Warning! This story is sexually explicit, if you are not of legal age to read such or are offended by this type of erotic writing do not read any further. This part of the story will be about Ronny's new life after the Corps, rehabilitation and Jason.
To contact the author cut and paste making appropriate corrections and E-mail: bn2rumpranger "at" yahoo "dot" com Subject line: Marine Home on Leave.
Marine Home on Leave By Randall Rumper Part III Ronny's New Life Chapter 57: Awakening
"WAKEUP MR. DRIVER WAKEUP!"
Experiencing a pounding sensation inside his skull and a dry mouth Ronny Driver was hearing a loud but familiar voice along with a hand gently patting his cheeks, requesting him to wakeup. "Come on Marine time to wakeup and take your medication."
The Marine slowly began opening his eyes as he felt the head of his bed moving into an upright position. When the bed stopped moving at about a forty-five degree angle his eyes became more focused. Ronny could see a familiar looking doctor dressed in a fresh white lab coat with stethoscope hanging from his neck standing next to his bed. The doctor said again in a more cheerful voice. "Wakeup Marine it's time to take your medication."
"Doctor Thorn!" Ronny Driver exclaimed in a state of bewilderment, looking at the handsome Asian doctor.
The medically retired Marine couldn't figure out how his lover had gotten dressed in his white smock when only a few minutes prior they'd been enjoying breakfast with his mom and dad. The Marine tried to reach out to accept the small white paper cup containing the medication in the doctor's hand but couldn't. He couldn't lift his hands to accept the cup. He looked down at his arms and hands. They were still attached and his fingers were moving, but his wrists were in leather restraints.
"Open your mouth," The Asian doctor ordered.
The Marine opened his mouth instinctively. The doctor pushed the cup to Ronny's lips emptying the container into his mouth. The patient accepted the pills from the cup. Then the doctor held a flexible straw to the Ronny's lips so he could take a drink of water to wash the pills down. "Drink as much as you want. You need plenty of fluids."
Once Ronny had taken in a sufficient amount of water he released the plastic straw from his lips and asked in an irritated voice. "Why are my arms tied down to the bedrails like some prisoner?"
"It's for your safety and ours Marine. You're a pretty strong individual, Ronny."
"Where am I?" Ronny asked looking around the room.
"You're in a locked facility at the Topeka VA Medical Center. You know me I'm your neurologist Dr. Thorn; however, this gentleman is one of my bosses, Dr. Charles Cutting, head of Psychiatry." Doctor Thorn said motioning to the taller older gentleman standing at the foot of the bed holding an aluminum clipboard in his hands.
"Okay, but why am I here and my hands tied down? I've got a job and school I need to get back to," Ronny replied.
"Not lately, but that's a positive sign you are regaining your cognitive abilities Corporal. You been through a lot lately," the older doctor said, "Briefly, tell me what you remember Corporal?"
"About what?"
"Start with what you remember about how you were injured in Afghanistan and then go forward from there."
"Best I remember I was thrown from a helicopter. The chopper crashed and came to rest on top of me. I guess I got fucked up pretty bad, `cause from there I was medevaced out to the in-country hospital and from there I was airlifted to Germany where they operated on me and put on the first casts. From there I was transported to the Navy Marine Hospital in Maryland for more operations and new casts. Then after a few weeks they sent me to the VA facility closest to my home in Missouri.
"That's good," the older doctor said, "Your long-term memory appears to be intact. So, what else do you remember?"
"After a time at the VA hospital I was sent home with my arms still in a big old cast the covered my arms and chest. My leg was also in a cast. I remember that I was in a lot of pain."
"What else can you tell us?"
"If memory serves me after I got home I lived in a makeshift hospital room where my family, especially my mom and a part-time male nurse took care of me until I got the casts off. Really good-looking dude about six feet two inches with a blonde flattop hair cut. Between him and mom they took pretty care of me for weeks while I recovered. But he was the one that took care of most of my personal hygiene needs. I think he also worked at one of the VA hospitals `casue I remember seeing him there and he would visit me."
Ronny stopped there not wanting to disclose any further details about the relationship between him and the male nurse.
"Do you remember what happened to your caregiver? Do you remember his name? Why he left? Where did he go after leaving service working for your mother?" Doctor Cutting asked.
"His name was Jason Cox. Dude left after all my casts were removed and I started Physical Therapy at the VA and then home. You know, I was able to take care of my personal hygiene by then and dress myself. He still stopped by every once in while to visit and then he was gone. Where he went... I think, if I remember, he was supposed to go to medical school somewhere. The rest is kind of hazy."
Again, Ronny thought he could remember more about Jason, but refrained from telling the whole story. He wasn't sure how much the doctors knew about the incident involving Jason and his brothers.
"Well, young man I want you to know considering the physical and emotional trauma you suffered this past year your memory is pretty good," Dr. Cutting said, "Now it's time for us to work with you and help you get back to a normal life."
"Thanks. Now when do I get outa here?" Ronny asked eagerly.
"This facility offers the very best in alcohol and substance abuse rehabilitation, Psychiatric and Neurological care as well as an outstanding PTSD program for vets. Our goal, if you will allow us to work with you, is to get you back on your feet as a productive member of society," Dr. Cutting briefed, "But that's going to take time."
"Doc, I still don't know why I'm being held here," Ronny said.
"Ronny, your uncle, mother, adopted brother, Gary, and I finally managed to track you down. When we found you, you were in a pretty bad state physically and emotionally. We did an intervention a week ago. After your father's death you began engaging in some very self-destructive behaviors, bordering on suicidal," Dr. Thorn explained.
Ronny lay in the bed staring at the ceiling his eyes filling with tears. He asked, "So, my dad is really dead?"
"Yes Ronny. In fact, I was on duty the day your father was brought into Allenville Medical Center's Trauma Center. He suffered a cerebral aneurysm at work and by the time he got to the trauma center he was in what we call a stage 4 condition on the Hunt and Hess scale."
Ronny continued crying, "No... no... no it can't be true."
"Yes, Ronny your father is gone. He was cremated per his instructions," Dr. Thorn said.
"IT'S NOT TRUE!" Ronny screamed.
"Ronny your dad received the very best care from the moment he arrived at Allenville right up until he passed away ten days later. If he had been brought in when your dad first experienced the stage 1 headache things might have been different. In short, if we had been able to treat him in a grade 1 or 2 condition there might have been some hope, but a grade 4 only carries a 20 percent survival rate and many times that is in a vegetative or semi vegetative state."
"You need to get some rest young man," Dr. Cutting said, "We hope to get you started on rehabilitation Monday morning."
Dr. Cutting put the chart down before he prepared to leave the room and said, "See you Monday Marine.
After Dr. Cutting departed Dr. Thorn reached down and began releasing the restraints from Ronny's wrists. "After your injuries in Afghanistan and throughout your treatment and recovery at military hospitals you were given some pretty heavy duty drugs to help control pain as well as other medications."
"Isn't that kind of standard procedure for injured personnel?" Ronny asked.
Yes, the VA began using medications to help you with the pain and to sleep as well as other medications to address the issues connected with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. You became addicted to some of these medications and after your dad's death you became addicted to alcohol as well as drugs you could buy on the street."
Ronny rubbed his wrists after they were released from the leather restraints. He asked, "Can I get up?"
"Let me help you." Dr. Thorn helped Ronny sit up and turn in the bed putting his feet on the floor.
"What else did I do?"
"You didn't do anything, Ronny. We believe that the physical trauma you suffered along with the emotional trauma of losing your buddies in the crash and then losing your dad sent you over the edge. Along with your dependency on alcohol and drugs to deal with your physical and emotional issues you became delusional to the point of possible suicide."
"I am truly sorry for what I've put you all and my family through."
"No need to apologize to me it's all part of my job, maybe you need to apologize to your family, but not me. You've got a lot going on in your head, Marine. We know you suffered a concussion back in Afghanistan. The medical field now refers to that type injury as a non-penetrating TBI. That's my specialty and where I'm doing my research."
"So, I'm one of your research subjects?"
"You are one of the subjects of my research, but please don't give my research a negative connotation. What we don't know is to what extent the TBI has affected you. Something we're going to address if you'll work with us over the next few weeks."
"I'm willing," Ronny replied, "Do you know when I'll be able to see my family? I need to make amends."
"Let me talk to Dr. Cutting and then make some phone calls. I'll get back to you later on this afternoon. Do you think you'd be up to visits this weekend?"
"Sure."
"Okay. I see you later. Oh by the way the nurse will be in with your breakfast in a few. I took the liberty of ordering a Belgium waffle, three scrambled eggs, four pieces of bacons well, a bowl of fruit and coffee with one cream," Dr. Thorn said with a wry smile as he exited the room.
Ronny lay back on the bed thinking about what the doctors had said. He wondered what all he done to get locked up, but most of all how Dr. Thorn new what his favorite breakfast was.