Chapter 4 #2
“I get that. I don’t think anybody really likes it, if I’m being honest.” I patted the examination table for Carrie, and she handed her mom the drink and wiped her mouth before standing. She walked over and hopped up to sit on the table.
I’d won a small battle, and I’d take it.
“So do something else,” her mother said.
“If there were other options, I’d be happy to offer them. But everyone gets swabbed when we suspect strep throat. And I’m fairly certain not a single person enjoys it.” I listened to Carrie’s chest and asked her to take a few deep breaths.
“Did we get her temperature?” I asked Petra. I knew she’d had the altercation, but I wasn’t certain if she’d gotten her temperature before she’d been assaulted.
“Nope. She refused it and dug her nails into my wrist.” Petra glanced over at Carrie’s mother before showing Carrie and me her arm that had open nail marks on it.
“So, we’ve got a few options here, and I’ll let you choose.” I looked at the young girl sitting in front of me. Her shoulders were tense, and it was clear that she was so used to fighting that most people probably just backed down because it wasn’t worth the fight.
I wasn’t going to do that.
“Okay,” Carrie said, with a little less attitude than she’d had a few minutes ago.
“You came here for help, so I’m assuming you want it.” My gaze locked with hers. “I can help you, and I can make you feel better pretty quickly, but you have to do your part.”
“I don’t like getting my temperature taken or getting that thing rubbed around on the back of my throat.”
“Yes, we’ve established that. But it is what it is, Carrie.
I’m not going to allow you to claw me or anyone in this office, nor will there be any biting.
” I raised a brow, because I wanted her to know that I knew what her normal behaviors were, and I wouldn’t tolerate it.
“You will not touch anyone in this office that way again, at least not while I’m here. ”
She startled a bit by my words and licked her lips, giving me the slightest nod.
“This is ridiculous. She’s a child. She isn’t hurting them,” her mother said.
I turned to face her and reached for Petra’s wrist. “Your daughter drew blood, and she’s old enough to know better. She’s not a toddler; she’s a pre-teen. This”—I gave her one last look at Petra’s arm before dropping it—“is unacceptable.”
“And what is it you’re going to do to help her now that you’ve established everything that my daughter won’t be doing?” Carrie’s mother glared at me.
I turned back around and faced Carrie. “I’d like to help you.
Getting your temperature taken is not painful.
There’s no reason to fight that.” I motioned for Petra to hand me the thermometer, which I held up before quickly checking her for a fever.
It took a few seconds as I grazed it along her forehead, and it was done.
“One hundred and two point seven is a fairly high fever. You must be feeling pretty terrible. So how about we make a deal?”
“What kind of deal?” Carrie asked.
“Well, I’ve got a whole bunch of brothers back home who happen to be grown men now, but they’re all big babies when they’re sick. So, we have this deal when it comes to swabbing their throats,” I said with a chuckle.
“What is it?” she asked, not hiding her curiosity.
“I have them open their mouth, and I count to ten, and then I swab it as fast as I can. They always close their eyes, and they pretend that they are somewhere else. Like the beach or riding horses or whatever it is that they enjoy.”
“Why do you count to ten?”
“Because you’re tough, right? Anyone can do something that they don’t like for ten seconds. And it works every time. So what do you say?”
“Are you giving her a choice?” her mother said from behind me.
“Of course, I am. She can say no, but untreated strep is no fun. Strep is a bacterial infection, and it needs to be treated. It can move to different parts of your body and make you even more uncomfortable.”
“Why can’t you just give her the medication and assume she has it?” her mom pressed.
I turned around to look at her. “Because I’m a doctor, and I wouldn’t be a very good one if I didn’t test her and just guessed what she had. If she doesn’t have strep throat, she shouldn’t be taking medication for it. So, no, I will not just assume anything. Your daughter’s health is my priority.”
“And you’ll count to ten?” Carrie asked.
“I will. And I promise you I’ll go as quickly as I can.”
She nodded. “Okay. I’ll do it.”
Tears pricked her eyes, and I squeezed her hand as Petra moved to get the tray with the swabs for me, and she set them beside Carrie on the exam table.
“Hey, you’ve got this. I promise. Tell me where you’re going to imagine yourself.”
“Um… I love to go to the lake on the weekends. So I’m going to imagine myself in the water with my friends.”
I pulled the long stick out of the protected seal and took her hand again in my free hand. Petra hovered beside us. “I think that’s a great place to go. Open wide, and I’m going to count.”
“Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe you’re making her do this,” her mother grumped from behind me, but I ignored her.
“One, two, three…” I said calmly as I swabbed her throat as thoroughly and quickly as I could. “Four, five, six, seven…”
She gagged as I counted out the last three seconds, and I pulled it out of her mouth.
“You did it,” I said. “How about we take a few sips of Gatorade, and you lie down here for a few minutes while we check this for you?”
She nodded, and her mother handed her the drink as I stepped out of the room.
Her results were instant, and she definitely had strep throat, so I was able to get her started right away on meds that would help her feel better quickly.
I was surprised when she hugged me goodbye, and her mother thanked me, as well.
But we were slammed shortly after, and the day had gotten away from me. Lana stopped by my office and said goodbye as she was heading home, and Petra was standing in my doorway shortly after.
“Dr. Chadwick,” Petra said, and Winnie lifted her head to look at her from where she lay beside my desk.
“Petra, you really don’t need to call me that. You can call me Emerson.” I stopped writing my notes and looked up at her.
“Okay. Well, Emerson,” she said, her lips turning up in the corners just the slightest bit. “You were pretty amazing today. You have a gift for calming small humans. Especially the really challenging ones.”
“Thank you. Like I said, I have a big family. I’m well trained with the challenging ones.” I chuckled.
“I think Doc is right after all. We are lucky to have you.” She gave me a quick nod before turning to leave. “Don’t stay too late.”
“Thank you. And don’t worry, I’m heading out soon.” I was happy that Petra and I were finding our way.
It had been a long day, and I was looking forward to a large glass of wine on my back porch as I watched the sun go down over the lake.
It had become my new favorite way to end the day.