SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024 - STORY

 SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 2024 - STORY

Rosaline came to Marcia’s classroom door - and called Marcia over to talk in the hall.  

Rosaline said, “St. Luke’s Hospital just called for you.  Nick has been in an accident. He’s in the emergency room.”  

Marcia’s knees grew weak.  “No, that can’t be.”  

But Marcia knew it had to be the truth - a hospital didn’t just make up things like accidents, and Rosaline was a friend and the principal’s secretary.  

Rosaline continued, “I’m going to take her class for the rest of the period (there were only 12 minutes left), and then Dan will take the rest of your class.”

Dan was the principal and would be a good substitute for the afternoon.

Rosaline added, “Now grab your things and get there - GO.”

Marcia grabbed her purse and ran to her car.  Down 18th Street, then left on First Avenue.  She was going over the speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic.  And, just when you don’t need it, a squad car with flashing lights was behind her car.

She hadn’t been pulled over for speeding for years, and she knew she was to stay in the car, but she jumped out and ran back to the squad car.  She screamed, “My husband has been in an accident, and he is in the emergency room at St. Luke’s Hospital.”

As she was running towards the squad car, screaming caused Officer Needham to pull her gun and get behind her open door. 

“STOP WHERE YOU ARE!” screamed Liz Needham at Marcia

“It's an emergency. My husband has been in an accident - I’ve got to get there.”

“Hold your horses, Ma’am.  Unless you are a doctor who is going to do surgery, they will just put you in a waiting room until you can see him.”

Marcia hadn’t thought of that - just that she needed to be at the hospital quickly.

Officer Needham stood up from behind her car door.  “Let’s do this safely and logically. I’ll drive ahead with my lights flashing - escorting you - and you will follow me.  If I drive through a stop light, stay right behind me on my tail.  You got that?”

Marcia, out of breath and panting, recognized that the officer was right.  She stopped and raised her hands.  She called out, “I’m sorry, I panicked!”.  

Slowly, Officer Needham approached Marcia.  Liz Needham said, “I have another idea.  Pull your car into this parking lot and leave it, and you can join me in my squad car.”

Marcia shouted, “Yes, yes, let’s do that.”

Marcia climbed into the squad car; her whole body was shaking.  

Liz introduced herself, “I’m Liz Needham, an officer with the Round Rock Police Department.  Let’s get you to the hospital safely. What’s your name?”

Marcia answered, “Nick Adams.”

Liz replied, “Your Nick Adams?”

Marcia caught herself, “Oops - I’m Marcia Adams, my husband is Nick Adams - I’m sorry.”

Liz asked, “And what do you do?”

Slowing down a little, Marcia answered, “I’m a high school physics teacher at Cedar Heights High School.”  

Liz Needham switched on her radio.  “Dispatch, can you check on Nick Adams at St. Luke’s Hospital?  I have his wife with me heading that way.”

Dispatch said, “I’ll have that in a second.”

About fifteen seconds later, dispatch had the information, “Yes, Nick Adams is at St. Luke’s Hospital and currently in the emergency room.  You can take his wife there.”

Liz asked Marcia, “Have you been married long?”

Marcia answered, “Twenty-three years.  We have two children: Kevin is a senior at Dakota State, and Cynthia is a freshman at Augustana College.” 

Twelve minutes later, Officer Needham pulled into the emergency parking at St. Luke’s Hospital.  “Wait for me; it will be better if I go in with you.’

Liz walked in with Marcia to the emergency room counter.  

She said, “I’m Officer Liz Needham, and this is Marcia Adams.  Seemingly, her husband recently came in for an emergency.”

The clerk, who wore a nametag, “Thomas Hernandez, Patient Safety Officer.” smiled and addressed Marcia, “Yes, he arrived about 35 minutes ago.  He is in surgery now.  They are taking a bullet out of his chest.”

Marcia grew faint.  She said, “Bullet?”. And then she passed out, but Officer Needham caught her and placed her in a car.

Thomas Hernadez was there in a second with a hot towel.  “Wash her face with that; she’ll probably come back soon.”

And, in about three minutes of washing her face with the hot towel, Marcia came to.  

Groggily, she asked, “What happened?”.

Office Needham answered, “You fainted.”

Officer Needham returned the towel to Thomas Hernadez and asked for something to drink, eat, and somebody to sit with Marcia so she could get back on duty.”

Thomas thanked her and called the main desk.  “They are sending an aide to sit with Mrs. Adams. They also bring her a bottle of water and a sandwich from the cafeteria. 

Liz sat with Marcia Adams for about ten minutes.  They conversed and found that Liz’s son probably was in the Round Rock High School band when Kevin was. 

An aide arrived, and Liz returned to her squad car and checked in.  Calling dispatch, she said, “Liz Needham, back on duty.  Mrs Adams is in the hospital waiting room.  So, was Nick Adams shot?”.

The dispatcher answered, “Yes, Mr. Adams seems to be some kind of hero. He’s a loan officer at Round Rock Chevrolet. Some crazed man came in with a gun and started shooting.  Mr. Adams walked slowly up to the man, saying, ' Don’t do this.’  The shooter stopped for a minute as Nick approached. The shooter couldn’t see another man sneaking up behind him, and when the other man tackled the shooter, he shot wildly, and it hit Nick in the chest.  I don’t know exactly where - lungs, heart, ribs?”

*****

Marcia Adams tried to think of other things.  She waited a half-hour before going to the counter to ask how Nick was.  Tom Hernadez was patient with her.  

Tom looked  Marcia in the eye.  “Mrs. Adams, I understand you are very concerned about your husband.  The surgery crew won’t tell me anything until they get out of surgery.  I will call you over to my desk when I have information.  Trust me, I know you are here, and you are anxious. 

Marcia sat close enough to see Tom Hernadez.  Whenever he was on the phone, she perked up to see if there was any news.

Finally, about an hour and a half later, Tom Hernadez got a call and motioned for Marcia to come to the counter.  

Tom put the call on the speaker phone.  A lady was talking.  “Yes, we are out of surgery.  The bullet was lodged in a challenging location.  Another millimeter, one way or another, would have killed him.  But we got it out.  He should be able to see his wife soon - maybe in twenty minutes. 

Marcia sat down again and then decided to use the restroom before Nick could see her. Leaving the restroom, she paced the waiting room - up and back about a hundred times.  Only two other people were waiting. The door to surgery opened, and a lady in scrubs came out and saw Marcia.  She asked, “Are you Nick Adam’s wife?”

Marcia’s mouth was dry, but she nodded ‘yes.’  

The lady continued, I’m Doctor Yenzi.  Yes, Nick was shot. A bullet had lodged next to his heart and lungs and a rib.  I think the rib slowed it up some, so it didn’t puncture either the heart or lungs. He should recover entirely, but we’ll want to monitor him for a day to ensure no infection. If you wish, you can come with me to his room now.  

Dr. Yenzi held the door for Marcia, and they walked down the hall.  It wasn’t far, and Dr. Yenzi opened Nick’s recovery room door. 

Marcia wanted to run up to Nick, but Dr. Yenzi restrained her.  “Not yet.”

Nick was still primarily asleep from the anesthesia. Two nurses were adjusting an IV drip in his left arm.  Marcia looked at a monitor; his pulse was about 50, his blood pressure was 100 over 60, and his oxygen level was 99%. 

One nurse smiled at her - and whispered, “There’s a chair here.  You can watch him as he wakes up.  Do you want anything - a cup of coffee, maybe?”

Marcia nodded yes - and said, “I drink it black, no cream, no sugar.”

The nurse nodded to the other nurse.  “Could you get Mrs. Adams a cup of coffee, Barb?”

*****

Marcia sat next to Nick and watched him.  Soon, he opened his eyes - and Marcia smiled.  

Nick looked at her.  In a hoarse voice, he asked, “Where am I?”

Marcia leaned over his bed and said, “You are in St. Luke’s Hospital. You were shot.  The medical staff removed a bullet from your chest, but they think you’ll be okay.”

In five minutes, the second nurse (Barb) checked on Nick.  She said to Nick,m “Hey, Honey, you’re doing well.”

.

******

Nick was dismissed two days later.  He took the rest of the week off.  Marcia also took the week off.  Kevin and Cynthia came to see their dad when he got home.  

Soon - all was well.

*******

So, how would you react if a gunman came into your place of work?  Would you try to distract him and let somebody come up upon him from the back?

Would you want to be beside your spouse’s bed in the recovery room?

******

Accidents and shootings occur every day.  We need to be prepared for the worst. 

Would you pray?  Would you be anxious as Marcia was?

*****

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

Karen Anne White, ©, March 2, 2024