Trident Trials: The Glimmer

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The doctor that I am on my way to see comes highly recommended to everyone that I have talked to. Finding him was the hardest part of everything so far. I knew that the excellent doctors were harder to reach and get in to see, but this almost felt stupid. I spent the last several weeks trying to get this guy's receptionist on the phone and couldn't even get a hold of her. When I did finally reach someone in the office, they said that there was no one that the doctor was going to see me. I told them my name and what was wrong with me just in case something opened up or someone canceled and magically they had an appointment to see me. I'm not sure what changed, but I didn't care. They told me then that I could come in today and the doctor would give me a full work-up to see if he could tell what was wrong with me.

I felt the bus come to a stop and recognized the building and rushed to the front to exit. As I stepped off the bus, the autumn air greeted me with a nice, chilly breeze. I grabbed my hoodie and pulled it closer to me and shoved my hands into the pockets on the front. My hands immediately welcomed the warmth and missed the cold. I made my way towards the front door. I gripped the cold handle of the door, took a deep breath, and entered. The receptionist immediately stood up and greeted me.

"Hi, James?" I wasn't sure how she knew it was me. I didn't talk to her or the doctor over video. "Yes. I don't have an ID or insurance information to give you. I am just going to be paying in cash. None of my medical history is something that I know either, I'm sorry." I couldn't stop myself from taking in the entire room the entire time I was talking. Part of it was just that I was so nervous. I didn't know what to expect from this visit, or if there would be any resolution. I was also hoping that she would not think that I was crazy for not having any of my information, no insurance, and none of my medical history available to her.

"No worries, the doctor has filled me in on your situation. Or at least the important things that you could tell him when you spoke on the phone the other day. I don't need any information from you. If you would like to follow me, I can take you back and the technician can start running some tests for you while you wait for the doctor to become available." I guess having her know my situation wasn't the end of the world, but I hated the feeling that I know less than everyone else in the room. It was even worse when the thing that I felt they knew more about was myself.

I followed her outstretched arm to the back and was greeted by a very high energy technician. She was practically bouncing up and down as I came back. I wasn't sure what that was about, and I didn't want to ask. If there was any way to get out of here without talking to anyone else except the doctor, that would be preferable. I did everything that she asked me to do. They took me weight, height, temperature, and the other normal things. Then they began taking blood and much of my other bodily fluids. By the end of it all, I had a needle sticking out of both arms to collect blood, several pricks on my fingertips, an empty bladder, and empty intestines. They took everything possible from me to run tests on.

After they did the poking and prodding, the chirpy tech escorted me to a room and told me to wait there for the doctor to come. I don't remember how long I sat there for and cared little, either. The anticipation for answers was the thought occupying my mind primarily. It would continue to do so until I received answers one way or the other. I didn't have anywhere to go or anything to do. I was here for answers and if it took all day of sitting in this room, that is what I am going to do.

While I was waiting, I observed everything in sight in the room. The wall was stark white and held a couple of posters of the human body and anatomy. There was a clock hanging off the wall, but the battery in it must've died because it wasn't moving at all. The table that I was sitting on has a white paper over the top of it, so every time I shift, I make a loud crinkle and announce my discomfort to the entire room. Thankfully, the room was still empty, so I had plenty of time to find the spot that fit best before the doctor came in. There was a desk in the opposite corner with a rolling chair sitting at it. I assume that is where the doctor will sit.