The Gathering of the Clans Book 2

TGC Book 2 Chapter 17

Book 2 Chapter 17

<<< Pepepski >>>

The people side of Swanhue Hospital

Logan waited for the garage door to shut completely and for the Army guy to check the garage for animals. He reminded himself to start putting names on faces. Every time he thought he had it, more moved in. "Well, Thorn do you want to use your wheelchair or just have me carry you in?" "Carry me, Papa!" Thorn giggled. "Carry in the prince got it." Logan slid open the side door of the van and lifted his 9-year-old son out of the van. He and his mate Luke had adopted Thorn and his three brothers after finding them walking down Mill Road, pushing Thorn in his wheelchair, to get to Pepepski.

Thorn had been paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident two years ago. Today they were seeing the doctor because Thorn was having pain in his legs when he should not be able to feel anything in them at all. Logan waited as Noah and Mark came through the door carrying a body between them. "Papa, did somebody die?" Logan looked his son in the eyes. "Yes Thorn, someone died." "Okay Papa, thanks for telling me the truth." "You got it, my little prince." "Hey, we're here for our appointment." Logan stepped around the corner to a blood-spattered group. "Uhh, should we come back later guys?" Benjamin shook his head. "Nope, I'm all set to see you two, right through here."

"Is there anything I should go help with Ben?" Ben smiled and got Thorn into a gown. "Dan, Noah, and Mark got it covered but thanks. So, what's up with Prince Thorn today?" Thorn grinned. "My legs hurt and they jump up and down sometimes when I move them." Ben smiled. "Do they hurt now?" Thorn nodded. "Will you show me where they hurt?" Thorn pointed to his thighs and calves. Places he should have no feeling at all in. "I see, now where does it hurt when you move them?" Thorn rotated his ankle a bit and pointed to the same places as before." Ben couldn't believe what he saw. "Can you move your foot for me again Thorn?"

The boy repeated the actions. Ben held up a finger. "I'll be right back Logan. I need Doctor Zackarias and Doctor Vance for this." Ben left the room. "Did I do something wrong Papa?" Logan wanted to cry. "No, my little prince you did something very right and Ben needs the other doctors to come to look." It was a bit of a wait but Ben was back with the other two doctors. Vance pulled up a stool and sat at Thorn's feet. "Now what's this I hear about your legs hurting?" Vance began to massage and lightly tickle Thorn's foot. Thorn giggled and pulled his foot back a bit. "That tickles Uncle Vance."

Thorn's calf cramped up and he winced in pain. "See it hurts when I move them!" Vance patiently massaged the cramps out of the boy's leg. "How long have you been able to move your legs like that?" Thorn sighed as the pain went away. "After I got better from the Sickness. It was just a little bit and then some more." Thorn bent over and scratched at the back of his knee. "It itches something awful too." Thorn's knee flexed slightly. "Well little prince, I think I know why your legs are hurting but we have to do some tests first. Okay?" Thorn grinned, leaned to his right, and scratched his left butt cheek, his leg jerked.

Dr. Adorjan Gaius and his son Adrianus couldn't believe their eyes. The tests proved conclusively that Thorn's spine was healed. He had feeling in his lower back and legs, as well as movement in them. The cramps were from using muscles that hadn't been used in the last two years. Vance showed Logan how to massage Thorn's legs and back to help relieve the cramps. Thorn was giggling. "You mean my legs are healing and I might be able to walk again?"

Vance smiled. "Yes, Thorn that's what I'm saying. We need to exercise the muscles two to three times a week to help them be able to hold you up to stand and walk. Remember this will take time to happen so go slowly. If you do too much your muscles will hurt." Thorn smiled and nodded his head. Logan chuckled. Thorn going slow was not going to happen. His boy wanted badly to walk again. "Have Luke bring him in for his therapy and we'll teach him the massage techniques as well." Logan nodded. Tears were in his eyes as he hugged Thorn.