The Breaking Point

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Summary: Things can go downhill in a hurry.

A/N: Signing will be shown as: /*Calm down*/

Chapter 09: The Whirlpool

It was late at night, the evening of July 19th 2005. It had been five days since “the Shootout at OK Coral” as the crime scene had come to be known. Sara Sidle was waiting in Room 203 at Desert Palms Hospital for Dr. Maxine Carruthers. Dr. Gilbert Aaron Grissom was now in a drugged sleep out of pain and care for awhile.

“Dr. Carruthers, at last. Can you tell me what’s going on?” Sara’s voice had a hard edge to it. “Why does Conrad Ecklie have access to information that neither Gil nor I have?”

“Sara, I heard what happened. Believe me I haven’t talked to anyone outside of my surgical team about tomorrow’s possible operation. I suspect this Ecklie person pulled some strings to get a look at surgical schedules. I have not discussed Dr. Grissom’s case with him. He probably also used his influence to get a look at Dr. Grissom’s records. I’m sorry but those kinds of antics are out of my control.”

“I had planned to talk to Dr. Grissom tonight about scheduling an operation to stabilize his fracture tomorrow. I will bring it up with him tomorrow when he wakes up. At the very least we have to look at any damage caused by Mr. Ecklie and/or the infection. Do you have questions for me?”

“Dr. Carruthers, what does the operation involve exactly? How much longer will Gil be in the hospital? What kinds of post-operative treatment are we looking at?”

“Sara, I will insert a surgical rod down through the inner cavity of the femur. It will be secured at the top of the femur near the hip ball and at the bottom near the knee. Then I am going to secure surgical plates and screws along the fracture area. I will also probably do some further debridement of bone and add new bone grafts. If there are no further complications, I’d say Dr. Grissom could be discharged within a week.”

“He should start physiotherapy then. He should be on crutches for about eight to twelve weeks. It’s possible to begin light physical activity then. The bone should be fully healed in about six to nine months. Usually in two years we remove the rod; but considering Dr. Grissom’s age I may not remove it. The major concerns will continue to be infection and blood clots.”

“What kind of post-operative care will Gil require? I want to start making arrangements as soon as possible.”

“You should probably arrange for a home health care aide for at least two months once Dr. Grissom is discharged. He will need help with bathing, shaving and other personal and household tasks. I also would like someone to be there 24/7 for at least the first two weeks; in case of a fall. Dr. Grissom doesn’t seem to have taken well to treatment so far; he doesn’t appear to be eating correctly and I understand he doesn’t sleep unless he’s sedated. The infection set him back but I want to try to make up some lost ground. I am always available for questions. You can call me anytime day or night.” Maxine handed Sara a card with her private cell phone number.

“Maxine you didn’t have to give me your private…”

“Sara one of the CSIs at that crime scene, CSI Carruthers. He’s my kid brother. I owe Dr. Grissom a debt of gratitude that I can hardly begin to repay. Anything I can do you let me know, OK?”

Sara was quite touched. Gil had touched so many lives that night. She had no words to offer but she grasped Maxine Carruthers hands squeezed them tightly and returned to Gil’s room to renew her vigil.

~~~~~~~~~ The Next Day in the Grissom’s Room ~~~~~~~~~~

The anesthetist had come early to start prepping Gil for the surgery. Sara had held his hand while the procedures and medications and anesthetics to be used. Gil was exhausted and nodded wearily at what he hoped were appropriate places during the conversation. He knew Sara would look out for his best interests. Besides the incredible exhaustion was the renewal of the excruciating pain which had been his nearly constant companion since the shootout. His only relief had come from the total oblivion of the anesthetics administered during his several operations and after Ecklie’s visit. 'Ecklie that name pains me nearly as much as my leg. Ah gentle oblivion.' He sighed as conscious thought began slipping away.

“Ah Dr. Baker I think your patient is already asleep.” Sara leaned over and lightly kissed Gil on the forehead and whispered. “I will wait for you, Gil always.”

In a few minutes the orderlies came and transferred Grissom to the gurney for the journey to the OR. Sara followed until they reached the surgical wing; then she sat down in the surgical waiting room. 'It will be a long morning.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Surgical Waiting Room outside OR#1 ~~~~~~~~~~~

Sara had just finished her fifth cup of hospital coffee and only two hours had passed. 'I am not used to being the one sitting in the waiting room. How many times had Gil sat here waiting for word on a fellow colleague or to collect evidence from a victim just about to go into surgery?' Sara stood up trying to get the kinks and mentally debating whether to get a sixth cup of coffee or maybe a cup of tea when she smiled.

“Ta-da,” Greg did a little jump. “My special Hawaiian blue and a selection of Krispy Kremes.”

“Greg you are a life saver. I thought I was going into toxic shock from this hospital motor oil.”

“The rest of the team will be along in groups. Ecklie’s on the warpath and we can only get away in small groups. How much longer?”

“It has only been two hours. Probably have at least four or more to go.” She smiled at the first sip of Greg’s special blend. “Grissom appreciates that you’re here Greg.”

“Well…umm…”

“I understand Greg I understand.” They both sat down to wait.

***

Another two hours passed. Several LVPD police officers showed up with Starbucks coffee and sandwiches. Each one spoke with Sara for a few private moments. Nick and Warrick came and sat with Sara for awhile. Cath showed up and she and Sara talked quietly and privately in the corner. Sara felt quite surrounded with loving support. It was becoming more than she could bear. She was not used to this. She thought Gil would become quite embarrassed if he were out here. She and Gil were quite private people; but she knew that each person in his own way was trying to do some small thing; to offer what support they could.

***

At the six hour mark Captain Brass walked. “Any news yet Sara?”

“Not yet…should be any time now. I’ve had lots of company.”

“Gil’s touched many lives in his career. He’s never been seriously hurt before. People care. Sara I wanted to prepare you for the announcement.”

“Announcement?”

“Yeah, the department is going to give Gil the medal for valor. It’s the first time it has ever gone to a CSI. I’ve got to talk to Gil’s surgeon to find out when he’ll be physically able to attend the ceremony. I think the lab is pushing for sooner rather than later. This is a very hot story right now. Atwater and the mayor want to milk it.”

“But Gil will never go along with this…Oh Brass I don’t know about this.”

“It is really not your decision to make. I’m telling you now so you and Gil can prepare. Accept it with good grace. This will make Gil untouchable for a while. I would milk it for all its worth. This is a major political coup for him. Take advantage. I know Ecklie is trying to push him out of the lab. You will have to get Gil to accept with good grace. Be politic for once. Get Gil to be politic.”

The doors of the OR swung open and the gurney with Gil Grissom, pushed by an orderly, made its way to the recovery room. “Brass I have to go. I’ll think about it.”

***

“Gil honey wake up” Grissom had been fidgeting on the bed moaning for almost an hour since the surgery. “Gil honey” Sara continued while wiping Gil’s face with a damp cloth as she had for the past hour. 'He should be awake by now. Should I press the call button? I’m worried.' Sara pushed the call button.

Within a few minutes Dr Maxine Carruthers came into the recovery room. “Sara what’s wrong?”

“Gil is not coming out of the anesthetic. It has been more than an hour. He also is quite agitated. His temperature seems higher than normal. What’s going on?”

Dr. Carruthers looked at the monitors; Dr. Grissom’s temperature was at 101 degrees. 'Crap. Looks like the infection is back. Damn 102 degrees now.'
She picked up the phone next to the bed. “I need some ACIV in the recovery room now.” In less than a minute a nurse came in with two large IV bags and a minute later the new antibiotic cocktail was dripping into Grissom’s veins.

************ Gil Grissom’s Hospital Room – Twenty-Four Hours Later **********

Grissom’s eyes began to flutter. 'Hot…I feel hot. So tired. Sara, where’s Sara…' “Sara,” came out of Grissom’s throat as a low strangled cry. “Sara…” even softer this time. He closed his eyes. 'Everything hurts. My head hurts. I’m so hot. Sara, Sara…Got to get up…find Sara.'

Sara and Dr. Carruthers walked back into the room just as Grissom had somehow managed to remove his covers, swing his legs over the side of the bed and was now staring stupidly at the IV needle taped to his hand. Sara and Maxine rushed over to the bed. “Dr. Grissom, you need to lie down. Sara, help me.” Grissom began to struggle in earnest while still attempting to get out of the hospital bed.

“Gil…Gil honey. Please lie down. Gil…”

Grissom blinked several times staring at her face before it finally came into focus. “Sara I was going to look for you…have to tell you something. I’m so hot…it’s so hot. My head hurts. My leg Sara it hurts.”

“Gil I know but if you lie down you will feel better. Please Gil lie down.”

Grissom looked at her concentrating on her face. “I am tired. Sleep going to sleep,”
Grissom then wavered back and forth on the edge of the bed but before he could fall forward Sara and Dr. Max were able to push him softly back into the hospital bed. Dr. Max checked all the IV lines and the catheters to make sure nothing had been dislodged. Dr. Grissom’s temperature had climbed to 105 degrees.

“Sara we’ll have to go with something stronger.” 'I wish I knew where this is coming from.' A few minutes later a new stronger mix of antibiotics was hung. “Sara we are going to put in a feeding tube. Dr. Grissom is not taking enough nourishment. He was weighed yesterday. He’s down fifteen pounds since admission. This new fever is burning a lot of calories. You can wait outside until we are finished.”

'How can things go downhill so fast? I feel like punching a hole in the wall. Oh Gil please Gil you can get through this.' Sara couldn’t sit and wait so she paced back and forth back and forth. The door to Gil’s room opened and Dr. Max motioned for her to come back in. The orderly was taking the dirty linens and dressings out.

Sara looked at Gil and saw that he was hooked up to several more sensors. A feeding tube was inserted and he was back on oxygen. Several new bags of nutrients and antibiotics were also in place. His face had begun to take on an ashen almost gray pallor; his eyes had sunk further into his face. She noticed that his skin seemed to be drawn much finer over his bones. She could tell he had lost a lot of weight; at the beginning of their relationship she would have been pleased but now a cold fear began to seep into her bones. She began to consider that maybe she would loose him and this was the beginning of that final slide to oblivion.

It was the beginning of a long spiral down and the beginning of one of the darkest weeks Sara could remember in a long time. Grissom’s temperature hovered around 105 degrees with spikes to 107 degrees for hours at a time. Sara remained at his bedside for hours at a time.

One of the team was always there to give her a respite of a few hours at a time; but it was becoming tougher on them to sit and watch their mentor, their supervisor, their friend literally disappearing before their eyes as the infection and fever took their toll. Three days in Grissom was put on a respirator when the simple act of breathing became too much for his failing strength. Then the doctors gave him a mild paralytic drug to concentrate his remaining resources to fighting the fever.

Sara began to pray for it to end quickly; how much longer could he suffer. She was cried out and worn out. Surprisingly it was Greg who became her strongest support. He would sit for hours on end with Grissom dredging up funny anecdotes from crimes and cases past; relating stories his Grandpa Olav had told him from the old country and singing inane songs that he made up which were parodies of everyone in the lab and the LVPD and the strange characters he had met since he came to live in Vegas.

It was Greg who sitting with Grissom when it happened. Greg had dozed off when someone grabbed his hand. So startled he almost fell off his chair he looked down saw Grissom’s hand gripping his then he looked at the pillow where Grissom’s head lay and stared into Gil’s blue eyes which while unfocussed at first became sharper as the seconds past. For the first time in days, Greg’s face wore a genuine grin. He leaned over pushed the call button.

***

When the physician on call came in to check on Grissom, Greg left to find Sara. She was not in the hospital. So he went out to the parking lot to use his cell phone.

Sara woke from a restless sleep and realized her cell was ringing. At first she dreaded the thought of answering it; it might be the call she had feared all week. Grissom was gone she knew it. 'Why does it always happen this way to me? I am finally happy; I have the man I have been deeply in love with for ten years and…no, take a deep breath…be strong one last time for Gil.' “Sidle,” Sara said with a calmness she did not feel.

“Sara, its Greg. Sara he’s awake. He is awake, Sara. The fever broke. Come to the hospital quick Sara. He wants you.”