CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The following day, I sat in the reception area of my doctor’s office, waiting to see my rheumatologist.
It was a little after four in the afternoon, an hour since I’d first checked into the private practice.
I’d come in early to get blood work done to verify that everything was on par with the doctor’s expectations, and was currently waiting for the doctor to receive the results before my appointment.
The office was empty, save for the receptionist sitting behind a wall of tempered glass, and one nurse at a nurse’s station just down the hall.
The nurse, Nurse Joy, was warm and professional, and we chatted a bit as she took my vitals, compiling the results in a file for the doctor to review before he saw me.
The receptionist, on the other hand, had a way to go with her customer care skills. She popped gum the entire time she searched for my information to confirm my appointment. Then made it her duty to inform me that I was an hour early.
I did know that, actually. Having left work right after dismissing the students to facilitate the aforementioned blood work.
Of course, our friendly neighborhood gum-popper would have known that had she checked the appointment times for their in-house lab as well, to see that I was scheduled to get my blood drawn.
This, of course, had led to an additional fifteen minutes of conversation, as I explained to her why my appointments were set up like that.
Which was honestly pointless since all she did the entire time was pop her gum.
Nevertheless, an hour later, she sat glowering at me as I tried my best to ignore her by pretending to read a magazine on cutting-edge heart-friendly medicines.
A name in the article caught my eye, and I grinned when I saw Dr. Cassidy McKenna-Smith listed as one of the researchers credited for this life-changing work.
I took a picture of the page and texted it to her with a giant ‘congratulations’ GIF.
Seconds later, she responded in kind with the infamous GIF of Tina Belcher from Bob’s Burgers twerking.
Our shared love for the animated TV show was just one of the many things she and I had bonded over. We’d exchanged numbers the day we met, and had been texting regularly back and forth ever since.
Cassidy was genuinely one of the funniest, most down-to-earth people I’d ever met, and she was quickly becoming a close friend.
Fifteen minutes later, I sat in front of my doctor, who took a few minutes to read through the results of my blood work.
Dr. Murphy was an older black man with gorgeous, chestnut-brown skin and a really cool Mohawk made up of shoulder-length dreadlocks.
I suspected he was somewhere in his late fifties—possibly early sixties—though I wasn’t certain.
His skin was smooth and wrinkle-free. And the only signs of aging that were visible on him were the scattering of gray hairs on the shaved sides of his Mohawk.
He was tall and really quite muscular for his age, and there was something in his eyes that spoke of decades of hard work and dedication to his field.
And since the moment we’d first met, I’d trusted him with every aspect of my health.
“So,” he said, setting down the tablet he was reading from on his knee. “How are we feeling?”
I smiled then.
He always said ‘we’ instead of simply asking how I was doing, as if this disease burdened both of us.
“I’m great, actually,” I replied honestly. “No pain, swelling, or stiffness. I even started, uh… exercising again.”
His eyes quickly found mine, instantly catching the meaning behind my hesitant words.
He tried—really, he did—but ultimately failed when his face broke out into a wide smile. “Exercise, huh?”
I nodded, my face growing hot with embarrassment.
He cleared his throat. “Well, I know we’ve talked about it before, but I hope you’re being safe.
Pregnancy is not completely off the table.
You are still very much young and fertile, after all.
But given the combination of drugs you’re on, it could be quite difficult for you to conceive, just not impossible.
If you do become pregnant, I’d like you to be aware that it would be a very high risk.
And that is, if your body can sustain the pregnancy at all.
Roughly eighty percent of women who get pregnant while on this cocktail of medicines often experience early-stage miscarriages.
And the ones that do make it, the fetus is usually affected in some way. ”
I nodded my understanding.
We’d gone over this before, but the reminder was necessary since Declan and I had been fucking like bunnies without protection.
And though my period hadn’t been late, I’d made sure to take a pregnancy test before coming here, and I would take another next week, which was around the time my period was expected to start.
“I understand,” I assured him.
He smiled. “That being said… good for you.”
I beamed up at him. “Thank you.”
“Excellent. Now, I’ve gone over the results of your blood test, and everything is exactly where I want it to be.
Your ESR, which you already know checks for inflammation, is in range for the seventh time in a row, and you haven’t been experiencing any kind of pain and discomfort.
So, I think it’s time we talk about adjusting your medication. ”
I perked up at that, and Dr. Murphy chuckled.
“The goal is to get your symptoms under control with as little medication as possible, and let your body get used to doing some of the work again. And since your results show significant signs of improvement, I want to lower your doses of steroids and immunosuppressants.”
“Will that affect the whole pregnancy thing?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yes, it certainly will. However, given you’ve been on this current cocktail for so long, it’ll take your body time to adjust. So if you do intend to try for a pregnancy, I recommend you wait for at least three to four months before you actively start trying.
We’ve been gradually lowering your doses over the last few months, but I’m taking you off the steroids completely.
That should help with the weight gain, which, I know, is something you’ve been concerned with in the past. I’m also going to lower your dose of immunosuppressants again.
If you remember, we’d already lowered them a few months back, so this time will be a significant drop.
With this smaller dosage, pregnancy is safe, and it shouldn’t affect the fetus in any way.
Though I would still recommend you give your body that three to four-month grace period to adjust.”
“I understand,” I said solemnly. “I mean, I’m not actively trying to get pregnant, but I’ll be more careful until my body acclimates.”
“Perfect. Now, take your shoes off and hop up on the exam table so I can give your joints a quick inspection.”
I did as I was told, and the whole thing took less than ten minutes.
I was putting my shoes back on when Dr. Murphy said, “All right, I think that’s it for us today.
I also want to start you on twice-a-week physical therapy to help strengthen those joints and muscles.
I think now is the right time since the medicinal part of your treatment is reduced.
I want your body to get used to doing some of the work in managing your symptoms. I’ll send you a list of physical therapists who specialize in this area, and we’ll go from there. Sounds good?”
I nodded, and he smiled that big, warm smile that initially drew me to him.
“Great. Then I’ll see you again in four months,” he announced.
“Don’t forget to make the appointment with the front desk before you leave.
In the meantime, take your meds. Make sure to get plenty of rest. Try to lower your stress levels as much as humanly possible.
I know that can be difficult given your line of work, but try.
Your diet is good, but it can always be better.
And keep up with your… er… physical activities. A happy patient is a healthy one.”
I was smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. “Thanks, doc.”
He turned to head out the door, then paused and turned back to me.
“Oh, I read the email you sent me last night asking about your insurance coverage. Sadly, I have little knowledge about how their policies actually work, aside from how they pay me, of course. However, I do have a former patient who works for one of the more prominent insurance companies. I can get you her information if you’d like.
Maybe she can shed some light on your concerns. ”
“Yes, of course. That would be great. Thank you.”
He nodded. “Good, I’ll have my receptionist email you her contact.”
I winced. “The gum popper?”
Dr. Murphy grimaced, then sighed. “Yeah… you can’t choose family, right? Except, in this case, I think I did.”
“She’s your family?”
“By association. She’s my husband’s niece.
He asked me to take her on while she figures out what she wants to do with her life.
But she’s been offending my patients left and right, and nothing I say is getting through to her.
At this point, I’d rather burn the place down than go through the heartache and subsequent sleepless nights on my living room couch that would inevitably result from me firing her.
I mean, who needs a private practice, right?
I could always go back to working for the hospital. ”
I giggled at his hurried words. He sounded so eager to unload all of this on someone.
“So… how are we feeling?” I echoed his earlier words, and he laughed.
“Yeah, you’re right,” he decided. “Burning the building down seems like the safer option. I’ll email you my new office hours at the hospital while I stand on the sidewalk and watch the firefighters struggle to put out the flames.”
I laughed out loud then, and he grinned, yanking the door open.
“Take care, Melodie. Call me if you’re having any complications.”
And with that, he disappeared down the hall, heading for a second examination room.