Weightless

1) A Good Start

1st of January 2017

It's easy enough.

In complete honesty, Ethan hadn't thought it would be. His thought had been that he'd spend his time, constantly ravenous and sick of water, craving food which he wouldn't be allowed.

But, on this first day of the new year, he feels as though he could conquer the world. And that's a very new feeling.

He's bought a small book. It has a black cover, A5 sized, and is lined inside. Cal had grimaced when he'd seen it for the first time, perhaps haunted by memories of their parents looking a similar book more than their sons, but Ethan loves it.

All in all, this whole New Year's Resolution is playing out effortlessly. Ethan knows that he's on his way to losing the weight; and presently, Ethan can't think of anything else that he would rather focus on. Not exams, not work, not his non-existent love life or social life, none of that. Getting the number on the scales lower would help him prove to himself that he can, in fact, do anything he sets his mind to. He needs that confidence before anything else.

Ethan sighs gladly before putting his black book away, heading to the kitchen, and then making a salad for tea.

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4th of January 2017

"Dylan, do you mind giving me a second opinion on this?"

Dylan looks as though he minds very much indeed. But perhaps because of duty, he comes over. Or it may just be because he feels almost pity for how confused Ethan looks and wishes to grab the IPad to bonk him over the head with it in a 'you're not a junior doctor anymore, Nathan, you should acting as green as one' sort of fashion.

"What's the problem?" Dylan asks, taking the IPad from Ethan's grasp and looking down at it.

"The patient, a male who is thirty-five, was involved in an RTC. They got away with only scrapes and cuts, but there's something there which is worrying me."

Dylan looks disinterested and the tone of his voice suggests that he most definitely is. "Symptoms?"

"Uh, loss of appetite, abdominal pain which is dull near the navel but sharp when it's in the lower right abdomen, raised temperature..."

Dylan gives Ethan the IPad back and says: "Appendicitis."

Ethan looks at the scan. "Sorry?"

"It's appendicitis, Doctor Hardy. It's easy enough to spot."

With a second look over the scan, Ethan exhales and nods. It's obvious now. "Of course. I'm sorry, Dylan, I-"

"You're not on the ball today Nathan, are you?" Dylan says. "Well, it's not the first time. It still hasn't escaped my mind that you suspected cancer on a patient who was actually suffering with a common cold."

Ethan feels himself flush with utter embarassment and shame. "Well, technically-"

"No harm done this time, Doctor Hardy. My office door is open if you need more second opinions, I'll be in there doing paperwork," Dylan begins to walk away from Ethan before turning back to say: "Try not to kill anyone while I'm gone."

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6th of January 2017

"I was thinking-"

Ethan interrupts Cal to deliver his usual line, putting that notebook down on the kitchen counter and leaning his elbow on it. "Oh, God, always a dangerous pastime."