Corpsman and the Nerd (11 page)

More satisfaction spiraled through him
when he thought how she could have chosen anyone to send a message
to, but she chose him.

Chapter 13

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: Dr.
Gilmore

Hey Dr.
Gilmore,

I imagine by the time you
get this e-mail, you’ll have completed your first full day on the
job. As a surgeon, in practice again. I have every confidence in
your ability to dive back into the practical side of things.
Besides, seems everyone’s happy to welcome you. I can see them
willing to help you. I imagine your one weekend a month exercises
have helped?

We’re doing just fine
here. We did bake the fries, since I don’t own a deep fryer. Which
might come in handy, now that Ryan’s living with me.
(If you don’t like the idea of lots of fried foods, you’ll have to
come home!) Ryan wanted hot dogs for breakfast this morning, but I
used the compromise tactic and told him if we were still hungry
after eating cereal, we’d make them. And I think he forgot after he
ate. Thank goodness! I really didn’t want hot dogs that early in
the morning.

Besides, as Ryan so kindly
pointed out, Mitch and I ate most of them, anyway. I think there
are only about three left, but Mitch hasn’t had hot dogs in years,
he said, so he was eager to sample them again. He stopped and
picked up extra buns and brownies, so we had a great
supper.

Ryan loved the email you
sent. I didn’t know you hated tuna fish. Well, seafood in general.
But Ryan and I decided the food must be bad there if you’re willing
to eat a tuna fish sandwich. (We’re sorry you have to suffer. Ryan
decided we’ll call the bakers so you get cookies.) He’s a good kid.
Please keep the messages coming to him. I’ll include his response
at the bottom of this email.

My mom invited us over for
supper tonight. I told Ryan, and he’s excited to see Granme and
Granpy. I think Laurie and Melly and kids will also be there. She
asked Mitch and Lainy too. Mitch is worried Lainy’ll end up having
to spend some nights away from him, with the trouble her client is
having. She could end up having to fly to all their sites, and
they’ve got five, I think. All in different states, and one in
Canada.

Mitch has launched right
back into work, and he said he can barely remember the time he
spent in Kuwait. I imagine that would be true. Of course, he didn’t
leave behind a kid, so he says he understands if you’re feeling
extra upset. He was, and he only left Bentley. Who is Spuds’ best
friend now, by the way.

Mitch brought him last
night and the dogs (Bentley is huge by any dog standard, but next
to Spuds their size difference is funny!) spent most of their time
outside rolling around the yard. They kept Ryan occupied for a
while. So, Mitch and I caught part of a game, but then ended up
watching a video with Ryan.

Fortunately, even though
he’s still not used to our herd of kids, Mitch has adapted well.
Seems to really enjoy them. We watched one of the Cars movies. Did
you know Ryan has the movie memorized? I think Mitch and I were
more entertained by him quoting lines than in the actual
movie.

We’re all spending quite a
lot of time at sporting events. This is Mitch’s first time to
observe the joys of school sports, and he’s a huge fan already. (He
thinks pee wee anything is the funniest! Which is true.) He and
Lainy cuddle in the stands a lot. Ryan enjoys the time by playing
with whichever members of the herd are present and Spuds, Bentley,
and any other family dogs.

I should probably do some
work now. Since I’ve got a company to run. (There’s always a catch,
isn’t there?) I might zap some documents for you to go over if you
have some free time and can work?

Missing you,

Max and Ryan

When he sent the message, Max stared
at his computer for a few moments, hating the thought that for the
next eight months he would have to communicate with KC this way. He
glanced at the clock and sighed. Lainy had better hurry with those
phones. She mentioned two phones, so he assumed he’d get one and KC
the other. Which was ideal. Then he could at least hear her voice.
It still wouldn’t be enough.

He suddenly needed to see Ryan. As he
hurried down the stairs to locate KC’s son in daycare, he thought
of sand and hot desert days. And wondered how KC faired in the
climate. Knowing her, she was adapting quickly, despite her many
fears, because she immersed herself in her work. She wouldn’t
complain about the heat or lack of water, but instead would throw
herself into treating those with injuries from a fight she hadn’t
started and couldn’t finish.

Chapter 14

Sweat trickled down her back as KC
leaned over her patient. He was already showing signs of waking,
and she wasn’t nearly finished. “He’s rousing,” she said briskly as
she sought for more fragments caused by an IED that exploded at
close range to her patient.

There had to be more of the deadly
little pieces. Otherwise there was no reason why he was still
bleeding internally. Her gloved fingers worked quickly, edging past
his stomach to brush against his liver. Just as she felt the piece,
blood spurted into her face. “Suction,” KC demanded as she
struggled to stop the geyser in hopes of seeing what she needed to
fix.

A surgical nurse handed her a clamp
and then the needle and suturing thread she needed to close the
leak while another nurse suctioned up the bodily fluids so KC could
work. She worked quickly, and felt the man try to rouse again.
“He’s waking up.” Her voice was edged with sharpness.

The nurse giving the anesthesia
struggled. “I know, doctor, but he’s had a full dose.”

One of the veteran surgeons nearby
rapped out some orders for the nurse to keep their patient under
and KC absently thanked him and the nurse doing her best, as KC
finished suturing the bleeder and returned to finding that
fragment.

It had been hiding next to the liver,
near the pancreas. She probed the area again. “Retractors,” she
ordered, and the nurse assisting her placed them exactly where she
needed them. “Thanks, Monique.”

“
You’re welcome,
doctor.”

“
More suction, here,” KC
directed and used a hand to indicate the area where she’d seen the
fragment. Shoving all distractions aside, KC probed the area again,
and once more discovered the hidden piece. “Forceps,” she said, and
took the sterile tool Monique handed her.

With a deft movement, she extracted
the foreign matter from her patient, thankful to notice the tricks
the other surgeon had offered appeared to have sent the man back
into a fully unconscious state. The metallic piece dinged when she
tossed it into the kidney dish. She continued to probe the area,
and found two more fragments. When she searched further afield, she
located three additional fragments and two more bleeders. More
sweat pooled in the small of her back and across her forehead.
Another nurse blotted it off her forehead. “Thank you,” KC
said.

Dr. Janine Morris, KC’s fellow doctor
and roommate, finished with her patient and after stripping off her
gloves, she requested a sterile set and after donning them, hurried
to the other side of KC’s patient. With minimal fuss, Janine set
about helping. Together, they searched the rest of the man’s
abdominal cavity, finding another two fragments. Janine stitched a
tear in his upper intestine and then they declared the man
finished.

Three more patients each, and KC was
ready to go A.W.O.L. There had been far too many.

After the last patient was wheeled
from the operating room, she struggled out of her gloves and sent a
grateful look around the room. “Thank you, each and every one of
you.”

Monique answered. “You’re welcome and
thank you for not yelling at us.”

Tina, who had worked at keeping her
patients under, nodded. “We’ve had a few yellers and it makes this
job a lot harder.” She mopped some sweat off her brow, and looked
as weary as KC felt.

“
How often do you have
marathon sessions like that?” KC asked, trying to keep the fatigue
out of her voice.

“
As often as our personnel
brush up against IEDs.” The nurse’s response wasn’t
encouraging.

KC nodded. “You’re all
wonderful.”

The nurses and others cleaning the
room nodded and smiled at her. She striped off her surgical cap and
gown and wondered all over again if she could handle
this.

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject: Work, sand, heat,
work, sand, heat

Hello Max,

It’s hot and sandy here.
Fortunately, I have work to keep me occupied, which is a blessing!
What I need is coming back to me, mostly, as I’m faced with a
wound. We did lose a patient, on my first watch. He stepped on an
IED (improvised explosive device) and lost too much
blood.

I hate this. I hate war.
Why am I in the military again? That man left three kids and a wife
behind when he died. Now what will his wife do? How will she cope
with their kids, all under the age of six? How will she deal with
the grief? For that matter, how will I?

The others here have been
really supportive. Telling me they’ve all lost patients too. They
keep reminding me we’re at war, and this is what happens. I don’t
think their talks are helping.

I don’t have to like the
situation! Actually, I hate it! This sucks, and there’s nothing I
can do. I have to clean bomb wounds and land mine injuries all the
time. I’m losing patients to grenades and IEDs and this whole thing
is so stupid! Why do we go to war? Is it really worth our efforts,
our men and women, those very precious lives?

I love being in the
military, but I guess I’m feeling pretty bad about that Marine. He
was only twenty-eight years old. Which is better than the teenagers
the others have seen come through here and leave in a body bag.
Eighteen and nineteen year olds who have glory and adventure on
their minds when they join and leave dead.

Not even the veteran
doctors, those who’ve served in the first Gulf war can save these
kids. So how on earth am I supposed to be of use here?

Sorry, I’ll stop. I’m
feeling terrible. I just keep thinking about his wife, and I can’t
even imagine how she’s feeling right now. Knowing the man she loves
won’t return to her or their children. How are her children
feeling? I doubt they even understand Daddy’s not coming
home.

One of the nurses told me
to go to the shower and cry, that’s what they do. I guess that’s
the best idea I’ve heard yet. But I thought of you and Ryan. I wish
I could have a hug from you both right now. That’d go a long way to
making me feel better. Tina, the nurse who told me this, is one of
many here who’ve made this experience bearable. She and her
colleagues are beyond price.

The doctor in the cot next
to me, Janine, lost one of the eighteen year olds her first week
here. She seconded Tina’s suggestion, and they all gave me hugs
too. I’m working with the best!

I think I’ll go have that
shower now. At least the precious water might help remove some of
the sand I’m feeling in areas I didn’t know sand could rub. Mighty
uncomfortable, but my tent mates are willing to offer advice on
sand removal, and so far they’ve been right.

I miss you.

Please tell Ryan I love
him.

KC

*****

Max settled back into his chair, his
heart breaking from KC’s latest e-mail. He could feel her despair
and defeat through the choice of words she used. He felt powerless
to help her. But helping her was his job. She was at war while he
was at home waiting for her safe return. But what of those men and
women who wouldn’t return safely?

How could he make a
difference?

What could he do, stateside, to
alleviate some of the hopelessness and anguish KC and her
colleagues felt? Could he do something for the families of the men
and women who would be returning only for burial?

Steepling his fingers, fingertips to
his chin, Max thought for a few minutes before he reached for the
phone.

Chapter 15

To:
[email protected]

From:
[email protected]

Subject:re: Work, sand,
heat, work, sand, heat

Dear KC,

Thanks for your last
e-mail. I’m sorry you had to lose a patient so early in your tour,
but I am grateful you wrote me. I wish I could come and take your
pain away. Since that’s not possible, I did the next best
thing.

I contacted my Aunt Emma.
You remember her? The force of nature? The one who’ll mow you down
if you get in her way, even though she’s about five feet tall and
weighs a hundred pounds? Silver hair, bright blue eyes, a terror to
any who tries to stop her?