My name is Bill Glen. I'm a sixty-three year old widower, who is living "out in the boondocks". I took moved here eight years ago. To say that my life has been better, may be the understatement of the year. Ten years ago, my wife came down with brain cancer. She died less than a year after the first diagnosis. It was hard to take. A month after that our only child, Amanda, was beaten by her soon to be ex husband. The beating was very severe. Neither I, nor the doctor, had much hope that she would survive. But she did, mostly. Because of the vicious nature of the beating her husband was given a fifty to life sentence. He should be glad the police got to him before I did. He won't be missed.
Over the next few months my daughter slowly strengthened. Unfortunately, her brain was damaged enough so that she had the intellectual capacity of about a nine year old. That's not good, but it beat not having her around at all. She needed care, so I moved to my present location and fixed up one room for her, and one for me. It was a rough few years. It was only a year and a half ago that I realized that something wasn't right. I set up an emergency appointment with my doctor, and brought Amanda in.
Amanda, as it turned out, had quietly suffered a severe case of Lupus. On top of that, she had somehow contracted the measles. I suspect it was picked up when she went to a movie with some friends from church.
We caught the problems too late. It was only four months ago that I buried her next to my darling wife.
Then, only four weeks ago, my only living relative; my younger sister died in an automobile wreck. I was now as alone as I have ever been in my entire life.
It's now late January. I didn't even put up a Christmas tree this year. My heart just isn't in it. My early years were spent in the military. I was trained as a medic in a special forces unit. The training was as rigorous than that given to RPAs. After retiring from the military I worked as an RPA for many years. Now, I just sit here and brood over my losses. I know that I am clinically depressed. Unfortunately, anti-depressants can only do so much to help. They can't erase memories.
Out here, in the boonies, in our northern planes state my road can easily become impassable for a weeks at a time. You see, I'm the only person who lives on this back road. There's a five mile section of rough road before you reach my house. Once it's socked in with snow and ice, my road is the last one on the list of those that are to be plowed out.
Tonight, I'm sitting here in my dark living room watching the snow fall outside. Suddenly I see what seems to be headlights approaching. They are moving too fast for the road conditions. They won't be able to see the sharp right turn that occurs just eighty yards beyond my house.
You know, an automobile crash in the snow has a sound all of its own. Instead of hearing a harsh crunch, it's more like a hearty "Woompf" sound. The car had left the road and ended up in a field grown thick with fir trees.
I turned on my outside lights, got into my parka and grabbed my first aid kit. As I left the house, I pulled my larger toboggan behind me as I went to where the car had stopped. Before I got there I could already hear the crying. There was a woman in the car. She looked as if she were in her late thirties to early forties. Once I got her calmed down, and determined that it was safe to move her, I told her that my house was only about a hundred yards away. I put her, and her luggage, on the toboggan. It took me ten minutes to pull the toboggan back to the house. The snow was deep and the load on the sled was noticeable. By the time we had reached my house a mixture of freezing rain and sleet had started to fall. It was rapidly becoming treacherous.
When we got to the house, I got the injured woman and baggage into the house. I then ushered her into the living room.
My first business was to determine how badly hurt she was..
"My name is Bill. What is your name?"
"Tanya. I'm not feeling to good."
Ok, Tanya. If you wanted to look behind you on the wall you will see that I am still a licensed Registered Physician's Assistant. If you don't mind, I would like to do a quick once over to make sure that you aren't badly hurt. Would that be o.k. with you?
She hesitantly indicated that she could go along with that.
I brought out my little black bag and pulled out the simple tools used for a general physical exam. Tanya didn't look all that good. I got as far as looking in her eyes with my small light when I saw my first problem. Her eyes didn't contract at the same rate. I checked her head, carefully, and felt the large bump on the left side. She was also running a fever.
"Tanya, you hit the window with your head, didn't you?"
"I think so, but I'm having problems concentrating right now. I'm not sure, but I am sure that I feel dizzy."
"I was afraid of that. I'll be right back. I need to make a phone call."
I had my friend Jim, with the local emergency squad, on the line.
"Hi Jim, I think I may need to have someone picked up out here. What are the chances ..."
Before I could finish my sentence Jim cut me off.
"I can't talk long Bill, we have a major problem on our hands. There was a bus that went off the interstate just outside of town. It was followed by several other vehicles that were following too closely. It's a bad one. We will be busy all of tonight. What's your problem?"
"A car didn't make the curve on my road, I have the driver, a woman, inside; but she is showing signs of a concussion. On top of that, she's running a fever. What are the chances of a pickup tonight?"
"Unless she is obviously dying, we can't do it. I know your skills, you know what to do. I've got to run. You can handle it, Bill!"
I went back to the living room. Tanya, spotted the look on my face.
"What's wrong, Bill?"
"I had hoped to get an ambulance out here for you. You obviously have received a concussion. Unfortunately, there has been a very bad wreck on the interstate and all of the emergency services will be tied up for the rest of the night. I'm on my own to try to help you now. I know what to do, but I also know that it would be better to have you in the hospital where a good neurologist is on hand. With your permission, I will try to help you get through this."
Tanya looked worried.
"What's wrong Tanya? Have I said something wrong? What are you concerned about?"
"I don't know you Bill, being isolated here leaves me at your mercy. I know of way too many men who would take advantage of this type of situation."
"Tanya, you need not worry. You are my guest at this point in time. I do not pick on guests, or anyone else for that matter. By the way, how did you find yourself on my road tonight? My house is the only one on this road."
"I must have taken a wrong turn. I must have mis-counted the roads and instead of going into Cartersburg I ended up here."
"Ah, yes, that is an easy slip up. I am going to move you into my guest room. If you don't want to unpack, there are clothes in the closet that will let you get comfortable and be modest at the same time. I am going to have to keep watch over you tonight. If things turn worse for you, I will have to beg them to get an ambulance out here, or risk trying to drive you to the hospital in my four by four."
The next fifteen minutes were busy. I left the room so that Tanya could get into a nightgown. I went into the other room to make up some food.
When I got back to the living room, Tanya was on the bed covered up with a down comforter. .
"Who's clothes are these?" Tanya asked.
"Those originally were my wife's clothes. When she died, then my daughter used them until she died. I just couldn't get rid of them." My voice was cracking at this point.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know. They are very good clothes. I saw the LL Bean labels in them. They make wonderful stuff."
"Can I have something to help with this headache?"
"I'm sorry to say that I can't do that. Many pain killers decrease the blood's ability to clot. With a concussion, I don't want to increase the chances of a bleed in your brain.." However, if you would like something to eat, I am heating up some home made soup. I can bring you in some soup.. It is important to keep you as still as possible for the next day or so."
