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FULL MOON BLUES |
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| PAGE SEVENTEEN |
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The bunk room was surprisingly intact. Not even dusty. A quick check showed that they had a viable phone line in there too, at the night writing desk. Only the power and gas service was knocked out. And Engine 51, itself, proved capable of supplying water needed for cleanup and first aid. Bonnie, stuck like glue to Johnny's stokes, sinking down underneath his covering blanket, so she wouldn't be discovered lurking there. Chet almost squished her with Johnny's O2 tank before he remembered. "Oh, sorry Bonnie. Keep watching him." he said to the breathing lump, as he transferred the D tank to the floor. The bunk house outer door was opened to daylight and portable lamps were brought in from the triage station for them to use. IV's were taped suspended to the wood working and blankets abounded. Gear from the two squads sat in a row on the floor the length of the room in the aisle. And more O2 apparatuses from multiple companies were brought in with another set of universal HT's and a makeshift command center board. Roy heard a helicopter land nearby, its wash sending eerie prop echoes through the shattered roof in the bay next room over, and he fervently hoped it was Brackett's. Cap and Johnny's stokes were set off the floor between chairs instead of using valuable bedspace, but Marco had been placed on a long board on a bed in prep for a priority move. He was first on the list to go. DeSoto set a defibrillator next to Marco with nervousness. He was the only one in the room so far who was at risk for one's use. Roy got another vitals set on him and frowned. He waved Brice over.. "He's worse. Rales now, in the lungs. And his fever's up. Help me get a temp on him.." "That fast? I don't understand what the problem might be. Gage said all he did was take in a little gas.." Brice said checking the placement of the mask over Marco's oral airway. "We were in a big fire two days ago, and before that, he had a bad cold. We've been busting our butts fussing over him to see a doctor ever since." "Did he go?" "Do pigs fly?" "Oh. I see. White coat anxiety syndrome." "Actually. No. " Roy grinned. "Marco's just a busy man. He has an aging mother he's been caring for and lately it's been taking up a lot of his time. " "To the point of letting himself be sick for days?" "Guess so. Marco's like that. Always doing for others over himself. He tells me that's why he's a fireman. " he smiled. But that smile faded. "He told us over dinner on Sunday that the two of them just got back from Mexico City, after burying a cousin. A boy I think, who had died suddenly. Help me here.." Soon, Brice and Roy got a temp off Marco internally. Roy held it up to the lamplight. "A hundred three? Brice, this has got to be an infection. I don't like it. And that gas inhalation's just getting Marco into hot water.." "It definitely brought out this illness to the foreground.." Brice agreed. Gil had been nearby, checking on Gage and Cap and the teacher. "Well, we'd better get him into some cold water before his central nervous system crashes out. His breathing response is too level and slow as it is.." Gil said. "Want me to patch him?" "Yes, his systolic is seventy eight and weak." Roy opened Marco's shirt and sheared his T shirt in two out of the way. Brice got out the defib paddles, holding them in the air above the bed. "Wait. Here. This is faster.." and he placed them onto Marco's ribcage and manually scoped him. All three medics looked at the tiny defibrillator screen. It was showing tachycardia, deep. "Look at that.." Brice exclaimed. "It's the fever..and partly the gas.." Roy said. "No PVC's though. He's sure holding well. That rate's just about 140. " |
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"That's the epi Brackett ordered." Brice said. "It quickens but it strengthens too." "I'll get a strip off the portable monitor after I get him patched in.." Gil said. "The doc is going to want to see this.." "No doubt." Brice tossed away the paddles, leaving the unit between Marco's knees. "I'm going to go grab some ice from your frig. You do have some in there?" "Yeah.." Roy said. "Two bags." Brice left to get it. Roy and Gil got cloth sheets wet and stuffed them inside the plastic one they had used to bundle him onto the longboard. Cold water from the station's engine was used and liberally pooled, soaking the bedsheets inside the localized cold pack. Brice's ice was added to the bath around Marco's torso. "He's really out.. I'm not even seeing skin bumps from us chilling him like this.." Roy said, taking another BP. "It's up slightly. Getting a diastolic now with the systolic. 84/36." "His color's better too." Gil said, looking at Marco's gums and nail beds. Next to them, Gage stirred. Roy shifted on his knees and got a grip on his stokes. "Hey there." he smiled openly relieved. " Caught up on your beauty sleep, Johnny? Don't start stretching now. You're suspended on top of a couple of chairs. And you've an IV in." "W-Where are we?" "The bunks room. It's now a triage station." "Huh.. Had a weird dream. I dreamed that Lopez went into.." then he noticed the defib case open and saw the paddle cables abandoned on the blankets at Marco's feet. "Wait a minute.. Did you guys just work him?" "No, Gage. Just a scope.." Brice said. "Now a water bath.." "Bath?" Johnny asked groggily. "His fever's up?" "It's one hundred three. And he's showing rales in both lungs." "Whoa.. we got to get him outta here." Gage said. He almost tried to sit but then remembered Roy's warning about where his stokes was. Bonnie under his blanket, barked in warning. He only half paid attention to her being there. "What the h*ll is wrong with him? I don't get it." "Relax Johnny.. Brackett's been called out on scene. That helicopter you're hearing might be his. Or maybe even Marco's already. He's gotta get a doc's move order before he goes anywhere." Roy said. |
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"I know that.. I know that.. Geesh.." Johnny waved his good hand, shooing Roy out of the way. "Gil,, hey, could you just ah.. Hey Gil ! Turn that monitor this way.. I wanna take a look at it.." Gil raised both eyebrows from where he was running a strip off Marco and purposely turned the view away from Johnny's line of sight. "Oh, for crying out loud.. I only wanted to-" "Gage.. You're a patient here. So act like one and just lie back and relax.." Gil said., crossing his arms together from where he sat on a stool. Roy and Brice grinned when Johnny's face pinked up with anger away from his original shocky pale shade. "This is my own stationhouse, my own district, H*ll, Marco's my own crewmate for Pete's sake! And I'm the resident paramedic." DeSoto made a wrong answer game show noise sound effect. "I'm the only official resident one ON duty.." Roy said. "Yep. You're on the injured list, Gage, by every rule in the book.." Brice interjected. John kept up his quiet litany of complaining. "..I'm supposed to fuss.. It's my job.." "Ours now.." Gil piped up. |
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FULL MOON BLUES |
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Click Rescue Squad to Goto Page Eighteen :) |
