Another short segment for your reading pleasure (at least I hope you still find it pleasurable), though this segment is comprised of three longer chapters. I break my chapters where they make sense, not adhering to a fixed number of pages. These three chapters just didn't want to end as quickly as others have.
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-redskyes
Chapter 48
Mom insisted on staying a few more days. She wanted to go with me for my checkup appointment with Doctor Jones.
Hehe. I keep hearing Short Round's voice when I think of or say his name. Anyway, I was saying...
I was actually kind of looking forward to the day. Sure, I was tired and hurt like hell, but was hoping for some good news from the doctor, that I was on the mend. I was also excited about this afternoon. Violet and Holly were coming over. I hadn't seen them since I'd been hurt, and I missed them. Paula wasn't going to be around today, since she was finally getting some time with Johnny. I hoped he could find the courage to put aside his anger and be supportive of her.
Most of the morning was consumed by x-rays of my ankle, knee, wrist, and ribs, then finally an MRI. I hated the MRI. The machine was so damned loud, and being packed into a tight little tube wasn't pleasant. I made a mental note to ask Doctor Jones if he'd ever heard of open MRIs.
The worst part about the MRI? It wasn't until I was stuck in that damned tube that I realized the machine was looking
inside
me. Jeezus, what would they find? Would they discover my secret, my gift from Freyja? They weren't looking at that part of me - at least, I don't think they were - but what if? Gawd, what would I say? How could I explain it?
The rest of the morning was spent waiting for the results in Doctor Jones's office, and me freaking out. Mom asked me if anything was wrong, but I lied, told her I was just hoping for good news.
After what felt like a damned eternity, Doctor Jones came in with a thick file. Of course, the first thing he noticed was my shaved head. He flicked his gaze to my scalp, back to my eyes, and smiled warmly, giving me a slight nod, like he was proud of me.
"Still no iPad, huh?" I teased him, trying not to think about what was in that file, like a hastily scribbled note that read 'patient has a remarkable mega-cock inside her torso!'.
Doctor Jones smiled and shook his head, "Still no iPad." He began pulling x-rays out of the file and hanging them on a backlit board. He spoke over his shoulder, "Actually, after you mentioned it, I checked out to see if other hospitals were using them, or something like them. It's catching on." With the x-rays hung, he set my file down on his desk. "I took a look at one in the store. Saw the Director the next day and recommended we try one out."
He made his way behind his desk and turned on a large flat screen monitor hanging on the wall, like what Jean Pierre had in his office, only this one wasn't as big. Doctor Jones punched some keys on a keyboard and an animation the MRI of my head came up. Naturally, I couldn't make any sense of it. It was just a blob of colors to me.
Mom took my hand in hers.
"Okay," he said, making his way back to the x-rays. "Your ankle his healing nicely, the pins are holding, and..."
"Wait a minute," I waved my free hand in the air, and I may have squealed a little. "
Pins
?"
He smiled with amusement and pointed at the x-ray of my ankle. "Right here. You were pretty out of it that last time we spoke, but yes, these are the pins. Standard procedure for this kind of break." He turned his attention back to the x-ray and shrugged a shoulder. "I'd say you have six to eight weeks and your ankle will be good as new."
I turned to Mom, raised an eyebrow and mouthed, "Six to eight?"
She gave me a little smile and squeezed my hand. I returned my attention to Doctor Jones when he continued.
"I still don't see any permanent damage to your knee, but the inflammation isn't going down as quickly as I'd hoped. I'll write you a new prescription for that." He pointed to an x-ray of my ribs, then looked at me. "This is the tough one. The breaks in your ribs were clean, but there's not much we can do to help them along. Just try not to move around too much. Broken ribs have to heal on their own, and it takes time."
"How much time?" I asked nervously. My ribs weren't the part of me that hurt the most, but it was almost constant, even just from breathing.
"Honestly?" He shrugged again. "For most, as little as four months, but the discomfort can last a year or two, if not longer."
"A
year
?" I kind of wailed, eyes going wide.
Mom slipped her arm around my waist.
Doctor Jones held out a hand to forestall me freaking out any further. "Like I said though, the breaks are pretty clean. I think you'll be in the clear in six months or so, and past the worst of it in two."
I shook my head. This really sucked. I couldn't imagine getting back to my life hurting like this.
"We could put your upper body in a full cast, if you like," he grinned at me.
I frowned, knowing he was trying to lighten my mood. "No thanks."
"What about her cheek?" Mom asked. "And her jaw?"
That's when I realized there wasn't an x-ray of them on the board.
"Just hairline fractures," he told her. "So long as the inflammation goes down, and it has, we don't have much to worry about."
That was a relief. My cheek and jaw were tender, but they didn't bother me like the rest of me did.
Doctor Jones explained the MRI. I was pretty free and clear of the concussion, and there was no permanent damage. He gave me a list of things to watch out for, like nausea, dizziness, difficulty with memory recall. He also gave Mom a pamphlet of mental exercises for someone to run me through once a week for the next few weeks.
When he was done, he sat behind his desk. I couldn't help but ask, "Doctor Jones? Did you find anything...odd?"
"Odd?" he furrowed his brow, and Mom frowned at me. "Like what, Amy?"
"I dunno," I shrugged, chewed my lower lip for a moment, which wasn't nearly as swollen now, by the way. "Odd."
He gave me an odd look to match my question, but grinned. "No. We didn't find anything 'odd'."
My shoulders fell with relief. I guess they really hadn't been looking that low on me.
Doctor Jones studied me for a moment. "Is there something I
should
be looking for?"