Chapter 12

[Janice – In Phoenix]

He told me and I repeated it out loud as Pam and I stood and started moving. I said into the radio, "Dog attack on our son!"

Angela said, "I know where that is. I will take you in our truck." Bennie and Robby came in with rifles throwing one to each myself and Pam. The six of us left for Angela's truck in a hurry.

I got in the truck and said, "Charlie, we are headed your way. Ted's wife, Angela, is driving us. Are you okay?"

"Yes and no. We're where the dogs can't get to us but both of us were bitten. They got Andy's arm and my leg. They're mean dogs. Be careful. We got into a house with a bedroom we have barricaded. The only window is too small and too high. We can hold out. I should have taken a pistol though I don't think that would have stopped them nor would it have prevented the surprise. It's a yellow house. Honk, when you get close. You can see my wagon. It's on the street."

I was riding shotgun and saw a dog vanish around a house and a wagon on the street. "Honk, Angela! That's the house!"

Charlie came on over the radio. "We're here, mom. We're upstairs in a back bedroom. The dogs are big and mean. Please be careful."

"We'll be okay. I brought your fathers and Mom Pam. How co you two feel?"

"I'm okay but Andy is shaking."

We were headed inside. "She's probably in shock. If there is a bedspread or anything, wrap her up and hold her. We're on the way."

The dogs must have known we were armed. Only one charged us. Robby shot it dead. We got to the door. "We're here and it's safe. Let us in, Charlie."

"Okay, Mom." I moment later the door unlocked and opened. Pam and I grabbed Charlie to hug him while Bennie went over to the bed with Mindy. He lifted Andy, mattress, covering and all. We headed downstairs and out to the truck. We loaded up and headed back for the fellowship hall.

We arrived and went in. I said, "Charlie, get on the radio. I want to talk to Doctor Anne in Preservation right now.

"Were you bitten by different dogs?"

"Yes, ma'am." I nodded and went over to Andy who was being held by her mother and Pam now.

I saw Mike come running in with Jen. I said, "Mike, take over for Charlie. We need Doctor Anne on the radio right now."

He ran over to Charlie to take over. Charlie ran by me and gave me a slight smile as he went to Andy. He took over cuddling her in her blankets. Mel came in and saw Charlie's leg. She had Bobbi get the first aid kit and sent me for water and towels. I went quickly. She began to lave Charlie's leg to wash it off. She then swabbed it thoroughly with iodine making him wince. She then bandaged it quickly and efficiently.

I was sent for more water and towels. Mel fished Andy's arm from under the covers and began the same process though looking at it more carefully. When she finished bandaging it, she came to me and said, "There is some infection. Take a husband and go warm up King. We will be taking both of them to meet Anne. Andrea worries me."

Robby was closest. I grabbed him and said, "King!" Going by Mike, I said, "We will be on two meters simplex." Bennie and Pam met us at the door. I said, "You two determine if we can land close by. We are taking both of them to Doctor Anne if Mike can get through. Either find a spot or bring them out whether Mike gets Anne or not. We have to get them moving. Bring Mindy." We ran outside and headed for the airport.

Mike got through to Ted who agreed to get Doctor Anne. Tom and Vic were at Preservation with Doctor George. He would alert them to fire up the C-130. By the time, we reached the airport and opened King, we had confirmation that Doctor Anne would be in the air within fifteen minutes. She was loading up with antibiotics and rabies vaccination shots plus additional bandages and everything else she could think of. Oliver would come with her. He was as good as she now. Pam reported that there wasn't a place to land and that they were making a run with Bennie driving carrying Charlie, Andy, and Mindy.

Robby and I went over the plane with care but urgency. King was ready with the tanks topped off. Robby shouted that they were coming through the gate. I cranked the engines. When the truck pulled up, Bennie jumped out and loaded Andy into the plane. He helped Charlie limp aboard. I pulled Mindy on and made sure everyone was belted in. I sat down and Robby was bringing the engines up for take off. We took off climbing to cruising altitude and flying at maximum speed to Dallas. Once in the air, the C-130 was much quicker. We met at Love Field. We landed and Robby said, "There are plenty of guys to guard with me. Go to Charlie and stay with him. He needs a mother more than another guard."

I helped my son over to the C-130. Bennie carried Andrea with Mindy close behind. Doctor Anne and Oliver were ready. They looked at the two youngsters and decided Charlie would wait. They went to Andrea's arm and began to work on it. I helped Charlie to limp over to her. He held her good hand while her mother stroked her hair. Someone brought a stool and he sat down to rest his leg.

Anne looked up, "Tom, Vic, where are you?"

I said, "I'm here, Anne. What is it?"

She said, "I want this plane in the air immediately."

"I'll take care of it right now." I gave Charlie's shoulder a squeeze and left. I found Tom and Vic in the cockpit. I said, "Anne wants you to fly her back immediately with our two patients.

Tom said, "Collect people and get them ready. We will take off in two minutes." He and Vic got busy in the cockpit. I left and went outside. I shouted, "This plane is leaving in two minutes! Everybody move!"

Robby came out. "Do we leave the plane here or follow the C-130 to Preservation?"

"Follow. Doctor Anne is worried about Andy. I really don't want to leave the plane and we need to be there for Charlie."

"Okay, Jan. Stay with him. I'll get Bennie to fly with me."

That's what we did. The C-130 took off moments later for Carrollton. Tom and Vic caught the urgency and they pushed the big plane hard. Radio messages had gone to Carrollton to have an ambulance ready for transport. By the time we arrived, she was being ventilated and Charlie and her mother had been forced to step back. They were giving some trouble until I stepped up to them and said, "Do you want to hold on to her and lower her chances of surviving or step back and give her a chance to live?" They moved back and I cradled them both as they cried.

I was listening as Doctor Anne said, "It's a fast moving infection. If we can help her beat it, she'll recover." Doctor Anne wanted ice packs at the airport. The plane landed and an ambulance was following it. As soon as Tom got the plane stopped, the truck pulled up and engaged. Andy and Charlie with Mindy and I as parents traveled with Anne and Oliver to the hospital. She was wheeled into emergency and the efforts to keep Andy alive continued.

It was hours. Charlie asked me at one point what was happening. I said, "As long as they're working on her, there is hope. Doctor Anne and Oliver are good."

It was late night when a tired Doctor Anne came to see us. She was smiling wearily. She said, "She will make it. It will be a slow recovery but she will eventually recover completely. It was close. The C-130 and George being here were fortuitous. The dog infected her but it wasn't rabies. I have cultures of blood that George and I will want to study. Most who survived the virus or were born later are immune to most all infections. This was different and scary. Janice, you did the right thing to get her to us."