Doing The Dance (Jackson Avery Fanfic)

fifty

2017

"Hi Taylor, how are you feeling?" Doctor Hyland asked when she came into my room. I sat up slightly.

"I've been better, this reaction was worse than the last"

"I'm not surprised. I've read Doctor Avery's notes on it, seems like it hit you worse"

"Why does this keep happening to me, Doctor Hyland?" She flashed me a sympathetic smile.

"Because it's trying to prove it's better than you, stronger than you. But you and I both know that's not true" I chuckled weakly. My talk with Catherine had really tired me out.

"So, where do we go from here?"

"Well, I think I've figured out the reason you've reacted twice. Both new strains we've tried you on in the last few years contained dihydrofolate enzymes, which has resulted in adverse allergic rejection and reaction in your body. So, all we do is find a strain that doesn't contain that particular enzyme and get it started" I was basing my reaction on hers. And she should have been over the moon to know the root of the problem, but her face was still perplexed.

"But?"

"But what?" I rolled my eyes.

"Don't forget I'm a doctor too, and very familiar with cancer thanks to thirteen years of fighting. There's something else." She sighed.

"Okay, the problem is the strains we've looked into to best combat the cells in your liver and your head are not strong enough without this enzyme present" I felt deflated.

"We can't get this close and just give up!" Doctor Hyland smiled that same sympathetic smile at me.

"I know we can't. But I don't know what else to do."

"What about a head CT?"

"Doctor Dawson, a head CT isn't going to help us find an answer here"

"No, think about it. A head CT. Send it to Derek Shepherd. See what he thinks about the tumour. We get it gone, and we're no longer compromising my liver and my head to find a strain. We focus solely on the liver, find a stronger strain, and get me in remission. Which has been our goal for many years" Doctor Hyland nodded, a determined look on her face.

"You might be onto something here, Taylor. Are you up for a head CT?" I nodded with a smile. She smiled back. "Then I'll page Shepherd right now"

Derek Shepherd was in my ICU room within minutes.

"God, I hope you didn't just drop everything to come here" I joked with a laugh. He shrugged.

"Well, you seem more spritely than you did twelve hours ago when you were threatening to throw up in my car. Not to mention, you're kind of a VIP patient around here." He said with a wink. "Now, why does a cancer patient need a neuro consult?"

"Because the cancer patient has a tumour."

"Taylor" He warned.

"In order to go on a strain that's going to work on my liver, we need to find one targeted to only my liver. I want a CT to confirm that you can remove my tumour, and once that's confirmed then I want you to remove my tumour. One last surgery"

"I thought the plan was to get every other cell completely gone, that way the recovery from brain surgery was the end" I nodded.

"I know, but the plan has changed. Without removing this tumour, remission is further on the horizon. It could be too far away" He looked to Doctor Hyland.

"Do you agree?" She sighed.

"Doctor Dawson has an allergy to a specific enzyme. To use any strain that doesn't contain it for her head and her liver wouldn't be strong enough. I think she's right, only focusing on her liver gives her the best chance of remission" Derek nodded, looking at me.