“ROY” ALLY PISSED OFF

By Canadagal

What the heck happened?” Johnny said to himself as he shook his head, trying to clear away the cobwebs.  He was laying on the ground beside his corral looking up at Cheyenne, his horse.  He sat up slowly, wincing from the pain in his shoulder.  ‘wow that hurts,’ he thought to himself.

He grabbed onto the fence rails and pulled himself to his feet.  He felt very unsteady for a few minutes until he was able to finally focus okay.  He kept thinking to himself, ‘I saddled Cheyenne up, we went for a ride.  I was coming back to put her up for the night.  What happened next?’ Johnny’s head ached when he pushed himself to remember.

He started to rotate his sore shoulder, but could barely raise it.  ‘damn I think I sprained it,’ he thought. ‘any other surprises.’ he joked as he tried to assess himself for any other injuries.  He moved his right arm and it seemed okay. He touched his chest area, and winced again.  ‘must have bumped my ribs too.  Why do I always hit them.  Do they have a big sign on them that says “pick me or something,”  he joked to himself.

Johnny walked carefully to the ranch house to clean up and hopefully take better stalk of himself.  He walked very slowly, the jarring of walking even hurt.  He went into the bathroom and looked at his face.    He had some blood running down the side of his face.  He carefully washed his face and cleaned up the blood as well as he could.  If he had been more observant he would have noticed the blood was coming from a contusion on the side of his head.  He was still not very oriented to the facts of his accident.

When he had cleaned up his face he went and changed his shirt.  He struggled into the clean shirt, and almost screamed in pain when he tried to put his arm in the sleeve.  He finally had his shirt all the way on. 

“I should call Roy and see if he can come and take me to the hospital,” Johnny said.  He lifted the receiver but found no dial tone.  “That’s strange.  I know I paid the bill,” he laughed to himself.

He grabbed his keys.  “I guess I’ll just drive in myself.  I need to get this shoulder checked out,” he said out loud as he headed to his Rover.

He was in a daze as he got behind the wheel and headed into the city.  He pulled up to the emergency entrance a short time later.  The sound of a horn blast startled him.  He looked around and realized he was already at the hospital.  He didn’t remember driving there.

He carefully got out of the vehicle and walked inside.  The place was quite busy.  He looked around for a familiar face.  Not seeing anyone he knew, he headed up to the admitting nurse.

“Hi,” he said, giving her a slight grin.

“What is the nature of your injury?,” she asked very stiffly.

“Ah, I kind of fell earlier.  I think I hurt my shoulder and I had a . . .,” he started to say.

“Nothing major.  Fill out these forms and we’ll get to you when we can,” she said, turning her attention to the next person in line.

Johnny shook his head and headed to the waiting room.  He flopped down into a seat and closed his eyes.  His head was not feeling right .  He was still trying to remember what happened.  He struggled to fill out the forms.  He tried to read the insurance numbers on his card, but they kept jumping in and out of his vision.  After almost an hour of trying to get them filled out, he finally gave up.  He returned the form to the desk.

“This isn’t filled out properly, Mr. Gage.  We can’t treat you unless you fill these forms out properly,” she said, pointing out the errors on the document.

“Look I don’t feel so good.  Can’t I finish filling it out later?,” he said.  “The hospital has all my information on file,” he laughed lightly as he closed his eyes trying to get them to focus.

The nurse was not impressed with his charm.  “I’m sure you think the hospital can just take the time to run around and pull your file.  We’re a very busy hospital.  Now take these forms back and when they’re done I will see about putting you on the list to see a doctor,” she said, annoyed.

Johnny took the papers back and stumbled back to his seat.  He was really not feeling well.  He decided to head to the doctor’s lounge.  Maybe a cup of coffee would clear his head.  He’d just finished a double the day before and he was thinking that maybe he was just tired.  He wandered into the lounge and found it empty.  He sat at the table with his coffee and stared at the forms.   He tried to read the questions that he’d missed.  The words just wouldn’t focus. He put his head down and closed his eyes.  Over an hour passed before someone finally came into the lounge.

Dr. Brackett had just finished a long surgery and was in desperate need of coffee.  He pushed the door open and saw Johnny sitting at the table.  “Hey, Johnny, what brings you by on your day off,” he asked lightly, pouring himself a coffee.

Johnny didn’t answer him. 

“Johnny?” Kel called to him again.  He went over to where Johnny had his head down and noticed the admission papers in front of him.  He shook Johnny’s shoulder and Johnny never moved.

Kel grabbed his pen light out of his pocket and shone it into Johnny’s eyes.  He could see that Johnny’s pupils weren’t responding to the light properly.  He grabbed the phone and called for a gurney to the doctor’s lounge.

Kel tried a sternal rub, trying to illicit a response from the unconscious paramedic.  Johnny never moved.

The gurney was brought to the room and Johnny was carefully loaded on.  He was rushed down to a treatment room and Kel began to assess him.

“I want a complete skull series.  Spine and shoulder,” he said, taking note of how Johnny had been holding his injured arm.

“Get me a complete blood work up, let’s get an IV going.  I need to see the admitting nurse to find out what his reason for coming in was,” Kel said as he continued to check Johnny over for any other injuries.  He felt his rib cage and added a chest x-ray to the list of orders.  Dixie had been assisting him and when the x-ray tech came in she went to find the admitting desk nurse.

Kel had to step out  of the room while the x-rays were being taken.     Dixie walked up with the nurse. 

“What were John Gage’s complaints when he came in.  I need to know,.”  Dr. Brackett said tersely.

“Did he go complaining to you?,” she said, slightly irritated.  “I told him he couldn’t see a doctor until he filled out his forms.   He said he hurt his shoulder and started to prattle on.  The typical thing that chronic complainers do.  I cut him off before he could get wound up.  I don’t see him in the waiting room any longer.” She said, looking back.

“That’s because he is in treatment room 3 waiting for x-rays,” Dixie said, very angrily.

“He sure must have friends here to get bumped up in the line,” she said, the irritation very evident in her voice.

“Miss. Stramdon, did you even bother to ask him how he injured his shoulder or listen to his other complaints,” Dr. Brackett said, very heated.  “John Gage is not a chronic complainer, if anything he minimizes his injuries.  For him to come in here on his day off, he must have been hurting,” Kel spat out.

“Well he just seemed like a slick charmer to me,” Nurse Stramdon said matter of fact. 

Suddenly the door flew open and the tech yelled out,  “he’s having some kind of seizure”

Kel, Dixie and Nurse Stramdon  ran into the room and immediately went to restrain Johnny.  They pushed a tongue depressor in his mouth to keep him from swallowing his tongue. 

Kel ordered an anticonvulsive medication to control the seizure.  Once the medication started to take affect, Johnny’s body stopped shaking.

“We need to know what the hell happened?” Kel said concerned.  “and I want you the hell out of this room.  I think you’ve caused enough problems here,” he said, directing the admitting nurse to leave.    She quickly did as she was told.  Dixie followed her out.  “You go home.  We will deal with this tomorrow,” she said, heading back into the treatment room.

“Come on, Johnny, let’s see if we can get you to come around,” Kel said, shaking him forcefully.  He was leery to do a sternal rub again, because he thought he detected some cracked ribs.

Dixie put some pressure onto his nail bed and that finally brought him around slightly.

“wha,” he mumbled.  Johnny tried to sit up but gentle hands held him down.

“Johnny, can you tell me what happened?” Kel asked.

“Dr. Brackett?” Johnny said, trying to focus.

“Yeah, Johnny.  Now can you tell me what happened?” he asked again.

Johnny’s eyes were trying to focus.  He was trying to think.  “Was at ranch.  On ground.  Washed face.  Didn’t fill out forms good,” Johnny was mumbling.

“Johnny, did you fall at the ranch?” Dixie asked.

“on ground, washed face.  Forms,” Johnny babbled again.

He couldn’t seem to answer their questions. 

“Dixie, call Roy, maybe he’ll have an idea what John was doing today.  I’d like to know what caused his injuries,” Kel said.

Dixie went to the nurses desk to make the call.

“Hello,” came Roy’s calm voice on the phone.

“Roy, it’s Dixie.  I am calling to find out if you knew what Johnny was going to be doing today,?” she began.

“I think he was out riding today, why,” Roy asked, the apprehension building in his voice.

“Johnny is here, Roy.  We can’t get him to tell us what happened,” Dixie explained.

“He’s there.  How is he?” Roy asked anxiously.

“He is incoherent.  We suspect a head injury of some kind.  We need to know what happened?  Do you think you or one of the guys can head to the ranch and see if you can figure it out?” Dixie asked.

“Yeah sure.  I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Roy said, hanging up the phone.

He quickly called Chet. “Hello,” came Chet’s gruff voice.

“Hey, Chet, it’s Roy.  I need you to do me a favor,” he said.

“What’s that?” Chet asked.

“Johnny got hurt at his ranch somehow.  The doctors at Rampart need to know what happened.  Could you drive to the ranch and see if you can figure out what happened?” Roy asked.

“Johnny is hurt?  How bad?,” Chet asked anxiously.

“I don’t know.  Dixie just called.  I want to head to the hospital right away . We need someone to go to the ranch,” Roy explained.

“I’m on my way there now,” Chet said, “I’ll call from there if I figure it out,” he said, hanging up the phone and running to grab his keys.

Roy also rushed out the door, letting Joanne know what happened as he quickly left.

Roy arrived at the hospital 15 minutes later.  He found out what room Johnny was in and went to see how his partner was doing.

When he went into the treatment room, he saw Johnny’s lying very still with his eyes closed.  He was on minimal oxygen support with a nasal cannula.  There were IV’s running in both his arms.  He looked very pale and lethargic.

“Hey, Junior, what kind of mess did you get yourself into this time,” Roy joked lightly as he walked up to the treatment table.

“Roy,” Johnny said, softly, as he tried to focus on him.

“What happened, Johnny?” Roy asked.

“On ground.  Washed face.  Forms,” Johnny mumbled, almost repeating what he said earlier.

Dixie looked up from where she was taking his BP.  “He keeps repeating himself.  We aren’t sure what he is trying to tell us”

Roy frowned with a serious look on his face.  “I sent Chet out to the ranch.  Hopefully he can figure out what happened out there.  Didn’t he say anything when he was first brought in?” Roy asked.

“He drove himself in.  He was apparently very coherent with the admitting nurse, but there was a problem there” Dixie said, not going into much details.

Roy caught the tone in Dixie’s face.  “Problem?” he said, looking at the head nurse with a puzzled look.

“The admitting nurse thought he was a chronic complainer and brushed off his feeble explanation as being trivial,” she said, sadly

“She what?  Johnny is the least chronic complainer I know.  He hates coming into this place as a patient. I have to usually bring him in here kicking and screaming if he gets hurt at work,” Roy yelled, frustrated.

“Easy, Roy,” Dixie said gently.  “We know Johnny.  We know he’ d only have come in if he thought it was serious.  We just wish we knew what happened?” she said.

Just then Dr. Brackett came back into the room.  “Roy,” he said, meeting the eyes of the other paramedic.

“Doc, how’s he doing?” Roy asked.

“Well the x-rays show a hairline fracture.  He also has some cracked ribs and a sprained shoulder,” he said, rattling off the list of injuries.

“What the heck happened to cause all those injuries?” Roy said, shaking his head.

“We don’t know.  It was apparently over 90 minutes from the time Johnny came in here before I saw him in the Doctor’s lounge slumped over the table,” Kel explained.

“He was ignored for 90 minutes with a head injury. How can anyone be that incompetent?” Roy roared.

“We are investigating, Roy.  Don’t worry this won’t go ignored,” Kel said, sternly.

“Damn I hope so,” Roy said, turning his attention back to his friend.

“So now what?” he asked.

“We are going to do a cat scan and see how serious the fracture is.  Joe Early has been called in to consult.  We hope it doesn’t come to that, ” Kel said, guardedly.

Well hopefully Chet can shed some light on the cause of his injuries,” Roy said, dejected.

An hour later Chet walked into the Emergency Department.  He was told what room Johnny was in and headed in.

“Chet, I thought you were going to phone?” Roy asked, surprised to see the fireman there.

“I tried.  There is some repairs on the line in Johnny’s area,” Chet explained.

“So maybe he tried to call for help and couldn’t get through,” Roy said, shaking his head.

“So what’d you find?” Kel asked.

“There was a board broken in his corral.  There was some blood on it and on the ground beside it.  Johnny’s horse was wandering around freely.    He was still saddled.  There was a trail of blood leading from the corral to the house.  I also found a towel in his bathroom that was covered with blood,”  he said.  “I think he fell or was thrown off his horse and hit the corral fence.  It was a pretty solid piece of wood he fell into,” Chet explained.

“That would explain the rib injuries and the head  injury.  At least we know it wasn’t a penetrating wound,” Kel said, trying to find something encouraging in the news. 

Just then Joe Early walked in.  He had the results from the Cat Scan and the x-rays in his hand. 

“Hey, Joe, have you had a chance to review those results yet?” Kel asked, seeing the documents in Joe’s hand.

I just grabbed them and headed in here,” he said, as he started to pull the papers and x-rays out of the folders.

He took a few minutes to review the findings.  Then he went over and checked Johnny’s pupil responses. 

“Well the results show some inter cranial pressure. I think we might be able to reduce it with medication.  I gather there was a time lapse between arrival and treatment.  I hope it didn’t cost us the window of opportunity to treat this without surgery,” he said, shaking his head.

He ordered the necessary medication.  “I’m going to have him moved up to the neuro unit.  We’ll have his shoulder set and his ribs wrapped before he heads up,” Joe said, making notes on Johnny’s chart.

“What if you can’t reduce the swelling with medication?” Roy asked, nervously.

“Then we’ll have to go in and reduce it surgically. I don’t want to have to do that.  It’s a pretty risky procedure,” Joe said, cautiously.

“Let’s just hope that a night on the drugs and plenty of bed rest helps without any evasive procedures,” Joe said, trying to re-assure Roy, who looked horror stricken.

Soon Johnny was ready to be moved up stairs to the Neuro unit.  Roy accompanied him upstairs.  Chet stayed back to call the Captain and inform him of the situation. 

The long night began.  Roy was allowed to stay with Johnny.  Joe ordered neuro checks every hour.  He wanted Johnny’s condition monitored very carefully.  Johnny was barely coherent during these checks.  All he did was repeat himself.   “On ground, wash face. Forms,” he made no sense to anyone.

A couple hours later, Captain Stanley made an appearance at the hospital.  He always was concerned when one of his men was injured and needed to see for himself how Johnny was progressing.

The neuro checks were encouraging in the early part of the night and Roy started to feel more at ease that maybe he would be okay.

About 5 in the morning, the checks became more concerning.  The pressure in Johnny’s head had increased.  Joe Early was summoned to Johnny’s room.  He ordered a second cat scan stat. 

Roy, Chet and the Cap paced the waiting room anxiously as Johnny was taken for the procedure. 

“This whole thing could have been avoided,” Roy said, furiously.

“What do you mean?” Captain Stanley asked, puzzled.

Roy went to explain about the delay when Johnny came in for treatment and when he was finally seen by a doctor almost 90 minutes later.

Chet and Hank were appalled by the information.  “You mean Gage is in this condition because some nurse had an attitude?” Chet said, tersely.

“That’s about it, Chet.  She thought Johnny was a complainer, someone looking for attention at a hospital.  Isn’t that a joke,” Roy shook his head.

Just then Joe Early walked up to them.

“Doc?” Roy said, jumping to his feet.  “How’s he doing?”

“We’re going to have to operate.  I think that delay might have been too long.  The swelling is not decreasing,” Joe shook his head, discouraged.

“We’re prepping him for  surgery now,” Joe said, “I have to go and get ready”

Can I see him first?” Roy asked.

“Sorry, Roy.  We have to get in there now.  There has been too much delay already,” Joe said, sadly.  “I’ll come and see you as soon as I am done,”  he said, leaving. 

Roy sank back in his chair.  He was speechless.  “Delay.  Damn it,” Roy spewed out vehemently.

No one knew what to say.  They just sat quietly.  Chet went and called Marco and Mike.  He thought they’d want to be there.  An hour later the remaining two crew mates showed up at the early hour.  It was only 7 in the morning but Roy felt like he had been there for days.

8 hours went by.  The tension was building by the minute.  They waited very impatiently for news on their friend.    Finally a very tired Joe Early headed down the hall towards them.

“Doc Early, how’s he doing?” Roy asked, jumping to his feet.

“He came through surgery.  That’s the first step.  We have him being moved to the SICU.  I think the next 48 hours are going to be critical.  We have to wait and see how his body responds to the tremendous shock of the surgery.  The sooner he wakes up the happier I’m going to be.  Right now it’s really a wait and see thing,” he explained.

“So you really don’t know if he is going to make it?” Chet said, swallowing hard.

“Sorry no I don’t.  Just don’t give up hope.  He’s a fighter.  I just wish we could have gotten to him earlier.  It might have made such a difference,” Joe said frustrated.

“So now we wait?” Roy said, the sad reality sinking in.

“Unfortunately that’s all there is to do.  Wait and pray,” Joe said gently.

“Can we see him?” Roy asked.

“Sure, once he’s settled in his room.  I’ll leave orders with the nurses that you can visit him as much as you like.  A supportive word from some friends might just be the medicine he needs,” Joe turned to leave.  “Sorry I can’t be more encouraging”

Roy and the guys were dumbfounded.  The turn of events were more than they could comprehend.

Roy got up and headed down the hall.  “Where are you going?” Mike asked quietly.

“I want to make sure that Nurse is gone from this hospital.  She may have cost me my best friend.  I sure as hell want her fired, at the very least,” Roy said incensed.

“Roy, is this the right time to be dealing with this.  You are very emotional.  Perhaps you need to calm down a little,” Mike tried to reason with him.

“I am not going to calm down.  She is a medically trained professional.  Hell I would know better than just slough off someone’s injuries.  She didn’t even bother to ask him how he got hurt.  She was more worried about her damn forms than John’s condition,” Roy’s temper was rising just repeating the facts.

“Well if you’re going to do this, I’m going to come with you,” Mike said, following Roy down to the emergency department.

Roy went looking for Dr. Brackett or Dixie.  He found Dr. Brackett standing at the nurses desk, talking with Dixie.

“We heard that Johnny just came out of surgery,” Kel said, looking at Roy with concern.

“Yeah, but Dr. Early doesn’t know if he’s going to make it,.” Roy spat, “all because of some incompetent nurse.  I want to know what you’re doing about her?” Roy demanded.

“She is going to be dealt with in the appropriate manner, Roy,” Dixie tried to assure him. 

“How very political of you, Dixie.  She doesn’t deserve to work here.  She better not be on staff at the end of this,” Roy said, his voice laced with a threatening tone.

“Roy, this is an internal matter.  We’ll deal with it,” Dixie said, her own temper rising slightly.

“Well you forget one little detail, Dixie.  I have John’s medical power of attorney.  I’ll see that Rampart is crucified if you don’t get rid of her.  She may have killed my best friend.  I won’t let her get a chance to kill someone else,” he said, infuriated.

“Easy, Roy.  I am sure they’ll take care of this,” Mike said, trying to calm his very upset friend.

“Mike ,I appreciate your support, I just need to make sure this little “matter” isn’t shoved under the carpet.  I want her gone, Dix.  I’m not kidding,” Roy said.

“Now I am going to go and sit with my best friend, and hope that the incompetence in this place didn’t cost him his life,” Roy stormed off. 

Mike, Dix and Kel stood open mouthed and watch Roy leave.  They had never seen him that angry in all the years they had been friends with him. 

Roy went straight to the SICU.  He settled in the chair beside his friend.  He was prepared to sit there until Johnny opened his eyes.

The guys from the station took turns sitting with Roy.  They tried on many occasions to get him to leave but he wasn’t moving.  He ate food if they brought it, but he was not giving up his vigil.  He talked to Johnny.  Joked with him and just kept up a running dialogue.  He was determined the Johnny was not going to be alone.

3 days went by, with no change in Johnny’s condition.  Joe Early came into the room and saw Roy sitting in the chair dozing slightly.  Joe checked Johnny’s condition and shook his head. 

Roy opened his eyes and saw the neurosurgeon standing at the bed.  “Any change doc?” he asked, hopeful.

“Sorry, Roy not yet.  The swelling hasn’t increased.  That’s a very positive sign though.  I think we just have to wait.  I know that’s hard, but there isn’t anything else we can do,” Joe said, very discouraged.

“Have you heard what happened to that nurse?” Roy asked, changing the subject momentarily.

“They are discussing it at an administration meeting this afternoon.  It should have started by now” he said, looking at his watch.  “I heard a rumor that she might get a suspension or a written reprimand,” Joe said, rolling his eyes.

“A suspension or a reprimand.  I don’t think so,” Roy said, standing up.  “We’ll see about that.  Can you see if Chet or Marco are in the hall.  I need someone to sit with Johnny for a few minutes.  I have to take care of something, and it just can’t wait”

Yeah I think I saw Mike and Marco out in the hall.  Be right back,” Joe said, going to get Roy’s friends.   Just before he pulled the door open he paused, “oh and Roy, good luck.  I know what you are going to do,” he said as he pulled the door open.

Minutes later  Mike and Marco were sitting beside Johnny as Roy headed out to find this administration meeting.  He was going to be making his views very clear and he didn’t care how many people he offended on the way.

Roy made his way up to the 4^th floor administration wing.  He found the board room.  There was a secretary sitting at a desk near by.

“Is this the room the discipline hearing is being held for Nurse Stramdon”?, he asked.

“Yes, but it’s a closed meeting.  You can’t go in there.” she said.

““Well I guess you must be mistaken because that is exactly where I am going,” Roy said, as he opened the door and stepped inside.  Roy looked around the room.  He saw Kel Brackett, Dixie McCall, the Nursing supervisor, a couple board members and the nurse who was being discussed all present.

“I guess you forgot to send me my invitation,” he said, sitting down.

“Roy, you can’t be here.  This is a closed meeting,” Dixie said, trying to be understanding about his anger.

“I do understand. I am here representing the victim, you remember him, tall, nice looking paramedic who had to have brain surgery because this lady screwed up,” Roy said, sarcasm dripping with each word.

“Well you can’t be here,” Kel said.

“Well I’m going to be here, or would you like me to bring in a lawyer, the media and anyone else I can find to listen to hear about the incompetence that may kill Johnny,”  Roy was not to be placated.  He was incensed.

“Fine you can stay but you will not disrupt this hearing,” the meeting chair said, trying to gain some control of the situation.

Roy sat back to listen.  The chair asked Nurse Stramdon to give her version of the events.

“Well Mr. Gage came to the desk.  He said he hurt his shoulder and then he started to continue babbling about other supposed injuries.  I gave him the paper work to fill out and told him to come back when he was done.  He was gone quite a while and when he came back he said he couldn’t finish filling out the form.  He didn’t seem to be in any distress so I scolded him and told him we couldn’t look at him until he had filled the paperwork out properly.  I never saw him again, ” She finished.

Roy shook his head.

“I really thought he was a complainer.  You know the kind that just comes to the hospital to get attention.  I was busy and didn’t have time for his nonsense, ” she concluded.

She sat back, almost smugly.

“Were you convinced that Mr. Gage was not in serious condition?” the nursing supervisor asked.

“I thought he was fine.  Perhaps a slight shoulder sprain.  No big deal,” Nurse Stramdon said, shrugging her shoulders.

“Did you ask him how he was injured and perhaps look close to see if there were any other injuries?” the supervisor asked.

“He was standing on his feet.  He seemed okay to me,” she answered.

“How could you come to that conclusion with only a cursory look.  What are you basing your medical opinion on?” Kel Brackett asked.

“He was standing, speaking and didn’t seem to have too much difficulty following my conversation.  I believed he was fine,” she said.

Kel shook his head but didn’t ask anymore questions.

“Well we now have all the facts.  I think.  We can come to a few common conclusions.  It was a misunderstanding that happened between Mr. Gage and Nurse Stramdon that resulted in the unfortunately medical situation,” the chairman said.

“We are very sorry that this happened.  It’s a busy emergency department and nurses have to make quick decisions,” the chairman continued.

Roy couldn’t believe how this hearing was going.  They were excusing the nurse with a slap on the hand.  He couldn’t stay quiet any longer.

“You don’t have all the facts.  I’m going to give you a few more,” Roy said, standing up.

“Roy, sit down. You aren’t allowed to speak at this hearing,” Dixie said, quite firmly.

“Oh really, well too bad.  You are damn well  going to hear from me.  Let’s see if I get this straight.  John Gage, who we all know is the worst patient in the world, decides he is hurt enough to come here, and he is summarily dismissed by this incompetent twit.  He is told to fill out forms.  Even though he tells her he is having trouble filing them out, does she ask him how come.  Does she bother to notice that his pupils are unequal.  Yeah, Dr. Early told me that it was so obvious a candy stripper could have seen it.  Does she notice that he is pale, diaphoretic, no.  She only notices that he can’t fill in the insurance information.  Does she offer to help him, to perhaps let him see a doctor at that point, No she sends a man with an inter cranial bleed back to the damn waiting room to fill out forms.    Well here are your precious forms,  I finished filling them out,” Roy yelled,  as he tossed the paperwork across the table “ I wouldn’t want your precious accounting department to not get their money for this hospital stay.  I just want to know where I send the bills if we have to pay for a funeral for my best friend because you all screwed up. .   It was 90 minutes, 90 bloody minutes before he was treated.  Joe Early even said that those minutes might just cost him his life.”

Roy turned his attention to his friends.  “ Dr. Brackett,  I’m shocked at you.  You treated Johnny. You saw how bad he was, yet here you sit with your hands on the table folded like you are condoning her behaviour,  and you Dix, I thought you cared about Johnny.  I guess I was wrong.  You are all members of the cover my butt club.  Well guess what,  I am blowing the doors off your private group” 

“When I am done, there won’t be a person in LA County who won’t know what happened here.  You can’t allow this kind of action to go unpunished.  You can’t just dismiss this as an oversight.  I won’t let you,” Roy was so mad he was shaking.

“Roy, you don’t mean that.  You know we didn’t want anything bad to happen to Johnny,” Dixie protested.

“No one wanted anything bad to happen to him, yet here you sit condoning her actions and calling it miscommunication.  You might as well have kicked him out of the hospital and told him to go home.  Maybe if he had collapsed in the parking lot me might have gotten better medical treatment,”  Roy continued.

“I hope you think long and hard before you decide how you are going to discipline this nurse, and I use that term loosely, because your actions could have serious repercussions.” he concluded.

“Now if you’ll excuse me.  I have to get back to my friend.  I need to be with him right now.  In case you forget what this is all about, come by room 434 in the SICU.  I’m sure it will refresh your memory,” Roy said, as he stormed out the room.

He returned to Johnny’s room.   Mike and Marco were waiting for him.  “What happened?” Mike asked quietly.

“Well I think they know I’m Royally pissed off,” he said taking his seat again.

“I’m sure you made your point very clear,.”  Marco said, as he went back to the soft prayer he had been saying.

An hour went by and Dixie and Kel came into the room.  “I don’t think you need to be here.  This room is for Johnny’s friends.  Not for people who are more worried about the hospital’s image than about the health and well being of the patients here,” Roy said, his eyes blazing with anger.

Kel and Dix were taken aback by his anger.  “Roy we’re here to let you know that we care about Johnny.  No matter what the hospital decides to do to Nurse Stramdon”

“Well I don’t want you in here right now.  You two made yourself perfectly clear at that hearing.  I have the right to chose Johnny’s doctors and you are not on that list,.” He said, turning back to his friend.

“But, Roy,” Kel began.

“No, Doc.  I don’t have time for this.  Maybe someday we can deal with it.  Right now you aren’t my concern.  Only my friend is.   Dixie I’m sorry but I have to ask you to leave too.  I have left word at the desk that I don’t want either of you in here.  I’m restricting Johnny’s visitors”

They both left the room, feeling lower than they could ever remember feeling.  They also knew that Roy was right.

The nights dragged on .  Roy stayed put.  He had taken time off work to keep up his bedside vigil.  He felt that considering how things had happened at the hospital he needed to be around to keep Johnny’s best interest in the forefront.

Roy was sleeping with his head down on the bed when he felt pressure on his back.  He looked up and saw Johnny’s hand on his back. 

“Roy,” Johnny said weakly.

“Johnny,” Roy said, emotionally.

“What happened?” Johnny said, slowly.

“We think you were either thrown off or you fell off your horse.  You hit a fence board” Roy explained.  “You have been unconscious for 6 days.”

“Wow 6 days.  Did I miss anything good?” Johnny joked lightly.

“Nothing exciting,” Roy said, down playing the drama of the last few days.   He pressed the call button and Joe Early made a quick entrance into the room.

“Hey, Johnny, welcome back,” Joe said as he headed to the bedside.

“Thanks, Doc.  I hear I’ve been out for 6 days. Must have been a heck of a nap” Johnny said.

Joe gave Johnny a neuro exam and was pleased with his finding.  “You rest, Johnny, and we can talk later” Joe said, seeing Johnny yawning sleepily.

The next time Johnny was fully awake was 18 hours later.  Joe and the rest of the crew was there this time.  Joe wanted to find out more about Johnny’s injury.

“What do you remember Johnny?” Joe asked.

Johnny thought for a minute.  “I remember riding and heading back home.  I don’t remember much until I was on the ground beside the fence.  I remember washing my face.  Then I remember this very unpleasant nurse.  She sure didn’t like me,” Johnny said, shaking his head.

“What do you mean, didn’t like you?” Joe asked.

“I tried to tell her that I was feeling funny but she sure didn’t have time for me.  She shoved these forms at me and told me to sit down.  I remember the numbers kept jumping on my insurance card so I went back up to see her.  All she did was get more annoyed and told me to fill them in properly or I wasn’t going to see a doc.  I think I went to the doctor’s lounge.  I don’t remember anything after that,” Johnny said.

Kel and Dixie had been standing at the door listening to Johnny when he relayed his version of the events.    “Hey Doc, Hi Dix,” Johnny said, seeing his friends standing in the doorway.  “Come on in”

Roy stood up.  “I think they’re busy, John. They really need to get back to work,” he said, trying very hard to hide his anger.

Johnny wasn’t fooled.  Dixie and Kel both blanched from Roy’s words.

“What’s going on?” Johnny asked.

“Don’t worry about it, Johnny.  You just concentrate on getting better” Roy said, trying to placate his friend.

“Roy?” Johnny asked again, looking at his friend.

Roy sighed deeply.  “Fine I’ll tell you.  The day you were injured that admitting nurse was totally incompetent.  She dismissed your symptoms and because of her delay you nearly died.  I took my grievance to the hospital board and discovered that Kel Brackett and Dixie McCall were more concerned about the hospital image than making sure the staff is accountable for their actions.  I’m sorry but I just lost it.  I banned them from your room.  I was so angry,” Roy said, his hands shaking with anger.

“Easy, Roy” Johnny said, softly as he saw how upset his friend was.

“I can’t take it easy. I was royally pissed off.  I still don’t know what happened to the incompetent nurse.  I am sure she got a hand slap and is back at work again.”  Roy said disgustedly.

“You mean you didn’t hear?” Joe Early said.

“Hear what?” Roy asked.

“She was fired.  After you left,  Kel and Dixie stood up to the hospital administration and told them they would both tender their resignations if she wasn’t fired.  I guess the board didn’t want to lose their head ER Doc and Head ER Nurse so they sent that nurse packing,”  Joe explained.

Roy was shocked.  “I didn’t know”

Kel spoke first, “When you left that meeting you left a lasting impression on both Dix and myself.  I think you were partly right.  I was worried about the hospital image.  What you said really rattled us.  You reminded us why we were here in the first place.  I’m just sorry it took something like this to remind us.” Kel said hanging his head in shame.

“That goes for me too, Roy,” Dixie said quietly.  I’m sorry Johnny.  I hope you both can forgive me” she said, brushing away a tear.

Johnny looked at Roy.  “I thought you said I didn’t miss much while I was unconscious.  Sounds like I missed a heck of a lot.  Did you really get that mad?  My calm, let’s work it out partner, in full blown temper.  Damn too bad I missed that,” Johnny laughed lightly

Roy blushed deeply.  “Well I guess I was a little mad,” he said down playing his part.

“A little mad,” Kel laughed.  “I would say you were “Roy”ally Pissed Off” 

“Well I’m glad everything worked out, ” Johnny said.  “Thanks for sticking up for me, Pally.  You’re the best friend a guy could have,” Johnny said, giving his friend a warm pat on the shoulder. “ Doc Early says I should be going home in a few days, so I think everything is going to be okay”

Roy sat back relieved.  It had been a heck of a few days, but as he looked over at his best friend, who was laughing and joking with everyone in the room, he knew that things were going to be back to normal soon..

Roy laughed to himself, ‘I guess getting P.O’d  once in a while is a good thing’

The End

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