Dirty Chai

chapter 4: He Bumped His Head

"What happened?" Frankie asked Seth as soon as she walked into grandpa's room. She was border line panicking.

Seth looked up then. He was next to grandpa on the floor by his bed. "I was on my way back to check on him. Since he was asleep when I arrived. I prepared his pills and thought it was a good day for a sponge bath. I was getting that ready too. And when I turned around he was getting out of bed by himself and then he fell forward. I didn't want to move him. I think he might have hit his head." Seth looked worried too. Grandpa usually had to be woken up. It was probably the noise of Seth preparing everything that woke him.

Frankie sighed. And then she heard a knock at the door. "Must be the ambulance" she walked out of the room and back to the front door.

"Hello. We got a call about a fall." The EMT at the door said.

"Yes the nurse called grandpa is back this way" Frankie stepped aside to let the EMT in and closed the door behind him. Leaving it unlocked. Leading him through the house back to grandpa's room.

When Seth saw the EMT he exhaled with relief. "Marty, an 83 year old male, fell getting out of bed. I think he might have hit his head so I didn't want to move him. Vitals and bp are good. And he's conscious, just in pain."

"Good morning Marty. Heard you took a fall. The EMT said putting on some latex gloves and kneeling next to grandpa. "Do you feel ok? Does it hurt anywhere?"

Grandpa grunted. "No, I'm not ok!" Grandpa sounded irritated. "My head is killing me. Haven't had a headache this bad since 92'" Frankie snorted. Seth and the EMT looked up at her.

"Sorry it's just the 92' headache was the last time he had a hangover." She smiled softly and the EMT chuckled a bit. His radio went off then but Frankie couldn't make it out.

"I'm inside assessing the patient." He responded over the radio. "alright Marty can I check your head for injury?" Marty gave a wave that must have seemed like a go ahead, as the EMT gently started touching his head. Then he called on the radio. "Bring in the stretcher and a neck brace."

"Is he ok?" Frankie said worry in her voice.

"I think so, but I still want to be careful. He already has a bruise so he hit his head hard." The EMT reassured her. "I'd like to take him in so they can do a scan and the doctors will be able to tell you more after that."

"Ok, thanks!" Frankie wasn't sure what else to say. So she went to grab the med sheet off the mirror, it had a list and a schedule of everything he was taking. Then she grabbed his spare dopp bag that she kept a toothbrush and toothpaste and some other essentials. And then she grabbed a duffle bag and packed 2 changes of clothes for Grandpa. What else could she do? She wasn't sure how long he'd be gone and if he would need to stay overnight or go to an emergency nursing care facility after. She swalled hard at the thought but she had also been preparing herself for this.

The other EMT walked through grandpa's room door stretcher in tow, and neck brace in hand. "Here you are John." The young EMT said. Handing the neck brace over.

"Thanks Terry." John the first EMT said. Turning back to grandpa and opening the package l. "Alright Marty let get this on you and then we'll try to get you on the stretcher ok?" Grandpa nodded at this and as the EMTs started to work Frankie continued to make a mental list of everything else she needed for the hospital.

"Are you coming with us ma'am? Or will you follow us?" Terry asked once grandpa was on the stretcher.

"I'll follow you. Which hospital are you going to? Clearwater medical?" Frankie assumed it would be clearwater since it was closest."

"That was the plan, yes ma'am." Terry said with a nod.

"Ok I'll meet y'all there. Just need to grab his wallet and medical history" ever since Frankie started to care for Grandpa she was sure to be organized and have everything ready. She had always been prepared for everything growing up. The binder she kept everything in was sitting in the kitchen. It had everything she would need for grandpa's visit, his state id SSN card, medical insurance card, the medical POA she got the previous summer when she moved back in with grandpa. She placed it in the duffle bag, and headed towards the door.

She drove to Clearwater medical in silence and planned to text Liz later with an update she just hoped grandpa would be ok.

…………………………………………………………

Oliver was about to walk into the coffee shop when he remembered he wanted to check in on Frankie but he didn't want to bother her so he did the next best thing and walked to her shop. Maybe that friend Liz was still in and could tell him if she was ok.

"Hello and welcome to knikers!" Liz greeted him from the counter looking at the computer rather than at the door.

"It's Liz right?" Oliver asked. Liz looked up at him.

"Oh yeah. Frankie's not in, she had a family emergency." Liz said with a frown on her face.

"I know. I was with her when the nurse called. I drove her back to the house. I wanted to see if you heard anything." Oliver walked up to the counter.

"Oh yeah. Marty is in the hospital bumped his head." Oliver nodded at the news.

"Ok thanks. Do you need anything? Have you had lunch?" Oliver asked. He wanted to help Frankie but they didn't know each other that well, having just met the other day. So he was going to offer to help the person Frankie relied on most.

"Oh! That's so kind of you. But I packed today so no worries! Definitely not a Domer type." Liz said with a smile. Oliver smiled back. "More of a Gomez Adams"

Oliver arched an eyebrow at this. "Gomez Addams?"

"Yes. Gomez Addams. From the 60s show not the 90s movies" Liz clarified. "But you scored some major brownie points today. And once I tell Frankie you'll definitely get a second date before you even have a fist."

Oliver wasn't sure what to say to this. Liz was odd and he wondered if she even had a filter. "Uh thanks I guess… I'm gonna head out now." He backed away slowly.

"Oh Oliver!" Liz called before he left the store. "Don't forget to send her flowers. Marty is at Clearwater medical last name Collins."

Oliver waved at Liz a confirmation and a good bye. Flowers weren't a half bad idea. He was definitely going to call the hospital's gift shop.