Make a Wish || Rhett and Link

Chapter 10 - Scans

*****Cooper's Point of View*****

"You okay in there Cooper?"

"Yeah" I called back.

"Hold really still, we're taking the scans now."

I was lying in a huge, white tube wearing nothing but a hospital gown. This was how they scanned the inside of my head. There were a few flashes of light.

"Alright Coop, we're bringing you out now."

The machine whirred and the uncomfortable bench I was lying on was brought out. I looked at my doctor through the window. He gave me a thumbs up.

The nurse came in and helped me back into the wheelchair, before she took me around to the control room. The doctor was studying the screen intensely.

"What are the results?" I asked nervously.

The doctor rolled his chair over and the nurse rolled me in next to him. He put 2 pictures up, one on each monitor.

"So, this is the last scan you did back in November. And this is the one we just did." He explained.

"It looks like my brain."

"Hmmm... I wonder why that is..." the doctor said, chuckling. He had a sense of humor. "And these dots are-"

"Tumors." I finished breathlessly.

"Yes, yes they are." he said. "Now, can you spot the difference between these too pictures?"

I looked at the first one, then back over at the second. "No, I don't see it."

"What? Come on, you have to. It's obvious."

"Show me."

"Okay, well, look at this dot on the old picture, and look at the one on the new picture."

"Yes?"

"It's shrunk a third of it's size Coop. The treatment is working!"

"Yes, but it's still there." I noted.

The doctor sighed. "Cooper, it's going to be a long time until it's gone completely. Years. Until then, we need to celebrate these victories. Are you feeling better?"

"No." I said plainly. Last brain scan, I still had my hair, and my skin was a nice colour. Now, I was as pale as a ghost, and as bald as a hairless cat. Not to mention that I lost all my strength. Plus I still had my family.

"Hmm..." the doctor said.

"I don't like chemo."

"Yeah, that's generally the reaction we get." The doctor said. "How long have you been on chemo?"

"Since December, so 3 months." I explained.

"Well, I have some news."

"Good or Bad?"

"Could be either, depending on how you take it."

"Okay then. Let's hear it." I said.

"Well, because of your age, and how your body is reacting to the treatment, we can only do it in four month blocks. After 4 months of the treatment, we give you a 2 month break to, you know, build your strength back up. And I can tell by the smile on your face, you are not excited at all."

"So, one more month, and then I get a holiday? A two month holiday?" I asked excitedly.

"Pretty much."

"Will it, uh, impact my time left?"

The doctor hung his head. "No. It won't. But I have hope for you, Coop. The medication is working. And that's great news. I think you have a 50-50 chance of making it past Christmas now. That's a lot better than last time."

"But my parents told me last time that I would make it to new year..."

"Cooper, last time, you had a 15% chance of making it to Christmas." The doctor said, gulping.

"Oh."

"But hey, improvements are good. You're strong Cooper, and I have hope."

"Where am I going to go on my two month holiday? Do I have to stay here?"

"No, I don't think you'll be staying here. But I'm not sure where you'll go. I think they called your uncle. But I can't be sure. I'm a doctor, not a social worker."

"Well, thanks anyway." I said.

"I'll call them this afternoon and tell them the good news."

"Okay. Cool."

"Well, I guess I'll see you in a few weeks Coop. I'll check in just before you leave."

"See you later doc, thanks for the help." I said.

The nurse wheeled me away back up to my room and helped me back into bed. I guess that was good news. I was supposedly going to live longer. And I was getting a vacation.

Everything's Okay...Cause I'm on Vacation!

The familiar Rhett and Link song popped into my mind. It made me smile. They never fail to make me do that.

Thinking of that, I grabbed the iPad and turned it on. Today was Monday, and I hadn't watched GMM yet. I expertly used my fingers to find the video on the YouTube app. As the intro played, I smiled.

It was only 2 short weeks until I saw them again.