BANGERZ 3: ON THE RUN (2017)

14. Pillow Talk

I'm not able to get an appointment with a doctor until Wednesday. I don't want the drama of an emergency room visit, so finding a practice that accepts my insurance, reaching out to a suitable doctor, and coordinating with her busy schedule is such a hassle that I consider not going at all. But Jason insists, and I don't want to worry him, and as crappy as I've been feeling since we landed I'm starting to think there's something seriously wrong with me.

I recount the incidents over the weekend in my head so I know exactly what to tell the doctor. Thursday night I threw up because I was seasick, and the cheesecake and alcohol wasn't helping my situation. Friday morning I woke up nauseous and assumed it was leftover effects from the night before. Plus, I felt fine while we were sightseeing and running around the city. I didn't eat anything out of the ordinary on Saturday, and Jason ate the same thing with no consequences, so I don't know why I was sick again. And then Sunday night at the club, the smell of greasy food turned my stomach and I threw up once more.

Monday and Tuesday were no better or different. I can't even guess what's the matter with me because, other than the waves of nausea that hit me, there's no pattern to my ailment. I feel sick at random times of the day, I'm no more or less hungry than usual, and I haven't taken any crazy medications that don't agree with me.

The frustration of not knowing what's wrong with my body seizes me and inevitably turns into anxiety. Anna's hypochondriac tendencies must have rubbed off on me, because my concerns only worsen as I'm sitting in the waiting room. My handwriting on the paperwork is barely legible due to my shaking hand. My knee bounces uncontrollably, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat, and the ticking clock on the wall grinds on my nerves. The people sitting around me probably think I have a nervous disorder. I'm glad Jason doesn't have to see me like this - he offered to come, but I insisted he go run his errands.

"Tessa Klein?" A nurse in cotton candy-pink scrubs emerges from the back with a clipboard, looking around the waiting room with a politely expectant smile.

I hop up from my seat, clutching my purse to my side. "Yes?"

"We're ready for you, honey. Come on back."

She leads me into an examination room. The soft murmur of voices, the repetitive sound of beeping machines, and the acrid smell of sterilization pervades my senses. My nervousness dissolves into something like guilt - I should probably go to the doctor more often. My brother was training to be a medical professional and Anna is a nursing health nut. I owe it to them to take care of myself, and I don't even remember the last time I had a check-up.

The nurse asks me to hang up my purse and remove my shoes. She balances the scale once I step on and measures my height against the wall. Hmm - I've gained a few pounds. Haven't grown an inch. Neither is a surprise to me. The nurse has to tell me to uncross my ankles and relax so she can get an accurate reading on my blood pressure. I focus on breathing deeply and sitting still as the cuff squeezes my arm and luckily it comes out normal. I've always had trouble with that. But I don't even flinch when she pricks the inside of my elbow with the needle and takes my blood.

The standard medical questioning ensues. Any family history of diseases? Do you exercise regularly? The first day of your last cycle? Are you allergic to any medications? I answer to the best of my knowledge as the nurse types my responses into her computer. After the preliminary examination, she drops me off in a more private room and instructs me to strip into the unflattering blue-and-white gown. I do so and lie down on my back on the table, reading the extremely detailed posters plastered on the walls. Anatomy of the Heart; Don't Want the Flu? Here's What You Do; There's More Than One Method of Birth Control -

"Tessa?"

I sit up, legs swinging off the edge of the table, to see a very friendly-looking woman in a white lab coat enter the room. Her scrubs are printed with hearts and Minnie Mouses. She looks easy to talk to.