8.83 The Doctor is In – Part II

“PLUMNUGGETS! This wretched machine!”

The analyzer hadn’t been calibrated yet that day and gave her inconclusive results. She was really hoping to get a compelling diagnosis without having to do something more serious like an x-ray, but it seemed as though she was going to have to go there. She quickly composed herself so her frustrations with the machine wouldn’t come off as bad news and waddled back to Anthony’s room.

When she walked into the room, the intern and the orderly were both in there talking to Anthony. She really wished they weren’t both in there because all the attention probably made him more nervous than he should have been.

“Ummm, can I have the room, please?”

“Yes, doctor,” they said and left the room.

“What’s the matter, Aunt Viv?”

“Oh, nothing! I’m sorry. I just thought you may be comfortable with fewer people in the room…you know…being a loner and all.”

“Yeah. Thanks. So…what’s wrong with me? Just llama flu, right?”

“Probably. The test came back inconclusive. That doesn’t mean anything. I don’t want to alarm you. The machine hasn’t been calibrated which can skew the results, so I’d like to do an x-ray.”

“Ok, if you feel it’s necessary.”

“I just want to be sure. Follow me.”

They walked through the patients wing to the lab area and stopped at an x-ray machine.

“How tall are you?”

“I don’t know…like, 6’2″ I think.”

Viviana typed in all his vital information into the machine and he watched.

“It’s so cool that you’re a doctor now, Aunt Viv. How do you do all of this with your family and now a baby?”

“Heh, I wish I knew, Anthony. I tell you…women…we can do some pretty amazing things.”

“I know that’s right. Between you and my mom…you’re superwomen!”

“Go ahead and step inside, Anthony. Keep your hands to your sides.”

He slowly and nervously stepped into the machine, and Viviana started it up.

“Almost done, Anthony. It’s ok to breathe.”

Viviana carefully watched the screen, watching for anything out of the ordinary–not that she was expecting anything. When the scan was over, a beep sounded, and she saw a green check on the screen signifying that everything was A-ok.

“Ok Anthony! We’re all done!”

He practically leaped out of the machine.

“I hate enclosed spaces! Don’t tell my brother.”

“Doctor-patient confidentiality!

“Let’s get you back to your room.”

As Anthony was hopping back onto the exam bed, there was a message over the loudspeaker:

CODE RED IN THE LOBBY. CODE RED IN THE LOBBY.

“Oh dear. Anthony, I hate to keep you waiting, but I have to go. I’ll be back as soon as I can, ok?”

“Sure. I’m fine. Go save a life,” he smiled.

She dashed to the lobby, as fast as a pregnant woman can, and found that a woman had collapsed at the reception desk.

“Everyone please move out of the way! Miss? Miss! Can you hear me?”

The woman didn’t respond. Viviana checked her pulse, and thankfully she had one although it was shallow. The woman started to groan which let Viviana know that she was conscious. She called for some orderlies to bring a stretcher and rush her to the emergency room. Nurses and everyone who was on hand did triage and got the woman stable. After a CT scan, Viviana found that this woman needed surgery and got scrubbed up and met the woman in the operating room.

“Hello, Miss Lady! I’m Dr. Pruett, and my team saved your life. You gave us all quite a scare there! How about not doing that again?”

“Wh-wha-what happened?”

“You passed out in the lobby.”

“Passed out?”

“Out cold!”

“How?”

“Well, your cat scan revealed that you have some foreign objects in your chest blocking your airways. You had a pulmonary embolism, but I’m gonna get you fixed up. Don’t you worry, ok?”

“Ok!”

Viviana administered the anesthesia and went to work on extracting the foreign objects.

“Object #1 is out!”

“That came out of me?!”

“All right, Miss! We are all done here! I suggest going home and going straight to bed as you are still heavily drugged. And…if I may say so…whatever you did to get those things inside you…don’t do them anymore.”

“Thank you, Dr. Pruett! Thanks for saving my life!”

“Dont mention it. Stay well!”

Viviana was glad that everything turned out well for the woman and went back to Anthony’s room despite being tired and needing to pee.

“Hi, Anthony! I’m back! Sooooo sorry to be away so long. I actually had to do surgery!”

“Oh! Is the person ok?”

“Oh yeah, she’s fine. I see your spots are back.

“Ok…let me get your chart and get you cured before anything else happens today!”

“Mmmmm…hmmmm….uh huh…..mmm hmmm…”

“What does it say?”

“Well…it looks like you just have a strange case of good ol fashioned llama flu!”

“Oh! Good. So, I just get a shot then?”

“Yessir! Lie down for me, please.”

“So, you’re afraid of enclosed spaces and needles, I see!”

“Please don’t tell anyone.”