Gabriela and Leo

Ch. 2 - Private Tour

Ch. 2: Private Tour

Autoimmune Diseases
Signs and Symptoms

fatigue

achy muscles

swelling and redness

low-grade fever

trouble concentrating

numbness and tingling in the hands and feet

hair loss

skin rashes

No single test. Doctors use a combination of tests and a review of your symptoms and physical examination to diagnose you. The antinuclear antibody test (ANA) is often one of the first tests that doctors use when symptoms suggest an autoimmune disease.

Treatments can control the overactive immune response... bring down inflammation... Drugs for specific symptoms... immunosuppressive drugs

All of the information she's read on the internet since morning is starting to blur together. Feeling overwhelmed, Gabriela slams down the laptop lid. She starts under the shower until all the hot water runs out then drags herself out of the bathroom. She needs food so she reluctantly gets dressed and takes the elevator to the lobby to get breakfast.

Her energy starts to return after her meal so, after some more people watching, she goes back upstairs to get her map, grabs her shades and shoes and heads out to see the city. With her headache gone her English is much more fluent and she manages to walk a good distance to find a few more sights before fatigue kicks in.

On the bus ride back to the hotel she sees the bar from the night before and gets off. They offer food and drink so she orders a meal she can recognize and sits in the corner to people-watch again. At minutes after 8 the bartender gives her a drink she has not ordered. She tries to give it back, but the bartender tells her it's from the guy in the white shirt. She looks over and smiles when she sees Leo. She should have known they would see each other again. She raises her glass to salute him and he raises his in return. He doesn't come over to her and she tells herself she is fine with that.

Until he does.

Heart racing, she tries not to smile too much as the handsome man moves through the crowd to stand in front of her.

'Hola, señor. Thank you for the drink.'

'Hola to you too. I can keep them coming if you say the word.'

'That's very kind of you. But I should quit while I am ahead. I've had quite enough and I think it's time to go back to my hotel.'

'Your hotel, huh? Can I come with? If you're in New York for only a few days you should definitely be enjoying yourself.'

'You would not mind accompanying me?'

'Definitely not.' He grabs her hand to pull her down off the stool, not letting go as he escorts her outside. In the cooler night air, she pulls him up the street and takes a left just as he instructed her last night. He's still holding her hand and even pulls her closer, asking if she's cold. She loves the cold, but if he wants to keep her warm against his side she won't object. She slows their pace to enjoy the companionable silence and he just smiles at her.

The walk is just as enjoyable as last night and before she knows it they are outside of her hotel.

'Well, this is my stop.' She disentangles herself and smiles up at her courteous host. In just two encounters he's made her visit to New York really enjoyable and she wants to thank him for it.