Celeste's Journal

I am having a difficult time getting to sleep tonight.  I almost lost my beloved Blake today.  Red and Blake go to Astoria once a month for groceries, and other supplies.  (We don't have a mercantile establishment in Calkington yet).

They were close to home.  As they traveled along the canyon road Red was driving.  A big cat jumped down from a tree.  The cat dug claws into Blake.  It bit onto Blake's arm to keep from falling as the wagon kept moving.

Red said that Blake screamed.  Then Blake started punching the cat in the face....time, and time,and time again.  The cat finally jumped down.  Blake began to bleed profusely from his multiple wounds.  The creature left multiple puncture wounds on Blake's arm.  Some of the tooth wounds went clear to the bone.  It also bit Blake's head, his shoulder, his back, and mauled him with its teeth.

He had one bite on his back that required Red to stitch over a hundred stitches to close the wound.  He had lost lots of blood by the time they got home.  Red felt that it was more important to get Blake home than to try and put pressure on the bleeding.  Blake was bleeding from so many places that Red said he didn't have enough hands to keep pressure on all the wounds anyway.

When they got home Red and I cleaned the wounds with witch hazel.  First Red gave Blake Laudanum because he was in such hideous pain.  He didn't scream when we poured the witch hazel, but tears ran down his face.  I tried to talk to him to distract him but it was very obvious that he couldn't focus on any topic so I quit.

Curly went to town and got Doc Stone.  Thank Heavens we now have a doc in town.  He just came last week.  I don't understand why any doctor would want to relocate to this tiny town.  Yet, small as we are I have no doubt that we keep doc busy with childbirth, sickness, and wounds like Blake's.  This wilderness has not given up its stern hold on humans.

After Blake was cleansed, stitched, and then examined by doc I went to my room and cried, and cried.  I couldn't decide if I was crying for relief that Blake was alive, or because of the pain, and sickness that he will now endure.  I probably was crying for both things.

Red and I decided to take turns caring for Blake tonight.  I'm second so I need to sleep for awhile. I hope I can...I'm really tired, and I must be alert as I take my turn watching over Blake.  Goodnight!