Indiscretion: Callie Douglas - Book Four

Chapter Fourteen

"Hi, I'm Dr. Callie Douglas", I said as I escorted my next patient into my office.

"Hi, I'm Montgomery Price. But please call me Monty."

"How may I help you, Monty?"

"I don't think I need your help, but my girlfriend made me promise to come in. I need to get her off my back."

"Why did she want you to come in?"

"My girlfriend wanted me to go to a doctor. I have been getting a lot of muscle aches – part of getting older, I guess – and I went to the staff doctor to talk about it, just like I promised her I would. But Dr. Arden referred me to you. So I'm here to get my girlfriend off my back."

"What sort of muscle pain are you experiencing?"

"I get a lot of back pain and headaches."

"Is the pain associated with doing anything in particular?"

"No, not really. They're just there."

"Are they worse at any particular time of the day?"

"No. There is no pattern to them."

"How many hours are you sleeping in a twenty-four hour period?"

"I'm having trouble sleeping. I'm probably getting about five hours per night."

"Is your insomnia related to your muscle pain?"

"No. I just can't sleep. I'm a little too restless."

"Are you irritable at all?"

"I am. With not sleeping, I'm taking the head off anyone who looks at me the wrong way. My girlfriend's getting frustrated with me."

"Have there been any changes in the amount of alcohol or drugs that you're taking?"

"I've been drinking more than normal, but I don't do drugs."

"That's good", I smiled. "How has your mood been over the last two weeks?"

"I've been pretty irritable. As I said, I haven't been sleeping well."

"Lack of sleep would definitely make you irritable. Have you noticed any changes in your appetite or your weight?"

"I've been gaining weight, so I guess that I've been eating more. I'm not really sure."

"How is sex?"

"I haven't been interested in having sex. I think that's the main reason my girlfriend wanted me to see the doctor."

"Why aren't you interested in having sex?"

"I just feel a bit removed from my girlfriend right now, like there is some separation between us. I wouldn't tell her that. I don't want to make her think that I don't love her. I do. I just feel a bit isolated from her at the moment. I don't know how to describe it."

"What about risky behaviour? Are you engaging in activities that are higher risk than normal?"

"I guess so. I've had two speeding tickets in the last month. I can't remember the last time I got a speeding ticket."

"How about your mood? I know you said irritable, but have you felt sad?"

"Not really."

"Happy?"

"Not at all. These muscle aches are getting to me."

"Hopeless?"

"Yes, a bit. Like nothing seems to matter anymore. I keep thinking that there's no point to things. My girlfriend is getting mad at me because I'm going out and spending so much money. But there doesn't seem to be any point to saving money, or to planning for the future. I don't feel like I have a future."