Dashboard lights, p.29
Dashboard Lights, page 29
part #2 of Gunpowder Series
Ruby was about to bite the cracker and cheese, when suddenly her stomach...her gut...told her there was something seriously off. Time slowed. Ruby saw Amy's face scrunch up and her mouth "No!" before the sound even reached her ears. Everyone in the room seemed to stop except for their heads turning toward Amy. Abby frozen in her tracks. Ruby didn't even realize she herself stood and started for Amy. The next thing she knew, Kenny's arms were around Amy. Holding her up? Comforting her? What was going on? Ruby reached them seconds after Abby. The two girls stood shaking their heads, trying to understand what was happening. Amy's cries filled the room. Kenny managed to get the words out loud enough that Abby and Ruby heard him without announcing it to the whole room. Jonah had a heart attack! Abby's hands flew to her mouth. Ruby braced herself locking her knees, feeling unsteady. Her hand went out to Amy, landing on her shoulder. Amy turned from Kenny, tears pouring flooding her face. Ruby grabbed her, holding her.
"Where is he?" Ruby asked. Abby was now in Kenny's arms, sobbing.
"They took him to Morehead in the ambulance. Dr. Patel was at home and came right over to the hospital. He rode with Jonah in the ambulance."
Ruby looked up and Elise was beside her. She heard.
"Let's go!" Elise immediately said. She herded them toward the door without a thought.
"Where's Jackson?" Amy asked, between sniffles. "He was with Rishi at Dr. Patel's house!"
"The boys are in my car," Kenny replied. Amy nodded.
Elise ushered them all out the door. She instructed Amy to ride with Kenny and the boys, and she told Ruby and Abby to climb into her SUV. As the two vehicles pulled out of the church parking lot, a pool of women flooded out the Fellowship Room door, watching as the guests of honor were rushed off. Stunned faces and gaping mouths marked the crowd.
"Elise! Wait!" Ruby said, throwing her hands up. "We forgot Susie!"
The SUV slowed as it approached the intersection, and Elise did a U-turn, instead of following Kenny south out of town. She pulled back into the church parking lot and pulled as close to the Fellowship Room door as she could get given the gathered crowd. Both Ruby and Abby scanned the crowd for Susie but picking out a gray-haired woman among a crowd that was at least one-half gray was a task.
"I see her!" Abby said. "She's just coming out of the door!"
"Ruby opened the door and began zig-zagging through the groups convened trying to reach Susie. She was bombarded with inquiries.
"What's happened Ruby?"
"Ruby, what's going on?"
As Ruby, reached Susie, she touched her arm to get her attention.
"Susie, you must come with us. It is Jonah. He is at the hospital in Morehead." Ruby said in a low voice. The two quickly pushed their way back through the crowd towards the SUV. Susie climbed into the backseat with Abby, giving her granddaughter a hug.
As Ruby opened the passenger door of the SUV and climbed back up, she hesitated, looked at Elise, who nodded, and Ruby swung around to address the crowd.
"Everyone!" She shouted, she instantly had dozens of pairs of eyes focused on her. "I ask you all to say a pray for Jonah. He has had a heart attack and has been taken to Morehead. We do not know the details or how severe. So, I ask, please offer up as many prayers as you possibly can. Pray for God to work his miracles!!" With that, Ruby sat in the seat, shut the door, and Elise sped out of the parking lot.
Chapter Twenty - Heart Attack
Confusion ensued as soon as the Anders' crew descended upon the hospital. As the two vehicles came to an abrupt stop at the Emergency Room doors, the Anders crew piled out of the vehicles and rushed towards the sliding doors, chaos clearly in command. Anyone watching this group of family members storm the ER, knew something serious had occurred. The vehicles screeched away from the Emergency Entrance in search of parking.
Inside, the group led by Amy approached the desk. A young woman wearing pink glasses and multicolor scrubs greeted them, a little intimidated by the group.
"Jonah Anders was brought in by Dr. Patel. We are his family. Can you tell me where he is and his status?" Amy asked, her voice shaky and breathless. The group behind Amy looked expectantly at the girl. Answers. They wanted answers.
"Okay, just give me a moment." The woman immediately focused on her computer, clicking on keys. The monitor reflected off the lenses of her glasses, but it was a mirror reflection, one that you could not read. After a minute of flipping from screen to screen, the girl finally looked back to Amy.
"Are you Mrs. Anders?" she asked.
"Yes, I am." Amy shifted her position. Sniffling. A suppressed tear finally broke loose and ran down her cheek.
"Mr. Anders is still in the ER and is undergoing various tests. They do have him stabilized and he is awake. Dr. Patel is the attending, and I will let him know you are here." She forced a smile. "If you all can take a seat in the waiting area, I am sure Dr. Patel will be out to speak with you as soon as he can." The young woman's hand reached under the counter and returned with a box of tissues that she handed to Amy. Most of the other sets of eyes looking at her were tearful or were about to be.
"Thank you," Amy replied, and she turned the others ushering them to the right towards the waiting room with the box of tissues. "Come on. Let's go find some seats. Hopefully, Dr. Patel will be out shortly."
As they headed for seats, Elise and Kenny came through the automatic double doors. Amy motioned them to follow. The ER waiting room was crowded. Several people spread out in seats noticed the distraught family and moved, allowing the family to sit together. As Amy sat, she let out a huge sigh. Jackson sat next to her, leaning against her arm, and Rishi next to him. Susie sat on Amy's other side, patting her leg, being motherly, and Ruby and Elise sat opposite Amy. Kenny and Abby lingered off to the side talking quietly. Ruby watched them for a moment, and then gave Amy a sympathetic face, her own pale blues full of water. She reached across the empty space between the rows of chairs for a tissue.
"Mom, is Dad going to be okay?" Jackson asked.
"I hope so, baby." She cradled his head and shoulders with her arm. Sniffling, "I hope so."
"I asked all of the ladies to pray for Jonah," Ruby said, dabbing her eyes.
"Thanks," Amy replied. "I guess I should have seen this coming. He's been so tired lately. He hasn't even run for days." Amy thought a moment. "No, I don't think he's run since before your wedding."
"He hasn't been eating either," Abby said as she and Kenny sat. Abby also reached for a tissue. Whenever she cried, her eyes instantly became puffy, and her face was taken over by red blotches. Kenny was doing everything he could to hold himself together. He was in uniform. It did not bode well for an officer of the law to show weakness.
"I stopped in to see him Wednesday, and he was pale and acted for a moment like he was in another world," Ruby replied.
"I was on patrol," Kenny added, "And he called me over the radio to come get him. He was short of breath and his voice sounded weak. When, I got there he was sweating and acted dizzy. I took him right to the ER."
"What did they say at the ER, Kenny?" Amy asked. Kenny held Abby's hand.
"As soon as I pulled up, they had him lay on a gurney. They took him right on back. The next thing I knew that new doc pulled up outside and went rushing back. Rishi and Jackson were right behind him." Kenny looked over at the boys to see how they were doing. They had been remarkably calm and quiet. "The next thing I know, the doc asked if I'd watch the boys 'cause they were transporting Jonah here. They put him in an ambulance and the doc climbed in with him, saying he'd had a heart attack. And, then they were gone." Kenny looked back at Amy. "That's when I came and got you all."
"Mrs. Anders," Rishi spoke up. "Mr. Jonah is in good hands with my papa. My papa is a very good heart doctor. He has saved many lives." Amy smiled at the boy for his words of comfort.
Rishi had no detectable accent. Having spent all his ten years in the states, he sounded as American as Jackson and had a slight mid-western sound from living in Louisville. Ruby did not doubt that in a year's time of being in Gunpowder, Rishi's sound would be more eastern Kentucky.
"Thank you, Rishi. That means so much." Amy considered his comment for a moment and added, "Yes, your father is an excellent doctor. The best! I feel so much better knowing he's taking care of Jonah." She was grateful Jackson had a friend with him to help keep him calm through these unknown moments.
Kenny stood after a while, stretching. He looked at Ruby.
"Did you call Derek to let him know?" he asked her.
"No," Ruby replied. "I do not have my phone with me."
"Do you want me to call him?"
"Would you, Kenny? He's getting off work soon, and he should know." She smiled thanks to him. He pulled out his phone and walked off to an area where there was better cell reception. After a minute or so, he was back.
"He said he would head this way as soon as he gets off." Kenny told Ruby. She nodded.
"Well, I think I'm going to run over to the McDonald's and get some coffee." Kenny said. "Does anyone want anything? Abby, boys...do you want to go with me?"
The ladies all gave Kenny their requests, and Abby stood to go with him...to help with the drinks off course. Kenny ushered the two boys out the main entrance knowing the sitting was hard on them, and Abby walked closely behind. When they were far enough out of earshot, Elise spoke up.
"So, I have to pry and ask. What's going between those two?" A blond strand had worked its way loose from it pins and hung down in her face. Even with her hair astray, she looked regal. Ruby glanced at Amy and then looked down.
Amy sighed and blew her nose. She shook her head and leaned her tired head on her hand.
"They're a thing," Amy replied. "Abby doesn't think we know, but this is one thing that has been worrying Jonah to death."
"Isn't she a little young for Kenny?" Elise asked.
"Of course. Abby's fifteen. She won't be sixteen until December. But Jonah and I have always known she'd be our wild child!"
Susie nodded in agreement. Susie pulled a tissue out of the box that now sat next to Amy in the chair.
"Those two have known each other since Abby was six. That's when Kenny came to live with us. Even then, she took right up with him. He was 15, the age she is now." Amy looked down, thinking about her daughter as a young girl.
"Oh, those two were thick even then!" Susie added. "You'd never thought a fifteen-year-old boy...a troubled boy at that...would have the patience for a wily six-year-old girl, but he did. He treated her like a princess for those years he was with them. I expect he's still doing it."
"Jonah commented on Abby's 'wild streak' the other day at the station, but he said he was glad she was having it with Kenny. I guess he and Kenny talked, and he trusts Kenny to do the right thing," Ruby said, trying to smooth out the discussion.
"Well, one thing is for sure…if you tell them they can't see each other, they'll just go after each other that much more!" Elise joined in. This was her and Norman's story. Elise's mother had forbidden Elise to date Norman. Of course, she and Norman married when she was seventeen, but they did wait four years before Sarah was born.
"Jonah doesn't know this, but I took Abby and put her on birth control last month. I just hope I wasn't sending the 'go ahead' signal!" Amy looked down at her own baby bump. She was on birth control when she conceived Katie Mae. Ruby reflected, sometimes things are just meant to be. She gave Claudius a gentle hug.
"Darlin' Amy, you're much better being proactive about things and having open communication. In the long run, they will respect you more," Elise said, glancing at Ruby. Ruby was aware of the challenges Elise and Norman had with Derek and remained silent on the subject.
The heavy stainless-steel door that separated the waiting area from the trenches of the Emergency Room slowly opened, and out strode a man with a wheatish skin tone, a head of thick black hair, a smile of perfect white teeth, deep brown eyes, wearing a green scrubs and green paper footies over his shoes. Ruby noticed the man as highly attractive.
"Papa!" Rishi said, coming back into the waiting room breaking free from his companions. He ran to his father and threw his arms around the man. "How is Mr. Jonah?"
"Rishi, it is all good! You go. Be with your friend, Jackson." He directed the boy to sit so he could discuss Jonah's condition with Amy and the family. Kenny and Abby approached with two cup containers, supporting coffees. They each lowered the cup holders so everyone could grab one and any creams or sugars if needed.
"Dr. Patel," Abby held a coffee holder with one remaining coffee. "We apparently have an extra, please help yourself!"
"Thank you so much, Abby. I don't mind I do!" He smiled. Dr. Patel did have an accent from his homeland, but it was not as strong as Ruby expected.
Dr. Patel sat in an empty seat. He sipped his coffee black and seemed grateful for the beverage. The group’s eyes focused, and ears tuned in.
"So, here is where we are: we have performed blood test, chest x-rays, and an EEG...electrocardiogram...on Jonah. It is clear he had a rather significant heart attack. Most probably due to blockages. We are currently prepping him for another test called the coronary angiogram. This is where we insert dye into the arteries in order to see if there are blockages and if so, where. You follow?" As Dr. Patel spoke, his hands made circular motions.
Everyone nodded their heads, as they listened intently.
"This procedure takes about one hour, maybe more. Okay? So, depending on what we find, we might do a coronary angioplasty, where a balloon goes through the artery and widens it and then we put in a stent. However, if the arteries are too bad, then we will have to schedule Jonah for bypass surgery. We can do this surgery here now since I have come. No longer do we have to send the patient to Lexington or Louisville."
“Doctor, let me make sure I am clear on some things," Amy began. "It sounds to me that the cardiac angiogram determines where and the severity of the blockages, some which MIGHT be taken care of by inserting stents through a coronary angioplasty procedure. Otherwise, he will need a bypass?"
"That is correct. With the bypass, we take a portion of an artery from another part of the body...usually the leg. Yes? And surgically attached the vein to the aorta and then to the artery below where the blockage is. This procedure takes three to six hours. Perhaps more. With bypass, Jonah will be in hospital three to five days. But...we have very good results with the bypass surgery."
"If he needs a bypass would that happen at the same time as the coronary angioplasty or would that take place another day?" Amy asked.
"Oh, no. We have to schedule that for another day. We must have the full surgical team. If bypass needs to be done, we do it on Monday."
"So, we just need to wait to see what this next test shows?" Amy asked. Her eyes were filling with tears again.
"Absolutely! You just sit here with your family, and I come with the results when we are done. Okay?" Dr. Patel's smile was encouraging.
"Dr. Patel, is there any way I can go see him?" Amy asked.
"We already have him prepped for the procedure, so you will see him after. Okay?" Amy nodded her head, she clasped Susie’s hand with one hand, wiping her eyes with an already soggy tissue.
Dr. Patel put his hand palm toward his face and performed a very slight bow before he turned and disappearing back into the Emergency Room.
"My! He sure is something to look at!" Elise said. "And that accent!" Elise fanned herself with her hand, capturing a smile from Amy.
Turning to Ruby, "Since Derek is headed this way, he can help get people home if needed, okay?" Ruby nodded, giving Elise a half-hearted smile. Elise continued, "I hope you ladies don't mind, but I am going to head back and see about wrapping that shower up. We'll get all the gifts where they need to go!" Then, she bent over and gave Amy a squeeze more than a hug. "You let me know if you need anything. To watch Jackson. Anything. You hear?" Amy nodded, thanking her.
"What about you Kenny?" Amy asked. "You were on patrol. Do you need to get back?"
"No ma'am," he replied. "I called Bob in to take over patrol for me, and Jonah already forwarded the 9-1-1 calls to the Morehead dispatch. We should be good." He looked down for a moment, then back at Amy. His greenish eyes took on a glossiness. "Besides, I feel like I need to be here!" Amy nodded, understanding. His relationship with Jonah had at times been tumultuous, but Jonah had been a father figure for him as well as for Ruby.
Ruby stood. She sat too long, plus it was time to make a trip to the restroom. She was surprised she had made it this long.
"Well, I'm going to go find the little girl's room." She turned to Abby. "Want to walk with me?" Abby nodded and got up to go with Ruby. She'd been unusually quiet. Nerves probably. Probably a little guilt mixed in. Maybe even a little fear that she'd never get to have that talk with her dad.
Entering the main hall, Ruby and Abby walked silently for several paces. Then Ruby broke the silence.
"He knows," Ruby said.
"He does?" Abby asked. She shut her eyes in denial for a moment. "How? Did you tell him?"
"No, it was not me." Ruby pushed the restroom door open and entered an extremely clean room. It smelled bleach clean. "Kenny told him."
"Kenny?!" Abby turned red as she disappeared in a stall. "Oh! He hadn't said a word to me about it! I could just..."
"Abby, he did the right thing. Do not be hard on Kenny." Ruby began releasing two hours' worth of urine. "Besides, I think Jonah really respects Kenny for going to him and telling him."
