Tom's presence reassures me. I know he can't take the pain away, but his gentle touch soothes me a little. I see the worry in his eyes when I look at him. I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't come home this soon. I try not to think of myself, laying on the floor for hours, in the most excruciating pain I've ever felt. The super, strong and independant woman that I am is now in desperate need of her husband's care and protection.

Finally, the EMT arrive and for the first time, I know I'll be all right. They're very gentle, but the slightest touch sets my leg on fire. I shiver when I hear someone say "displaced fracture". I'm not a medical expert, but I sense that it's not good. As they carry me up the stairs, I feel every movement of the stretcher and it is sheer torture. "Can't you give me something for the pain ?" I ask crying. "Not now, I'm sorry. The doctor will give you something at the hospital" the EMT replies. I look up, suddenly panicky, because I can't see my husband. "Tom, where are you ?" I say in a desperate voice. "It's O.K. baby, I'm right behind you. Everything will be all right, I promise".

With extreme precaution, the EMT wheel me into the ambulance. I lift my head and see Tom speaking with the woman. I can't hear what they say, but Tom glances at me with a strange look on is face. After a few seconds, he hops into the ambulance and kneels beside me. The man closes the door. "What are you doing ? You better take the car if we want to get home later" I tell him. "Jen, listen to me. You may need to stay in the hospital for a couple days" Tom explains. "What ? Stay in the hospital ? Why on earth for ? I have a broken leg, not an incurable disease... Please bring me back home when this is all over. I remember, in college, when my roomate Sharon broke her leg... You remember Sharon, I told you about her, didn't I ? Anyway, she broke her leg and her boyfriend brought her to the hospital, they just put it in a cast, gave her crutches and she was back at the dorm the same night. So you see, there's no reason for me to stay over there..." I babble. When I was 17, my mom and I received a phone call in the middle of the night, telling us that my father had been in an car accident. We had rushed over to the hospital just in time to see my dad take his last breath. I hated hopitals ever since. "It's not my call, baby. You've hurt your leg badly and the doctor needs to take care of you properly. Don't worry, I'll stay with you every second, I promise" Tom whispers in my ear. "I'm so sorry, Tom. This was supposed to be a special night for us and I've ruined everything. I'm such a klutz" I tell him with more tears in my eyes. "Don't you talk like that ! It was an accident and I'm certainly not mad at you... We'll make up for this real soon, you'll see" he says softly. I close my eyes, trying to escape the pain and this whole horrible ordeal. This can't be happening. This morning, I was on top of the world working on a new exciting case and now here I am, being rushed to the hospital with a broken leg. God only knew how long I would be in a cast, recuperating from this injury. I wanted to go back to work as soon as possible and it was certainly not a busted leg that would prevent me from doing so.

The pain is unbearable. I feel even the smallest bump on the road and it seems my leg is breaking all over again. I never knew a broken bone could hurt that much... I wince in pain and squeeze Tom's hand even harder. "Be strong my love, we're almost there" Tom says to encourage me. I don't say a word. I feel weak and nauseated. The ambulance finally comes to a stop and the EMT opens the door. I see a sign that says "Boston General Hospital". Carefully, the EMT lower me to the ground and I am now being taken to the emergency room. Things are rather busy on this Friday night in the emergency room and I just pray that I won't have to wait too long for a doctor to examine my leg. A man with glasses approaches the gurney and I read his name on his badge: Dr. Anderson.

"Hi, I'm Dr Anderson. Can you tell me what happened ?" he says to me. I tell him very briefly about the fall in the stairs and beg him to give me something that will help for the pain. "I need to take some x-rays of your leg first. I know it hurts but hang in there a little while longer, we'll take good care of you" the doctor says. He takes off the splint and I want to scratch his eyes out! God, why don't they understand that I can't take this pain any longer! They take me to radiology where I'm being tortured again. The x-rays session seems to last for hours, but it's only been ten minutes when the nurse tells me it's all over. After the x-rays, I return to the exam room and I am joined by Tom who again comforts me.

While we wait for the results, Tom sits next to me and stroke my hair tenderly. "How are you feeling, baby?". "I can't take it anymore, Tom. My leg is on fire. I just want to go to sleep to forget about the whole thing. Why can't they give me something for the pain ? It's killing me..." I say with tears rolling down my face. I am exhausted, both from the pain and the fear of what will happen next. "I'm scared, Tom. I know it's bad. I've never felt so helpless in my life and I don't like it" I admit to my husband. "Ssh, don't talk, sweetie. Keep your streghth. It'll be all right. I'm here with you and we'll get through this together. I'll be with you every step of the way" Tom assures me. Dr. Anderson finally comes into the room with my x-rays in his hand. I take a deep breath as I wait for his diagnosis.