Life - Message From The Past

25-No Answers

The ambulance arrived at the clinic with Gwen in considerable pain. The Director, waited by the door to accept her back. Dr. Fraser made his way back from a summertime weekend get away to be there for his patient.

Carolynne held the door open for the attendants. "To the assessment room if you could?"

The lead attendant nodded. "Sure thing, doctor."

Dr. Fraser entered the clinic just after Gwen arrived. "Michael, sorry you had to cut your weekend short." The Director apologized to her interim lead oncologist.

"No need to apologize Carolynne, Gwen is my patient." Michael shook his head. "I believed we had this cancer beaten back."

The two walked quickly to the assessment room. "These things will happen. We do not have all the answers." Carolynne looked at Michael. "If we did, we'd be gods."

After the assessments were complete, both the doctor and the director viewed the MRI. They could not believe how quickly the cancer regrouped and expanded even further than before.

"How could this be?" Michael rubbed his eyes. "It's impossible to regrow this quickly. Isn't it?"

"I was afraid of this happening." Carolynne has seen almost every type of cancer in her thirty plus years and knew this could be one of those to prove difficult to eradicate. "I would be lying if I said it was impossible. But the truth is, I have seen cancer play hide and seek like this a few times."

Michael stood and yelled at the computer screen. "I hate to lose! When I lose, people die!"

Carolynne looked up at her lead doctor and smiled. "This is what I admire about you Michael. So let's find a solution, okay?"

Gwen lay in her bed looking out her window thinking only about how she is letting her children down again. Chastity's words rang in her ears. "Don't ever scare us again!"

Dr. Fraser returned to Gwen's room. "Our worst fears are now realized as the cancer looks to be even more menacing than it had before." Michael reluctantly suggested. "The only recourse is a heavier dose of chemotherapy. Radiation therapy for direct treatment."

"From what I can hear in your voice, there are no guarantees." Gwen looked up. "I mean, there were never any guarantees when I first came to the clinic but now it feels hopeless."

Dr. Fraser shook his head. "Don't say that, Gwen. You need to fight as hard as you can for life and for your children!"

"What are my chances now, Doctor?" The look on Gwen's face said it all but she spoke to the gravity of her situation. "Dr. Corber would not talk chances when I arrived. I can only imagine the slim chance of surviving this now! I can feel the difference in my cancer this time." She turned away from Dr. Fraser.

"I'll be by in the morning, Gwen." Michael frowned. "We'll find a way!" He began to walk away but turned and added. "Good night, Gwen." But he got no response from his patient.

Outside the room were her three kids with Madeline. She heard the conversation going on inside the room and held the kids back until Dr. Fraser came out.

Madeline sent the kids in to visit with Gwen, then witnessed the grief on Michael's face. "That bad, eh?"

Dr. Fraser walked past Madeline. "It makes no sense. She was in total remission just three weeks ago! Now it's ravaging every organ."

"Oh no! Not good, not good at all." Madeline followed Michael to the computer to view Gwen's scans and bloodwork.

"Any ideas, Maddie? You have been doing this much longer than I have." Dr. Fraser seemed defeated.