Determination

Chapter 7

Its December first and Im back for another appointment, my last appointment was November 3 and now Im back in the wretched hospital.

We walk into the waiting room quietly, trying not to disturb everyone else. My dad goes up to the front desk to check me in while I go and sit down in one of the many leather chairs.

When my dad comes back he sits down next to me, handing me a clipboard with a survey attached to it, than he hands me a pen and says quietly "Fill it out" he smiles and grabs a fishing magazine off of the little side table full of different magazines and news papers.

I sigh and look at the first question:

1) How old are you?15 years old

2) Whens your birthday? 5/13/98

3) Whats your full name?

Valory Ivy Moore

4) What brings you here today?

A Check-up

5) What hurts? My bones and joints

6) What are your symptoms right now?

Pain in my bones and joints also a horrible fever

7) How long has this been going on?

I've known for 3 weeks but I've had pains and aches for 4 weeks

8) Has the pain been getting better or worse? Worse

9) Do you have a family history of this? No

10) Do you smoke, Do drugs, Consume alcohol? No

11) Are you sexually active? No

12)Do you take any medicines or supplementes? No

13) Are you allergic to any medicines? No

14) Have you had any previouse surgeries? No

Once Im done answering all of the questions on the survey, a nurse enters the waiting room asking for me "Valory Moore, is there a Valory Moore here" I slowly get up followed by my dad and answer back "Thats me" she smiles and beckons for me to follow her through the doorway that leads to the checkup rooms. Before I follow the nurse I turn around and smile at my dad nervously, he just waves and mouths"Its going to be ok" Then he go's back to his chair and continues to read the fishing magazine.

I turn back around to see the nurse waiting patiently. I smile nervously and she continues walking until we reach a door which she opens and says "Sit down and we will get started" she smiles and I smile back as I make my way to the examination table.

I hop up on the cold, hard metal table and she starts to ask me a couple of questions about my pains and I just reply honestly "They hurt like hell" she chuckles and says "I bet" after answering some more questions the nurse (who's name is Conny) says "Ok now we will check your blood pressure" Conny grabs a black cuff like thing and puts it around my arm, than starts up a machine and the cuff starts squeezing my arm tighter and tighter, getting the numbers that the nurse needs. Once the cuff squeezes its last squeeze, it starts to loosen until Conny can take it off.

She types something down on the computer and smiles, than she listens to my heart, takes my temperature and finally she deals with my joints and bones. Conny grabs a little rubber hammer and taps at my knees, elbows and my other joints they hurt really bad. It felt like everything was on fire. Conny typed a couple more things into the computer, then packs up and says "Doctor Jones will be with you shortly sweety" she smiles and leaves closing the door quietly. I sigh crossing and uncrossing my legs over and over again I was terribly bored.

It felt like forever but the doctor finally came. Knocking on the door quietly "Miss Moore may I come in" Doctor Jones asks, I reply clearly tired "Ya sure" the door handle jiggles a little and clicks and Doctor Jones comes walking in smiling I think to myself "Why does everyone friken smile so much here" The doctor sits down and pulls up a link on the computer, types in a couple of things than swivels around in his chair facing me with arms folded"Ok Valory here's whats going to happen" I sit up straighter as the doctor continues "We will be taking some blood samples to identify more about your case of Acute myeloid leukima, then you will come back in two days to get a cat scan, so that we can begin Chemotherapy" he pauses for a second to open a cabinet then continues "Now right now what I will have you do is lay down on the examination table while I take some blood samples" I lay down feeling the cool surface underneath my skin, then Doctor Jones comes over and wipes down my arm with a cotton ball and says "Stay calm and this wont hurt at all" a slight pain stabs me in my arm and I wince but stay strong. Complaining because he said it wouldn't hurt..... LIES

About fifteen minutes have passed and I was stabbed by four needles, now my arm is covered in colorful band aids. A nurse comes in to take the blood samples and Doctor Jones asks me to follow him back to the waiting room were my dad is waiting patiently for me with a latte from the hospital cafe. I gladly take the drink and start slurping away while the doctor explains whats going to happen. My dad nods, thanks the doctor, and we head to the front door. But then my dads phone rings loudly and tons of people turn around, staring at us evily as he answers the phone with a loud hello and a smile on his face.

That smile doesn't stay long before his face is consumed by emotions.