Tenderly Beats the Lonely Heart

by K. J. Janssen

  As the cranes began their work, the TV cameras moved in for a close-up of the south side of the platform hoping to show a measurable difference in the raising of the platform, but it would be several minutes before any noticeable change would become visible to the stations viewers and even then, it would only be about six inches at best. At least thirty-six inches would be required to accommodate the rescue workers and their equipment.

  John Taggart, a seasoned professional, was content on allowing the cameras to tell the story for a while, although, some of his silence was due to the fact that he too was somewhat mesmerized by the drama as it unfolded before his eyes.

  Finally, he returned to narrate the operation. “What you are viewing is the raising of a platform that weighs over five tons. The cranes that you see at the four corners of the platform are synchronized to lift it so that no additional pressure is applied to anything or anyone trapped beneath it. These are the same cranes that were used several days ago to construct the soundstage called “The Beast, that now lays in ruins. The cranes are operated by seasoned veterans experienced at lifting massive amounts of materials. They have to lift that platform carefully. This is going to take time, folks, so stick with us as the drama continues to unfold. All we can do now is wait and pray.”

  What will they find when the veil is lifted? How many dead? How many crippled? How many too injured to identify? We will know soon enough.

  CHAPTER 26

  Tiecher Park into the night

  An hour passed before the platform was raised sufficiently for the emergency workers to begin the grim task of rescuing those trapped under it. Honeycutt gave the signal to the crane operators to stop the lifting. Workers rushed to install the final concrete blocks at the four corners of the platform. One more wave from Honeycutt and the operators reversed direction and as the cables became slack, the platform settled onto the four columns with a soft thud.

  A hush came over the crowd. Even over the hum of the neutralized engines, first rescuers, standing close to the scene, could hear screams, moans and calls for help from beneath the platform; the first sounds of life any of them had heard since the collapse. Honeycutt and four of his workers pushed against the platform on the three sides that afforded access, to check the stability of the workspace. Once assured of the rescuers safety, he turned the rescue operations back to the Emergency Command Center to conduct the actual rescue operations.

  The space created was very narrow and the work of approaching the victims promised to be slow. No amount of training or simulations could have prepared the rescue workers for what they were about to encounter. Equipped with handheld concrete cutters and drills, small claw hammers, flashlights, bottles of water and emergency first-aid kits, they crawled cautiously into the space from three sides. The first victim they located had been decapitated, followed closely by six others whose bodies had been crushed beyond recognition. It wasn’t until the death count totaled twenty-one that they finally came across a cluster of injured fans that were fortunate enough to be trapped in a pocket beneath the platform. Some of them suffered serious wounds, but they were just glad to have been found alive.

  Slowly the unofficial death toll climbed close to fifty and the number of victims reported as injured to over two hundred, including six who required immediate amputations of arms or legs; one with multiple limbs removed.

  The Command Center was disciplined and well organized, handling immediate care and dispatch to hospitals at a level of efficacy totally unexpected from a group of professionals totally devoid of any actual experience working on a disaster of this magnitude.

  Six hours after the rescue of the first victim, the platform was raised to six feet from the ground and a secondary sweep of the area beneath it conducted. Eight additional fans were located; one dead, five with minor injuries and two suffering from shock. The last ambulance finally left as the

  Emergency Command Center became a “Crime Scene” complete with yellow tape and police security. The booths and stalls so hastily set up many hours previously, quickly became populated with officials from the State Health and Safety Bureau and multiple local, state and federal departments and agencies, all bent on determining the how’s and why’s behind the most memorable disaster in the State’s history; close to sixty dead so far and hundreds more injured, many, seriously. Investigating a disaster of this magnitude would probably take months if not years.

  As predicted, it turned out to be an Anniversary Celebration the town of Owensburg will never forget.

  CHAPTER 27

  Owensburg General Hospital 1:27am

  Owensburg General Hospital, an awardwinning facility with over 450 beds was prepared for the influx of patients. The Emergency Command Center at Tiecher Park named them as the First Responder Care Center to manage the processing and care of the victims recovered from the collapse of the soundstage. Being the FRCC meant that they would be responsible for coordinating the services provided by area hospitals and clinics and maintain a data base of people reported to have attended the show, including cross-referencing the names on that list with anyone reported as receiving care at any of the facilities in the network.

  The fifty-year-old medical hospital was rated 6th in the State and housed several of the country’s most renowned specialists in Acute Care, Pediatrics and Oncology among the roster of over 600 doctors who practiced there. In the previous year admissions totaled over 22,000 and a total of 48,789 visits were made to their Emergency Room. They housed a first-class Trauma Center and were rated among the highest in patient safety.

  Owensburg General was a hospital at the ready. The switchboard was already being swamped with calls from people looking to locate their friends or loved ones. Most callers responded to the lack of information with anger, making the job that much tougher for the operators.

  The first patient they treated had a laceration on her arm that required twenty stitches. She was moved to a waiting room and told she could leave after 30 minutes. She was followed by two men and four women that were treated for shock. They were not among the fans directly impacted by the collapse, just bystanders who were having difficulty processing the horror of the situation. The Hospital did its best to process these patients as quickly as possible to make room for the more seriously injured victims that were sure to follow.

  Within the next twenty-four hours, OG would process two hundred and twenty-nine patients. Of these, they treated and released ninety with superficial injuries, transferred thirty-seven to neighboring Hospitals and released three patients who died on the operating table to one of the makeshift morgues.

  Ninety-nine patients were permanently admitted to OG. Among these, the Hospital performed sixty-two operations ranging from broken bones to amputations. Another thirty-two were admitted for minor injuries, concussions and shock.

  Another five patients arrived at the hospital in an unresponsive condition. All five were diagnosed with blunt force trauma to the head or neck and immediately moved to an ICU. Treatment of patients in a coma, varies greatly, depending on the cause. As a precaution, a doctor/nurse team was assigned to the care of each.

  CHAPTER 28

  Miriam opened her eyes and was greeted by a blurry image of Mike Tolliver, the Attorney she hired to locate her son. “Mike, what are you doing here?” She sat up and looked around. As the room came into focus, she added, “Where am I?”

  Mike put his hand on her shoulder and eased her back to the pillow. “You think you can go missing and I’m not going to find you? You’re in Owensburg General Hospital. You suffered a concussion out at the dance last night and they brought you here for treatment. The nurse said that you have been in and out of consciousness for several hours.

  Suddenly she realized what happened, “Oh my God, Thomas was hurt. Is he here? I’ve got to see him.” Miriam started to rise again and Mike gently restrained her.

  “Calm down, you’ve got to rest. The nurse said you have a Grade 3 concussion and that there
is a risk of serious brain damage is you don’t remain quiet.”

  “But, I’ve got to find him.”

  “I understand that, but there is nothing that you can do right now. You’ve got to do as the nurses say and rest as much as possible. If you don’t you’ll hurt yourself more and then you won’t be of use to anyone. Let me be your proxy. Does that make sense?”

  “Of course, but we can’t just sit here while he’s off somewhere, hurt. We have to do something.”

  “You’re right and we won’t. If you give me your promise that you will remain here, do everything the nurses tell you to do and give your body a chance to heal properly, I’ll go check out what’s going on with Thomas. The number of injuries from the collapse is so high that they’re being pretty lenient regarding access to patients. Usually, I wouldn’t have been able to see you, but I convinced them that I was a relative from out-oftown who knew you were at the dance. They appreciated the fact that I was able to fill them in on your personal data, since you came in without any ID or personal effects.

  “Okay, I promise. I remember talking with a nurse at the park. Her name was Patricia. She said that this hospital was acting as some sort of a communications center and they would know where

  Thomas was sent.” Her tone changed to a plea,

  “Find him Mike. I can’t lose him again.”

  “Don’t you worry, if he’s in the system I’ll find out where and get back here as soon as I have all the facts. In the meantime, remember your promise. I don’t want to be worrying about you too.”

  “You have my word. You’re right; I am feeling a bit woozy. I think I’m going to close my eyes for awhile.” With that said, Miriam dozed off. * * *

  “My name is Nathan Walton. I’m calling from

  Brussels, Belgium. I’m trying to contact my wife Miriam Walton. She’s staying at your hotel for the weekend. I spoke with her yesterday, but today my calls aren’t being answered.”

  “I’m sorry about that, sir. She’s in Room 217. I’ll try the room for you.” After several minutes, he came back on the line. “I’m not getting an answer either. Let me check the door monitor.” Again, several minutes passed. “Our records show that your wife exited the room early last evening, but there hasn’t been any activity since then. The only other explanation I can offer is that she may have been involved in the situation out at the park last night.”

  “What do you mean? What situation?”

  “There was an accident with the soundstage. According to the TV reports a lot of people were killed and scores more were injured.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me that right away.”

  “I’m sorry, sir. Our switchboard has been inundated with calls. The management instructed us to avoid any discussion about the incident at the park and to concentrate on the welfare of our guests.”

  “Okay, okay. Look, do you know what hospital they might have taken her to?”

  “I only know that Owensburg General Hospital is acting as a central communications center for anyone hospitalized because of the accident.” He gave Nathan the number and added,

  “I hope that you find her and that she is well.”

  “Thanks. You make sure you hold her room. If there’s any problem, I’ll take care of it when I get there. When she shows up please tell her that I called and that I’m cutting short my trip and coming home. I should be in Owensburg tomorrow afternoon. Got that?”

  “Yes sir, I’ll put the message in the room slot.”

  “Thank you for your help.”

  “You’re welcome, sir. I wish you and your wife the best.

  CHAPTER 29

  A large group of parents, friends and relatives were amassed at the information desk in the ground floor lobby of Owensburg General Hospital. Security guards were busy keeping the crowd inside the roped-off areas and behind the white line that separated them from the two beleaguered volunteers busily checking for names and locations of accident victims admitted to hospitals anywhere in the surrounding region.

  It took Emily forty-five minutes for her turn to arrive. “Do you have any record for Thomas Mortinson?” She wrung her hands nervously as she watched the young lady key in the name and press a few keys. At first there was no sign that she had a match, but after what seemed like minutes, the reply came back positive.

  “Yes, there is a Thomas Mortinson listed as missing, but we don’t have any record of him being admitted anywhere.”

  “Are you certain?”

  “Yes, Ma’am, but our records are only being updated every twenty minutes or so. I’m sure he’ll

  show up soon.”

  “Thank you. Would you please look up two other names for me? The first is Louise O’Neill.”

  Once again, the young lady keyed in the name. “We have a Louise O’Neill listed, but she too, is still missing.

  “I guess I should be relieved that they’re not in a hospital somewhere. How about Miriam

  Walton?”

  “We have a Miriam Walton in Observation

  Ward. Room 359.”

  “Well that’s a start. Thank you for being so patient. I can’t imagine what it must be like having to deal with so many anxious people.”

  “I’m just glad I can be of some help during this crisis.”

  “Well, God bless you,” looking at the woman’s ID tag, she added, “Brenda.”

  * * *

  Mike Tolliver was also on the line at the information desk and when his turn came up he also encountered Brenda.

  When he asked about Thomas, she volunteered, “I just had another person inquiring about Thomas Mortinson. I’ll tell you what I told her, Thomas Mortinson is listed as missing on our data base. That’s all I have, but check back later. They are constantly updating the databank.”

  “Can you give me the name of the other person who made the inquiry?”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t take note of it. I don’t know who she was, but she inquired about two other persons as well, Louise O’Neill and Miriam

  Walton.”

  “Are you certain that she asked for Miriam

  Walton?”

  “Yes, sir. I directed her to Observation

  Ward, Room 359.”

  “Well, thank you for the information.

  You’ve been a big help.”

  Mike left the desk and headed back to Miriam’s room.

  CHAPTER 30

  Twenty minutes after Mike Tolliver inquired about Thomas, the computer records were updated and the name Thomas Edward Mortinson was entered as admitted to the Intensive Care Unit with a Traumatic Brain Injury.

  Five patients, admitted to Owensburg

  General Hospital’s Emergency room that day, were diagnosed with TBI’s. Four were quickly stabilized to prevent secondary neuronal injury and transferred to OG’s in-house ICU. One of the five patients was classified at a GCS of 5 and was immediately transferred to the ICU at the George Bennett Baxter Trauma Center.

  Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) accounts for over 52,000 deaths every year. It is the leading cause of death for ages 1-45. Healthcare professionals use the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to score the severity of head injuries. A score of 3 being most severe and 15 the least severe.

  * * *

  Dr. Frederick Jensen, Staff Director of the Trauma

  Center, scanned the patient’s chart. When he was admitted, Thomas Mortinson was in a coma, totally unresponsive to any stimulus. The doctor nervously tapped his fingers on his desk as he studied the results of the CT scan and MRI.

  “When will Dr. Freenold be arriving,” he asked his assistant.

  “We’re expecting him in about two hours. He’s driving over.”

  “It can’t be quick enough.”

  * * *

  Dr. Arnold R. Freenold, MD, is an Assistant

  Professor of Neurosurgery at Brewster Medical School and Staff Director of Medicine at St.

  Leonard’s Trauma Ce
nter in Carrolton,

  Pennsylvania. He is known, worldwide, for leading teams that have been successful in the rehabilitation of celebrities and prominent athletes suffering severe TBI’s with Glasgow scores of less than 7.

  When he heard the news of the stage collapse, Dr. Freenold immediately volunteered his services to Owensburg General and was immediately appointed by OGH’s Director, Dr. Philip Owens to lead a team of Neurologists,

  Anesthesiologists, Respiratory Therapists,

  Neurosurgeons, Facial and Head Reconstructionists, Critical Care Nurses and other specialists that would be providing immediate care for Thomas Mortinson, the newest patient at the Trauma Center.

  Thomas, a twenty-five-year-old male was admitted with a Level 10 concussion, (crushed skull with bruising of the Brain), broken left collarbone and severe facial abrasions and contusions and a GCS score of 5.

  * * *

  Owensburg General Hospital, thanks to a generous grant of several million dollars from George Bennett Baxter, whose son fully recovered from a severe skull fracture received while playing soccer, housed the country’s newest and best equipped Trauma Center. Only once, since it opened, had the center treated a patient with a GCS of 5 or less. The patient was a four-year-old child who fell into an empty backyard swimming pool, suffering a crushed skull. The child’s condition worsened each day until, on the third day of treatment, she died.