Page 62 of Reckless Skye

‘Try to relax.’ Perhaps sensing his panic, the doctor stepped forward. ‘TJ, I’m Dr Kleiner, the neurosurgeon here at Scottsdale Osborn.’

Neurosurgeon?

TJ’s mind roiled.

Agitated, he shifted.

‘Relax, son.’ His dad placed one heavy hand on TJ’s shoulder, comforting him, grounding him, keeping him still.

Dr Kleiner checked TJ’s eyes with a small flashlight, asked, ‘TJ, could you blink for me?’

TJ blinked.

‘Good. Could you very carefully nod and shake your head?’

Although the pain had his vision blackening, TJ did.

‘Very good. TJ, do you remember what happened? How you ended up here? If you can try to speak again, that’s great. If not, just nod or shake your head.’

TJ thought back. He remembered looking up after dismounting and seeing Skye … After that, everything was dark, the sound muffled. But the memory of the pain – that was real and raw and heavy and had him guessing, ‘Bull?’ even though the short, single word left his mouth sounding more like, mull.

‘That’s right. You were hit from the side.’ The doctor regulated his tone, ‘You’ve suffered some head trauma and a spinal cord injury.’

‘Motherfucker.’ He wasn’t aware he’d mumbled it aloud until his parents and the doctor started laughing.

‘I wholeheartedly agree.’ Dr Kleiner smiled kindly. ‘But you came out of surgery well. Typically, we’d want you up and trying to move within twenty-four hours after spine surgery, but due to the swelling on your brain, we kept you under for a few days.’

‘How long?’ His voice, weak and dry, was clearer then.

His mom fetched him a cup of water with a straw. She held it up to his mouth, said, ‘Today’s day three.’

TJ jerked in surprise at that. The straw popped out of his mouth, spraying water down his chin. To his absolute mortification, his mom hurried to clean him up.

‘Don’t,’ he managed.

She stopped, caught the crushed tissue in her fist. ‘Julia and Sly went home, but they’re driving back right now.’

‘TJ, the fact that you’re talking already is extremely promising,’ Dr Kleiner assured him. ‘Your vitals are good, considering.’ He stood. ‘I’m going to ask you a few questions now, okay?’

TJ nodded.

The doctor moved the sheets aside, exposing TJ’s legs. ‘Any skin tingling, burning, or numbness?’

‘Right hip and leg.’ He rasped the words, but they were clearer, stronger.

‘What’s the sensation?’

‘Burning. Tingling.’

‘What’s your pain right now, on a scale of one to ten?’

TJ felt like a rod had been jammed down his spine, but it wasn’t necessarily painful. He was a bull rider. Painful was walking off the dirt with a bone sticking out of his arm and no medical-grade painkillers. ‘Three.’

‘We’ll call it a five, given your chosen profession. But that’s still good. You’re on a lot of pain meds to help with that. If it gets any worse’ – he pointed to a call button – ‘this button will call a nurse.’ He touched TJ’s right thigh. ‘Can you feel this?’

TJ nodded.

‘How about this?’ He touched his opposite foot.