Belle's Story

Chapter Sixteen

Belle was interrupted by a knock at the door. A kid in white lab coat, dress shirt and tie introduced himself as Dr. Alvarez, the resident on call.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked as he pressed against Belle's belly.

"Today is a good day. My granddaughter brought me some pretty flowers." Belle glanced toward the window sill.

Dr. Alvarez nodded and continued his exam. "Your heart is a little weaker than I'd like," he said as he listened to his stethoscope. "I'd like to order an EKG and some motion study tests."

"Is that really necessary?" I asked. "You've already put Belle through so many tests."

Belle responded to my question first. "If the doctor thinks I need a test, then maybe I should take the test. Is it a difficult?"

"EKGs are very simple tests," Dr. Alvarez reassured me. "We will just put some receptors on your grandmother with adhesive and run a wire from the receptors to the EKG machine. It's completely non-invasive and your grandmother won't be in any discomfort. The motion studies just assess Mrs. Kimmelfield's ability to handle basic self-care." Dr. Alvarez addressed the next part of his speech to Belle. "At some point soon, Medicare is going to evict you from our luxury condos. It makes sense for us to get all the information about your health so we can know the best next steps in your treatment."

Belle perked up immediately at this point in the conversation. "What next steps? After this, I'm returning to my home. That has never been in dispute."

"Will we see Dr. Marcus today?" I interjected, wanting the opinion of someone who inspired more confidence than the Doogie Howser standing next to me.

"No. He's out of town today." Dr. Alvarez leaned toward the bed. "I agree with you, Mrs. Kimmelfield. I'd be the first person to insist that the goal of your treatment should be to return home. But, we want to do that safely and with the information we need to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. The EKG will give us a sense of your heart's strength. The mobility assessment will let us know what exercises or equipment you should have. I am strongly considering recommending a stint in our rehab facility across the way. That will give you ample time to get strong enough to go home, while working on some skills that will make things easier for you when you get there.

"What things?" Belle was suspicious.

"Things like getting up and down more easily, avoiding falling, being able to go the bathroom without too much help. Does that sound reasonable?

My grandmother's response was a shrug, a great victory for the doctor.

Medicare will pay for rehab care longer than a normal hospital stay. And, they'll have resources not available to us on this side of the building. You'll still get visits from Dr. Marcus and all the rest of us, so this will just be basically like changing rooms in the hospital. But, before we can move you, we'll need a firm diagnosis and prognosis. As I said, the EKG and some other tests will help with that.

As I listened to this kid in the white coat who was barely older than me, I realized his arguments were iron clad. He was growing on me. More importantly, Belle seemed to accept his approach too.

"Do you have any more questions?"

"I'd like you to try to get out of bed today. Maybe your granddaughter could help you to sit in a chair."

"Yes, yes," Belle said with a mix of irritation and resignation.

"It was nice meeting you both," Dr. Alvarez said.

He shook Belle's hand, and looked down as if assessing her grip, and left.

"Deborah, can you find a nurse? I'd like a sponge bath and to get dressed. We can move to the chair after that."