Chapter 29: Only Dr Janice can help us with that
In a luxuriously furnished office, a tall handso man sat behind the dark mahogany desk peering down at a stack of docunts, his expression gloomier than the weather on a rainy day.
His grim look made even the bright light streaming in from the floor to ceiling window appear out of place.
When Johnson pushed open the door to the President’s office, he was imdiately engulfed by the lancholic atmosphere.
He stood still, hesitating for a mont, not sure whether he should go back out or say sothing.
"Speak," ordered Shawn, without even bothering to look up from the pile of docunts before him.
"Sir, it’s about old Mrs Hudson."
Shawn’s head jerked up from the docunts he was reading towards Johnson’s direction. He had an apprehensive look as he inquired, "What about her?"
"The butler just called and said that the old lady’s health had deteriorated and she’s been rushed to the theater to be revived."
Shawn stood up abruptly, "When was that?" He asked, his voice rising in worry. He grabbed his jacket from the suit stand and headed straight for the door in long strides.
"About ten minutes ago."
"Any news about Dr Janice?"
"None yet. But our aides said she’s been away from Luxembourg for over a month now."
They arrived by the elevator and Johnson pressed the button.
"Find out about her present location and report to
imdiately." He stepped into the elevator with Johnson. "I don’t mind going to see her in person if she’s not replying to our mails. Nana’s treatnt can no longer be delayed."
"Yes sir."
The drive to the hospital took them about thirty minutes. Most of the workers were already in their offices, so traffic was light.
Shawn had always hated the sll of disinfectant. If not for his Nana, there’s no way he’d co to the hospital. But for the past few years he could count on his five fingers the months he hadn’t been to the hospital.
Three years ago, his grandmother was diagnosed with a rare disease.
It started with a terrible ache around her abdon. Then it gradually advanced to swollen lymph nodes.
So months later, so rash began to spread across her body.
When so clinical tests were carried out, it was discovered that so vital body parts have been affected.
Two years later, there was a hemorrhage in her retina which led to loss of vision.
Because the liver was also affected, causing her body to accumulate fluid, she gained weight inexplicably.
The doctors’ diagnosis later revealed liver cirrhosis and they comnced treatnt for that. But since then, several other symptoms have been popping up every now and then and she’s been in and out of the hospital the past three years.
It was last year that Dr Steffan Rosse, who happened to be Shawn’s best friend, returned back to the country.
Dr Steffan had been away for ten years pursuing his dical career. After returning to Baltimore, he learnt about old Mrs Hudson’s sickness and told them about Dr Janice whom he had heard a lot about when he was abroad.
Through his contacts, he was able to get Dr Janice’s email address and shared it with Shawn.
Since then, they’ve been trying to reach her but to no avail. Despite sending nurous mails, none has been replied to, thus they have been unable to book an appointnt with her.
Shawn was already familiar with the hospital so knew where the theater was. When they arrived, the nurses were just wheeling his grandmother out of the theater, with them was Dr Steffan who has been in charge of his grandmother’s treatnt for the past one year.
"How is my Nana, Steffan?"
"She’s out of danger now," responded Dr Steffan.
They followed them to the VIP ward. After settling her in bed, Dr Steffan turned to Shawn.
"Can you please follow
to my office? I need to discuss sothing with you."
Shawn stared at his grandmother lying almost lifeless on the bed. He swallowed the lump that had ford in his throat.
"I’ll be back," he said to his grandmother’s maid who has been taking care of her. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. With the back of her hand, she wiped off the pool of water that had gathered in her eyes and nodded in silence.
Shawn motioned with his eyes to Johnson to stay back and then followed his friend out.
Dr Steffan closed the door behind them as soon as they got to his office.
"Shawn..." He took his seat behind the desk and indicated for Shawn to sit.
"Although your grandmother has been rescued, we don’t know how long we can keep up with this." He drew in a long breath, exhaled, then continued,
"As you are already aware, the crisis have been more frequent recently and we don’t know when the next one will occur."
"She has been on steroids all these months in order to alleviate her pains but we can’t continue giving her that."
"Why do we need to stop the steroid’s injection? At least she’ll be relieved from the pain with the injection until we find Dr Janice to get a proper diagnosis, why stop now?"
Steffan stood up, walked over to Shawn and placed a hand over his shoulder.
"I know you are concerned about your grandmother, we all are. But long term use of steroids have side effects. I think I explained this to you in the beginning."
"You did, Steffan," Shawn affird. "It was ant to be a temporary asure while we wait for a proper diagnosis."
"It’s good that you rembered."
"As you are aware, we have been giving your grandmother different forms of steroids for over a year now and that is quite a long ti. Now, the side effects are beginning to kick in."
Looking straight into Shawn’s sad eyes, he said,
"What we need is a permanent solution to her ailnt and only Dr Janice can help us with that."
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