"Dr. Kovac? You have a pedes case. Broken leg in Exam 3." Randi's gum
popped loud enough to provide percussion for a rock band. Picking up
the chart, Luka went into the room. Carter was already there talking
with the young boy and his mother.
"Good afternoon, I'm Dr. Kovac. Let's see what we have here. Looks
like you really did a number on that leg."
"That's just it, doctor. Kevin and I were on our way up the steps to
the El platform when he tripped and the leg just snapped. That's not
normal is it?"
"Well, Kevin could have aggravated a previous hair-line fracture. Has
your leg been bothering you recently?" The boy shook his head. "OK
we'll get some x-rays and see if we can't start making you feel
better.
"I've already had a full set of x-rays taken." Carter said. "I
thought it would save time."
"So it will." Luka smiled. "The sooner we see what's wrong, the
sooner we can begin fixing it."
When the x-rays came, John took them into the hall. Luka joined him
in front of the nearest light panel and switched it on. The break was
a bad one. Carter glanced at the film and sighed heavily. "Will you
say it, or will I"
"It looks like cancer." Luka agreed sadly. Order a full blood work up
and give Oncology the heads up. I'll go and prepare them. Damn." Luka
took the x-rays and returned to his patient, while John prepared to
get the blood needed for the lab. He worked quietly while Luka gently
explained that the x-rays indicated the presence of a serious
illness. Kevin and his mother took it well.
John went to the lab himself so that they wouldn't have a long wait.
Normally, it was first-come-first-served, but John's pleasant manners
had won him a few friends in the lab. "Ms. Suda, could you do me a
favor and process these right away? It's more than likely that this
patient has cancer. Dr. Kovac told the family of our suspicions and
I'd rather they didn't have to wait too long before we know for sure."
"No problem, Dr. Carter. Why don't you run these results up to the ER
while I get started. It shouldn't take much longer than twenty
minutes." The young Pakastani woman handed John a sheaf of folders.
"Thanks."
Ms. Suda was a good as her word. In less than half an hour, the
results came back confirming their diagnosis.
"I'm very sorry, Mrs. Davis, but Kevin's blood work shows he does
have cancer. I've called for a specialist to come in and examine him.
We'll admit your son and see what treatment is recommended. Do you
need to call anyone?"
"No, Dr. Kovac. I'll wait with Kevin until the specialist arrives.
Could we have a few minutes to ourselves?"
"Of course. Kevin? Let me know if the pain becomes worse. I'll be
right outside." Luka left mother and son and went into the hall. John
was standing there looking as if he could cry.
"You suspected this from the beginning didn't you?" Luka asked
quietly.
His young friend nodded and swallowed hard. "I hope they don't have
to wait too long."
Luka looked in on the family through the window. Mother and son were
praying the rosary. "At least they have their faith. That should make
this easier for them."
Dr. Melsher came up the hall. "What's going on?"
"Cancer. Carcinoma on the left tibia. Elevated white blood cell
count. The patient broke his leg by tripping on some stairs. No
exterior trauma. His mother said the leg just snapped." Luka
explained for the oncologist. "Here's the blood work, the x-rays are
inside."
"OK." Dr. Melsher went into the treatment room. Thirty minutes later,
he and Luka wheeled Kevin into the elevator and up to surgery. They
were going to amputate. When Luka came back downstairs he looked for
Carter but didn't see him. Returning to Exam 3 to get his
stethoscope, he found Carter sitting in there crying silently.
"Hey, what's the matter? Are you OK?"
"I'll be alright." Carter sniffed then blew his nose. "I know I
shouldn't let this get to me, but ..."
"You don't have to apologize for being human, Carter. He's the only
child of a widow. This is going to hit her hard. Why don't we go up
to the roof and get some air. Things are pretty slow right now."
John nodded and followed Luka to the elevator. By the time they
reached the roof, John had managed to calm himself. "Sorry for losing
it back there."
"It happens to all of us. They're nice people and their world just
turned upside down."
"I know. Do you think Kevin's mother took the news a little too well?"
"Maybe. I know it will take awhile for the truth to sink in. But you
saw them praying, they've already enlisted the aid of the most gifted
specialist I know. Somehow, I get the feeling that everything will
work out just fine for the both of them."
"Because they were praying?"
"Partially, probably. God answers prayers."
"Yeah, but sometimes the answer is 'no'." Carter's eyes teared up
again. He fished through his pockets looking for some tissue. He
looked up again to see that Luka had moved closer. His colleague
reached out gently and wiped the tears from Carter's cheek.
"Do you want to talk about it? I think there is more to this than the
patient we just admitted?" Luka asked gently.
"Yeah. You're right. My brother died of leukemia that was triggered
by a melanoblastoma on the same bone as Kevin. I never thought that
one day I'd be present when the same news was delivered to someone
else."
"You and your brother were close?"
"Very. I still miss him. His death kind of wrecked my family."
"I'm sorry, Carter. Pain and suffering are a part of life, but that
doesn't make it any easier to deal with."
"Tell me about it." John said grimly. "We'd better get back to work.
I'd rather not have to add Dr. Weaver's reprimands to what is rapidly
turning into a really shitty day."
The two men returned to the ER. Kerry noticed them leaving the
elevator and shook her head. News of Kevin's diagnosis had spread and
she was worried about Carter. One night, while they were still living
together, John had told her about his brother. She'd make time to
talk to him when his break came.
John got through the rest of his shift with no further problems. He'd
talked with Kerry and reassured her that he would be OK. Now, as he
waited for the El', he realized that Luka had actually touched him.
At the time, he'd been too upset and concentrating too hard on
remaining calm to appreciate that gentle touch. He smiled at the
memory and did not hear the footsteps coming up on his left.
"It's good to see you smiling." It was Luka. "Feeling any better?"
"A little." John looked up the track hoping his train would get there
soon."
"I checked in with Dr. Melsher before I left. He seemed pretty
optimistic about Kevin's chances."
"That's good. When are they going to start chemo?
"In two days. The surgery went very well, but they want to wait and
give Kevin the time to get a little stronger before beginning drug
therapy." Luka explained as a train entered the station. John
rejoiced when he saw that it was the train he'd been waiting for.
"I'll see you." John shouldered his backpack and moved toward the
edge of the platform. Luka followed him.
"Is this your train?"
"Yeah."
"Mine too." Luka smiled as they boarded and found seats. He was
acutely aware of the pressure and warmth of John's thigh next to his
own. They rode in silence. When his stop was announced, John stood
up. Luka did the same.
"Don't tell me. This is your stop." Carter asked.
''No. I'm inviting myself over for coffee. You look like you could
use some company."
"Well," Carter paused furious at his inability to come up with a
plausible excuse for sending Luka on his way. "OK." What the hell, it
was only for coffee. They could even sit in separate chairs.
Copyright Footer', 'This site is not affiliated in any way with "ER", its writers or production company, or NBC, and makes no profit from the show. The ERROS skin is by Brihana. The script is eFiction version 3.4.2© Tammy Keefer, http://efiction.org\r\n