Forgiving the Unforgiven

The new patient

I was cleaning myself up from my little talk with Dr. Andy when I heard that the new patients were to be arriving any minute.

"Thank you doctor." I said softly

"There's no need for thanks Liam. You can thank me when you're feeling better." She writes on her clipboard as I exit the room.

Keith was managing the adult side of the clinic and I saw him out near the receptionist desk with a man in a wheelchair and to what I was assuming was his wife.

I handle the young adult and child side of the clinic. I usually handle and see teenagers more often than little kids. Thats a very good thing.

I walk past the receptionist desk and towards my office.

My office was cluttered with patient papers and my files on certain cases scattered along my desk. I pick them back up, brush them off and put them back in my drawer.

I sit down behind my desk and turn on my computer to see the new patient's medical records and history.

Most were daily checkups and others were kids who broke their arm or leg that needed a cast. But...this one stood out from all of the rest. This eleven year old named Grace.

There wasn't much that she had on her medical history here. Probably new to this town.

But what also caught my attention was what she was coming in for. She was coming for chemotherapy treatment.

"Poor kid...her parents must be devastated." I said to myself.

I looked for what treatment she would need. She has the small cancer cells in her lungs and if we treat it right then she'll recover.

"Dr. Liam you have a patient here at the receptionist desk." Kim spoke over the P.A system.

Kinnda confused I get up and walk to the receptionist desk to see a scrawny girl with brownish reddish hair and very deep grey eyes. She stood with her hands clamped together and looking at Kim.

I walked up and she looked up at me and smiled.

"Hello. You're Dr. Liam right?" She asks

"Yes I am Dr. Liam. And who might you be?" I ask

"Grace." She holds out her hand for a handshake. I grab her hand and feel her stern grip on my fingers.

"This lady says you're going to be my doctor." She says as she lets go

"Yes I will be." I spoke hesitantly because I didn't see any parents standing behind her.

"Grace. Um do you know where your parents are?" I ask

"Oh Liam, I already got that covered. I have her mother's signature right here for consent of her being here for as long as she needs help." Kim said as she showed me the signature.

Realization hit hard and then I turned back to Grace.

"Right this way Grace."

I lead her down the hall and to my office just so I can ask her what she knows about her situation.

I open the door for her and I follow behind.

She looks around the room and then quietly sits in the chair in front of my desk.

"Where are you from Grace?" I sit down in my chair.

"Out in the country just outside of here. We live on a farmhouse along Eustace way."

"Do you and your family have animals there?" I ask

"We have a few clusters of chickens and ducks. We also have a big sweet cow named Honey." She gave a smile.

"Seems like a fitting name for such an animal."

"Yeah!" She laughs

Then it came for things to be serious.

"Grace. Have you talked to your parents about why you're here for the next few weeks?" I ask

"Mom said that I have cancer, and she says thats what's causing my coughing fits."

"Do you know how bad it is?"

"No not really." She seemed to just shrug the thought off.

"We'll get that figured out soon for you. Until then our nurses and staff here will be here if you need."

One of our nurses comes in.

"He'll take you to your scan." I say

"Ok!" She hops down from her seat and goes with him.

*4 hours later*

I was sitting at my desk going over some other files. Then a nurse came in through my door.

"Dr. Liam?" She asked

"Yes, come in."

"We have Grace's scan for you." She handed me the sheets

The images it showed were...stage four lung cancer.

"But her reports said it was a smaller form of cancer." I said in disbelief

"The reports were outdated." She exists the room

"Why in the hell don't they update the files then..." I say to myself as I look back at the results

Stage four... the cancer could be spreading further into her body.

I began to click on my pen nervously, thinking about her treatment.

Just then Keith steps in.

"Liam, we get off work in ten minutes." He says

"Mhm." I keep clicking my pen.

"You seem...very distracted, what's wrong?" Keith asks

"I have a patient that will need chemotherapy treatment for stage four cancer." I push him the results

"Stage four lung? I don't think I've ever seen this with an eleven year old before."

"Treatment will have to start tomorrow." I say.

"Well thats a surprise that only tomorrow holds Liam." He puts the sheets in a folder and puts it back on my desk.

"I hope its not a very big surprise." I grab my keys and leave to the receptionist desk.

"Have a nice drive home Liam." Kim waved

"See you tomorrow." Keith goes back to his office

I walk out to the parking lot and get into my car. I turn the key and as the car starts the radio turns onto a station that played older songs.

I pulled out of the lot and onto the road.

*18 minutes later*

I pull into my driveway and shut the car off for the night.

I walk into my house and get off my work clothes and into something more comfortable. I turn on the tv and listen to the news for awhile.

"This house is a mess.." I say to myself

I don't usually sleep anyway so I might as well clean up a bit around the house.

Its gonna be a very...long night.