Not Falling Apart

Chapter 7

Dr. Barnes’ POV

Dr. Barnes walked towards emergency room 137, where he was requested. He walked in on no other than Adam. Adam, whom he had told to call him if he still wasn’t feeling well, and here he was, lying in a hospital bed, barely conscious with needles all in his arms and plugged into machines. Nurses and doctors surrounded him.

“How is he?”

A nurse pulled down her face mask. “He’s severely dehydrated, and doesn’t look like he’s had much to eat, which is probably why he fainted. We’ve got him on an IV and painkiller."

Dr. Barnes looked down at him. In his nearly 30 years of being a doctor, he’d seen it all. He’d seen people die, seen horrible injuries and incurable diseases. For the first time in his life, he felt unworthy of his Ph.D. He had told Adam that it was just stress, that he’d get better. Screw the negative blood results. He should have done more, more tests, anything. He’d do anything to go back in time, so he wouldn’t have to see Adam lying here now. This all quite possibly could have been prevented.

Another doctor spoke. “Dr. Barnes?”

“Yes?”

“What do you want to do now?”

Dr. Barnes tried to recall all of the symptoms Adam had described last time he was here. Loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, nausea, and dizziness. And they had probably only gotten worse.

Then it hit him. It didn’t necessarily have to show up in a blood test, especially not in the early stages. And Adam had all the symptoms. He wasn’t positive, yet, but he had a strong feeling.

“Endoscopy.”

“Um, sir, don’t you think that’s a little, extreme? I think we can get him stabilized with some more IVs and close monitoring…”

“There’s no time to talk.” Dr. Barnes began prepping for the procedure. “I want an upper GI endoscopy, now.”

The younger doctor said no more. He and a couple other nurses began getting ready as well.

“Is he still unconscious?”

“No.”

“Sedate him.”

A nurse went over and stuck another needle into his left arm. She also sprayed an anesthetic in the back of his throat.

“And you said he’s already on painkillers?”

“Yes.”

Dr. Barnes waited a few minutes for everything to take effect. He was out cold. Then he ordered a nurse to move him to where he was lying on his side. He inserted the end of the endoscope into his mouth and carefully guided it down his throat and into his stomach. He knew exactly what he was looking for, and praying that he wouldn’t find it. 

Blake’s POV

Nearly two hours. Blake kept glancing at the clock on the wall. He had called the others back at the studio, telling them that he was here, and Adam was being examined, but that’s all he knew. He told them he would keep them posted.

He didn’t feel like messing around on his phone, so he just watched people come in and out of the building. Little kids, pregnant women, elderly people. He’d never seen so many people with so many various ailments.

He heard a voice behind him call his name. It was Adam’s doctor.

“Blake?”

He jumped up. “Yes?”

“Come with me.”

He was led to an unoccupied examining room, away from the noise of the large waiting room and reception area.

“How is he?” Blake couldn’t stand the waiting any longer.

The doctor sighed. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”