CHAPTER 86: Reasons To Be Cheerful

 

"Good morning....Jarrod, I'm Dr Julia Epstein and I believe you're going home today?" said Julia, checking the patient's notes.

"Uh, yeah, I've got to get a shot before I do" said the boy, looking nervous.  "Will it hurt?"

Julia looked at the notes again and saw that Dr Murakami was Jarrod's consultant.  "Well, the needles and techniques are getting better all the time.  Whatever you feel will soon wear off.  The important thing is getting you all better and then you can go home and have lots of playtime" she said, trying to reassure the boy.

Julia checked the boy's temperature and blood pressure, updated the chart and moved on.  She was determined to clear her case load and bag that long awaited promotion.  Her next stop was Miss Kacie Roche who had a curious case of blotches and rashes all over her skin.  

"Good morning, Miss Roche, I'm Dr Epstein and I'm here to do a few tests."

"Yeah....just do what you have to do, Doctor" said a weary sounding Miss Roche.

Julia checked her eyes with her pen torch but that seemed to disorient the patient.  Checking her temperature she found that it was just over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  Finally, she took an oral swab for testing.

If there was one area Julia could improve her medical skills, it was analysing patient samples.  She'd been studying hard and observing the other, more experienced doctors to improve her skills and she wanted to get a good result this time so she could make progress in clearing cases instead of spending a whole day doing test after test because she'd read the data incorrectly the first or second time.  Taking extra care with the patient sample, she put the saliva swab in the chemical analyser and meticulously followed the procedure to get the best results.

Once she had the lab report, she was intercepted by Dr Murakami.  "Ah, Dr Epstein...what have we here?  This is Miss Roche's sample report, if I'm not mistaken" she said, gently snatching the report from Julia's hand.

"Looking at these results, what do you think is the most likely diagnosis of Miss Roche's illness?" said Dr Murakami.

Julia thought hard: She had only seen the results of the test for a moment but....the swirling rash, the disorientation....she remembered something from a lecture at medical school.  "Triple Threat, Dr Murakami!" she blurted out.

"Indeed.  Triple Threat.  Well spotted, Dr Epstein.  Of course a doctor as young as yourself won't have the experience to treat Triple Threat properly so I'll be taking over the case" said the senior doctor.

"But...will I get credit for making the diagnosis?" asked Julia, nervously.

"I will be sure to mention you in my notes" replied a calm Dr Murakami.

Julia was worried that Dr Murakami would go back on her word; she'd done that before.  She rarely gave credit or even shared it.  Julia walked to the hospital lobby to check on who had been admitted and needed an examination.

"We have this little lady, Kristy St Clair" said Francesca, the senior nurse who was on the admissions desk today.  She pointed to a very dainty and prim little black girl who was standing bravely with her father at the desk.

"She doesn't think there isn't anything wrong with her, Doctor" said Mr St Clair.  "but she's been off her food and been very lethargic at home"

"Well, let's see if we can get to the bottom of this, eh Kristy?" said Julia, in a friendly  and reassuring voice.

Julia took Kristy to a hospital bed and did her checks on the child from asking about why she'd gone off her food to taking her temperature and looking into her ears and throat.  Things were progressing well when Julia felt she was getting unnaturally hot and flushed.  Unless someone had ramped up the heating in the hospital she was starting to come down with something!

"Ugh....must....get....to....pharmacy...." said Julia to herself.  She knew she'd caught Triple Threat and wanted to stop it before she came down fully with it.  Treating it very early, if you knew the symptoms, was crucial.

She staggered down the corridor to Pharmacy, where she slumped up against the counter there.  The pharmacist on duty looked shocked.

"Dr Ephraim!" 

"It's...Epstein"

"Sorry, Dr Epstein....what's the matter?"

"Triple Threat....need....medicine...now"

"For you?  Sure....let's see.  That's for bloated head....no, that's for torpid liver....hmmm....coated tongue..."

"TRIPLE THREAT! NOW!" said Julia, raising her voice.

"Ah, got it!  Here we go and if you'll sign right here..."

But Julia didn't wait.  She glugged the whole bottle down in one go.

The effects were almost instantaneous and soon she was standing upright, able to see properly and get on with her shift.  She went back to check on Kristy St Clair.  

"How are you settling in, Kristy, are you comfortable?" she asked.

"I want to go home, really there's....nothing....wrong....oh I feel sleepy all of a sudden" said the little girl.

"I'll go and chase up that lab report" said Julia.

Back at the lab, Julia encountered Dr Murakami again.  "Looking for this?" said the Chief Surgeon, holding Kristy's medical notes.  "Your diagnosis, Dr Epstein"

"Erm....my initial thoughts were Bloated Head, judging on my initial examination" Julia replied.

"And you'd be correct.  I must say you're on fire today" said Murakami, unaware that not half an hour ago Julia had a raging temperature.

"Thank you, Dr Murakami" said a humble Julia.  

"Actually, you've done well these last couple of weeks....how about we move you up one level?  It'll mean extra work, lots of study and more responsibility"

"I'll take it!" said Julia, standing straight and smiling.

"Good, that's what I like to hear from a young doctor on my team"

The long awaited promotion at last!  Julia left the lab and punched the air in triumph when no one was looking.  She finished her paperwork and ended her shift with a spring in her step....time to unwind!

One of the surprising things about her social life right now is that she'd become friendly with a young woman she should, on the surface, despise.  Jolene Scholl was an attractive swinging chick and a Lothario Kitten; the epitome of the permissive and sexed society.  Julia was none of those things and she even downplayed her own attractiveness as a reaction against the mod culture.  However the two women had struck up an unlikely friendship because they had many things in common:  They loved music and the arts and had similar senses of humour.  Now they had arranged to meet up at the Harbor Quarter Gym to exercise and hang out.

They changed into their exercise leotards and began to work out running on treadmills and doing calisthenics.

"So....phew....I got a promotion today" said Julia.

"Congratulations, you were wondering if your boss had it in for you if I remember" replied Jolene.

"I know, but I think she's warming up to me now.  How about your work?"

"I've been doing photoshoots for the forthcoming Lothario book.  Modelling is new to me and there's a lot of posing and pouting involved.  A far cry from medicine!"

"I hope it's not....well....too shocking.  Your photo shoot I mean"

"It's mainly fashion although I did have to lie across one of those Ford racing cars in my Kitten outfit.  But I don't want to shock you!"

"I like you too much to judge" said Julia.  "Phew!  That run was exhausting...how about a swim in the pool downstairs?"

"Now we're talking!" replied Jolene.

"Now this is exercise I really like!" said Julia.

"Hmmm, I agree" replied Jolene.  "Don't look now, Julia but I think that guy is checking you out" she said, nodding towards a well muscled young man with longish hair and a neatly trimmed beard.

"No...he must be checking you out" replied Julia.  "You're the one who gets into the magazines"

"Nah-ah....it's definitely you he's interested in.  What do you think of your admirer?"

"Hmmm, I'm not sure.  I don't have a type, really.  I suppose I'm more drawn to personality and intellect than chiselled biceps, strong chests and pert....calves".  Julia shook herself out of looking at the man and focussed once again.

"Anyway this was great and we must do it again some time soon" said Julia, hopping out of the pool.

"I enjoyed it too" said Jolene.  "I was only gently teasing you about that guy...but don't sell yourself short in that department; you're cuter than you think."

"I'm just holding out for Mr Right when...and if...he comes along" said Julia.

She said her goodbyes to Jolene and headed home, still feeling light headed and happy about her promotion.  As she got to her house, she saw the local pizza guy returning home from a delivery.

"Hello!" said Julia, enthusiastically. "A lovely evening, isn't it?"

"Erm...I guess.  I made more than usual in tips this evening" said the pizza guy, not sure what to make of this overenthusiastic woman on his route.

"That's wonderful...from small acorns grow mighty oaks!" said Julia.  "I got promoted today"

"Cool" said the guy, looking around him to see if she was perhaps talking to someone else.

"And you should always be grateful...promotions, extra tips, being admired from afar...."

"Admired from afar?" said the guy, confused.

"Yes.  I'm saying that tonight you are the local pizza delivery guy but tomorrow...."

"It's my day off...I thought I'd go bowling"

"Make the most of it!" said Julia.

"Yeah, well, thanks....I guess.  I gotta go" said the pizza guy.

"Bon chance!" said Julia, looking up at the night sky and smiling that....finally....she was moving up in the world.

CHAPTER 58: Doctor At Large

"Good morning, Nurse Newell....how are you liking it here?" asked Dr Julia Epstein of her new colleague, Nurse Harper Newell.

"Fine, Dr Epstein...just to let you know we've had a lot of patients admitted overnight. It seems there was this party and a food bug hit a lot of the guests." Nurse Newell replied.

"Well, just point me in the direction of one of the cases and I'll get to work" said Julia, who was keen to get started.

Case number 1: Abram Montanez, age 16...admitted with acute stomach pains. Diagnosis; food poisoning.

"Doctor...I think I'm going to hurl!" said Abram.

"Here, I'll get you a bowl" said Julia, passing him a stainless steel dish.

"I'm now going to cry out for an imaginary long lost brother who drowned in the river....HUEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY! HUEEEEEEEEYYYYYY!" He said, chucking up his stomach contents. "Oh, oh dear....here comes another one....RALPH! CHUCK! HUEY!"

"Triplets, eh?" smirked Julia. "Well, good news is that we have some medication for you. Take this 3 times a day after meals..."

"After meals? I'm never eating again!" said Abram, collapsing back on the bed.

"Drink this now, and then another after dinner" said Julia, handing him a cup of the medicine.

Julia went around visiting all the other patients. Most had been to this party it seemed and they all displayed similar symptoms of food poisoning. Julia found it hard to get them to eat any hospital food either.

Julia went out front to sign off on some papers concerning Abram Montanez's discharge, which was due to happen some time that afternoon. However, she found herself the centre of some unwelcome attention.

"Hey...hey you!" said a young, but harsh, voice. "Are you a doctor or something? I need treatment! I need attention! Gimme now!" The voice belonged to a boy of about 10...but a brash, loud boy of 10 who didn't like to be kept waiting.

"Nurse...admit this boy....what's your name?" asked Julia

"Villareal...Max Villareal. My dad's important!" said the boy, prodding Julia in the chest with his index finger.

"I'm sure he is but the nurse here will take you to an examination room and I'll be along in a few minutes to find out what's wrong with you"

"Well, make it snappy!" said Max, indignantly.

A little later Julia was good to her word and came along to check what was wrong with the boy.

"Ow! Be careful! That really hurts my ear!" he cried out, as Julia shone a light into it.

"I'm not surprised...it's very inflamed. Now, when did the pain start to come on?" she asked.

"This morning...Last night I had this massive ball of wax buried well deep inside it so I tried to scoop it out with a tissue, but part of the tissue got stuck inside my ear, then I used the lid of a ballpoint pen to try and get the tissue and the wax out but that was too scratchy so I ended up using the end of a dessert spoon...."

"OK I get the picture" said Julia. "I'm not surprised your ear's become infected. Well, I'll give you some antibiotics but you must never use implements lying around to clean out your ears...use eardrops or even a drop of olive oil in future."

Her shift over, Julia headed over to the Blue Velvet where it was Amateur Night...a chance for locals to play on the piano, sing or do some stand up comedy. She had some piano tunes she wanted to try out but when she got there she saw her Auntie Elle run out of the club and down the street.

"Auntie Elle! Auntie Elle! It's me, Julia! Where are you going?" she cried out but to no avail. Her aunt had run right down the street and onto a passing tram. Julia was worried about her...she hadn't been taking her meds and was suffering from big mood swings. She made a note to give her a call tomorrow but in the meantime, the club beckoned.

Julia played 3 songs...House of the Rising Sun, In With The In Crowd and Yeah, Yeah. They seemed to go down well and she was invited to share drinks with some of the patrons...including an acquaintance from the Prankster Association, Nancy Landgraab.

"Intelligent, musical and humorous ...is there no end to your abilities?" said Nancy.

"Well, I merely dabble, Mrs Landgraab" replied Julia.

"Oh please call me Nancy. Now let me introduce you to this fine specimen...Paulo. Paulo, this is Julia."

"Pleased to meet you, Julia" said Paulo...would you care to dance?" he said, with a devil-may-care smile. Julia froze for a moment.

"Erm...I'm OK for now." she said, nervously. "I've been on my feet at the hospital all day and could do with a rest" she added.

"Now, now" said Nancy "all work and no play makes a dull life...let me get you all another drink" she said, getting up to go to the bar. Paulo smiled at Julia again "If you change your mind...." he said, dancing.

Julia let out a nervous breath. "Nancy playing matchmaker again?" came a voice from the table next to her.

"Hi, I'm Brent" said the man at the table. "Nancy keeps trying that with me...'oh why can't a nice young man like you meet a nice young girl?' she says" Brent let out a little chuckle.

"I take it you're not available?" asked Julia.

"Well, not anymore...but I can't say too much about it" he said with a wink. Julia wasn't sure what he meant. "I take it Paulo's not your type"

"Why do I have to have a type?" Julia responded. "Everyone thinks I have to have a boyfriend...I just want to focus on my work for now"

"Oh a modern woman, that makes a change around here" said Brent. "Everyone's looking to score these days except us"

"Are you focussed on your career as well?" asked Julia, somewhat naively. Brent shook his head.

"No, it's not that...I have someone in my life already but I don't think everyone here would understand. I have a friend who is more than a friend but to the outside world we're just friends."

"That sounds complicated" said Julia.

"It really isn't" replied Brent. "It's just the sensibilities of others can be"

"Forbidden love?" asked Julia.

"Frowned upon...in certain circles"

Julia pondered what that might mean...a class divide, perhaps? She thought it best not to pry.

"Well, here's to those who aren't playing the dating game" she said, raising her glass.

"At least not by the official rules" responded Brent.