Chapter 8 #2
“Good news, nothing’s broken.”
“Bad news?” Faith asked.
“Without an MRI, I can’t tell if there’s anything torn.”
“I understand, Caleb said the same thing, that’s why I’m here.”
“Okay, let me examine the injury.” She watched as Shay unsnapped the side of his sweatpants, impressed that he had taken the initiative to be prepared, and sucked in her breath when she saw how black his leg was.
“Oh, my.” She immediately put on a pair of gloves, knelt down, and felt it.
She removed one of the gloves, and felt it without the glove on.
“I don’t feel any unnecessary heat, that’s a good sign.
” She looked at him as she stood up and squirted hand sanitizer on her hands.
“What type of pain medication did Dr. Lassiter prescribe?”
“Nothing, he said he can’t write prescriptions. Last night, I took two extra strength over-the-counter Tylenol before going to bed. That’s all I’ve taken.”
“Damn, that’s it?”
“Yeah. I do know that it feels like the center of my knee has its own heartbeat.”
“I imagine so. Let’s get you over to MRI. Once I get those results I’ll know what I’m dealing with.”
“How far away is that?”
“In the basement of this building. All you have to do is take the elevator down and it’s right there. I’ll call down to have you expedited, then come back here. I should have the results before you’re back here.”
“Thank you,” Shay said as he snapped his pants back up, and Faith pushed him out of the door.
Seven minutes later, he had unsnapped both sides of his pants, removed them, and lay on the bed of the machine.
Ten minutes after that, they were back in Dr. Johnson’s waiting room, but were immediately called back.
Dr. Johnson was in the room waiting for them. “Good news, bad news.”
“Hit me,” Shay sighed.
“Good news, nothing broken, nothing torn. Bad news, there is severe swelling and bruising, that’s why your leg is black.
I’m going to give you a knee brace to wear for the next six weeks.
I want to see you back here then and we can reassess the situation.
” She looked at him sternly. “The only time you are not to wear the brace is while showering or sleeping. Otherwise it has to be on. You can wear it over your jeans. I’ll show you how to adjust it.
” She looked at him and nodded once. “I’m going to write you two prescriptions.
The Oxycodone is for extreme pain, do not exceed two pills a day.
It’s also very addictive. The next prescription is two strengths higher than the highest over-the-counter Tylenol you took last night.
You can take up to eight pills a day of these. Both medications are PRN.”
“What’s that?” Faith asked.
“As needed. Tell me about your job.” She listened as she worked on her computer, and nodded several times.
When he was done, she nodded again. “I sent it to the pharmacy on the first floor of this clinic since I didn’t see any listed in your papers.
Take the Oxycodone at night. It will relax you enough to sleep.
There are only fourteen pills. They should last you for fourteen days. ”
“And if I don’t use it every night?”
“Then use it when you need it. That’s what PRN means. You know your body, you know your pain level, you know when you need relief. However, because of the strength of the Oxy, don’t take them during the day. They may or may not make you drowsy.”
“Can I take them a couple of hours before bed?”
“Yes, but only one. The Tylenol you can take two at a time, six hours apart.”
“Thank you. What restrictions will I have?”
“No weight bearing for more than a few minutes at a time.”
“But, I’m two hundred and ten pounds.”
“Your normal weight is fine, I’m talking no carrying heavy objects, or holding things that you would need your legs for. Bales of hay, buckets of water. Not that I know what working with horses pertains to, but I don’t want you to do a lot of twisting and turning.”
“So, no mucking out the stalls?”
“Not until that blackness in your leg turns to at least a light purple or green and yellow.”
“Damn.” He remained silent as she left, and said a nurse would be right in.
Two minutes later, the nurse arrived with papers.
She handed them to Shay, and pointed out the restrictions of duties, and the instructions for the medicine.
Before they could leave, the door opened and the doctor returned, and as she fitted him with the knee brace that went from the middle of his thigh to the middle of his ankle, she continued with her instructions.
“While you’re on the Oxy, you need to be monitored. I’m not saying you will, but some people experience weird things when they are on it, that’s why it’s highly addictive, and why people sell it, for the high, and the experience.”
“What do you mean by monitored?”
“I mean, your girlfriend should stay with you, monitor you when you fall asleep, stuff like that.”
The doctor and nurse left, and when Shay went to pay, he said there was no bill. “What? That doesn’t make sense.”
“I got a call when you were down in the MRI,” the receptionist said.
“From whom?”
“A guy by the name of Cole Mercury. He said because it happened at work, something called New Double is responsible.” She had looked at her notes, and Shay shook his head.
“Okay, I understand.”
They remained silent as they made their way down to the pharmacy, received his prescriptions, and made it out to the truck.
After he got into the cab, Faith ran the wheelchair back inside and came back out.
As she started the truck, the first thing she did was look at the clock, and realized it was going on two.
“Holy hell,” she whispered.
“What?”
“It’s two o’clock.”
“No.” He looked at the clock, and his watch. “Damn, it didn’t feel like we were in there for four hours.”
“I know.” She looked at him. “Home?”
“Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” She put the truck in gear and they were both quiet on the long ride home.