Page 28 of Sea Breezes at The Beach House Hotel

CHAPTER NINE

When Nell and I walked into the surgical waiting room and saw Vaughn, both of us rushed forward into his embrace.

“How’s Clint?” Nell asked, giving him a teary look.

“A nurse told me he’s in the recovery room and a doctor will come to speak to us shortly,” said Vaughn. “I explained you were on your way.”

A man wearing green scrubs approached us. “Are you Clint Dawson’s family?”

At our response, he shook hands with each of us. “I’m Dr. Taunton.”

“I’m his wife, Nell,” she said. “How is he?”

“He fractured both arms. His right arm suffered a clean break in the ulna and is being taken care of with a lower-arm cast, sling, ice, and rest. The left arm, however, required reduction surgery to realign the broken humerus bone in the upper arm. We also performed internal fixation on that bone, which involves placing metal pieces within the bone to hold it in place while it heals. The left arm also had a less severe fracture of the radius bone in the lower arm. Clint told me he’s right-handed, which makes it helpful.”

“What are we talking about in healing time?” I asked.

“It takes approximately twelve weeks for a broken arm to heal,” said Dr. Taunton. “However, it can take up to two years to regain full use, strength, and motion in a fractured arm that requires surgery. It’s normal to have some pain for two to three weeks and mild pain for up to six weeks after surgery.”

“Does he have to wear a cast on his left arm?” asked Vaughn.

“He’ll have to wear a full cast for at least a few weeks,” said Dr. Taunton. “And he may feel tired and run down because his body will be working hard to heal itself. Fortunately, Clint is healthy and has a strong body.”

“When can he come home?” Nell asked.

“I’d like to see him stay here overnight to allow us to monitor how he’s doing,” Dr. Taunton said. “A rehabilitation nurse will speak to him in the morning about what he should and shouldn’t do in the weeks ahead.”

“Can I see him?” asked Nell.

Dr. Taunton checked his watch. “I believe he’s in the unit by now. Sure, go ahead.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” said Nell before rushing away.

Dr. Taunton, Vaughn, and I smiled at her hasty departure.

“Thank you, Dr. Taunton,” I said. “It’s a relief to know he’s in capable hands.”

“The first aid given to him by the Coast Guard team was helpful,” Dr. Taunton said. He turned to Vaughn. “I’m sorry this happened to you.”

Vaughn let out a worried sigh. “Me, too. It was an accident that should never have occurred.”

“Is it okay for more than one family member to see Clint?” I asked.

“Of course. I don’t know how sleepy he’ll be, but I understand. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Vaughn and I glanced at one another, and then he said, “Thank you again, Doctor.”

After the doctor left the room, I went into Vaughn’s arms and hung on tight. “It must’ve been horrible for you.”

Vaughn ran his fingers through his hair. “Everything happened so fast, I did the best I could to save the boat and us, but, obviously, it wasn’t good enough.”

“What about getting the boat back to Sabal?” I asked him.

“Let’s see how Clint is doing. If he’s ready to leave the hospital tomorrow, perhaps Nell can drive him to Sabal, and you and I can sail the boat back. Would you be up for doing that?”

“Sure. I’ll call Liana to come and help us. Stephanie and Randolph are staying with the kids now.”

“Once I’ve seen Clint, I’m going to go back to the sailboat to secure it. Someone is watching it now. We’ll stay at a hotel nearby.”