May 13, 2012

3:45 A.M. The fever has started. I woke from my light sleep to the sound of her moaning. She was sweating, and her skin turned pale. All I could do for her was turn the blanket back, wipe her down with a wet towel, then wait for the shivering to start and cover her up again. Kevin woke up and offered to stay up with her, but I can't sleep now...

6:00 A.M. Josey was conscious for a few minutes, so I had Kevin give her some water and another hydrocodone. We have no thermometer, but she's very warm to the touch. All we can do is wait and pray.

Once again I am leaving Kevin with her to go look for medical supplies. I hate to do it, but I think my best bet is to go back to the military base by Winchester. I really don't want to go back through that battlefield again, once was enough.

10:15 P.M. I made really good time, already knowing the route. Had the old Scout wound out doing 75-80 MPH on some stretches... And just in time too, Josey's condition deteriorated during the day. Kevin said she never really woke up at all, started shivering almost violently, and he wasn't able to get any water into her. The leg is red, and almost hot to the touch.

The base clinic yielded several suture kits, morphine, antibiotics, nitrile gloves, alcohol, gauze, bandages, and some medical books, among other things.

I gave Josey two shots: one morphine and one antibiotic. She's still shivering and hot, but I know it will take time for the drugs to take effect. Meanwhile, neither Kevin nor I have eaten a bite today. Time to cook up a little something for what is sure to be another night of fitful sleep at best.

While I was at the military base, I had a very odd experience which really unnerved me. It seemed like... I don't really know how to explain it... Something was "running". Like an engine or something. There was no sound really, more like a barely perceptible low frequency vibration. I looked in the direction of the "ventilation stacks" I saw last time, but nothing was coming out of them. I couldn't see any exhaust coming from anywhere around me. But that was my perception, an engine was running somewhere. A big one. And it wasn't far away.

There were no signs of life anywhere, just that unnatural vibration. I put my ear to the ground, but it made no difference. I couldn't pinpoint the source. I couldn't hear it anyway, just felt it. All around. Very faint. Very strange... One more thing, I felt like I was being watched. Yes there are security cameras around the base, but they should have been fried along with everything else electronic. Right? They didn't move. There was no light on them or anything. I saw no people, no sign of people, no movement other than trees swaying in the breeze. I got out of there quick as I could, because I have no desire to repeat my experience in captivity. That's when the Scout was pushing 80...

11:45 P.M. Josey is not doing well at all. The sheets are soaked, and she's burning up. I hope the antibiotics weren't bad; the label said "do not refrigerate", and the expiration date is over a year from now... Her leg has really swollen. Kevin and I loosened the bandages to accommodate the swelling and keep the blood flowing.

Though she still wasn't conscious, Kevin managed to get her to swallow some water. After so much sweating, I'm sure she's dehydrated. That can't be helping things at all. We're keeping damp towels on her head and belly for what it's worth, until the shivers start again. I'm praying for you Josey.