Just a nice gentle buzz.’
‘No. That’s the flies, mate.’ Joss grinned at his patient, then looked at Mindy. ‘Mindy, I’m loath to undo your clean bandaging, so if you could tell me what the wound looked like, that would be great.’
‘The gash to his arm was fine once I cleaned it with a bitof saline. I had some special bandage stuff which is supposed to be good for things that might only need one or two stitches.’
‘Steri-strips?’ Joss asked, and she nodded.
‘That’s what I put on his arm, and then the bandage. His head was a similar story, but the gash wasn’t as deep. James took the major brunt as far as gouging goes, but Andy whacked his head pretty badly.’
‘You saw the whole thing?’ Melissa raised her eyebrows as she finished James’s observations.
‘I did. I was at the kitchen window and I can see out as far as the paddock. They were bringing the bull in and he was just in a bad mood. You know—we all have bad days. I told Rich this morning that I’d come and help, but he forbade me to go anywhere near the bull—because of the baby.’
‘A wise decision—especially given the circumstances.’
‘Chest is clear.’ Joss held up his finger and got Andy to track it. ‘Perfect.’ Joss looked over at Mindy. ‘What happened next?’
‘I grabbed the medical kit—I always keep it fully stocked by the back door—and went out to help. The bull was still pounding around, with everyone running clear so they didn’t get trampled. Then the bull turned and ran the other way, barging through the corral fence. It just took off.’
Thunder started to rumble in the distance.
‘Do you think it might have been the approaching storm?’ Melissa asked. ‘Some animals do have a real sixth sense where the weather is concerned.’
‘You could be right. It wouldn’t surprise me,’ Mindy responded. ‘I hope they find him.’ She looked out into the distance, wanting to see her husband returning, bull securely roped and chastised for his behaviour.
‘Right. Andy, I want you in Didja as well. I want head X-rays, and then we’ll take a better look at those gashes tomorrow.’
‘Is it necessary?’ Andy asked quietly. ‘I mean, poor Rich is going to be without James as it is.’
‘Let’s just say you need to be in hospital. You can leave this time tomorrow, but only if everything checks out. Head injuries are funny things. Symptoms can be masked for quite a while. You tell either one of us—’ he indicated Melissa and himself ‘—if you feel queasy, or as if you’re going to be sick. Any pounding headaches, you let us know. Understand?’
‘Yes, Joss.’
‘Good. If you feel sick on the plane, you tell Phemie. And if you feel sick when you’re at the hospital you tell Bub or Dex.’
‘Yeah. I get it,’ Andy remarked.
‘You’d better. Head injuries are serious business. Don’t you dare go all macho and put up with the pain.’ He looked down at their patient for another moment before nodding, hoping the message had really got through to the jackaroo. He stood and pulled off his gloves, folding them together. He gathered up their garbage, accepting Melissa’s gloves from her, and put everything into the bin. ‘Now, Lis, why don’t you and Mindy go inside and get her check-up done. I’ll call Dex again to check on the arrangements and give him an update. We still have a few more places to visit before the day is over.’ He glanced up at the sky. ‘And the sooner we can get under way, the better.’
Melissa did as she was told, gathering her own medical bag of tricks and going inside, relieved to be out of the heat. Mindy led the way into the bedroom, where she sat on the bed and rolled up her sleeve so Melissa could take her blood pressure.
She took out the portable sphygmomanometer and wound the cuff around Mindy’s arm. ‘How has everything been progressing with your pregnancy?’
‘Good. No swelling of the ankles, hands or feet.’
‘Good.’
‘I have my
‘No. That’s the flies, mate.’ Joss grinned at his patient, then looked at Mindy. ‘Mindy, I’m loath to undo your clean bandaging, so if you could tell me what the wound looked like, that would be great.’
‘The gash to his arm was fine once I cleaned it with a bitof saline. I had some special bandage stuff which is supposed to be good for things that might only need one or two stitches.’
‘Steri-strips?’ Joss asked, and she nodded.
‘That’s what I put on his arm, and then the bandage. His head was a similar story, but the gash wasn’t as deep. James took the major brunt as far as gouging goes, but Andy whacked his head pretty badly.’
‘You saw the whole thing?’ Melissa raised her eyebrows as she finished James’s observations.
‘I did. I was at the kitchen window and I can see out as far as the paddock. They were bringing the bull in and he was just in a bad mood. You know—we all have bad days. I told Rich this morning that I’d come and help, but he forbade me to go anywhere near the bull—because of the baby.’
‘A wise decision—especially given the circumstances.’
‘Chest is clear.’ Joss held up his finger and got Andy to track it. ‘Perfect.’ Joss looked over at Mindy. ‘What happened next?’
‘I grabbed the medical kit—I always keep it fully stocked by the back door—and went out to help. The bull was still pounding around, with everyone running clear so they didn’t get trampled. Then the bull turned and ran the other way, barging through the corral fence. It just took off.’
Thunder started to rumble in the distance.
‘Do you think it might have been the approaching storm?’ Melissa asked. ‘Some animals do have a real sixth sense where the weather is concerned.’
‘You could be right. It wouldn’t surprise me,’ Mindy responded. ‘I hope they find him.’ She looked out into the distance, wanting to see her husband returning, bull securely roped and chastised for his behaviour.
‘Right. Andy, I want you in Didja as well. I want head X-rays, and then we’ll take a better look at those gashes tomorrow.’
‘Is it necessary?’ Andy asked quietly. ‘I mean, poor Rich is going to be without James as it is.’
‘Let’s just say you need to be in hospital. You can leave this time tomorrow, but only if everything checks out. Head injuries are funny things. Symptoms can be masked for quite a while. You tell either one of us—’ he indicated Melissa and himself ‘—if you feel queasy, or as if you’re going to be sick. Any pounding headaches, you let us know. Understand?’
‘Yes, Joss.’
‘Good. If you feel sick on the plane, you tell Phemie. And if you feel sick when you’re at the hospital you tell Bub or Dex.’
‘Yeah. I get it,’ Andy remarked.
‘You’d better. Head injuries are serious business. Don’t you dare go all macho and put up with the pain.’ He looked down at their patient for another moment before nodding, hoping the message had really got through to the jackaroo. He stood and pulled off his gloves, folding them together. He gathered up their garbage, accepting Melissa’s gloves from her, and put everything into the bin. ‘Now, Lis, why don’t you and Mindy go inside and get her check-up done. I’ll call Dex again to check on the arrangements and give him an update. We still have a few more places to visit before the day is over.’ He glanced up at the sky. ‘And the sooner we can get under way, the better.’
Melissa did as she was told, gathering her own medical bag of tricks and going inside, relieved to be out of the heat. Mindy led the way into the bedroom, where she sat on the bed and rolled up her sleeve so Melissa could take her blood pressure.
She took out the portable sphygmomanometer and wound the cuff around Mindy’s arm. ‘How has everything been progressing with your pregnancy?’
‘Good. No swelling of the ankles, hands or feet.’
‘Good.’
‘I have my
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