"As far as I can tell," Dr. Kapoor said to Bruce. "Stem cell therapy is not reversing the damage to your knee."
Bruce looked at Dr. Kapoor intently.
"Is my knee worse than it was a couple weeks go?" Bruce asked.
"Your asking if there's been more degradation?" the doctor asked.
"You've just said it yourself," Bruce said. "It hasn't reversed the damage. But there hasn't been any further damage, correct?"
Dr. Kapoor could see where Bruce was going with this, and he was not pleased.
"Bruce," Dr. Kapoor said. "You are correct. The deterioration seems to have stabilized but that it not the outcome we are looking for. Even if your knee does not progress and get worse...which is highly unlikely...you will still require surgery. Nothing will change that at this point."
"My body recovers," Bruce said. "Very well."
"You are strong and healthy, Bruce," Dr. Kapoor agreed. "That is true. And I would like to keep it that way."
"And I would not like to reduce the strength of one side of my body," Bruce said.
"A 25% reduction in muscle strength at most," Dr. Kapoor said. "You are fit and adept and building strength. I doubt you would notice much of a change-"
"I will allow my body to recover naturally," Bruce said.
Dr. Kapoor felt like he was at a loss. Bruce was refusing a surgery that was absolutely necessary. He could tell that Bruce had a sense of strength..to the point of invincibility. It wasn't realistic for the situation.
The doctor cleared his throat.
"If there is to be any type of a recovery," the doctor said. "Which..again, I do not see as being a realistic outcome..the process will be long and painful. You must be in a great deal of pain, Bruce."
"It is not unbearable," Bruce said. "I have a high pain threshold and this is manageable."
"Well..." the doctor said. "Looking at the scans I've done...I do not see how that is possible. You still have some low grade swelling and inflammation-"
"It's a three on a one to ten," Bruce told the doctor.
"Are you taking anything for the pain?" the doctor asked.
Bruce looked the doctor directly in the eyes and answered. "Aspirin."
"And that is all?" the doctor said. "I can't imagine that would be enough-"
"It takes the edge off and that is all I need," Bruce said. "And the pain is lessening by the day."
.
.
.
"Doc will be here in a few," the Joker told Lucius as he looked at the impeccably organized boxes. "Therapy appointment."
"I suppose you'll want to talk to him about some of these..." Lucius looked into a small box full of knives. "Relics."
"Perhaps," the Joker said and taped the box in front of Lucius shut. "Don't remember all of them."
Lucius reached into one of the boxes and pulled something out.
"From a floppy disk?" he asked the Joker.
The Joker shrugged.
"No idea," he said. "Adriana said the same."
"So you and Adriana went to collect these things," Lucius said.
