Guy knew that he would need to surprise Gerry if he was going to be successful in getting his cooperation. He already had all of the surgical materials that he needed in the truck and "Stubby" was in there as well. Guy then went into the loft and took "Stubby's" father out and loaded him into a separate training basket. He immediately drove away through the woods enroute to Gerry's house, the ten-mile drive went by very quickly, and as Guy drove up, Gerry was sitting on his porch. As Guy began unloading his field hospital, Gerry looked as though he would have a nervous breakdown! He vehemently objected to this intrusion of his privacy as Guy just ignored his pleas and kept focused on the task as hand.
Once everything was inside of Gerry's kitchen, he came into the house on his crutches mumbling under his breath about the craziness that was taking place right in his home! Guy figured things would be much easier for Gerry to operate in his own place since all of the furnishings, etc. were custom made to fit his particular dimensions and handicaps.
Once everything was in place, Guy looked at Gerry and asked where he thought they should kill the father. Gerry said he guessed outside would be better than inside. Guy felt a hint of submission as Gerry began to realize that he was trapped into doing something that he really did not want to do!
Upon Guy's suggestion, the bird was taken outside and drowned in a small pan of Normal Saline. This filled the lungs with saline, and Guy had a sterile solution of Normal Saline waiting, in which the organs would be placed. The whole process happened so fast that Gerry barely had time to get in and out of the house before Guy had "Stubby" and the organs of his father ready to work!
Now, all of this time, "Stubby" had shown no signs of fear or anguish, but it was now time to put him to sleep! Guy had brought a can of Ether with him, and he was ready to saturate a gauze pad when he suddenly realized that both he and Gerry needed to scrub and get their vinyl gloves on before they could go any farther. As they were doing just that, Gerry looked over at Guy and said, "You really are Nuts; aren't you?" Guy just smiled and said, "I guess so!"
Once things were ready, Gerry seemed to relax! He was suddenly back to being the "Doc", and he readily began to take charge. He began barking orders, and Guy eagerly carried out his each of his commands. Before long, "Stubby" was under from the Ether saturated gauze pad, and Gerry, for the first time, began to grasp the reality of what they were actually embarking upon! Gerry could not help but wonder if anything of this nature had ever been attempted under these circumstances, and if so, what were the chances of success? He felt like a kid who had not ridden a bicycle for some time, even though it had been a while, things just came naturally.
It did not take Gerry long to assess the situation, and it was obvious that not only was the esophagus irreparable, but the crop had been ripped apart fairly severely as well. He knew that an entire transplant of the esophagus would be necessary if "Stubby" would ever live to eat again, but he thought that with some of the tissue from the crop of the father, that part could probably be repaired.
Gerry carefully fished each end of "Stubby's" esophagus from the throat and from the gut. It appeared that it would require exactly one inch of tissue from the father to bridge the gap. He used retractors to hold both ends in their respective places. He then reached into the saline filled container and clipped one inch off of the father's organ. He was now in the groove, and even if Guy had wanted him to stop, it was too damned late! He had been projected back into his career as a "Research Scientist", and even though he had been given no choice, Guy knew that Gerry was in his glory! Little did he know, it just might be the finest hour for both he and for Gerry!
Gerry very gruffly called for instruments and sutures, and Guy excitedly switched back and forth from duty to duty. In the meantime, Guy needed to continuously monitor "Stubby's" respirations. It was important to keep "Stubby" sedated, but it was equally important not to over do the anesthesia. Guy had a "Hep-Loc" in place in the thigh, because he knew that they would need an open vein to obviate the need for repeat punctures. They had no way to obtain a sophisticated suction device, so a nasal aspirator was used to evacuate any superfluous fluid that accumulated in any area that required a good visual field.
As the father's esophagus was eased into place, Gerry tacked each end precisely where each belonged. He then began the somewhat laborious task of suturing first one end and then the other as Guy kept the area dry and free of foreign bodies. An occasional squirt of Normal Saline was used to keep the tissue moist and pliable. When the esophageal area began to look somewhat normal, Gerry released the retractors, and exclaimed: "Damn I think I have it!" Guy said: "I just don't believe it!" This is indeed "A Miracle in the Heartland!"
Gerry did not have much time for celebration, because he quickly needed to get the crop from the container to finish the internal repair job. He severed the father's crop as quickly as possible, and ordered Guy around like an excited child. He then began the suturing process so that "Stubby" could have a crop that would be intact. As he excised what tissue he needed off of the father, he carefully began to attach it to that of "Stubby's." It was not long before both organs were intact and oozing only slightly. Guy opened "Stubby's" beak, lifted his head, and squirted a dropperful of water down his throat. He and Gerry both held their breath as the water did not pour out into the thoracic cavity, it just went down into the gut like it was supposed to do! Oh My! What a grand feeling the pair experienced, they knew that they at least had a chance for success!
Upon Gerry's suggestion, the decision was made not to try to graft any of the breast tissue. It was Gerry's thinking that if he just covered the area with fascia, Guy could pack the cavity with Iodoform Gauze, and the wound could heal from the inside out. Guy readily agreed to the suggestion, because not only could he check the healing process, but it might lessen the chances of rejecting the organ tissue as well.
While Gerry was finishing up the suturing procedure, Guy prepared a TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) bag. He included KCl, trace minerals, MVI (Multiple Vitamins), B12, Thiamin and Ascorbic Acid. The bag was hooked to the Hep-Loc, and a slow drip was started. More of the thigh area was plucked clean, and scrubbed down with alcohol before the port was securely taped into place.
The pair of idiots had started the procedure at approximately 7:00 P.M. and it was just past 8:30 P.M. when "Stubby" groggily began to arouse from the ordeal! As the courageous little bird awakened, Guy and Gerry were both overwhelmed with emotion, "Damn We Did It!" After a sterile dressing was placed over the wound, "Stubby" damned near looked normal!
After the surgery was over, Gerry and Guy each opened a cold beer and each basked in the foolishness of the other! Only in Arkansas, only in the back woods of the Ozarks, could two people, who had come together just by chance, have accomplished the impossible! Indeed it was "The Miracle in the Heartland!"
"Stubby" was not only literally "in the woods", but his fate was still very much in doubt and his future was still very, very fragile!
To be continued if possible.
Stubby's Story, page 1 | Stubby's Story, page 2 | Stubby's Story, page 3 | Stubby's Story, page 4
