Prisoner in Time (Time travel) (46 page)

“Ok, we’ll amputate at this location here, just above the fractured bone,” he said, pointing with the scalpel, adding, “If we were to amputate at the point of injury instead of above it, we’d be opening ourselves up to a long list of complications.”

Geoff nodded in fascination as David continued.

“First, we’ll dissect down to the bone, separating back the various layers of skin and muscle. Once we’ve done this, we can then cut away the bone. After that, we’ll release the muscle and tissue we’ve pulled back and it will naturally cover the end of the bone, giving him a bit of cushion for his prosthesis.”

He glanced back at Geoff, ensuring his understanding, then began. He placed the blade at the top of the leg and sliced through the top layer of skin, rotating around to the underside of the leg.

“Eeewe,” Geoff squealed from the sight.

David glanced back to insure he was ok. Geoff’s eyes shifted in embarrassment at his own response.

“It’s ok to be squeamish Geoff. It’s a natural reaction to something that isn’t natural. You’ll eventually develop a tolerance to it.”

He nodded reluctantly as David continued in his work. Bringing the scalpel back to the top of the leg, David sliced through the top layer of skin on the opposite side of the first incision. He sliced down to the bottom, creating a divide between the upper and lower shin region.

Next, he sliced under the upper layer of skin, separating it from the muscle. Geoff felt slightly sick to his stomach as the blood oozed from the incision. He focused more intently on the procedure, forcing his emotions to the back of his mind.

Minutes later, David moved onto the next step in the operation.

“Ok, needle and thread,” he asked.

Geoff pulled the needle from the water and quickly threaded it. David took the needle and nodded approvingly.

“I’m going to place a couple of stitches in the loose skin and pull it back out of the way. Once the procedure is done, I’ll cut the threads and the skin will basically snap back in place, covering the stump of the leg like I explained earlier.”

David worked quickly. In less than a minute, he had the skin sewn back and the muscle exposed.

“Scalpel, long blade,” David asked.

Quickly, Geoff handed him the instrument.

David placed the blade on the exposed muscle tissue and began to slice deeply until he reached the bone. Dragging the scalpel around the leg, he cut through the muscle in the same fashion he did with the upper layer of skin.

“So much blood,” Geoff responded in horror.

“In modern medicine, we’d be suctioning it all away. Working under these conditions, we just have to deal with it,” David responded.

Having parted the upper and lower muscle, David now took a long strip of cloth and slid it down into the incision. Wrapping it around the bone, he pulled each end of the cloth upward toward the knee, dragging the muscle with it, exposing bare bone underneath. He then secured the ends of the cloth, holding the muscle in place.

“Ok, we’ve just dissected and prepped the area. We’ll now be amputating the leg. Bone saw please,” he asked.

Geoff pulled the sterilized saw from the water and handed it to him. David placed the saw an inch below the secured muscle and made two light passes, creating a small cut line in the bone.

“This is it Geoff. Come around on the other side of me and hold the leg stable as we discussed earlier. Make sure as I cut, the bone stays perfectly straight, otherwise the saw could bind or the bone could splinter under the strain.”

Geoff nodded simply, then came around and held the leg.

“Ready?” David asked, encouragingly.

“As I’ll ever be,” he replied with apprehension.

“Don’t worry. This is fast. Less than minute or so. Just make sure you keep the lower leg perfectly straight,” he instructed.

Geoff nodded, then David began to saw. Bits of bone shavings and blood mounded on each side of the blade as he sawed through the bone. A minute later, with only a fragment of bone material holding the leg together, he signaled to Geoff.

“This is it… the most critical cut. Stay sharp,” he said to Geoff in serious tone.

Geoff focused on his own muscle control. Holding the leg steady, he watched David make two more passes through the bone. Suddenly, the lower leg rolled to one side, now fully detached from the rest of the leg. Geoff stared at the gruesome sight for a moment, then lifted the leg from the table. He reverently picked it up and sat it in a waiting basket sitting on the ground next to the wagon. Without another word, he moved back to the other side of David.

“Good job Geoff,” David commented, then said, “Time to close the tissues around the bone.”

David took a scalpel and held it to the cloth strips that held back the muscle.

“Once I release the muscle, it’ll snap back in place and cover the bone. I’ll do the same with the top layer of skin after that. When it’s all in place, I’ll tie off the bleeding arteries and stitch the wound closed. Ready?” he asked.

Geoff nodded.

David cut the cloth strips. Instantly, the compressed muscle expanded and came to rest back to its original position. Next, he sliced through the thread holding the skin. Like the muscle, it too expanded, slipping over the top of the muscle. David grabbed the edges of the skin and pulled, stretching it down over the stump end of the leg.

“Ok, loosen the tourniquet so we can see where the bleeders are,” he instructed.

Geoff reached above the leg and turned the clamp of the tourniquet, releasing blood to the lower leg. Instantly, blood began to flow.

“Got ‘em,” David shouted.

Working quickly, he tied knots around the bleeding arteries, closing off the flow of blood.

“Release the tourniquet,” he asked.

Geoff did as requested.

With very little blood oozing from the wound, David began to close. He made several incisions, reshaping the skin around the stump.

“Ok, I’ll now need needle and thread,” David asked.

Geoff threaded another needle and handed it to David.

He placed stitches in the skin, and pulled the opposing sides together, effectively closing the wound. Pouring sterilized water on the repaired leg, he washed away the blood and cleaned the sewn stump. In the final step of the procedure, he wrapped the leg in bandages.

“Done,” he said confidently, wiping a bit of moisture from his brow with his sleeve. “What do you think?”

Geoff stood back and took in the sight. He breathed a heavy sigh.

“Oh my God, that was just awful. I could never do this for a living. How do you do it?” he asked, his tone now filled with respect.

David smiled nonchalantly and said, “Eh, nerves of steel.” He smiled at Geoff, then continued. “Seriously though, I kind of felt the same way you did when I watched my first real operation. It
is
disturbing knowing that you’re working on a real person. It feels unnatural and ugly… but after a while, you do get used to it. What helped me in the beginning was that I realized that without surgery, without medicine, the patient would probably have died. Understanding that simple fact helped me to put away my emotions and overcome the tragedy.”

Geoff thought about David’s words. He nodded reluctantly and said, “I hear you, but I’m still freaked out.”

David smiled in understanding, then signaled for another wounded man to be brought up.

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Over the next several hours, David and Geoff worked together treating the wounded. With each new patient, Geoff slowly overcame his revulsion to surgery and his thirst for knowledge grew. Fear and apprehension were now replaced by curiosity and desire. Within a few short hours, as his confidence grew, he began to anticipate David’s actions.

“Clamp,” David asked, while staring down at a bleeding artery.

Even before he finished his statement, Geoff was holding the waiting instrument. Quickly, he placed the tool in David’s hand and reached for the needle and thread.

“You’re doing great work Geoff. You’re like a machine,” he said, in stunned amazement. “Your instincts are incredible.”

Geoff beamed as he handed David the needle. Looking on from the wagon next to them, Doc noticed the teen’s skill too.

“I’m thinking he’s
far
more valuable in surgery than behind the sights of a sharp shooter’s rifle. Maybe you should advance his skill a bit further… have him perform some minor operations… under your guidance of course.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” David replied.

“What do you mean? Like me slicing into someone?” Geoff asked, in horror. “No way! I don’t mind handing over the instruments, but actually cutting into someone… I just don’t think I can do that.”

“You had biology in school, right?” David asked.

“Yeah.”

“Did you dissect frogs and things like that?”

“We even dissected a baby pig… a fetus, actually,” Geoff replied.

“Well, you’ve already done this then. It really isn’t any different,” David responded matter-of-factly.

“Except it’s on a human being,” Geoff protested.

“Geoffrey, did you like shooting at the enemy?” Doc jumped in.

“No way, it sucked,” he replied bluntly

“But you overcame your aversion and became quite astute with your skill, did you not?”

“What’s your point?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“There on the battlefield, you took an instrument and caused death. Here in surgery, you can take an instrument and save lives. Your aversion to both is the same, yet one is for the betterment of mankind. If you’ve demonstrated you can overcome one. I’m quite certain you can overcome the other.”

Looking up from his work, David said, “I have a small piece of tissue to trim away. Care to give it a try?”

Geoff looked to Doc for moral support.

“You can do it Geoffrey. I’m certain you can,” Doc said, enthusiastically.

David held out the scalpel and waited.

Geoff eyed the cold steel instrument with apprehension. Slowly he extended his hand. Taking the scalpel, he stood in close to David.

“This better not scar me for life or I’ll kill you… and remember, I can do it too,” Geoff joked in poor taste.

David ignored the humor and pointed.

“Ok, do you remember what I’ve been telling you about shaping the skin for closure?”

Geoff nodded nervously.

“The area around the stump is shaped so that when it’s folded over the muscle, it all comes together nicely. There’s no loose or overlapping skin… except for this one little piece here,” David said, holding it with a pair of forceps. “Use the scalpel and slice it off along the area between the clamp and forceps.”

Geoff took a deep breath and exhaled. He placed the scalpel at the edge of the skin flap and sliced through it. David instantly pulled it away and held it out for Doc to see.

“Great job Geoffrey. I’m proud of you,” he said, now grinning ear to ear.

Geoff beamed with pride once more.

“Man, that was a piece of cake,” he remarked confidently. “Got any more?”

“I will momentarily, Lad,” Doc responded proudly.

David smiled to Doc and said, “I think we’ve created a monster.”

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