The Wicked Doctor

83: Gower Syndrome

Gower syndrome is the temporary loss of consciousness in particular kinds of situations. (Syncope is temporary loss of consciousness or, in plain English, fainting). The situations that trigger this reaction are diverse and include having blood drawn, straining while urinating or defecating or coughing. The reaction also can be due to the emotional stress of fear or pain.

With Gower syndrome, people often become pale and feel nauseated, sweaty, and weak just before they lose consciousness.

Gower syndrome is caused by a reflex of the involuntary nervous system called the vasovagal reaction. The vasovagal reaction leads the heart to slow down (bradycardia) and, at the same time, it leads the nerves to the blood vessels in the legs to permit those vessels to dilate (widen). The result is that the heart puts out less blood, the blood pressure drops, and what blood is circulating tends to go into the legs rather than to the head. The brain is deprived of oxygen and the fainting episode occurs.

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Terrence

It's her hair and her eyes today
That just simply take me away
And the feeling that I'm falling further in love
Makes me shiver but in a good way

All the times I have sat and stared
As she thoughtfully thumbs through her hair
And she purses her lips, bats her eyes, and she plays with me
Sittin' there, slacked-jaw and nothing to say

'Cause I love her with all that I am
And my voice shakes along with my hands
'Cause she's all that I see and she's all that I need
And I'm out of my league once again

I played the piano like I was pouring my heart into the song that I was playing. I hummed the lyrics of the song as I pressed on the keys, the soothing melody reverberated in the music room as I used my fingers skillfully in expressing what I felt at that moment: love. 

I'm madly in love with the woman whose heart I broke years ago. 

Nagtungo ako sa university kung saan nagtuturo paminsan-minsan si An para sunduin siya at sa music room ko naisipang maghintay dahil nasa likod lang nito ang audio-visual room kung nasaan siya ngayon. She's doing a presentation for the pathology class just behind the wall of this room.

 I kept playing the song until I finished it and smiled to myself before I heard clicking heels on the marble floor. I glanced to my right and saw Anrie standing a few steps away from the door, behind her were a few students wearing their white uniform. 

"Well, it was nice knowing who's playing our background music while I was teaching. My students were curious who it was. Ikaw lang pala." She cocked her head to one side and smilingly shook her head.

I stood from my seat and walked towards their direction with hands in my pockets. 

"This is Dr. Terrence Laine from the surgical division, neuro. Just like me he's a visiting consultant in Bethesda but unfortunately, I was the only one given the horrible job of teaching in classroom based setting." She said and her students laughed. I noticed that all of them were girls. 

"Hmmm. Is this an all girls class?" I asked them and they just shook their heads. "So the others just left earlier then?" And they all nodded.

"I'm Terrence Laine and you'll be working with me once you start your internship next month." I saw one girl elbow another girl and making gestures and the other one blushed. 

Ramdam kong gustong matawa ni Anrie. Her shoulder slightly shook and she clamped her mouth with her hand. Inakbayan ko siya at hinalikan sa sentido sa harapan ng mga estudyante niya kaya naman inirapan niya ako.