So�This Is Montana� Ch. 8
It was around midnight when the chartered plane landed and taxied down the deserted runway. Once the plane came to a stop outside a well-lit hangar, the pilot and co-pilot unbuckled their seatbelts and headed back toward the cabin of the plane where Dr. Shannon was located.
�What can we do to help?� asked the pilot, Jim Stanley, as he watched the doctor move about the cabin, gathering items together.
The doctor pointed at several black containers that resembled fishing tackle boxes. Each contained medications that might be needed for the trip from the clinic to the plane as well as the trip home to Orlando. �Grab those Jim.�
�What can I do?� asked Jared Davis, the co-pilot.
�Why don�t you see if our ride is here.�
�Okay.� Jared opened the planes side door, pushed out the steps and climbed out of the plane.
�I�m glad Jared was able to come with us,� commented Dr. Shannon as he and Jim carried the three black medical boxes to the front of the plane.
�How�s that doc?�
�I may need his assistance with two of the patients.�
�Really? Which ones?�
�Joey Fatone and Lance Bass. Their injuries were more serious than the rest of the group�s.�
The pilot glanced over his shoulder as he spoke. �Not too serious I hope.�
�We both hope Jim�we both hope.�
With that said the two men left the plane and walked to a nearby sheriff�s patrol car where the co-pilot was speaking with a middle-aged man dressed in a khaki uniform. Introductions were made and the medical supply boxes were put into the trunk before the group quickly got into the patrol car and left the deserted airstrip.
�I hope you don�t mind, but Dr. Parrish requested that I get you there as quickly as possible, so I�m going to turn the siren and lights on. It�s going to get a little loud,� said Sheriff Hal Owens.
�Don�t worry. I�m ready to get there,� Dr. Shannon said with an anxious voice.
With that said, the siren and lights were turned as the car picked up speed.
�Exactly how far is it to the clinic?� Jim asked, having to raise his voice to be heard over the sirens.
�About an hour and a half at the speed limit. I should be able to get you there in about an hour.�
�Good,� Dr. Shannon commented.
The sheriff looked into his rear view mirror and noted the look of worry written on the doctor�s face. Thinking that the speed was bothering the doctor, he tried to lighten the situation.
�Don�t worry doc�haven�t lost a passenger yet.�
Jim and Jared laughed at the remark, but it was lost on the doctor.
�Hey�lighten up doc. I�ll get you there safe and sound,� Hal tried to reassure.
�I�m sorry Hal. It�s not your driving that�s bothering me. It�s the reason why I�m here.� Dr. Shannon�s voice had a tinge of sadness laced in it as he spoke.
�I was one of the patrol cars on the scene doc�I understand. Those boys were very lucky.� The sheriff shook his head at the memory of the twisted wreck.
�Who found them?� Dr. Shannon asked. He had not thought to ask the boy�s manager, Johnny Wright, nor Dr. Parrish.
�I did. I was out patrolling the area. It was raining�raining so hard that you couldn�t see but maybe 30 or 40 feet ahead of you. I came around a bend in the road and saw their vehicle�s taillights off in a pasture. Apparently, some of Jensen�s cows got out and the driver tried to avoid them. He went through a wood fence and hit an oak tree head on. I called it in and then went over to see if anyone needed help.�
Dr. Shannon and the pilots listened to the sheriff�s account of the accident. When he had finished with his description of the condition of the boys and the vehicle, they all agreed that everyone had indeed been very fortunate. By the sounds of it, their injuries could have much, much worse.
The group fell into silence for the remainder of their trip�each lost in their own thoughts.
The sheriff reliving the sight of the accident�the blood�the painful moans�the tense minutes spent waiting for the ambulances to arrive.
The pilot, Jim Stanley was quietly thinking about his own children who would be driving within the next year or two. This would be a good example to tell them of why they should not try to drive in bad weather.
Jared Davis, the co-pilot, was busily contemplating the five patients that he would be helping Dr. Shannon with on their return trip. He and Dr. Shannon had flown together on numerous medical missions on several occasions. He had seen it all, but he could feel some of Dr. Shannon�s anxiety beginning to rub off on him. Jared knew he would be very glad to land in Orlando tomorrow�very glad.
Dr. Shannon�s thoughts were jumbled. He felt relief that the injuries that each of the boys had sustained were not life threatening, but there was apprehension of the long flight home where things could suddenly happen. All in all, he just wanted to a: see the boys and hear their voices, b: treat their injuries, c: get them home safely, and d: fuss at them, up one side and down the other for once again putting him through the wringer.
With a sigh, Dr. Shannon rubbed a hand over his face and looked out the window of the car at the dark countryside speeding by.
�I�m getting much too old for this,� he whispered to himself.
About an hour later, Dr. Parrish ushered Dr. Shannon and the plane�s co-pilot into the treatment room where the patients were located. At the far end of the room, Dr. Parrish spoke in hushed tones as he pointed to each of the beds against the opposite wall. He quickly gave the men an update on the conditions of each of the boys, handed over their charts and then answered questions.
�Have you been monitoring Lance�s heart murmur?� asked Dr. Shannon as he quickly flipped through the pages of Lance�s chart, his eyes quickly skimming through what had been written down.
�Yes. We hooked him up to a monitor not too long after our phone conversation. Everything is looking good. He has a strong, steady rhythm. We added oxygen also just as a precaution.�
�Good. What about any problems with Chris�s blood sugar level?�
�No. We�ve been keeping an eye on it and he�s doing just fine.�
�Joey still having problems with the spasms?�
�We�re still treating him with relaxants. His last dose was about an hour ago. He�s been resting comfortably. We�re continuing with the oxygen.�
There were several more questions answered as the charts were passed back and forth between the doctors and co-pilot before Dr. Shannon was ready to check on each of the boys himself.
�Jared, why don�t you go give Jim an update and get some rest. I want to spend some time with them by myself first.� Jared gave the doctor a nod of understanding and then left the room.
Dr. Shannon took the offered stethoscope, b/p cuff, and penlight from Dr. Parrish before heading to the beds.
The doctor�s stomach tightened up as he took in the sight before him. Five beds�five familiar patients. Seeing these young men like this was becoming a habit that the doctor was growing weary of. The doctor�s gaze traveled from bed to bed. IV�s�oxygen�bruises�cuts�bandages�broken bones. With a sigh, Dr. Shannon again looked at the bed directly in front of him. It�s owner was the only one who was not sleeping well. Dr. Shannon walked over to the bedside of the one who was moving restlessly under the covers and reached for one of the hands that was grasping at the bedcovers. The doctor gently clasped the hand, leaned over the bedrail and began whispering to Justin as he placed his other hand over Justin�s forehead.
�Justin�sh�sh�� The doctor watched as Justin�s restless movements ceased and his eyelids fluttered open. Justin turned to look at Dr. Shannon and smile spread across his face.
�Hi doc,� Justin whispered.
�This is becoming quite a habit isn�t it Justin? Me standing here�you lying there,� the doctor teased. Justin�s eyes began to fill with tears.
�Yeah�can we go home now? I really want to go home�please.� Justin�s whispering voice was cracking with emotion.
Dr. Shannon had to work hard to keep his feelings in check. He had a scared young man before him and he needed to reassure him that everything would be fine.
�I know you�re ready to go home Justin. It�s just now almost 2:00 in the morning. We�re scheduled to leave here at about 8:00 and our flight leaves at about 10:00. I�ll have you and the others at Mercy General at about 2:00 in the afternoon. Good enough?�
A single tear slid down Justin�s face as he nodded his head. �I just want to go home,� he whispered.
�I know and I�ll get you there in about 12 hours.� Dr. Shannon said quietly, as he gently squeezed Justin�s hand before letting go.
�Why don�t you let me check you out and then you can get some sleep.�
�Okay.�
Dr. Shannon�s exam did not take very long�not that Justin even noticed. Before the doctor had even finished, Justin allowed his eyelids to slowly close and he fell asleep. Dr. Shannon carefully readjusted the covers over Justin�s chest and gave his hand one final gentle squeeze before moving on to the next bed.
Dr. Shannon stood over JC and saw that he was sleeping soundly. With a small grin, the doctor recalled how easily he had been able to examine JC in the hospital without even awakening him after his near drowning accident almost a year ago. Dr. Shannon gingerly pulled the covers down low enough that he could lay his stethoscope over JC�s heart and found that his heart beat was strong and steady. He looked up and saw Dr. Parrish and Dr. Granger approaching.
�Scrubs?� Dr. Shannon asked, pointing at JC�s attire.
�He was complaining about his legs being so cold so�� Dr. Parrish explained with a grin.
�As long as I�ve known him, he�s been a little on the cool side,� Dr. Shannon joked as he replaced the covers over JC and moved on to the next bed.
�He�s a sound sleeper too,� commented Dr. Granger.
�Yes,� Dr. Shannon answered with a grin.
�Listen doc. We hate to impose, but we were wondering if you would mind keeping an eye on the boys while we catch a little shuteye in the next room. We�ve been up with them for more than 24 hours,� explained Dr. Parrish.
Dr. Shannon saw that the pair did indeed look exhausted.
�No problem. I�ll keep an eye on the boys until the morning, then I�ll catch a short nap before we leave.�
�Thanks,� said replied the doctors before leaving the room.
Dr. Shannon watched the pair leave then moved on to the next bed, which held Chris. Dr. Shannon did not have to worry about disturbing the young man. Dr. Granger had administered another 2 milligrams morphine push for Chris�s pain just before the doctor had arrived and now the young man was totally out. Dr. Shannon was able to carry out his exam without Chris showing any signs of his being aware of his presence. Once finished with the short vitals check, Dr. Shannon stood just looking down at the figure and shook his head. With a smile, he placed his hand on Chris�s shoulder and quietly spoke.
�I don�t think I�ve ever seen you so still. Now we know what to give you.� Dr. Shannon smoothed the blankets covering Chris before walking to the next bed where he found a semi-alert Joey quietly chuckling.
�That was a good one doc. Do you think you can keep us supplied with the stuff?� Joey asked quietly, his voice still slightly slurred by the medications he had been given.
�If the price was right Joey.� Joey began to laugh, but then grimaced when his chest protested to the movements.
�Don�t make me laugh doc. Hurts too much,� he moaned as he gingerly rubbed his chest.
�Mind if I have a look?� Dr. Shannon pulled the front of Joey�s gown down and frowned when he saw the angry, black bruise left by a seatbelt ran from Joey�s right shoulder down to his left hip.
�Beauty�ain�t it,� Joey commented as he watched the doctor�s expression through half opened eyes.
Dr. Shannon just shook his head and raised the gown back against Joey�s chest.
�I understand you gave the doctors quite a scare Joey,� commented Dr. Shannon as he continued checking Joey�s vitals.
�I really don�t remember much about it other than being scared and the pain,� Joey whispered. He was growing very tired and things were becoming fuzzy again.
Dr. Shannon watched as Joey began to struggle to keep his eyes open. He looked up at Joey�s IV and saw that the small bag that the relaxants were being administered from through the IV was almost full. Joey would remain pretty much out of it throughout the rest of the evening and for a good part of the plane ride the next morning. That would be good. Dr. Shannon looked back down at Joey and watched him continue to fight the medications. The doctor reached down and smoothed Joey�s hair back, being mindful of the large bruise that had spread its way across his forehead. As he ran his hand over Joey�s head, the doctor quietly spoke to the semi-conscious figure.
�Joey�I�m finished here. Why don�t you just go to sleep and I�ll see you later on in the evening.�
Dr. Shannon watched as Joey�s half-opened eyes closed and his features relaxed. He continued to run his hand over Joey�s head until he was sure that the young man was asleep.
�Four down�one more to go,� he whispered as he walked over to the last bed against the wall.
For a moment, Dr. Shannon just stood at Lance�s bedside taking in the bruises and bandages. He felt sadness for all of the young men, but for this one especially. About a week before the boys were to leave for Montana, Lance had come in to his office with a simple sore throat. During the visit, he spoke excitedly about the ranch and how yet another dream of his had been realized. The enthusiasm radiating from Lance was contagious and Dr. Shannon made the young man promise that he would take him out there sometime in the near future to see the property. And, now, a week later, Dr. Shannon was finding himself to be in Montana, but not for the purpose that he had wished for.
The doctor looked down at the bright blue cast on Lance�s right arm. A slight smile played across the doctor�s face as he read the inscriptions on the cast, but the smile faded as he looked over Lance noting the bruises and bandage surrounding his head. With a frown, Dr. Shannon began his check of Lance�s vitals. The heart monitor, quietly beeping above Lance�s head, showed that his heartbeat was strong and steady. The oxygen being supplied through a mask reassured that he would continue remain stable. Quickly and quietly, the doctor completed his exam without Lance stirring at all. He would have liked to have heard the young man�s deep voice�further assurance for the doctor, but that would have to wait until later. Dr. Shannon gave the IV and oxygen one more quick check before leaving Lance�s bedside.
Dr. Shannon slowly walked over to a corner of the room, poured himself a cup of coffee before sitting in a chair near the center of the room. As he sipped the hot liquid, he gazed at the five beds and allowed his thoughts to swirl about. Concussions, nightmares, exhaustion, broken bones, near drowning, car accident�what else would these boys come up with next to put more gray hairs on his head? With a sigh, the doctor gazed up at the clock on the wall and settled back against the chair, ready for a long night.
Meanwhile a late night poker game was wrapping up at Hickory Hill ranch. The conversation around the table had focused on the news of the new owner�s car accident and how the visit that he had planned on making to the ranch would be temporarily postponed. Two of the men did not show the same concern for the young men as the others. They gave each other knowing glances and excused themselves from the table. Minutes later, outside the long ranch house that served as their home, the two ranch hands began making their own plans for Mr. Bass and his companion� next visit.