Foreign Body

Prologue

     I remember the day I was given my diagnosis and more specifically, the very scent of Dr. Danvers's office. It smelled of hand sanitizer and tulips, which were standing in a ceramic vase on his desk. They were a beautiful pink shade with random streaks of yellow.

"The tests we have run have concluded that Amelia has B-Cell Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. More specifically Burkitt Lymphoma. This type of cancer is very fast growing. It originates in the B-Cells and grows in the lymph tissue," He point to his own lymph nodes. "It is very compromising to your immune system and can spread very quickly. Most cases like Amelia's where the patient is stage II, the patient does not live past a year. Even with treatment."

I stared at him for several long moments, blocking out his words. It was as if his mouth was moving but no words were coming out. No sound was. Was this what shock was like? Your body feeling heavy but light at the same time? That perhaps I wasn't in my body anymore?

I glanced sideways to my right at my mom, who had stopped writing to look up at the doctor with utter fear. Her mouth was gaped open just slightly. I wonder what she was thinking. That her she was going to lose her youngest child? To something she had never heard of before? 

To my left my father was asking questions. About? Probably treatment and likelihood of survival. 

All of a sudden I could feel my mother's hand on my arm. "Amelia, do you have any questions? I know this is a lot to process. I will send you a pamphlet with the information in it and if you have any questions for me, do not hesitate to call." Dr. Danvers waited for me to speak or shake my head. I stuck to shaking my head. My throat was too dry to speak right now. Dr. Danvers rummaged through his things and put together a folder with all of the information in it.  My father took it and gripped it tight, his knuckles turning white. 

I don't remember what I did the rest of that day. I think I had stayed in my room the rest of the night, watching tv and binge watching my DVRed shows. Who knew if I would be have the time t finish them in the next few months.