Crazy Stories With The Crew

The Good Doctor - Covered in White: Part 2

Simultaneously:

Dr. Kalu, Dr. Lim, and Dr. Browne were getting ready to meet their young patient.

"Born with cataracts, huh? That must really suck, having the sight of a frozen window since you were born. How often does that happen?" Dr. Browne asked, sympathizing with the little boy.

"As far as I know, the chances are one in five thousand." Dr. Lim replied.

Dr. Kalu opened the door and was prepared to go in, but he immediately closed it again, catching Dr. Lim and Dr. Browne off guard.

"Uh...What's the holdup, Dr. Kalu?" Dr. Lim asked, looking at Dr. Kalu's nervous face. Dr. Kalu sighed and hung his head.

"He's adorable." Dr. Kalu confessed. Dr. Browne guffawed and attempted to hide it by placing her hand over her mouth. Dr. Lim rubbed her nose.

"That doesn't matter. Open the damn door!" Dr. Lim yelled. Dr. Kalu obediently opened the door. They walked into the room.

"Hello. My name is Dr. Lim, and these are my two residents. Dr. Kalu and Dr. Browne." Dr. Lim said.

"Hello, Dr. Lim. I'm Sheryl, this is my husband Dexter, and this is my son Zachary." Sheryl said.

"Mom, I'm Zach! Not Zachary." Zach complained. 

"He's getting into that phase..." Sheryl whispered. Dr. Kalu smiled as he walked up to the boy and grabbed his hand.

"Hi, Zach. I'm Dr. Kalu. You can call me Jared." Dr. Kalu said.

"Jared? Cool! I want to feel your face. Can I?" Zach asked. Dr. Kalu was hesitant but curious.

"Uh...Sure." Dr. Kalu replied and knelt down to Zach's height. Zach placed his small hands on Dr. Kalu's face and felt his bangless forehead, his dark eyebrows, his warm cheeks, and his mildly pointy chin.

"Ooh! Do you have black skin?" Zach asked as he felt the residents frizzy, curly hair.

"Sort of. I have brown skin. How did you know?" Dr. Kalu asked, curious as to how a blind person can find that out.

"White people normally have softer, more flowy hair, while black and brown people have more frizzy, dry, yarn-like hair. Or...at least that's what it's like at school." Zach explained. Dr. Browne felt her own hair out of curiosity.

"Oh. That makes sense." Dr. Kalu replied. While Dr. Kalu was examining Zach's advanced cataracts, Dr. Lim was talking with Zach's parents about the surgery and its potential complications.

"Are you okay with the risks?" Dr. Lim asked.

"We looked up the risks beforehand, and we're willing to go ahead with the surgery. It's been really hard for us because braille books are expensive and he gets bullied at school. All I want in life is to let my son see me at least once in his lifetime." Sheryl said, choking up as she spoke.

Dr. Browne walked up to Sheryl. "Don't worry Sheryl. We will take care of your son and do whatever we can to help him see." Dr. Browne reassured.

"Thank you. You're all very kind." Sheryl replied, holding Dr. Browne hand.

After the surgeons left the room, Dr. Lim started to talk to Dr. Browne about her words.

"You need to remember that complications are common and that we can't guarantee a perfect surgery and recovery. I know you were just trying to help, but sometimes people are guaranteed lifetime blindness." Dr. Lim explained.

"Dr. Lim, he has cataracts. Cataracts are reversible. Sure we can't guarantee full recovery, but we can at least try to help him see better." Dr. Browne defended.

"We will try to help him see. Just remember that complications can occur." Dr. Lim concluded...