Journey (3)

Chapter 7

"Hey, Tessa, can I talk to you for a moment?" I turn around to see Dr Lanik walking towards me. 

"What?" I ask, sighing. "I really don't have time to stop. I have a patient in a critical condition that I have to get to."

"I need you to check out this patient," he tells me, gesturing behind to one of the treatment rooms. 

"Have you suddenly lost the ability to do your job?" I ask, folding my arms. "Can't you do it?"

"I would, but I have a meeting in five minutes. Look, I need you to do this. The patient has been in that treatment room for ages, and I want to get it turned around." His voice is firm. 

"What about my patient?" I ask. "You don't think I'm busy, too? I don't have time to do this. Ask someone else."

"I'm asking you to do this," he says firmly. "It won't take long. He's been for scans, blood work, all of that. Just diagnose him and then get him out. It's that simple." 

"Whatever happened to patient care," I scoff, sarcastically. Dr Lanik gives me a sceptical look. "I'll do it, fine," I tell him. "I'm going over there now." 

"Thanks," he says, walking away. "I have to get to a meeting now, but thanks."

"No problem," I say, sighing. I really don't have the time to do this. I just have to hope that I'll get it over and done with quickly so that I can get back to treating my patient.

I access the scans and blood work and make my way in to the treatment room. I see in the notes that the patient already has a standard diagnosis. Perfect. I just have to tell him, and then the discharge papers can be prepared, just like Dr Lanik wanted. 

"Hi," I say, entering the room. "I'm Dr Miller. I've come to give you the results of your scans, and discuss the treatment options going forwards." 

"I'm so glad someone finally came," the patient says, smiling at me. "I've been waiting a while." 

"I apologise for that," I say, politely. "We are experiencing a few delays right now."

"It's okay," he says, nodding. "I get it. So, what's the diagnosis, Dr Miller?"

"Okay, so I have a scan of your lungs right here, and I'm just going to show you a few things," I say, getting the scan up on the screen. 

I move my fingers over the screen to find the area that I want to talk about, when something catches my eye. Something really small, almost invisible, hidden and very easy to miss. I almost missed it, myself.

I take another, closer look at it, zooming in on the screen. Just as I thought. It certainly looked like it. 

"What's going on?" the patient asks, trying to sit up. "What's happening over there." 

"Excuse me for just a moment," I say, keeping a calm voice. "I just have to check something. I'm going to be right back." 

I leave the room, searching for someone to give me a second opinion on the lung scan. "Will, wait," I say, as he walks past. "Hold on. I need your opinion on this." 

"What is it?" he asks, as I show him the lung scans. "Yeah, pretty standard. Some congestion in the lungs, should be an easy diagnosis. This is what you needed a second opinion on?"

"No," I say, shaking my head. I zoom in on the same area again, and point it out to him. "Look at that. It's so small, but you can just about make out what it is."

"A tumour," Will agreed, nodding. "You're right, it's really small. Good eye. I might not have seen it." 

"I think we caught it early," I say. "Looks like this patient is going to be staying in here for a while longer. Dr Lanik won't be happy about that."