Cowboy Bring Me Back

8

June 29, 2013

Barrel racing was never a sport she would consider herself a fan of, but as she was watching her daughter whiz around the barrels she was sitting on the edge of her seat. But what she wasn't expecting was for the horse to rut and for Livinia to go over the side, hit the barrel, and then land in the middle of the course. 

Snow was freaking out and a hand was quick to grab him and then the announcer came over the speakers. 

"We're getting reports of a rattlesnake on the course. This is most likely what caused Contestant 56798's horse to freak out, as word stands though, Contestant 56798, Livinia Buckingham is unconscious on the floor, we've called the paramedics and Animal Control. At this time the competition is suspended, everyone please proceed with caution." 

In her mid-sixties, wearing a pair of bell-bottoms, black chiffon off the shoulder blouse-the top that she wore while they were filming In Your Dreams-and a pair of black wedges, Stevie did not think she could run as fast as she did but she sprinted to her child and she fell on her knees painfully aware of the rattlesnake that was hissing at the handlers surrounding it. 

"Ma'am you need to..." One of them tried to shoo her away and she just shot them a glare.

"This is my child and if you so as much keep me away from her I will hurt you," Stevie growled.

"Sorry about my wife...mama Lion," Lindsey explains also making his way to their child. 

Stevie is sitting on her knees, she knows better than to move her but she's holding her hands and she's crying. She doesn't know how long she sits there with Livinia's hands in hers. She briefly registered Lindsey's hands on her shoulders and then she saw the animal people place a tub over the hissing snake and then the paramedics came over to Stevie, Lindsey, Livinia and Colton. 

They get her situated on the gurney and Lindsey looks at Colton. "Get Snow, and go home. Pack us some clothes and get some stuff for your sister, phone charger, change of clothes. Shampoo, stuff like that. Something tells me that we're going to be here a while." 

"Dad, I don't wanna leave her..." He shakes his head.

"Mom and I will be with her, and we'll keep you updated." Lindsey looks at him.

"Are you riding along?' The paramedic asks.

"We are." Stevie points to herself and Lindsey tears streaming down her face.

"Alright, we're going to Palmdale Medical Center." The paramedic looks at Colton. 

***

They get to the hospital, and Stevie and Lindsey are led to a waiting room and Livinia is taken to be examined and Stevie can't stop pacing. And after about an hour and half Lindsey's had enough. 

"Steph, will you relax." 

"No, no I won't because my baby girl is hurt." Stevie states as Lindsey just stands up and rubs her biceps and she just crumbles in his arms.

"She's hurt Lindsey and I couldn't stop her from getting hurt." She cries into Lindsey's chest.

"You're her mother, those feelings are normal, but Steph, Livinia is strong when I taught her how to ride she fell off countless times but she got back up. She'll be fine." Lindsey kisses her head.

"But did she hit her head on a barrel?" 

"Well, no, but one time she broke her wrist, but she still got back up on that horse. She'll be fine." Lindsey explains. But it doesn't do any good, she just cries into his chest. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Buckingham." A doctor calls and Stevie and Lindsey turn to him. 

"Yeah, what's the news?" Lindsey asks as Stevie scrubs at her eyes. 

"She has a concussion and a broken ankle. We have to go in and do some surgery on her ankle but she's coherent and she's asking for you, Mrs. Buckingham." The doctor states.

"Can I go see her before she goes in?" Stevie sniffles wiping her eyes.

"Absolutely. You both can and once we get her prepped and ready we're going to move you to a different waiting room...and I have to ask, given your status...do you two want her to have a private room?" 

"Our status?" Lindsey asks crossing his arms.

"Well, Mrs. Buckingham is more commonly known as Stevie Nicks, and she's a rock legend we just want to make sure that there's ample privacy." The doctor looks between the two of them.

"I kind of forgot actually...yeah, we'll take a private room." Lindsey scrubs at the back of his neck.

"Alright, and I understand you forgetting...To you, she's your wife and the mother of your child, you don't look at her like a rockstar." The doctor pats his shoulder and motions them to follow him. 

When they enter the room, Livinia looks at the door and she holds her arm out to her mother. "Momma.'" 

"I'm here baby." Stevie crawls in the bed with her and holds her tightly.

"My head hurts." She whispers.

"I know sweetheart." Stevie coos holding her tightly. 

"Daddy." She states.

"I'm right here bud." Lindsey nods.

"Come'ere." She demands.

Lindsey just chuckles and goes over and stands behind Stevie, He places his hand on her head and starts stroking her hair. 

"So we do have to talk to you about this surgery. Here's her fracture, we just need to get her ankle joint back into place. It's a very common surgery and I could do it in my sleep. But we need to talk about anesthesia." 

"Because you can't sleep with a concussion." Lindsey nods.

"Well you can, if the person is talking and they're up moving around, and their pupils aren't dilated anymore...her pupils are still dilated so while it might be fine, we don't want to potentially cause any more harm. We can put her out cold but if she slips into a coma we dont' want to risk...again, your wife's status. We don't want to risk any...well, you get it." He bites his lip.

"You don't want me to sue your ass for Medical Malpractice." Stevie states.

"Right, we could to a topical anesthesia where she wouldn't feel us cut into her skin, but she may feel when we work on her bones. We could do several lidocaine injections into her ankle and do an awake surgery. or we could to a spinal and proceed like we would if it was for a c-section." 

"I don't want her to have an epidural, I'm not comfortable with that." Stevie shakes her head.

"Why Steph.." Lindsey asks.

"Because I'm scared...I'm sure that your doctors are wonderful and placing an epidural would be fine, but Lindsey I didn't have them when I gave birth because they're literally injecting a wire into your spin to block sensations. There's a potential of paralysis if it's not placed right. I would feel more comfortable if you did the lidocaine injections." Stevie explains.

"She doesn't like Needles Steph." Lindsey sighs. 

"Well then do the topical." Stevie fights back.

"Um, Mrs. Buckingham you aren't on the files we had transferred from Agoura Hills. I mean you are on her birth certificate, and you do legally have a right to her, but Mr. Buckingham is on all of her files, he's the parent listed on her Medical Practitioner papers, insurance, when she broke her wrist he was the one that was there...and I understand that your profession probably played a big part in that, but the decision while it can be from either of you because there is no evidence of neglect on your part, his is going to have more weight. He's her primary parent." The doctor looks at her.

"Lindsey..." She looks at him.

"I want to be put out. I don't want needles, I don't want the potential of being able to feel it, I want to be out cold." Livinia speaks up.

"Than that's what we'll do." Lindsey nods.

"Alright, we'll take her back and we'll get her prepped and we'll put her under general anesthesia." The doctor nods.