Logbooks

"Assault"/huntemann                                                                                                                                            Page 419

Chapter Six
Scene [8]

Logbooks

Woburn, MA
1998/12/14 Monday
         While at work, I had to take a trip to CompUSA to get some Norton AntiVirus software to fight a big virus infestation breaking out at my client. Since I was out, I stopped at the Woburn P.O. to mail the logbooks, Mary McGee had requested, to Michelle.

         Where is the third logbook? I sure hope these don’t get lost, too.


Londonderry, NH
1998/12/14 Monday
         Maura called while I was at work and left two voice mail messages. The first: “Renee coughed up her trachea device. MI sent her to Lawrence General to have it replaced. She is okay... stable and back at MI now.”

         Why would they send her to the hospital? I’ve seen the nurses take it out, clean it, and put it back in... More legal fears again I guess.

         The second message, much later, was to inform us that a trachea consult was scheduled for Renee at Lawrence General, 10:00 tomorrow.

         Damn. I can’t cancel my client visit now. I have to finish a dozen more machines first. If I leave them infected, they’ll cancel my contract. I need the work. I’ll have to miss the consult.

         That evening, we visited Kimee at NEMC. I spent half an hour reviewing Kimee’s chart with the nurse. From what we could determine, there has been no change in her head dimension in the last two weeks, although her body is growing.

         I asked, “Will she have to stay on the vent forever?”

         The nurse said, “No. If she gets a tracheotomy, she should be able to breathe on her own.”

         They had not decided when to put in the trachea device yet.

         Are they waiting for the courts, too?

Those who love me, are kept at bay,
Less than honorable, the DA might say.
But careful to avoid, accusation too soon,
Mistakes like that, send careers to their doom.
                                                 Renee’s Song

Guardian Ad Litem
1998/12/15 16:31 Tuesday [Don]
         Maura called to confirm our visit at 18:00. In other words... she wanted to delay it from 17:30 to 18:00.

         Ferne and I arrived at MI a little early and accidentally signed in to visit ‘Renee’ at the desk. Ferne went up and I waited for Maura in the lobby.

         She arrived at 18:00 and signed in. I’m sure she saw our note above her entry to visit Renee, not Bridget. She said nothing, though.

         Ferne and I flexed Renee's arms, hands, fingers, legs, ankles, toes.

         Nell, her roommate, is a little goofy today... talks nonstop... even with nobody near enough to hear.

         I apologized to Maura for missing Renee’s trachea consult at LGH. “I didn’t have enough time to rearrange my work schedule.”

         Maura looked like she didn’t believe me. So it was a little awkward when I wanted to discuss the Thursday visit with Maura... 18:00 unless she calls me to change it.

         I expected her to cancel it. We left at 18:51.


Courts
1998/12/16 18:00 Wednesday [Ferne, Ed, and Don]
         Steven Snyder, from the Probate Court Care and Protection investigation office, came to our home for an interview.

         After the bogus report, following our unmonitored interview with Phelan-Brown, Ed thought it would be better if he was there for future contacts. He came over 30 minutes before the interview. We talked about the case.

         During the interview, Snyder asked all the similar questions as before. We answered the same. It felt like the interview wasn’t very informative.

         But, towards the end, he became most interested in Renee's childhood. How well did we got along? What was her attitude toward authority? Did she ever get into trouble?

         It was painful, but we answered as straightforward as we could.

         After an hour, he asked about a DNR for Kimee.

         What? That took me by surprise. He was here to investigate Renee’s case. Why was he interested in Kimee?

         I wonder if he got wind of the other investigator’s report1. Maybe he’s trying to fill in the gaps so flagrantly misrepresented by Phelan-Brown. Is he covering for her?

         Damn you people. But I didn’t lose my cool. We both said, “No, we’d like her to recover.”

         He informed us of a conversation he’d had with Dr. Cindy Cole, Kimee’s current Attending. “She’d prefer to have a DNR for Kimee... just her own opinion.”

         I wonder just how objective she would be if it ever came to that?

         After the interview, while he was packing up his briefcase, a photo of a kitten fell out. I asked about it.

         He is an animal rescue league activist... and an amateur photographer. He takes photos of cats and dogs in the pound to get placements.

         I told him of the wild cats we feed around our house. We use a large old mailbox with "Cat House" painted on the side to give them a dry place to eat.

         I said, “Our purpose isn't altruistic though, they keep the field mice and squirrels under control.”

         He smiled and said, “They’re all God’s little creatures.”

         After he left, Ed joked, "It's nice to see someone pickup on an interest and work it into the interview."

         I assured him I didn't have people skills that keen. If he thought that was what I was trying to do, it was all by accident.


MI
1998/12/17 12:45 Thursday [Ferne and Don]
         Ferne and I arrived at MI to visit ‘Bridget.’ I waited in the lobby for Maura while Ferne went upstairs to Renee's room. While I was waiting, Thora Aziz walked by. She used to be the first shift head nurse at Town Manor. She left them for MI over a year ago.

         We talked about Renee and the big flap in the newspapers. She didn’t know Renee had been moved to MI until I told her. I guess the name change is working somewhat. But at what price?

         McGee had asked for references she could talk to. So I asked Thora, “Mary MaGee might want to talk to you about Renee... and us. She’s an investigator for the courts and we need character references. Would you mind talking to her?”

         She said she would be happy to.

         Maura showed up at 13:00 and we went up to Renee’s room. I worked on her feet and legs. Ferne worked her hands and arms. Maura worked on paperwork. We left Renee at 14:00.


Courts
1998/12/18 13:18 Friday [Don]
         Michelle called yesterday about swab samples. I finally called her back and she says Maura has balked at authorizing samples from Renee... DSS is not cooperating either, as they say their test results are eminent.


         The day before, Neil had arrived home with two weeks leave from the Army for Christmas. That evening, Ferne, Neil, and I went to NEMC to visit Kimee and introduce her to her uncle. Neil was impressed by how much technology they are using on her.

         Julie Magnano, Kimee’s charge nurse, said NEMC wants a meeting Tuesday at 14:00 to discuss Kimee's care plan.

         Oh, becoming a regular event?


NEMC
1998/12/21 11:20 Monday [Neil]
         Susannah Blass from NEMC left message via Neil... ‘She has scheduled 14:00 tomorrow for a prognosis meeting on Kimee.’

         Julie’s care plan meeting involves the Social Worker’s office? I called her back and left a voice mail: “I will be there.”


Pages: 7
Words: 1,204

Footnotes
1  It turned out they worked in adjacent offices.