So�This Is Montana� Ch. 9
Dr. Shannon, Dr. Granger and Dr. Parrish began preparing several syringes with medications that would be given to the Lance, JC, Justin, Chris, and Joey in preparation for the long trip to the airport, then home to Orlando.
�Well, we�ll let you administer the drugs, Dr. Shannon,� said Dr. Parrish. �We�ll monitor their vitals after you�ve given them the medications.�
�That�s fine,� Dr. Shannon said as he finished preparing the separate trays on which the labeled syringes lay. �I�m going to start with JC first, then move on to Justin, Chris, Joey and finally Lance.
�Sounds good,� Dr. Granger answered over his shoulder while making the final entries on the boys� medical charts.
�Let�s go.� Dr. Shannon picked up the tray carrying two syringes labeled as being for JC and walked across the room to the young man�s bedside. With relief, Dr. Shannon saw that JC was fast asleep. He had chosen JC to be first knowing that although the injections would be made into an IV port, JC was still wary of the sight of needles and the fact that he would not be feeling the injection did little to alleviate his fears. Getting JC�s injections out of the way would make the others� injections seem like a walk in the park as far as the doctor was concerned.
Very gently, Dr. Shannon swiped the IV port with an alcohol swab then carefully carried out the injections. Shortly after the doctor had finished, JC stirred under his covers with the beginnings of a frown etched across his face as he let out a low moan of discomfort. Dr. Shannon leaned over and slowly began to stroke JC�s left arm in an effort to mask the burning sensation being caused by the sedative and anti-nausea medications that he had injected. Minutes later, the doctor watched JC�s slight movements and tense features slowly began to relax as the effects of the injections began to wash over him. Dr. Shannon reached over JC�s head and lifted an oxygen mask hanging from a bag above. He unwound the tubing, turned a knob on the wall to start the flow of oxygen, then gently placed the mask over JC�s lax features, and pulled the elastic band over the back of the now unconscious man�s head. The doctor stood there a moment longer monitoring JC�s progressive slide into a deeper state of oblivion before moving on to the next bed.
Dr. Granger moved over to JC�s bedside and began taking his vitals as Dr. Shannon made his way to Justin�s bedside with another set of syringes. He found the young man looking uneasily at JC�s unconscious form.
Justin tore his gaze away from the next bed and turned to look at the man standing quietly over him.
�My turn huh?� he asked nervously as he bit at his bottom lip almost to the point of drawing blood.
�Yep,� Dr. Shannon answered, immediately regretting the fact that Justin had not been the one sleeping through the injections, instead of JC.
�You probably don�t remember me having to put you to sleep in the hospital last year, do you.� Dr. Shannon found his comment causing him to briefly reflect back on the time when JC and Justin had been rushed to Mercy General�s trauma center after JC�s near drowning almost a year earlier. Justin had come to in the trauma room and immediately had a full blown panic attack. As a result, Dr. Shannon had been forced to prescribe a strong narcotic, which sent Justin into sweet oblivion for almost 12 hours. Dr. Shannon�s thoughts were interrupted when he heard Justin�s speak.
�Can you say something else besides put to sleep doc?� Justin asked, his voice slightly quivering. �That sounds too much like what a vet would want to do to Busta or Korea.�
�Hey�I heard that Curly,� a voice hissed from a bed across the room.
Dr. Shannon looked up at Chris and shook his head, indicating that now was not the time for joking around. Chris leaned up painfully on one elbow and saw Justin�s face, realizing that he didn�t need to be interrupting what was going on right then. He gave a small sigh before lowering himself slowly back down to his bed.
�I take it that you don�t remember that happening then,� Dr. Shannon said in an understanding voice as he motioned Justin to move over so that he could sit down on the side of his bed.
Justin shook his head no, not taking his gaze away from the two syringes sitting on the tray resting on Dr. Shannon�s thigh.
Dr. Shannon followed Justin�s gaze and picked up the alcohol swab then slowly wiped at the IV port on Justin�s left wrist as he explained what was going to happen.
�This first injection is a medication that will help prevent you from becoming nauseous during the ambulance ride and the first part of the plane trip,� he said in quiet tones, trying to alleviate Justin�s fears. �It will make you slightly groggy and may cause a burning sensation as it works its way up your arm. Ready?�
Justin lay back against his pillows then nodded his head watching as Dr. Shannon pushed the needle into the IV port and slowly pressed the plunger until the syringe was emptied. Dr. Shannon then began to rub Justin�s arm for a few minutes watching Justin�s facial features slowly begin to relax.
�Feels kinda warm�� Justin mumbled as he began to feel the effects of the medicine, all the while wearily eyeing the second syringe that Dr. Shannon was now holding in his hand.
�This next one is a sedative and it will put you out completely for the next several hours Justin. When I finish, I�m going to put an oxygen mask over your face to help the medications work more effectively. Ready?�
Justin closed his eyes and turned his head as Dr. Shannon completed administering the sedative. Justin, without thinking, began clutching at his sheets in nervousness as he began to feel something similar to warm waves washing up over his body. As Dr. Shannon placed the oxygen mask over Justin�s face, he noticed that the young man�s hands were gripping the sheets so tightly that his knuckles were turning white as he struggled to open his eyes.
�How are you doing Justin?� Dr. Shannon asked, his voice full of concern as watched Justin fight the medications.
�Scared�scared,� Justin mumbled, his voice muffled by the mask over his face.
Dr. Shannon gripped Justin�s left hand while reaching up to stroke his head. �Sh�Justin�give in to the meds. I�ll stay right here until you�re asleep. When you wake up, you�ll almost be home.� The doctor felt the hand that he was holding slowly begin to lighten its grip and he watched Justin�s head lolled slightly when he lost full consciousness.
Dr. Shannon released his grip on Justin�s hand then slowly stood up, surveying the young man�s face. With a shake of his head, he pulled the covers further up Justin�s body then turned and practically bumped into Dr. Parrish and Dr. Granger.
�Sorry�didn�t see you standing there,� he apologized sheepishly.
�You have quite a bedside manner,� Dr. Granger said quietly.
Dr. Shannon glanced back over his shoulder at the sleeping figure before turning back to face the doctors.
�He was scared�never been put under like that before�where he was fully aware of what was going on,� Dr. Shannon explained quietly, trying to mask the emotions that he was feeling at that moment. He had known that this trip was going to be hard, but he had not realized just how hard until having dealt with Justin. The two doctors nodded their heads in understanding before beginning their vitals check on Justin as Dr. Shannon left to get the next trays prepared for the three remaining patients.
Minutes later, with a tray in hand, Dr. Shannon crossed the room to Chris�s bedside and found the young man wearing a slight grin on his face.
�You did a good job with Baby J, doc.�
�Thanks Chris,� Dr. Shannon said quietly as he quickly prepared the IV port for the first syringe.
�Are you ready to meet up with Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod?� he asked with a slightly lopsided grin at the fact that Chris, of all the boys, would probably know what he was referring to and he was not disappointed. He brought his gaze up and saw
Chris grinning.
�My mom used to read that poem to me before bed,� he said, his voice taking on a nostalgic tone, his eyes taking on a far off look.
�Let me see. How did it go?� Chris asked as he opened his eyes and watched the doctor insert the first syringe into the IV port.
�Oh yeah,� he said as he felt the first shot begin to permeate his senses.
�Winkin, Blinkin, and Nod�one night�sailed�off�in a� wooden shoe�sailed off�into�a�sea�� Chris�s words slowly dropped off, as the effects of the second injection invaded his system, causing him to fade into a deep sleep.
Dr. Shannon grinned as he gently placed the oxygen mask over Chris�s face before smoothing the bedcovers over the unconscious young man.
�Two more to go,� the doctor quietly commented as he accepted one of the two remaining trays from Dr. Parrish before heading over to Joey�s bed where he was greeted with a lopsided grin.
�You need to keep us supplied with whatever you keep giving Chris, doc,� Joey said with a slightly evil grin. �It might come in handy sometime.�
Dr. Shannon softly chuckled at the remark. �I�m sure if JC were awake, he�d be saying the same thing about you Joey.�
Joey attempted not to laugh, but ended up grimacing at the failed effort as his chest protested to the sudden movement. He took in a sharp breath as the pain grew slightly in intensity while clutching at his chest.
�I gotta remember not to laugh, but it�s so hard not to,� Joey said through clinched teeth.
�I can see that we took you off the relaxants too soon Joey,� Dr. Shannon commented in an apologetic manner. He immediately began preparing the syringe containing the sedative as another small moan of pain escaped from Joey�s lips.
�Just relax Joey. I�m going to give you your sedative now and that will help with the pain,� Dr. Shannon said as he quickly administered the injection then followed it with the nausea medication. Dr. Shannon dropped both syringes onto the tray and began to gently run his hand over the young man�s head, watching Joey�s pained expression gradually transform into one of complete repose as the drugs took over control of his system. Within minutes, the young man was resting comfortably and free of pain. Dr. Shannon removed the nasal cannula that had been supplying Joey with oxygen and replaced it with a mask before moving onto the last bed.
Dr. Shannon saw that Lance was slightly stirring on his bed in what seemed an effort to gain a more comfortable position. The doctor�s movements caused Lance to slightly open his eyes and grin at the face smiling down at him.
�Hi ya doc,� Lance said with a giggle, his voice slightly heavy with sleep.
�Wanna sign my cast while you�re here?� Lance attempted to lift the cast into the air and failed. With a frown on his face he mumbled, �It sure did get heavy all of a sudden.�
Dr. Shannon looked quizzically down at the young man as he continued to struggle in attempting to lift his right arm. With a slight grin on his face, the doctor called over his shoulder to Dr. Parrish.
�Uh�Ralph�what did you give Lance for the pain?�
�Why?� the older doctor asked, not looking up from the charts that he was busily writing in as Dr. Granger rattled off numbers to him during Joey�s vitals check.
�Lance is what I would call smashed.�
�He�s what?� both doctors said as they made quick strides over to Lance�s bedside.
�I believe the technical term is inebriated. I prefer to say drowning in the sauce, but we can use term drunk if you�d like,� Dr. Shannon said with a slightly amused look on his face.
�Let me check his chart,� Dr. Granger said as he began flipping through a multitude of papers. Seconds later, he gave the information.
�Vicodin,� then gave the dosage.
�He must be ultra sensitive to it,� Dr. Parrish said as he continued to watch Lance struggle with the cast until he suddenly slammed it against the bedrails. The three men winced at the sound and immediately Dr. Shannon reached down and placed the casted arm back onto the pillow resting on Lance�s chest. He stood back up and watched Lance begin to writhe in pain, his face temporarily scrunched up as the waves of pain over extended the abilities of the medication to control it. Abruptly, without warning, Lance let out a string of words that the doctor knew would make Lance�s parents, Jim and Diane Bass, cringe, before attempting to sit up in his bed.
�Whoa�where are you going young man?� Dr. Shannon asked as he gripped Lance�s shoulders and pushed him back down onto the bed.
�I wanna go home�let go�let go�� the young man growled in growing agitation as he fought against the strong hands holding him down.
The two remaining doctors instantly began to move almost in unison. Dr. Granger assisted Dr. Shannon in holding Lance down on the bed while Dr. Parrish immediately left the room and returned with soft restraints, which he and Dr. Granger speedily began attaching to the bed rails. Dr. Shannon continued to hold the struggling young man while grimly watching the two men working. He hated the use of restraints but knew that it would become necessary since the medication had only been administered a little more than an hour ago and it would remain in Lance�s system for up to 8 hours.
�Get his legs first,� Dr. Shannon said loud enough to be heard over Lance�s angry shouts.
Dr. Granger and Dr. Parrish moved quickly and within minutes had Lance safely secured to the bed. The three watched Lance move violently against the restraints until he wore himself out completely. With hitching breathes, the young man fell back against the bed, exhausted and defeated.
Dr. Shannon took advantage of the momentary peace and left to quickly check on the remaining boys, while the other doctors discussed the best way to treat Lance. Minutes later, Dr. Shannon returned having found that fortunately, they had all slept through the entire incident.
�Let�s flush it out of his system and treat him with some meds to counteract these affects,� Dr. Parrish said, looking over his shoulder at the now sleeping figure on the bed behind him.
�We can delay the departure by a couple of hours can�t we? Dr. Granger asked, knowing that there were many people very anxious to have the boys on their way home�himself included.
�Let me check with the pilot, but it sounds like a good plan,� Dr. Shannon added. �I�ll go give him a call right now. He left with the sheriff about an hour before you both woke up to check over the plane.�
The doctor left the room and made his phone call, finding that the delay would not be a problem. It would give the pilot and the co-pilot an opportunity to catch up on their rest before the long flight home. With that task completed, Dr. Shannon returned to the treatment room and made his way back to Lance�s bedside.
Upon reaching the bed, he was surprised to find a bleary eyed Lance looking up at him, his face a mask of confusion.
�What happened?� he mumbled, his voice muffled by the oxygen mask on his face. His eyes darted down nervously at the restraints fastened around his wrists and ankles as he tested them by moving slightly against them.
�You had a bad reaction to the pain medications�you became very combative. We had to restrain you to keep you from injuring yourself,� the doctor explained quietly, trying to choose his words carefully so as not to scare Lance anymore than he already was.
Dr. Shannon watched Lance�s eyes grow large in amazement at his words, before they slowly began to fill with tears.
�Sh�Lance�you�re okay now,� Dr. Shannon said as he bent over and gently patted his arm.
�Can you take these off of me�please,� Lance asked in a pleading tone as tears began to track their way down his cheeks. He tugged at the bindings in fear and frustration. Dr. Shannon felt compassion for Lance, but knew that removing the restraints was not a wise decision to make just yet. He reached down and gently gripped Lance�s left hand as he began speaking in comforting tones.
�No, son�not yet.� Those words brought a slight groan of disapproval from Lance as he continued to pull against the restraints, although more weakly than before.
�There�s still quite a bit of the medication in your system and we�re going to give you something else to help with the pain. We just want to make sure that you�re going to stay safe,� he explained, trying to reassure Lance. Lance nodded his head in understanding and closed his eyes, allowing even more tears to slip through the sealed lids.
�I know that you are scared by all of this, but I need you to try to get some rest right now,� the doctor said, as he ran his hand over Lance�s sweaty head. Inwardly taking a deep breath, Dr. Shannon added, �It�ll help in eliminating the drugs from your system.� He hated lying, but he knew that Lance would buy it and get some much-needed rest, making the whole ordeal somewhat easier for him. Lance opened his eyes and gave the doctor one more pleading look as he pulled at the bindings, but Dr. Shannon shook his head at the young man.
With a slight nod of his head, Lance let his eyes close as he shifted slightly in the bed in an attempt to get comfortable in his restrained position. Dr. Shannon remained at his side, stroking his head until he watched the young man�s breathing begin to deepen as sleep claimed him.
With a sigh, Dr. Shannon stood up from his stooped position and rubbed his lower back before crossing the room to check on the others who were all still sleeping peacefully throughout the room. The doctor then stood in the center of the room and shook his head before bowing his it in silent prayer.
�Dear Father in heaven�please let this all be over with soon�help me get the boys home safely�.if it�s Your will. In Jesus� name�amen.� With quiet sigh, Dr. Shannon raised his head then walked over to a chair seated in the corner of the room dropping his weary body heavily onto it.
�I�m getting way too old for this,� he said tiredly, allowing his eyes to briefly shut. �Way too old for this.�