil’s blown, ICP is climbing real fast.”
“Do we have head films? Let me see. Okay, here’s the problem. Subdural hematoma, left temporal area. Big sucker. How do you want this: properly up in surgery or quick and dirty?”
“Quick and dirty. Life-Flight’s due in any minute. Presbyterian is standing by. We just need to keep her alive until she gets there.”
“Quick and dirty it is. Get me a 10-blade, cut down kit, a bone drill, and xylocaine. Nurse, she’ll need prep: shave her head just here over the ear while I gown up.”
Buzz… like bees… cold…
“Xylocaine’s in… swab that area and drape her. ‘Kay people, let’s go. 10-blade… retract that. Good, hand me the bone drill. No, I need the ultra-low speed. Easy… alright, got the osteocytes harvested and… whoa! Suction! Hang on, I need to get at that bleeder. Got it. Give me gentle suction right there. Careful; don’t disturb that clot until I make sure the bleeding is controlled. Laser cautery… and… okay, that’s got it. Now suction that clot out. Good. Let me get some gelfoam in there and then pack the burr hole with osteocytes. Okay, just tape down that skin flap and cover the incision. How’s that pressure? Good; it’s dropping fast. She’ll be okay until they get her back to the city.”
City… home… where…?
“How are the kids doing? Will they all be on the same Life-Flight?”
“No, they’re sending a second bird for the kids. This one’s the priority. Fitzpatrick’s trauma team is standing by at Presbyterian. Helo’s one minute out.”
“All right people, secure everything and let’s head to the helipad.”
Need… talk to girls… wait! Need… Oh my darlings, I love you so…
And the darkness claimed her once again.