Free Scarcity (Jack Randall #3) by Randall Wood Page B

a head injury. The CT scan showed a concussion with only minor injury to the skull, a nasty cut and some bruising. We ran a complete head injury protocol on her and found nothing to be overly concerned about. We don’t feel that the injury is a danger at this time.”
    He paused as he tried to stifle a yawn and they waited again.
    “I’m sorry. Both of her legs are broken.” His hands became animated and pointed out the areas he was describing on his own body. “The right leg has a mid-shaft femur fracture that will require surgery at a later date to set. The left leg has both the tib and fibular bones fractured. Both legs are immobilized and we also feel they will heal just fine.”
    The doctor paused to take a deep breath. He removed his skull cap and used it to wipe his hands. They braced themselves for the worst news.
    “The medics at the scene estimate she was traveling over thirty miles per hour when she hit the truck. Evidently it was parked up on the curb and the car wedged itself under it for a few feet. As a result, the airbag did not deploy in time, and your daughter was thrown forward into the steering wheel. She wasn’t wearing her seatbelt, and without the restraint, she suffered major chest trauma.”
    Rita let out a sob at the news and her husband gripped her hand tighter.
    “All of the ribs on the right side are fractured as well as five on the left. It’s what we call a flailed chest. She suffered extensive internal bleeding, a punctured lung, and a ruptured spleen. She coded shortly after arrival due to blood loss, but we were able to replace it and restart her heart. She can’t breathe on her own, so she’s currently intubated and on a ventilator. We removed the spleen and stopped all of the internal hemorrhaging, but what worries me now is her heart.”
    “Her heart?”
    “Yes. She suffered what we call a myocardial contusion, essentially a hard blunt impact to the heart, and it’s now severely bruised. Like any muscle that suffers such a blow, it swells. Right now it’s functioning enough to keep her alive, but the injury is severe. The swelling may interfere with the normal beating of her heart, as well as its chemistry while her body works to repair the damage.”
    “How bad is that?” the senator asked.
    “It can cause heart attacks or dysrhythmias if the muscle is damaged enough. It can also lead to bleeding into the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, which would have to be drained as the blood would place pressure on the heart, as well. She’ll be closely monitored around the clock. If she starts showing signs of heart failure, the only option may be a transplant. Let’s just hope it doesn’t progress to that. On the plus side, she’s young. Kids have a miraculous healing ability. One of my teachers used to say if the pieces are all in the same room, you still have a chance, and he’s right. We’ll know more in the next twelve hours or so. Until then, we wait.”
    “Can we see her?”
    The doctor shook his head. “Not right now. She’s in the recovery unit and we keep it as sterile as the operating rooms. Once we move her out of there and into the ICU you’ll be able to visit for short periods. There’ll be a strict protocol for you to follow to keep her safe from infection. My nurses will walk you through it.”
    Dr. Balzano looked them over as they absorbed the news. The father looked like he was okay, but the mother was barely keeping herself together. He decided he’d put in a call to Susan, the hospital’s grief counselor, and have her pay them a visit.
    “Folks, I know what you’re going through. Nobody is ready for a day like today and I know I’ve painted a pretty bleak picture here, but I want you to know that your daughter is getting the best care there is. This hospital pioneered trauma medicine decades ago, and it’s still the leader today. She’s getting the benefit and experience of all those years.”
    The senator and his wife perked up only