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Scott Hunter was playing a great game. It’s the third period and he's had 2 goals and an assist. His team has been on a winning streak the past couple of weeks. Maybe that's why he let himself get a bit cocky.
Usually he was locked in for the entire game, never losing focus. This day in particular he truly believed that they had the game in the bag. Scott allowed his mind to wander elsewhere as he skated across the ice with puck. He thought about the dinner date he and Kip were going on later that evening. He also thought about what they’d do once they got home from that dinner.
That's why he did not see the other teams defenceman coming.
Scott had just passed the puck to Carter Vaughn when he finds himself smashed up against the boards and crumpling to the ice. He gasps, the air knocked harshly from his lungs. Scott breathes through his nose as he stands, worrying that if he were to open his mouth he wouldn't be able to hold in the scream that wanted to tear itself from his throat.
He staggers forward, his breath hitching when he straightens his spine. Scott coughs, trying to fill his lungs with air. "You good, Scott?" Carter skates up to him. Scott's first instinct is to brush it off but the pain in his chest is starting to worry him. He makes eye contact and shakes his head, coughing again. Carter helps him off the ice and into the rooms to see the medics.
What happens after is a blur. His skates are removed and he's put on a gurney and loaded into an ambulance. Scott can’t hear what the paramedics are saying, he's far too focused on trying to breathe. A mask is placed over his face and he's granted momentarily relief, the extra oxygen filling his chest.
"Mr Hunter, we're going to cut through your clothes, okay?" Someone to his left says. He turns his head to see a female paramedic holding trauma shears and waiting for his go ahead. Scott nods, making a mental note to replace his gear as soon as possible.
Once Scott's chest is bare he glances down to see that his right side is already starting to turn a deep purple. He groans, watching the paramedics work. They check oximeter on his finger and Scott does not like the look of concern on their faces. The female paramedic from before fiddles with the oxygen connected to the mask over his face and he feels the flow increase. Scott tries to suck in as much as possible but he ends up coughing. He gasps, the right side of his chest feeling like someone was driving in knife into it.
Scott can’t suppress his groans of pain as he’s unloaded from the ambulance. His vitals are reeled off to the doctor's on staff, it feels like their speaking a different language. Scott hears his blood oxygen level, he doesn’t have a lot of medical knowledge but from the little he has picked up over the years he knows that a level of 90 is not good.
The doctor warns that he’s going to feel a little cold as she squirts ultrasound gel on his chest. "This is going to hurt." Scott throws his head back, the doctor has to push down on his ribs pretty hard with the wand and it's agonising. "We've got absence of lung sliding on the right side and air in the chest cavity." Scott's heart is pounding in his chest, he can hear each rapid beat in his ears. He's unsettled by how fast it feels.
"We're better off skipping the X-ray, we can visualise the pneumothorax well with the ultrasound. I'd like to get a chest tube in before his oxygen levels get any lower." Someone else says.
"Mr Hunter," The doctor from before addresses him. "You have a traumatic pneumothorax, better known as a punctured lung. The hit most likely fractured a rib which in turn punctured your left lung. We need to insert a tube into your chest to drain the air from your chest and allow the lung to reinflate. We'll set you up with IV pain medication and a local anaesthetic. Your team doctor assured the paramedics that you weren’t allergic to morphine or lidocaine which we will be using. Afterwards, we'll get a chest X-ray to confirm correct placement and check your ribs. Do you understand and consent to these procedure?"
Scott nods his assent and the room erupts in a flurry of movement. People are calling out orders and setting up equipment. Scott suddenly realises that he doesn't know of Kip has been called. He tries speaking but with the mask on it's a struggle. A nurse rushes over and lowers briefly for him. "Has anyone called my partner?" He pants his chest heaving from just one sentence.
"Your emergency contact has been called and is on their way." The nurse assures him, positioning the mask back over his face. The relief that floods his body knowing that his husband was going to be here soon almost distracted him from the needle of lidocaine being prepared next to him. Almost.
They get his IV set up with medication and the local anaesthetic administered. Scott bites his lip as he’s helped onto his side and slightly upright with his hand above his head. The doctors advice him that they’re starting now and he closes his eyes tightly.
It's an extremely odd sensation to he conscious and voluntarily allowing someone to cut into your side. He's watched a few cheesy medical dramas with Kip, he has a faint idea of how this works and that the cut is quite small. It's still strange to feel it. He's aware of it happening but the pain feels muted and far away. It’s not long after that he feels something being inserted between his ribs. Scott gasps as he's suddenly able to draw more oxygen into his lungs. He's coached through breathing exercises and coughing to help reinflate the lung as the chest tube is secured against his skin.
The X-ray afterwards confirms that the tube is in the correct place and that his rib is fractured. He’s taken to a private for observation where Kip is already waiting for him.
"Scott." Kip sighs in relief to see him. Scott winces as he's transferred to the hospital bed but smiles at his husband once he's settled.
"Hi." He whispers.
"You scared me." Kip laces their fingers together.
"Sorry, I didn’t plan on getting smashed against the boards." Scott lets out a huff that cuts off with a grunt.
"Well, if it wasn't malicious I think I can find it in my heart to forgive you." Kips chuckles, running a hand through Scott's sweaty hair.
"I'm also sorry that we missed our dinner. I was really looking forward to it."
"No need to apologise. I'm sure we can have a very romantic hospital food dinner date." Kip grins.
"I ever tell you how much I love you?" Scott smiles fondly.
"Probably not enough for the amount of stress your job puts me through."
"That's fair. I do love you, so much." Scott squeezes his hand.
"I love you too." Kip rests his head on Scott's shoulder on his good side.
Scott decides he's going to make it up to Kip. He's going to have a few weeks off, Scott's sure he can find a worthwhile way for them to spend it."