“Are you feeling ok Mr. Bentley? Did anything else happen prior to the
incident outside your office building?
Dizziness or a headache perhaps?”
His eyelids fluttered then closed.
“Why do you ask?”
“Your pupils.”
“I think you might be referring to my Anisocoric
condition. Must have been a little more
prominent this time because of the change in lighting.”
Another lie smoothly delivered. It felt more natural this time. He had researched it one night as Trina slept
next to him accessing the Wi Fi signal in the bedroom with the computer turned
on down the hallway. If he was ever
questioned about the unevenness any further his answer was waiting.
She wasn’t used to such an easy explanation coming
from someone without a medical background.
There was no mention of it in his chart.
Something didn’t seem right about it, piquing her curiosity
further. Marlene dismissed it for the time
being.
“Must have delivered some punch with that hand. What’s the other guy look like?”
His knuckles throbbed with every beat echoing from his
chest cavity. Seated on a rolling stool
she examined the afflicted hand tenderly turning it to get a better view. John Bentley was perspiring now due to the
pain.
“I think it’s broken.
It must have happened near the dumpster.”
“Steel rarely gives against bones in the body. We’ll order an X-ray.”
He gingerly placed his sweaty palm down beside him
careful not to apply any unwanted pressure.
Marlene brought down the overhead light motioning her
hand near the sensor turning it on. Standing behind him she carefully palpated
along his hairline stopping at the edge near the small entrance of the port. She cleaned the area thoroughly noticing some
inflammation along with contusions resembling finger marks.
A nurse entered after a light knock getting called to
take some pictures of the area then uploading them to Marlene’s tablet. She wanted to consult with the team from
Stanford before proceeding any further inside.
A CAT scan was also going to be administered as a precaution.
“He coming back anytime soon? I mean with the phone call he said he had to
make.”
“Not sure.”
“Alright. We’re
going to send you up for a few tests and probably a consult with an Orthopedic
surgeon for the hand. I’m confident it’s
fractured but without the X-ray the severity is unknown. Your port is another matter altogether. I’ve followed the instructions left by your
team of specialists but I need to speak with them further about it. If Mr. Conroy comes back he’ll know where to
look for you.”
“Am I going to be admitted?”
“Depends on the conference call. A lot of time and money invested in you from
what I understand.”
“You don’t have to remind me.”
An orderly appeared in the hall outside the door after
Marlene Scott had opened it. He wheeled
in a chair to take John Bentley upstairs.
“That really necessary Doc?”
“Yes.”
She watched them disappear around the corner headed to
the bank of elevators. Sliding her index finger across the screen of her tablet
she touched on the email icon quickly sending a request to obtain her patient’s
full medical records including those transferred over prior to the procedure.
