Butt...Butt
By
The men of L.A. County 51's A-shift all filed in one by one. The shift was about to being at 8 a.m. Most of the men arrived by 7:30, to make sure they had enough time to change before roll call. Everyone that is but John Gage, and this morning was no different. Roy knew his partner and best friend and at this moment he could picture him pulling into the back lot as fast as he was allow, and running as fast as he could toward the locker, as right on cue John Gage came flying in to the room and slid to a stop in front of his locker.
Roy knew him so well that he had already laid out all of Johnny stuff out from pinning his badge on his uniform shirt to laying out his shoes.
As Roy headed out the door to roll call he made one statement to his friend.
“4 minutes and counting!”
He knew he would officially get a good morning to him over coffee. At that time Roy would find out why John was running late once again.
When it was time Captain Stanley came out of this office. He smiled when he saw his young paramedic still trying to get his shoes on.
“Problem Gage?”
“No sir!” Came his reply. He knew was coming however it still took all of the Captain keep from laughing at Gage. But, Cap had to remind himself that Johnny did make it to work on time for once.
Once, Capt handed out the days assignments.
John and Roy did the check on the squad equipment it was time for that long awaited cup of coffee.
Everyone was happy but Chet, because John had made it on time he got stuck with the latrine duty. So Chet was in one of his moods.
“So Gage what happened get dumped early last night? You must have gotten to bed early for once to get here on time?”
“Shut up Chet!” was always the standard reply when it came to the 2 of them and everyone in the station was use to it by now. Most of the time it was a great way to start the day off. John didn't seem to be up to par, he was quite and that bothered his friend some what. “Hey John you okay?”
Before John could open his mouth to reply Chet decided to reply for him, “Sure Roy, he's alright he's just a little down from getting dumped last night. Again! You know that look.”
This time it was Roy's turn to say “Shut up Chet!” John couldn't help but smile.
“I'm fine Roy just have a little headache that's all.”
“John don't tell me you're getting sick on me again?” Roy reached over to see if John was running a fever,
“No, I...” before John could finish what he was saying.
Captain Stanley came in to the room and interrupted what John was going to say. “Gage, Officer Howard is on the phone in my office, says he needs to talk to you about the wreck this morning?”
“Oh okay thanks Cap.” And he left the room headed for the office a little too quickly.
Roy turned his attention to the Captain, “Cap?”
“Don't know Roy. That's all.” Cap said. I'm guessing John may have seen an accident.” Roy then decided to fill the Captain in.
“Cap, John's been quite and has a headache and something's up.”
Cap thought for a minute, “Your right, follow me.”
And they headed for his office. They both went to the office because they wanted to know what was going on and the best place to corner a Gage was in the office.
When they reached the office, all they heard was. “Alright Vince, I will. Yeah that's right, thanks, bye.” And he hung up the phone.
For some reason John was not surprised to see the men standing behind him with their arms folded. “Spill it!” Was all that came out of the Captain's mouth?
Johnny smiled at them both. “There was a wreck on the 405 this morning. Nothing major just a fender bender and all, it did was cause a big delay. A lot of dented fenders and about 50 cars, including mine.” He smiled. “That's all.”
Roy went in to father mood. “Did you get hit or what did you hit?”
“Okay mom, the car in front of me slammed on its brakes. Therefore, I did the same. I stopped, and then the car behind me did not get to the brakes fast enough. He hit me in the back, which in return caused my car to hit the one in front of me. I was so close to saving my bumper on the Rover. So close.”
“Then?” Roy was not letting him off that easy.
John sighed. “I then got out of my car and started checking on everyone else. Then, Vince arrived and so after a while everyone left.”
“Now what was the last part of your conversation with Vince?”
“He wanted me to promise that if I started having any problems that I would go get checked out. Mother.”
“Funny John funny.” However, Roy was not laughing, “Like a headache?”
John looked at the other two men, they were wearing evil little smiles on their faces, and he knew what that meant all to well. “Aw man your going to make me get checked out aren't you?”
Both the men nodded a big YES.
“Aw man” was all they heard as he got out of the chair he was sitting in.
“Roy can't you do it I don't want to go to Rampart over nothing.”
“Junior you know that headache could be part of something more serious. You could have whiplash and I'm betting from the way you described the accident it's a strong possibility.”
Once again, the man in charge smiled when he heard those words from Gage,
“Aw man. Can we at least go in the squad?”
“That I think we can do Jr.” Roy slide in the driver's seat and John where he always was.
Before the squad cleared the building, Captain Stanley was on the radio taking the squad out of service for a while.
John sat beside Roy and was not saying a word, Roy knew he was pouting. Again.
Roy wanted so badly to turn around and go back to the station but with John's history he knew that John needed to be checked out, just to be on the safe side. Roy along with everyone at Rampart and Station 51 knew that John would of kept this accident quite until something happened from it or like Vince did squeal on him.
The other thing going though Roy's mind was if that call was really what John said it was? Had Vince seen something or had something made Vince worry enough to call the station and act like he was getting information. Maybe it was the way John had acted after the accident that had him worried. Roy was starting to get himself all worried and decided it was time to clear his head.
No more what ifs. Roy was glad when he turned into Rampart's parking lot. However he could of swore he heard a low groan come from his partner, pain or cause he was still pouting? Once again Roy looked at his best friend and smiled.
Johnny and Roy headed toward the base station.
Johnny stopped Roy dead in his tracks. “Roy if you get Morton, I'll walk, get it?” “Alright that's one I will agree with.”
Nurse Dixie McCall was at base station desk going over some charts, when the 2 men walked up to her. “Hi guys what's up?”
John gave her his famous smile but she could tell his heart wasn't in it.
So Roy took over. “Hey Dix did you hear about the pile up on the 405 this morning?” “Sure did. Seems to be a lot of soar backs and whiplash's showing up. Why?” She couldn't hide the concern in her voice.
Once again all Roy did was smile and point his thumb at Johnny. Before Dixie could say
a word.
Gage spoke first. “But I don't have either of those.” John wanted to say something else out loud, but he wouldn't as long as Dix was standing there. He did say one of his though. “Roy I hope your face hurts from all that smiling you keep doing.”
Dixie loved her paramedics and these 2 we're at the top of her list.
“Don't worry Johnny better to be safe then sorry. Roy room 3 is open take him in there and I'll get Kel.”
Roy loved every minute as he pulled John by the arm into the treatment room. John can be worse then a little child at times.
It wasn't very long before Doctor Kelly Brackett entered the room followed by Dix.
Brackett had been with the boys from day one and he knew them very well. Dixie had filled him in before they reached the room.
“John just hop on the table for me.” He had been warned by Dixie that John was doing the “I'm all right attitude.” They knew that when John had that kind of temperament it was not going to be easy.
So Brackett told not asked John to do a thing.
After Brackett had check John's back and neck and had checked the X-rays that he had taken to be on the safe side he gave John the all clear to go back to work. John didn't get a way as fast as he would have liked because Doc made him promise to let Roy know if his headache got worse or if he started to have problems with his neck or back. They didn't miss his eye roll when he agreed to this. John was out the door before any one had a chance to say good-bye.
Roy was backing the squad into the bay and was coming to a stop when Captain Stanley look in the window, “Well?” he asked. Only this time, it was Johnny who was wearing the big smile on his face as he walked by the Captain.
All he said was. “Told you so.” He turn walked into the kitchen. Cap just shook his head at John.
“Well?” he asked Roy this time,
“He's fine,” Roy then let the Cap know what the doctor had said. As the 2 headed for the kitchen to join the others Cap added.
“Alright Pal keep an eye on him.” And they went for coffee.
By the time they entered everyone had their coffee and we're seated at the table. This time Chet spoke up, “John are you being a disaster magnet again?”
“Shut up Chet!”
Roy did fill sorry when they made John go to the hospital and he was fine it always meant that Chet would be picking on him once they got back to the station. Chet was going to let him have it full force today.
Cap decided it was time to get some paper work done and everyone else was doing their own thing.
“Hey Marco have you seen my new camping magazine I left on the table?” John was looking around for it.
“No I haven't, but look in the cabinet under the TV.”
While John was pulling magazines out, Roy made himself a cup of coffee. Roy was glad to have his coffee, its what firemen live for. Most of the time that's all they get cause they seem to always get toned out when they sit down to eat. Roy was about to take his first sip of coffee when he heard a loud, “SNAP” followed by a large cry of pain. Roy took a second to return his cup to the table and ran along with everyone else in the room to Johnny's side.
Johnny had removed his hand for the cabinet attached to it was a mouse trap. It had closed down on top of all 4 fingers.
“Where did this come from?” Roy asked as he removed the trap from John's fingers. “The cabinet Roy!” John snapped, he was still holding his teeth closed together tightly.
“I know that John, what I mean is what's it doing in there we haven't had a mouse in the station since Herbert.” The men just shake their heads. Mike went and got the Captain. They entered the day room just as Roy removed the mouse trap from John's fingers.
“Roy are they broken?”
“No Cap but they are going to be sore for a while. I'll have one of the doctors take a look next time were at Rampart though.”
“Now for the big question? What happened and where did that come from?”
No one knew where it came from and Roy let him in on the smashing details.
The only words heard from Chet we're. “Accident prone Gage strikes again. It's going to be a long shift.”
What the men of station 51 should of done was listen to Chet for once. He was right one with this one.
Roy wrapped John's hands with the sore 3 fingers in a towel and then placed Ice on them. John had decided that the couch was good a spot as any for a nap. He still had a headache and now his fingers hurt also.
John went right to sleep, he had no clue how long he had been a sleep when the klaxon sounded. He ran for the squad just as he had for a long time. He grabbed the running pole on top the squad and slid around the corner, just as he always done, however this time he kept on sliding. He slid half way down the side of the squad before he came to a stop and landed on his back side. He sat on the concert floor stunned for a moment before he remembered the call and jumped up and got in the squad. He heard his captain say those words he said all to often. “Squad 51 KMG-365.”
Johnny sat in the seat looking out the window, he wondered if Roy had seen him fall. This was not going to be his day. All of a sudden it dawned on him that he had not heard what the call was. “Um Roy? What did the dispatcher say I couldn't hear it?”
“Child trapped.” Roy had seen him fall and decided it would be best not to say anything. He'd let that drop when they checked out John's hand he'd tell the doctor then.
He hated these kind of calls they we're as bad as unknown rescues only in this case it involved a child. They didn't have a single clue as to what they were walking into.
15 minutes passed before they pulled up in front of a house with a very large tree in the back yard. All the men from 51 said a little prayer that they didn't have a rescue up in the tree.
A lady flew out of the garage and ushered the men inside. Cap was the first one in, he could tell by the moves of his men they were happy not to be climbing the tree. However this was a drain problem, in front of him was a 5 year old boy with his arm stuck in a floor drain. The thing that seemed to worry the paramedic's was the fact that the boy was not upset and his mother was real frantic. Everyone went right to work on the problem.
“Hi what's your name?”
“Ray.” The boy answer was loud and proud.
Johnny smiled. “Hi Ray. I'm Johnny and this is my partner Roy. Are you hurt?”
“Nah, just stuck that's all.”
“I can see that.” Johnny smiled. “Did you drop something in the drain?”
Roy was busy putting so lube on the kid's arm. Johnny was to keep the boy calm and happy while the others tried to free him.
“Yeah my dumb ball, but it's all right I got it.”
Cap shook his head. “Son can you let go of the ball please?”
“No way it cost me 10 cents to get it!”
After a few minutes of arguing and a promise from the Captain to give Ray a dime the kid let go of the ball and his arm slide right out.
Even though everyone wanted to laugh they kept a straight face, the mothers face was red. She knew he had been going after his ball, but never thought to ask if he was holding on to it. After they assured the mother that it was alright and that no harm was done. They also told her that they were glad she had called better to be safe then sorry. The engine company headed back for the station and the squad headed for Rampart Hospital.
Roy told them he wanted to get some supplies, and he also wanted to get Johnny's hand looked at by one of the doctors. It looked good and didn't seem to hurt much any more but he wanted to be on the safe side.
Doctor Brackett was standing at the base station when they walked up,
“Hi guys, How's your head Johnny?”
“Not bad Doc, still have a little bit of a headache, but not much.”
Roy couldn't but put his 2 cents in, “How can you tell?”
Roy laughed, this of course brought Roy the doctors full attention. “Something else come up Roy that I missed?”
“It's not what you missed but what he found, he found a mouse trap with his hand at the station.”
John sighed as he held up his hand for the doctor to see.
“Go to Room 3 Johnny and I'll be right there.” John stomped his way to the room. When the doctor joined the 2 paramedics in room 3, he was accompanied by Dixie. After a good look at the fingers and the whole hand he agreed with Roy that the fingers wasn't broken but would just be soar for a while.
“Great!” John went to jump off the table, but the Roy's hand stopped him from getting down.
“Uh doc there's one more thing.”
‘Oh?” Brackett was listening.
“When we got this last call doc, John slide on the bay floor and fell hard on his back side. The thing that worries me is he just sat there for a few and then he didn't even know what the call was.”
“Johnny anything hurt?”
John was glaring at Roy. “Just my pride Doc, and its not that bad.” Without taking his glaring eyes off Roy. Roy knew it was also John's I'm going to get you look. He's seen him use it on Chet a few times. Roy also knew he'd worry about it later.
“John let me know if this hurts any?” Doctor Brackett started running his fingers over Gage's spine, after a few faces and several minutes Doc cleared John to go back to work. Gage was gone before any one could say good bye to him. He was out of there in a flash.
Doctor Brackett walked Dixie and Roy out to the base station. “Roy that's number 3 in how many hours. What gives?”
“Well you know Johnny, and this is going to be one of those days again.”
Brackett wore a frown, “Roy keep an eye on him! Last time we had a hurt-a-thon it almost cost him his life.”
“Don't worry I will!” He said his goodbyes and headed for the door.
“Roy hold up a second.” Roy waited for the doctor to catch up with him, “Roy now matter how small or how minor I want to know about it alright.”
“I will keep you posted doc!”
“Roy I want a call or to see him.”
“Will do Doc. And I will see you soon!” He then hurried to meet up with his partner. Now that he knew what kind of day this was going to be he didn't want to let John out of his site for long periods of time.
The ride back to the station was quick and quite. As always as soon as the squad was parked and the bay door was closed it was coffee time. As on clue Gage flew toward the kitchen, however Roy hang back a little, he wanted to let the Captain know what kind of day it was going to be.
Cap was working at his desk once again. First thing he wanted to know was how his young paramedic was doing. The Captain laughed when Roy gave him the ‘ disaster magnet' verdict as Chet would put it.
Before Roy could join the others for his coffee the station tones dropped. “Station51...highway 64 south 1 miles past mile marker 21- accident with injuries. Time out 1200 hours.”
Captain Stanley knowledge the call with the standard reply. “Station 51, KMG-365.” As soon as he handed Roy the run slip he ran for the engine. He knew Mike would leave with out him if he didn't hurry. They were on their way.
It took all of 10 minutes to reach the highway but it seemed to take forever to reach the accident it self.
“Roy it's just up a head, looks like a big truck is involved.”
Roy looked as he drove to where John was pointing. “You've had one traffic related accident today so let's be careful alright?”
John sighed “I'm always careful Roy, you know that.”
As soon as the squad came to a halt John took off to start checking on the victims while Roy put on his turn out coat and started setting up to treat the patients they were going to be getting.
There were 3 vehicles involved, and just as John had though in the middle of the accident was a semi truck. Captain Stanley began to call out orders to the engine crew. He also called L.A. dispatch for more man power.
John went to the first car he came up on. This car had a lady and her daughter. They both said they were alright, and they just needed the door popped so they could get out.
“Stay here and one of the other fireman will help you get out. I need to see if anyone else is hurt.” “Chet get the pry bar for this door they seem to be alright, have Roy look them over once they are out!”
As he ran toward the 2 nd car he was meet by the driver of the truck.
“Sir are you hurt?”
“No, but these people are.”
John need to ask him another question, “What happened?”
“I don't really know. That car hit, that one and next thing I know I was caught up in the middle of it. I think this one here hit my back tires. Are they going to be alright?”
“We Will do all we can.” And with that said he went right to work. First things first, he called out for Roy, “Roy we have multi victims here and I'm going to need a lot of man power and equipment!”
“Right on it Johnny! Cap!” Roy asked his captain to call in another squad for them.
Johnny and Roy had worked together for so long they didn't have to tell each other what they needed or wanted they just seemed to know. Roy sat up the bio-phone while John disappeared through a passenger side window of the car. Roy had looked up and saw Johnny go though the window and the same thing always comes into his mind. “That boys a bean pole.” Didn't matter how small or how narrow, it was John would fit into it. If some one was in trouble, John would find a way to get in to help you. Once inside John, started on the lady in the back seat. There was 1 lady and 2 men in the back seat and one man in the front seat. This was a little odd, but he didn't have time to think it out right now it have to wait. All of them were unconscious and there was blood coming from what looked like everywhere on these poor people.
“What do you have John?”
“We have 1 female and 3 males stand by for vitals.”
“Alright I will let rampart know.”
John went right to work, first he checked for pulses on all 4 victims. He was glad that they were all alive. “Roy they are still alive.”
“Alright what do you need first?”
“Better load up 4 c-collars and 4 back boards, I want to get them out if we can before we start to work on them?”
“Sounds good to me John, oh by the way how are you doing?”
“I know how sardines fill now but I'm alright.”
Roy was still worrying, “Let me know if your back and neck start to bother you and we'll trade out.”
“I will, but I'm alright.” Roy called out for the captain. As soon as the captain was on his way Roy opened the bio phone, “Rampart, county 51 do you copy?”
After a few tries Doctor Brackett responded “Unit calling this Rampart, please repeat your last transmission.”
“Rampart this is county 51, we are at the scene of a auto accident vs semi. We have 4 victims all have strong pulse and are unconscious at this time. We will have vitals as soon as we remove them from the wreck. We are applying c-collars and backboards. We will notify you of vitals as soon as we have them out,”
“10-4 51 were standing by.” He left the base station to talk to Dixie. As soon as he reached her Doctors Morton and Early walked up.
“Hi Kel what's up?”
“51's on a motor accident. 4 victims, there working on getting them out. All of them are unconscious, we may be looking at head injuries, so lets get everyone from CAT scans to x-ray down here and waiting for them to get here. Morton let's the lab know!”
“Right Kel.”
Brackett and Early stayed at the base station to wait the calls from 51.
By the time the men had everything together for Gage, the second squad had arrived on the scene. Roy smiled when he saw it was station 8, they had an all female crew and they we're on duty today with a new trainee. The men of 51 liked to tease the women paramedics of 8 because they were known as the 3 J's. Joni was the senior member on duty with Jan and trainee Jill. As Joni and the rest got set up.
Captain Stanley had Marco disconnect all battery's and pull a reel line just to be on the safe side.
The first person John wanted to get out of the car was the driver but his foot was stuck. Cap and Roy watched but couldn't help but smile as they watched.
“Roy?”
“Yes Cap?”
“How in the world does he do that?”
“Got me but I do know one thing he is going to be hurting later.”
“Yeah.”
Where the 2 men were located they watched as John Gage moved himself around in the seat until all they could see of him was with his feet in the air. “He's free!” Came a muffled voice and in a few second Gage was right side up again. Sure enough in a few more minutes the first man was being removed for the car. Chet and Marco carried the man to where station 8 was set up and waiting. Cap and Roy moved up to help John with the next one to come out. Cap spoke as they worked on the next one.
“Gage are you a pretzel or something?”
“Well lets just say flexible and leave it at that Cap. Roy I want to get this lady out now her colors not looking to good. Have them get the mast trousers ready this leg and hip are in a bad way. We'll have to go nice and easy on this one. Cap get Rampart on the line.”
Rampart was kept busy with the information coming in from station 8 and Captain Stanley. Roy kept himself busy watching his partner work, he still wasn't buying the fact that Johnny was alright and once in a while he'd move with a face that made Roy want to pull him out of the car, but with no real reason to go on John wouldn't come out.
Soon the 2 nd victim was out Roy took over her care. Then it was time for the 3 rd victim to be moved out. This one wasn't too bad he had a cut on his forehead and that seemed to be the extent of his injury's. Getting him out was fast work. They still made sure to use all the precautions that they used on the others just to be on the safe side. Now that 2 out of the 4 were out of the car, it was easier for John to work and move around the inside of the car. Marco and Chet were carrying the 3 rd one off in about 10 minutes. As soon as the 3 rd one was out, John went right to work putting the back board on the 4 th one along with the C-collar, this man however had his foot wedge up under the seat so it was going to take a little longer to get him out. The other problem they we're having was the fact that he man was starting waking up on them, he didn't know where he was or what was happening, so they had to fight to get him to stay still. “Sir its alright we're paramedics and were going to get you out of here. We do need you to stay still or you will hurt yourself more!” Gage was having to yell at the man to get him to listen.
“Sir I need to get your foot free, so I need you not to move! Do you understand me?” The man shock his head yes. With that nod John's head once again disappeared and this time all that could be seen was the arch of his back and his BUTT! The man once again started to move about and this time Cap was with him calming him down, after a few minutes and the fact that he had the best view of Gage's butt the Captain decided it was time to find out what was taking so long. He figured the foot was really stuck and would need a pry bar to get it free.
“Gage you need a pry bar?”
“Yeah Cap and see if Roy's available to help also?”
Cap didn't like the tone in his voice. “John what's wrong.”
“Um nothing Cap. Roy and crow bar please!”
Cap ran to the squad and pulled the pry bar and then ran to get Roy, “Roy can the lady's handle this? John needs you with this last victim. He won't say it but, I think its him that needs you not the guy.” When the Captain said that Roy was running toward the car faster then the Captain. Roy was a little surprised to find his friends back side was still higher then his head. “John it's Roy what do you have?”
“I got his foot free however as soon as I did he moved and now his foot has wedged back under the seat and my hand it pinned also, I'm stuck Roy!”
“Are you cut or is it broken?”
“All I can tell you at this point is that I have no feeling and I can't move my hand at all.” Roy turned to his Cap that had just caught up, “Cap looks like you were right the victim woke at the wrong time.”
“How bad?”
“Won't know until we get his butt back on the seat where it belongs. Let's try putting that pry bar on that side. Can you get it in with out hurting either of them?”
“All we can do pal is give it a try. Chet get over here!” Cap knew he was going to need all the help he could get with this one.
“What you need Cap?”
“Give me a hand with this be careful we don't want to hurt John or the victim any more.” Roy didn't have to see John's face to know that it was turning red. Chet was the last person he wanted over there right now and for good reasons.
“Hey Gage 4 victims not enough for you. So you have to go and get yourself stuck too?”
Chet loved to be mean to John and there was no way to hide the smile that was on Chet's face. John hated to let Chet get the best of him. “Shut up Chet!” Without stopping to think what he was doing John tried to move his hand. “OUCH!” He yelled.
“Gage don't move we're almost there.
Chet shut your mouth and push!” The seat finally moved a small amount and this allowed John to get his hand free and the man's foot out. Once again John sat his butt on the seat he pulled his hand to his chest. As if nothing had happened he was right back into paramedic mood. “Okay lets get him out of here. Cap, Chet, can you get that door open a little bit more while I lay the back board on the seat, so we slide him on to it? Come on Pal lets get on it. Marco!” He hollered.
No matter how hard he tried to hide it the Captain knew he was hurt and was not going to be able to lift that back board by himself. John was hurt whether he admitted it or not. Marco went to the Cap at once.
“Yeah Cap?”
“Get over there and help Roy with that back board. John don't use that hand until Roy gets a chance to check it out!”
“But Cap, I'm fine!” But John was meet with a hand held up in a stop sign. He wasn't going to listen or fight Gage on this one. He was not going to listen.
A few more minutes and they had the last victim out of the car, however one thing still bugged Johnny why was everyone but the driver in the back seat. One thing everyone knew was that Johnny cared and sometimes he cared a little to much. He knew that Roy would make him sit and watch him and the J team. He was not going to sit and watch when someone else might be hurt. So while everyone else was helping carry the last victim to the triage area John held back, even though he was suppose to follow but he went to the other side of the car to start looking around. He hadn't gone far when he heard a familiar voice behind him.
“Johnny? Roy said your hurt and I should come help you over to where he is?”
“Nah Vince I'm alright.”
“Yeah I can see that!” Officer Howard had knew them both for a long time and knew a Gage lie when he heard it.
“I can see that by the way your holding your hand Johnny.” Vince raised an eyebrow at John's way of holding his hand, “Really I'm fine.” He then went on to tell Vince what he was looking for.
“There another victim around here?” Vince help with the search cause he knew John would not leave until he did, sure enough after under what looked like a mud flap. Lay a young girl about 20 years old. “Nice call John! I'll get Help!” Vince took off on the run to get Roy while John took the flap off the lady and started checking for breathing and a pulse.
“She's alive!” he yelled out. Then he started checking for injuries forgetting about his own for the moment.
He could hear the foot steps as they ran toward him. “Johnny what do we have?”
“Roy so far she's got a broken leg, I was just going to check on her arms.” When he did he was quickly reminded of his own injury. “Ouch dammit!”
Roy pulled John back and shoved him into the a waiting Joni.
“Joni take John here and check him out. If he gives you any trouble sit on him I want that hand checked!”
Cap decided he had better get in on this some. “Joni make that an order! Sit on him if it needs be! Got it John?”
“Aw Cap does it have to be her, can't I wait till Roy's free?”
“NOPE GO!” He pointed.
Joni seem to couldn't get the smile off her face, as she pulled the paramedic toward the others. It seemed to him that all of them were smiling as Joni pulled him complaining all the way toward the other lady's.
“Ladies!” she smiled, “Guess what, The Captain says we can sit on him if we need to. Seems he's hurt and as always won't let anyone treat him.”
Jan couldn't help herself, “Like that's a news flash. What did you do this time Gage?”
Joni already knew Roy had filled her in, when they were working on the last victim. So when John replied with a “nothing.” Joni shot right back at him while grabbing him by the arm. “I will sit on you so knock it off Gage!”
With a shocked look on his face he agreed. “Alright, alright! Grouch!”
Joni was surprised when she noticed that he was still wearing his glove. She was also surprised that he had it on to start with. Jan was watching Johnny for some reason she was drawn to his face. He was sweating and seemed to be getting paler, and just down right not looking good at all. Better to be safe then sorry Jan spoke up,
“Joni hold up a second before you remove that glove, I need to ask you something, Gage just sit and be good for a second can you handle that?”
“Ha Ha!”
She pulled Joni out of ear shot and told her what she was seeing. “Maybe we better get him off the back of the squad and have him sit on a blanket that way if he goes out on us we can be ready?”
“I think your right after all Jan this is Gage were dealing with. From the feel of that glove its soaked with blood.”
“Joni you thinking shock?”
“Yeah let's get it off fast!” Joni went and told Jill get the O2 off the squad and have it ready, John asked what that for? They made it sound like it was for the victim that Roy was bringing over shortly, they didn't see any reason to get him all worked up at this time.
Meanwhile Roy's victim wasn't in to bad of shape and was ready to be loaded in the ambulance that was waiting for the last of the victims. Roy would ride in with the first 3 victims and Joni would ride with the last 3 leaving Jan to drive one of the squads and Chet to drive 51's squad. Jill would ride along to help Joni. He radioed Rampart to let them know he was ready to transport and to let them now they have a code I at their location, information to follow.
Rampart was a little surprised to hear there was a code I at the scene. Doctor Brackett was at the base station when the call came. He knocked on the glass to get Dixie's attention.
“Yes Kel?”
“51's getting ready to transport and they also have 1 code I and I'm betting we know who that is?”
“Johnny?”
“Let Mike and Joe know they will be here soon. And there are 6 not 5 as first though.” “I'll tell them now and I hope John alright.”
Mean while
Joni started back on Johnny's hand.
Jill acted like she was putting the 02 away, from the look of John they were sure he was losing a lot of blood under that glove and as soon as Joni pulled it off they discovered they were right. The Glove had been keeping the wound covered and was soaking up all the blood it weighted twice its weight. The real bad thing was that once the glove was off his hand started to bleed freely. Joni wanted a quick look at the hand before putting pressure on it. From what she could see John had a large deep gash in the palm of his hand.
Joni was worried that one of the main veins was cut and before she could get the pressure back on his hand Johnny's color was completely gone. Joni and Jan went right to work before they could even get the 02 on him Johns level of conciseness was gone and he was heading for shock real quick. Jan got the 02 on him as soon as he was out that way he couldn't fight them. Joni grabbed the bio phone to contact rampart “Rampart this is squad 8" Brackett was ready and waiting the call,” station 8 this is rampart go ahead.” “Rampart we have a Code I at our location. John Gage got his hand caught while freeing a victim about 10 minutes ago and refused treatment till now.” She stopped to take a breath. “Rampart he was wearing his gloves at the time. He has a large gash in the palm of his hand” She wrote down the Bp and the other vitals as Jan read them off.
“Rampart when we removed his glove his hand started to bleeding again and he has lost conciseness and is going into shock we have started him on 6 liter of 02 and we have applied a pressure bandage.”
Brackett didn't like the sound of it but he had to remain calm. “Squad 8, start IV with ringers TKO and get him in here quick. Joni can you estimate how much blood lose he has?”
“No Rampart the glove soaked it all up but from the weight of it I think he might need to have some replaced.”
“10-4. 8”
Joni sent Jan to get Captain Stanley and Roy over here on the double. She wanted to let them know what was going on with Johnny. While Jan went to get the others Joni passed the vitals on to the hospital.
“Rampart the BP is now 90 over 60, pulse is 120 and reparation is 15, and we are about ready to transport.”
When Jan got to Roy he was ready to transport his victim. Captain Stanley went as fast as he could to see Johnny. Roy had the ambulance attendance watch the patient while he went to check on his partner.
Jill was getting Rampart a new set of vitals. They were getting better now that the IV was in place.
Roy looked over his friend. “Joni lets get them to Rampart.”
Joni knew that Johnny was her patient but Roy was going to take over his friends care. “Roy you want to ride in with him?”
“Thanks Joni. We can put him in this ambulance some where I think.”
They were taking 3 victims in each ambulance. Roy and Jan were in one and Joni and Jill were in the other one.
Cap had told Marco and Chet to drive in the 2 squads that were sitting there.
Mike could swing the engine by the hospital to pick up the 2 men and check on Johnny at the same time. Cap also called Dispatch and took the station out of service until further notice he wanted to hang around till they knew John was going to be alright.
It seemed like forever before the ambulances pulled up to the Emergency room doors.
All the victims were taken in to room 3. 2 per room, Roy stayed with Johnny.
John was getting most of his color back and his pressure was back to almost normal. Roy did let out a sigh of relief when he saw his friend open his eyes and look around. Roy could tell it had taken a few moments before John realized were he was. Roy smiled at him, “Hey Jr. Welcome back.”
“Roy… Hi… What happened?” He still sounded like he was very sleepy.
Roy looked at him and smiled, “You're having another one of those accidents, disaster magnet days that you love so much. And as always you're in your favor landing spot.” John let his eyes wound round the room, “Rampart?” He wasn't so sure.
“That's right.”
Roy then filled him in on what had happened at the accident.
The first thing out of John's mouth did not surprise Roy, “How's the girl doing?”
“Fine thanks to that never gives up mood you get into. How do you feel?”
John took a moment to answer, “Tired and dumb. How's my hand?”
“John that's everyday info, I want to know how you feel now.”
“Ha, ha Roy, man I hope Morton not working he's worse then you are.”
NO sooner then the words had left his mouth he was answered by the opening of the door.
Doctor Brackett was always a good face to see come thought the treatment door. “Hi Johnny glad to see your awake. You had us a little worried.” As he enter the room he was followed by Dixie.
“Hi Doc.”
“Dixie” He nodded to her.
As she busied herself, she getting thing ready for the doctor. “How are you feeling John?”
Before John could answer this time Roy did for him, “He says he's tired and weak. Oh and a little dumb too!”
Brackett smiled, “That's alright you're a magnet today. Tired and weak? Dixie lets get another IV going here alright? How does your hand feeling John?”
“Alright I guess it doesn't hurt or anything. It feels like it's not even there.”
Brackett went over and washed his hand before looking at John's hand. “Dixie can you get Neuro down here and get x-ray in here too. I want some pictures of this hand.” He then leaned over to Dixie who was picking up the phone.
“Dix have OR on stand by. I don't like the sound of this. He may have some real damage.”
“Right Kel and she hung the phone back up and headed to the nurses station to make the calls. They didn't want to make the man worry more then had too.
“Okay Johnny lets have a look at that hand of yours.” As soon as he removed the bandage from the hand it started to bleed freely once again. Roy's job was to keep an eye on Johnny.
“Well John looks like you did a real number this time, you got veins and nerves I had Dixie call Neuro and they will send someone down to look at this.”
Roy hated to interrupt but he had too. “Doc, his color leaving and he looks like he's going to go out on us again!”
This too worried the doctor. This was not normal for Johnny. He had bled a lot before and this was way off base here. “Roy can you get Dix in here on the double.”
“Sure Doc!” Roy was out the door and back with Dix in a flash, but even for the short time he was out of the room Johnny had gone out on the doctor.
“Roy get the oxygen back on him, Dixie let's get a full blood work up on John.”
“Right Kel what's up?”
“John Gage has lost a lot more blood then this before and kept on ticking, lets find out what else is going on with our magnet here.” Before Dixie could answer he turned to Roy, “Roy has he been ill?”
“NO! Not that I know of. He was down and kind of quite this morning, I figured he was getting sick but then we found out about the car accident and chalked it up to that. Why?”
“Roy I'm just hoping that he has low electro lights or low iron.”
“Doc, do you think that Johnny not having his spleen could have something to do with this?”
“It could be but I doubt it Roy, Dix get those results for me stat!”
It took about 10 minutes for Johnny to open his eyes again, and once again he was greeted by a smiling partner.
“Roy so help me if you tell me I keep fainting at the sight of blood I'm going to put your lights out!”
Roy didn't answer him, “Doc he's awake again.” Doctor Brackett was in the corner with Doctor Ria from Neurology going over the pictures of Johnny's hand.
“John this is Doctor Ria from Neurology she's going to be working on your hand. And your fainting I think it's from your electro lights or maybe your iron is low. Have you been sick?”
John closed his eyes for a moment. “No Doc just a little ran down. I think I might have been getting a cold though. Why?”
Doc got that I'm thinking look on his face before he answered him, “I think that with you not having a spleen and your system being down some that your might run a bigger risk of infection so I think after we fix that hand up I'm going to keep you here for a few days.”
“Aw man!”
Doc was smiling at him this time, “I knew that would make your day.”
As John drifted back off to sleep Doc was not surprised to hear a “man” come out of John's mouth as he fell asleep.
Roy turned to Doctor Ria, “Doc is he going to be alright?”
“Yes Mr. DeSoto I think he'll be alright. I'm going to wait for the blood work then we'll take him up to surgery. Are you a related to Mr. Gages?”
Before Roy could answer Doctor Brackett took over. “Ria, Roy and John are 2 of my best paramedics and Roy is the closest thing that John has to a family.”
The three of them talked about Johnny's care until Dixie arrived with the blood work results. After taking a minute to read them Doctor Brackett broke the silence, “Well I really hate to wake sleeping beauty but I think he'll like the news.” Doc proceeds to wake the sleeping paramedic, “Johnny, Johnny?”
John slowly opened his eyes once again. “Man it wasn't a dream.”
“Sorry it's all real. Johnny got your lab work back and I was right you're Iron and all is out of sorts. So were going to give you a few more bags of IV fluids before we send you up to get that hand fixed. What do say?”
“Mmm I guess.”
“Mr. Gage there is no need to worry we will take good care of that hand, you'll going to be just fine.”
Everyone around snickered.
“Ria.” Brackett had to keep from laughing out loud.
“John here has spent more time here as a patient then I has as a doctor and I work here.” Johnny stuck his tongue out at that doctor. Dixie giggled as she started the added IV's.
After answering all of John's questions they were ready to head up to the OR.
“Roy?” Dixie stopped him, “Cap and the guys are in the doctor's lounge waiting on some news, and Chet wants to know if he needs to start looking for a new pigeon soon?” “Thanks Dix” and he headed for the lounge. Coffee sounded good right about now too.
“Cap has the replacement arrived yet?”
“Not yet, how Johnny doing?”
Roy knew they were not going to wait long for the information.
“He's a sleep right now but he's going to be alright.” Roy got his coffee while he filling the men in on how he was and why he was going to be rooming at Rampart for a few days.
“That's a relief.” The Cap always worried about his men.
“He's going to be off for a few weeks Cap. It really depends on how much damage was done. Doctor Ria doesn't seem to be worried.”
“That's good news Roy. Hey can we see him before we head back to the station?”
“I don't know, come on lets find out.” Roy had everyone wait outside the room while he went in to ask the doctor if it was alright.
Brackett knew the men of Station 51 and he knew they were a family so he didn't even have to think about the request. However he did tell them that they needed to make it quick Johnny needed his rest and he was going to be heading up real soon. His IV's were getting low.
“Hey Pal, how you doing?”
He was glad to see his captain and station mates, “I'm alright Cap, Thanks.”
No one was too surprised when Chet spoke next, “Darn it we wanted a new paramedic at the station. Sorry Roy, but hey at least you get a vacation from him.”
He was wearing a big smile on his face. “Shut up Chet!” Was all he could say.
“Dam Gage you sound like shit!”
“Chet!” Marco yelled as he punched Chet, “Sorry Miss McCall he has no manners at all.”
Chet lowered his head as he spoke, “Sorry but he does.”
Dixie knew the guys well and Chet she knew too well. “That's alright, Gentlemen it's time to tell John good night he needs to get his rest and its also time for him to head up stairs.”
Before the men got to the door they noticed that John was already sound a sleep.
“Miss McCall is he going to be alright?”
She could tell by Mike's soft voice that he was really worried about him. “Yeah Mike. Listen Guys I will call the station as soon as I know anything alright?”
“Thanks Miss McCall.” Cap had the men leave so they could get back on duty.
Roy let Dixie know that he would return as soon as he picked up John's replacement. Dwyer had agreed to come in and work the rest of John's shift the next day.
Dixie stayed with Johnny until they came to take him upstairs.
“Kel!”
“Yeah Dix?”
She had been thinking about what Chet had said to John. “I think you need to know something.” She then told him how bad John had sounded and that he seemed to be getting worse. She was right Kel was not happy with the new report and decided to give him the once over again. However this time John had a fever of 101.5 and this was not good. The first thing he did was call Ria to report to John's room. He then told Dixie to get work again on the vitals and he wanted a new set of labs done. It didn't take long before Ria arrived at the room. Kel brought her up to date. She also went right to work she removed the bandages for Johns hand they were not surprised to find that the hand seemed to be starting an infection going.
“Great that's all John needs.” He had Dix get an IV of antibiotics started. The real bad thing was that they couldn't do the surgery until the infection was cleared up. They only hoped that the hand was not in to bad of shape and would last the few days for it to clear up.
Doctor Brackett stood by the phone in his office he needed to make the call to the station but he didn't want too. He had told the men that John was going to be alright and not to worry and now everything had changed. Roy would be heading back soon too and he didn't want him making the return trip only to get the bad news. Slowly he picked up the phone and dialed the station.
The men all sat around the table waiting for news. Dwyer had just arrived and was changing into his uniform. When the phone rang everyone at the table jumped up.
“Sit!” Was all the captain said the look was worth a million words. He took a deep breath before he picked up the receiver. “L.A. County Station 51 Captain Stanley speaking.” Everyone was hanging on every word that he said.
“Hi doc...yes I under stand...alright thanks for calling...We'll be by as soon as we all off duty...yes I'll let Roy know before he leaves here... Alright doc thanks again for calling us. You have a nice evening and let John know well be in tomorrow and that we are thinking of him. Okay good bye.”
Cap at first couldn't bring himself to say anything he just walked over and sat down.
Roy knew there was a message for him so he decided that would be the best place to start. “Cap what was my message for Doc?”
“He said not to make the trip back over till your next run.” He then took a deep breath. “John didn't get to go to surgery as planned, Chet when you made the comment about how bad John sounded Dix got worried and told Doc. Seems an infection has set in. They can't operate till it's cleared up and his fever has gone down.” Everyone was stunned by the new news, everyone was shocked by what came out of the captains mouth next.
“Roy does this mean he could lose his hand?”
Roy didn't know what to say. Deep down he knew this was possible and if the infection got to bad it would happen. He didn't want to worry his friend.
“Cap did the doctor say how bad of an infection it was?”
“NO just that it was the start of an infection and they hoped to have it cleaned up quick.” Roy took a deep breath. “Sounds like Doc think it not going to be all that bad. I'll have to check when we are at Rampart later on.”
It seemed that it was forever before the tones dropped again for the squad and what make it even better was the fact that they were not that far from the hospital.
Dixie was not surprised to see them coming down the hall.
“Hi Dix, you have any news?”
Dixie smiled at them, “Yes Roy his fever has gone down all the way and they aren't going to wait any longer he's on his way up now.” She could see the smile on his face and see the relief in him eyes.
“Dix that's great, Can I use the base line to call the station and let the guys all know?” She didn't know why he was asking he knew she would let him.
“Roy let them know that Doctor Ria said about 2 hours and that Kel is with him they will call as soon as he's In recovery.”
“Thanks Dixie.”
She thought he seemed to have found his bounce in his step as he entered the base station.
The men were so happy when the call came in that John's hand would be alright and that he was going to be alright. They all seemed to be starving when the news came down at 3 in the morning so Marco and Chet fixed something for everyone to eat and then they all tried to get some sleep. The only thing was they all wanted to get to the hospital to see John and they wanted to see for them selves how he was doing.
As soon as the replacement groups arrived they were gone in a flash. The all went right to the nurse's station where Dixie was getting ready to get off and get some sleep herself. “Morning men get any sleep?”
“Not much Dixie.” Roy knew she would been the same way. “How's he doing this morning?”
“Fine he's a wake and ate some breakfast, but listen Kel wants him to rest a lot so make your visits quick, we want him home in a few days.”
“Will do Dixie!” And the men went for their visits.
The Doctors were right there was to be no lasting damage done to the hand and John was out of the hospital in 2 days. However he did have to wait almost 3 months before returning to duty they wanted his hand back where it was before they released him.
Roy couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before the disaster magnet would show up at Station 51 again.
The end
This one is for Brenda and Liz for all those time they ask me are you done yet?? Also for the first group of female paramedics Lori for her gutter trips and next time we are bring the oreo cookies along for the ride. Hope you liked it
Barb