Chapter 12
“Mr. Garret,” Staci said to Reid as she went out into the reception area at ten on Monday morning.
“Please call me Reid,” he said, and stood there awkwardly, but Staci didn’t try for small talk to make things even more awkward.
“Okay, Reid then, I take it you’re here to see me about your leg?”
“I am.”
“Would you like Caleb to join us?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Reid said as he followed her down the hall, but Caleb heard them and came out of his office.
“I have time.” He quickly followed them, and it was Caleb that told Reid to remove his pants, and Staci stepped out of the room to gather some of her things. When she returned, she saw that Reid had on a pair of board shorts, and she nodded in understanding.
“Okay, tell me what you’re experiencing, then I’m going to want to watch you walk in a circle, then up and down the hall.
If you can, please raise the leg of the shorts so I can see how the prosthetic moves against your natural skin.
” She nodded as he hiked the fabric up, and watched as he did as she asked.
When he returned to the beginning, Staci dropped to her knees and started looking over the prosthetic, poking, prodding, and moving it around.
She took measurements, and then had him sit on the exam table.
“Do you mind?” she asked as he settled. “I’d like you to remove the leg.”
Reid did, without looking at either of them, and kept his head down as she ran her gloved hands over the stump, and he jumped when she touched a red spot. “That’s where it rubs me raw.”
“Got it,” she said as she rose and went over to the side of the room, opened a cabinet, and returned. She held up the tube she had and explained that it was for things like that and asked if she could put some on. He agreed, then sighed in relief when the pain immediately lessoned.
“Don’t worry, I’ll send this tube home with you.
There’s an ingredient in it that is a topical pain reliever.
I see that you are doubling up on the socks, like you said, but it is not good.
” She looked at him and nodded. “Which I know you know. It’s good that you came to me now.
” She looked at Caleb with a nod, then back at Reid.
“Please, don’t be offended, but I’m going to be putting my hands all over your leg to get measurements, and I’m going to be asking you to move this way and that.
That’s why I wanted Caleb here. It might not sound like it, but I will be putting you through your paces. ”
“Do what you have to, Dr. Hardt.”
“Please, call me Dr. or Staci.”
“How about Dr. Staci?” Reid asked with a grin, and she nodded.
For the next forty-five minutes she was true to her word and put him through what he thought was torture.
When he realized what she was doing, he nodded and went along with her.
He sat there when she stepped away, winded, and looked at Caleb with a shake of his head.
“What?”
“Damn, pardon my language, but damn, that was intense, I didn’t expect something like that. I don’t think the people that gave me this leg were that intense, they only measured my thigh.”
“I’m thorough because I am good at my job.
I want my patients to have the best quality of life they can with a new prosthetic and not have what you’re currently experiencing a few years down the road.
I’m not perfect, not by a long shot, but I am good at what I do, and trust me, you’re not going to find anyone better. ”
Caleb nodded, then spoke. “Have you talked to Jake Cogburn?”
“All the time, but what does he have to do with this?”
“Did he tell you about his new leg?”
“Actually, he did, he loves it and can’t stop praising the manufacturer.”
“Thank you,” Staci said. “I was the one that made it. With help from Caleb.”
“Really?” Reid asked in shock. “Then what do I have to do?”
“First, take this salve and put it on twice a day, before you put your leg on, and after you shower at night. Don’t be afraid to use it liberally.
Unfortunately, you’re going to have to continue to double up on the socks until I can get a new leg made for you.
If something happens and you can’t manage the pain, come see me.
I can get started on this leg right away.
” She finally looked him directly in the eye, and nodded as she reached out and laid a hand on the end of his stump.
“Trust me, when you get your new leg, you won’t regret it. I only ask one thing of you.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t keep asking me how it’s going. The prosthetics I’ve made in the past I never saw the patient after I took my initial measurements.
I happened to be at a conference when someone approached me to work with Jake.
I forget the name off the top of my head, but he flew Jake to me, and I did with him what I just did with you.
Caleb helped me when he had a free moment. ”
“I don’t need any credit, I tightened a screw here and there, or held a rod that she put together.”
“I promise not to bother you, I will wait until you contact me. However, may I reach out if the pain gets worse, or if this leg continues to get loose?”
“Yes, but let me try something first,” she said as she took the leg and walked out of the room.
Reid looked at Caleb with a smirk. “Well, that’s one way to tell me to stay put.
” The two men shared a chuckle, and because Reid couldn’t leave, Caleb started telling him to lie on his stomach, and it wasn’t long before he worked his magic chiropractor fingers on him.
By the time Staci returned, Reid was relaxed enough to lie there for a few extra minutes after Caleb said he was done working on him.
He slowly sat up and shook his head as he looked at Caleb.
“How often can I come over and do this again?”
“As often as you like.”
“Really?”
Caleb chuckled as he shook his head. “That’s what I’m here for. I’m not just a physical therapist. Though, I suspect you’re going to need those services once you get your new leg.”
“Probably, I do have a suggestion for you.”
“What’s that?”
“Get some crutches in here. Not that I don’t want Dr. Staci to be precise in what she’s doing, but I’m kind of stuck here until she returns with my leg.”
Caleb nodded and they both looked up when Staci walked back in carrying Reid’s leg.
She didn’t say anything as she handed it to him.
At least not until he started to put it back on, then she spoke, “I did some adjustments. I don’t know if it’s enough that you still have to double up on the socks, but try it.
” She watched as he did as he normally did, and when he stood, he immediately sat back down.
“What’s wrong?”
“Too tight,” he said with gritted teeth, removed the leg and fixed the socks.
This took three tries before he was finally satisfied with the results.
“Thanks, Dr. Staci. This should help.” He looked at Caleb with a grin.
“Maybe Katie won’t knock me over anymore.
” The two men shared a laugh and when Reid left, Staci turned to Caleb with a scowl.
“I thought he was dating Erin? Why would your girlfriend push him over?”
Caleb grinned. “One, he is dating Erin. Two, Katherine is my girlfriend, not Katie. Three, Katie is a horse that fell in love with Reid and he plays ball with her every day.” At her expression of shock, he laughed.
“Trust me, Katie was a rescue horse that Erin rescued for The Broken Wheel. I don’t know her story, yes, animals have stories too, but I do know that Katie was depressed, barely lifting her head to look where she was going.
She went through the movements of eating and drinking, but that was about it.
I had heard that she ate and drank just enough to stay alive.
The vet was about to put her on antidepressants when she threw a ball at Reid’s back.
He picked it up and tossed it back. They’ve been playing ball every day since then.
If Reid isn’t working at Broken, he finds the time to go play with her. ”
“That’s sweet. I’ll have to get over there and talk with them.”
“Yeah, some of their clients might need your help with prosthetics.” Caleb held up his hand and shook his head at her. “No, I have no idea whether they are veterans or not. I do know that there are some children that come to Broken for their rehabilitation.”
“I’ll check it out,” Staci said and went back to her work area.
She immediately started inputting the information she’d written down about Reid’s leg into her computer, then went to the other room and started doing an inventory of her supplies.
Before she could start, she sat down with her inventory list and placed an order for supplies.
Tony looked up when Ann approached him and smiled as he stopped mucking out the stall he had been working on.
Thankfully, the weather might be cold, but it didn’t snow so as long as they covered the horses with their turnouts, they were fine to go out in the cold for a few hours.
They didn’t leave them out for long, just during the daylight, and once the stalls were clean, they left their doors open.
If a horse wanted to come back in, they were allowed to, and he and Ann would remove their blanket and rub them down.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing, I just came to check on you. See how you’re doing.”
“I’m good.”
“You know, I might be speaking out of line here, if I am, I’m sorry, but in the three weeks you’ve been here, I’ve seen a significant improvement in you.
Not only are you moving easier, but you’re also looking better.
” She held up her hand and shook her head.
“I’m not being offensive, or at least I’m trying not to, but the tightness you had around your eyes, and the pinched look around the mouth is going away. ”