Camp Kumoni By Anistasia Allread Edited by Alexis

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Camp Kumoni Ch. 44

Erika tried to be brave. Other than the pounding headache, she felt alright. She didn’t know if anyone was watching, but she gave a thumbs up to anyone who could see it. After all that is what football players did.

The EMT hopped up into the back of the ambulance and closed the doors behind her. Her brown ponytail bobbed as she took a seat on a bench beside Erika. “Your friend told me about your little privacy matter.” She slid a blood pressure cuff around the arm where the Camp nurse had, and began taking her pressure.

“You aren’t going to tell, are you?” Erika pleaded.

“Relax, Erika.” She released the air in the cuff. “Now, I’ve got to re-take this.” She paused and looked into Erika’s eyes. “I am bound by Hippa (HIPAA) to not release any information about you, unless you sign a piece of paper releasing me to do so.” She took a breath. “Which means, I can’t even tell your parents.”

Relief washed over Erika.

“Can I take your blood pressure now?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“Okay, relax.” The EMT began pumping air into the cuff tightening it around her arm. “Just in case you wanted to know, my name is Jenni.”

“Nice to meet you, Jenni.”

“So you decided to spend your Fourth of July in the ER, huh?”

“It wasn’t planned.” Erika sighed. “I was just trying a back flip off the board like Tricia did. She made it look so easy.

“Wiggle your toes for me. . . good. Now your fingers.” Jenni instructed. “What’s your name?”

“Why does everyone keep asking my name?” Erika protested.

“Get used to it. You’ll be asked a hundred times or more once you reach the ER. It is one of the things we do to head trauma patients. Just try and be patient.” Jenni reached for something. “I’ve got to put an IV in your arm, so you’re going to feel a poke.”

“Do you have to?” Erika protested.

“Most people are dehydrated, especially during the summer. It also allows us to deliver medication to you without giving you a shot each time.”

“Oh, alright.”

“Can I get my arms unstrapped at least?” Erika complained.

“Until you’ve been cleared by a doctor, you’re not allowed to move anything.”

“But my nose itches.”

* * *

It seemed like it took forever for the ambulance to make it to the ER. It only used its sirens and lights once as it passed through the small town. If she wasn’t strapped in, Erika would have jumped.

“Okay, we’re here.” Jenni told her. “Things will seem rushed for the next few minutes and then it will drag by. It was nice meeting you. I hope you are okay and are able to go back to camp.”

“Thank you, Jenni. It was nice meeting you too.”

The Ambulance came to a stop. The doors opened, Erika was carefully removed, and then it seemed like the world went mad. Jenni was being drilled with questions, while someone else was asking her questions. They quickly took her to a curtained off area and transferred from the stretcher to a bed, which wasn’t difficult, because she was still strapped to the back board. The whole-time various people asked her all kinds of questions.

Five minutes later, Jenni waved from the doorway with a smile and everyone calmed down. A nurse stayed behind to double check everything for the millionth time.

“The Doctor will be in to see you in just a moment.” The nurse pressed something into her hand. “Press the top button if you need anything.”

Then she too left the room.

Erika could hear a baby crying down the hall, a groan from what sounded like an elderly man and the murmur of voices in various parts of the hall. A knock sounded on the door.

“Just wanted to ease your mind.” Jenni poked her head in the door. Erika could just see her in her peripheral. “I spoke to your doctor and nurse and told them of your secret. You’ll be fine.”

“Uh, thanks, Jenni.”

“No problem. I hope I never see you again.” She chuckled.

“Yeah, me too.”

It was ten minutes before another knock came at the door. A middle-aged woman walked on in looking through a chart. “Hello, Erika. I’m Dr. Jackson. I hear you hit your head.” She set down the chart and washed her hands.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Did you lose consciousness?” Dr. Jackson asked.

“I don’t think so. I think I blacked out for a couple of seconds.”

Doctor Jackson then went on to ask most of the question that Erika had already answered over and over. She pulled on some gloves and checked Erika’s eyes with a flashlight again, then felt along her neck around the head straps.

“Okay.” Dr. Jackson turned to a nurse in the doorway. Take her on down for CT, and let’s see if there’s anything amiss.” She turned back to Erika. “Once the CT clears you, we’ll get you out of the straps and I’ll take a look at that gash on the back of your head.”

“Okay.”

“A Ms. Hobbs is here; I take it she is the camp director?”

“Yes.”

“Is she aware of your true gender?”

“No. . . You aren’t going to tell her are you?” Erika became worried. “Jenni the EMT said something about HIPPA. She said that you can’t talk to anyone, even my parents about it.”

“Do the girls in your cabin know about it?” Dr. Jackson inquired.

“Yes. My friend Samantha and I told them all.”

“When you get back from CT we’ll talk more about this. I won’t say anything for now.”

“Thank you.” Erika bit her lip. What did ‘for now’ mean?

“Someone will be in shortly to take you to CAT scan.”

A few minutes went by. Erika, not being able to move, closed her eyes and listened intently to all of the alien sounds of the E.R. The hum of equipment, the beeping of monitors from another room, the buzz of the florescent lights. A knock came at the door followed by Director Hobbs.

“How are you doing, Erika?”

“Okay, I guess. My head isn’t throbbing like it was earlier.”

“Good.” She smiled. The doctor says you probably just need a few stitches, but that she doesn’t think there is anything more serious.”

“So we can make it back in time for the barbecue?”

“We’ll see what the doctor says. By the way, I haven’t been able to reach your parents. Are you sure that is the right number?”

“Yes.” Erika’s heart pounded in her chest. “They might be out celebrating the Fourth on the lake and turned it off.”

“Hmmmm. Is there another emergency contact I can call?” she asked.

Erika was glad that she wasn’t hooked up to a heart monitor, she was sure if she had been, it would be setting off all kinds of alarms.

“A grandparent? Aunt or Uncle?”

“Not off the top of my head?” Erika’s mind raced almost as fast as her heart.

A knock came at the door. “Hello? Erika Martinez?” a tall guy inquired.

“Yes.”

“I’m here to take you to CAT scan.”

“Okay.” Saved by the bell. She tried not to let out a deep breath.

A few minutes later, she was being transferred, board and all, onto a table that was connected to a large white doughnut looking machine.

“We’re going to inject a contrast into your IV.” Radiologist explained. “You might taste a saltiness in your mouth. Are you allergic to shell fish?”

“No?” Erika thought that was a strange question.

“People who are, sometimes have a reaction to this.” The tall guy explained. He then disappeared into another room. “Okay, this will only take a few seconds.” His voice came over a speaker.

The doughnut machine began making a whining/humming noise the table that she was on, started moving into the machine.

“You’re doing good.” The radiologist’s voice came over the speaker.

The table moved her further into the machine, and then slowly started moving her out as the machine hummed loudly.

“Okay, you’re done.” The tall guy said from beside her.

Erika was transferred back to the stretcher and transported back to the E.R. room to await the results.

“It burns! It burns!” what sounded like a boy screamed from another room.

The nurse came back in and gave Erika the call button back and checked her comfort.

“What is going on down the hall?” Erika looked slightly afraid.

“A boy about your age was playing with fireworks and blew his finger off and burned his hand pretty badly.” The nurse grimaced.

“Oh.”

“Are you doing okay?”

“I’ll be better once I can move again.” Erika sighed.

“The doctor will be in, in just a few moments.” She stopped at the door. “Would you like another warm blanket?”

“That would be wonderful.”

“I’ll be right back.”

A knock on the door was followed by Director Hobbs. “Have you been able to think of anyone who I can call?” She inquired.

“You know, I was thinking about that down in CT.” Erika looked seriously at her. “I have an Uncle who is here in town. You might try him.”

“You do?”

“Here you are.” The nurse entered the room and spread a warm, soft, blanket over her.

“Thank you., Those are wonderful.” Erika beamed up at the nurse

“Your Uncle’s name?” Hobbs cut in.

“Sasha.” Erika prayed that Sasha would remember her and come to her aid. “He runs a hair salon here. He totally slipped my mind.” Please Sasha, help me out…… again.

“Sasha Is your Uncle?” The nurse turned around.

“Yes.” Erika could feel the shit getting deeper in the room.

“He does my hair.” The nurse beamed. “He is absolutely wonderful.”

“Isn’t he?” Erika smiled back.

“How can I get a hold of him?” Director Hobbs inquired.

“I have his number.” The nurse smiled at Director Hobbs. “Would you like me to give him a call?”

“Could you?” Director Hobbs asked following the nurse out of the room.

“Shit!” Erika swore to an empty room.

* * *

“Okay, Ms. Martinez.” Dr. Jackson entered the room. She walked over to the sink and washed her hands. “Good news. You didn’t break your neck. Which means that I can free you from that thing.”

“Thank God.”

Dr. Jackson gloved up then, quickly unfastened the straps and released her from her torture devise. “Now I need you to hold still just a moment longer while I poke around.” She felt along Erika’s spine again. “Okay, now I’m going to have you slowly roll onto your side so that I can look at that head wound.”

Erika never thought it would feel so good to be able to move. It almost felt strange in a way. She slowly turned onto her side, the doctor’s hands, guiding her gently. She then felt the doctor probe at her scalp. A flame of pain raced from where she was poking. “Ouch.”

“Sorry.” Dr. Jackson apologized. “Doesn’t look too bad, but you’re going to need a few stitches.”

“Damn.” Erika cussed softly.

“I’ll be back in a few moments. You may sit up, but don’t get off this stretcher.” Dr. Jackson peeled the gloves off, dropped them into a trash can and exited the room.

Feeling kind of woozy, Erika sat up for the first time in what seemed like ages.

“Your Uncle will be here before too long.” The nurse entered the room with a few items. “Let’s clean you up so that Dr. Jackson can get that gash closed.” The nurse handed Erika a large piece of gauze. “Hold that to your head, so you aren’t bleeding all over the floor.” She then pulled the bloody pillow cases and sheets off the stretcher.

Sasha is coming? Oh, I hope I didn’t pull him and Markus away from a party. What will he say when he gets here? Will he blow my secret with Hobbs? Will he play along with the whole Uncle thing?

“Okay, go ahead and have a seat back up there.” The nurse interrupted her fretting. The R.N. laid a bunch of instruments out on a tray close to the stretcher.

“Are we ready in here, Susan?” Dr. Jackson walked in. She went immediately over to the sink and washed her hands yet again.

“Yes, Doctor.”

“Erika, go ahead and lay down on your tummy.” Dr. Jackson instructed. She took some pro-offered gloves from a package that Susan was holding for her. “I’m going to have to cut some of this hair out of the way, which means you’ll have a small bald spot back here. But because of where it is. It won’t show unless you wear your hair in these cute braids.”

Erika felt the gauze being removed from her head.

“Now how tough are you?” Dr. Jackson inquired. “This looks like it’s going to take about five stitches. You have your choice. You can tough it out while I put those five in, OR I can give you a couple of pokes with a needle to put some numbing medication on it before stitching? Three pokes that will burn a little and keep you numb for an hour or so, or five and a pill that will take care of your pain for the afternoon?”

“Let’s go for five.” Erika mumbled.

“Five?” Dr. Jackson asked for clarification.

“Yes, five.”

“Okay, let’s get started.”