Chapter 38
Morgan’s pencil poised above the paper he’d coaxed from the charge nurse.
“Listen and learn, Brothers, you, too, Mark,” he playfully admonished, knowing he had the three men’s full attention. “Like I said, Gran’s out of surgery and is being moved to recovery. Her doctor will join us before long, but according to the nurse, who willingly called surgery at my request,” he said in mock humbleness, “Gran came through with flying colors.”
Pent-up sighs escaped the men hanging on Morgan’s every word.
“The bullet entered her shoulder. The shoulder’s a complex combination of bones and joints where . . .”
“Break it down to layman’s terms, Morgan,” Kade interrupted.
“I am. I will even endeavor to draw a diagram for you more visual learners.”
“Enjoying this, aren’t you, Doctor?” Declan flashed him a steely-eyed look.
“As a matter of fact, I am. As I was saying, it entered the fleshy, muscular part of the shoulder, nicked the clavicle . . .”
“Morgan,” Kade warned.
“Uh, the collarbone.” His pencil sketched as he talked. “That’s the bone that extends across the front of the shoulder from the sternum to the scapula. This bone works in stabilizing the shoulder’s movements. Now hold on, guys, I’m doing my best. The scapula is more commonly known as the shoulder blade.”
“Why didn’t you say so in the first place?” Mark snapped.
Morgan drew a flat triangular bone. “The scapula is located in the upper back. It connects with the collarbone at the front of the body.”
“She got shot in the back, too?” Declan asked horrified.
Kade reached out and put a restraining hand on Declan’s arm. “Just listen, will you? Go ahead, Morgan.”
“When the bullet struck the clavicle, uh, collarbone, it veered off and lodged in the glenohumeral joint.” He hurried on, seeing Kade’s frown. “That’s the ball and socket joint. It lets our arm rotate in circles and move up and out from the body. It’s surrounded by soft tissue and fibrous ligaments. The bullet’s been removed. The nurse said the surgeon is one of the best. He was in town taking part in a medical conference when Gran was brought in. The physician on call asked him to step in. Lucky for Gran and us, he did.”
Morgan added a few more strokes to the diagram. “Look, guys, I’m giving you a rough picture of what happened.”
“It’s all we need, Morgan,” Kade reassured him. “Good job.”
He took a deep breath, his face grave and drawn. “I don’t have to understand the technical details to know she’s going to need a lot of care and will probably be in a great deal of pain.” Kade’s shoulders drooped. A man who’d always taken on the brunt of his family’s cares and struggles, now was helpless.
“I’m assuming this is the McKune family,” a man wearing blue scrubs, a disposable surgical cap on his head, and disposable booties on his feet, strode into the room.
“It is,” Kade stepped forward.
“Bruce Kellum, your grandmother’s surgeon.” He gave each one a brief nod without offering his hand. The man’s manner was brusque and hurried. “I understand one of you is a doctor.”
“I am,” Morgan acknowledged. “Morgan McKune. I’ve been privileged to attend a few of your lectures. We’re grateful you were available for Gran.”
“Yes, well, lucky I was here. Missed a couple lectures I was looking forward to, but,” he shrugged, “that happens.”
Kade told himself he didn’t have to like the pompous doctor. All that mattered was Gran.
Drawing himself up to his full five-foot six, the surgeon took a deep breath, and with the speed of a locomotive, launched into a detailed account of the emergency surgery.
Without stopping for another breath, he closed by saying, “She’s tough. Lost quite a bit of blood. We’ll move her into the intensive care unit as soon as she’s stabilized in recovery. Doubt she’ll be there more than overnight. But, she’ll be a guest here for several days. It’s a good hospital. It’s small but capable of giving good care. I won’t be in town after tonight. However, the physician in charge has my number, should he need to consult.”
He turned toward the door. “Your brother can probably answer any questions you might have.” He glanced at his watch. “Still time for me to catch the last few speakers,” he muttered to himself as he sauntered from the room.
“Sonofa . . .” Mark muttered.
“Arrogant little shi . . .” Declan chimed in.
“Doesn’t matter,” Kade cut them both off. “He as good as he thinks he is, Morgan?”
“He’s good. Lousy bedside manner, but he’s an excellent surgeon.”
“That’s what counts, then.”
Morgan nodded. “I’m surprised he took the time to meet with us. It’s not uncommon to delegate that job to the physician on call. Who, I’m sure, will be along soon with more information. Not much we can do other than wait. We’ll be allowed a brief visit once they get Gran settled in ICU. She’ll be sedated for pain and barely aware of what’s going on.”
“We’ll wait. All night if we have to.” Kade took back his post at the darkened window, burdened by the thoughts weighing heavily on his mind and heart.