Chapter 2

She read through the folder. The symptoms were vague. Chest pain, cold, fatigue. Could be anything from a simple cold to something complicated. She put the folder under her arm and picked a steel tray from the shelf and went out of the to the supply room. The medical supply room was just after the reception area. Interns arriving late hurried past her murmuring greetings as they rushed to get out of their casual clothes. She met Stella in front of the supply room with a tray of her own. The woman in charge of supplies, Sheila smiled at her.

“Morning Sophia.”

“Morning, Sheila.” She pushed the tray through the window, the only accessible space for anyone restricted from entering the supply room. “I need some syringes, swabs and scissors, please.”

Stella’s tray was already full of supplies. She leaned against the glass wall of the supply room, glanced at Sophia and sighed. “I miss the weekend already.” Her red hair was pulled into a tight bun atop her head.

Sophia resisted the urge to let out a sigh of her own. “I have a young patient to attend to this morning.”

“How old?”

“Seven.”

Stella made a face. “Children are the worst on Monday mornings. Too impatient. I’m glad Rosa has been taking them out of my hands. Is he a new patient?”

Sophia nodded as she collected the tray Sheila pushed back out. Together she and Stella walked towards the floor leading to the wards. At the landing, Stella went left wishing her good luck. Sophia took a deep breath and approached ward 5. She stood outside the door and peeked. The large room had four beds with 2 of them empty. The bed beneath the window was occupied by a teen who was brought in for migraines, he was on his back sleeping. The other bed held Freddie, a small kid with thick black curls that fell over his forehead. She stood still at the threshold observing him. It was something she did when she had to take care of younger patients, she observed their personalities from outside before deciding how to approach them.

She didn’t hate children. Far from that.

True, children could be such brats like Stella always pointed out but she thought they were helpless and fragile. Helpless creatures who had to look up to their parents for help at all times. She was always wary around them.

Freddie’s mom was seated in a chair beside his bed and age was holding his hand talking to him. Freddie was looking directly into his mother’s eyes as he listened to her speak and when he smiled and replied her he didn’t look away. That told Sophia all she needed to know about his personality. Bold and direct. That made her work easier.

She entered the room and approached his bed with a smile on her face.

Freddie looked away from his mom toward her. There was an IV tube in his hand which he held away from his body.

“Are you my doctor?” he asked pointing at the stethoscope around her neck.

“Not a doctor. Your nurse. Good morning ma’am,” she said to his mom. The woman looked like she hadn’t had any rest for a week but she smiled weakly at Sophia.

Sophia pulled the chair from one of the empty bedsides and sat beside his bed. Normally with shy children, she would speak to the parents instead of them but this time she angled her chair to face Freddie directly.

“So Freddie, what are your symptoms?”

He seemed pleased that she was asking him. More than that he looked impressed with her peach scrubs. She had them custom-made since Rosa always told her peach was a better shade for her skin than blue.

“I feel tired all the time,” he responded.

“How often?”

He glanced at his mom and there was a hint of worry in his eyes. “Almost every day. I get chest pains too.”

“Have you had symptoms like this before?”

He nodded. “One time last year. I got dizzy in class and was rushed to my school clinic. I was given medicines for cold.”

“Any improvements?” she asked.

He shook his head.

His mother spoke. “There was a slight improvement but the chest pain wasn’t going away. He also complained about some pains in his bones too.”

Sophia listened carefully as she checked his folder to confirm that the symptoms they mentioned were consistent with what was written.

“Pains in your bones?”

He nodded and pointed to his elbow and knees. “In my joints.” He was silent for a long time then said shyly. “I like your uniform.”

She laughed. “Thank you. What do you hope to be when you grow older?”

He shrugged. “A professor. Or a nurse like you.”

She smiled. Picking the syringe and a swab from her tray she moved closer. “That’s nice. What’s your favorite subject?”

“Science. I love history too.”

She uncapped the syringe and reached for his hand. “Freddie, I will need to take a sample of your blood now. I will need it for tests.”

She saw fear enter his eyes.

“It’s going to hurt right?”

“Slightly.” As she took his thin arm in hers to search for his veins she asked, “Do you play sports?” it was a question meant to distract him from the needle which was about to sink into his flesh.

His eyes lightened. “Yes, I used to. I love football and I did karate for a while when I was 5, do you know about it?”

“Of course, I know about it. Actually I know a bit about martial arts. I have a black belt in taekwondo.”

His eyes brightened some more with interest. “No way!”

“Yes, way.” She withdrew the syringe which now had 2ml of blood in it. She placed it in the tray and cleaned the needle wound with a clean swab.

Before she left he asked. “Will you show me your belt some time? And some of your cool moves too?”

“Sure.”

She left the room and headed to the lab at the other wing of the hospital complex. There was a front office where samples were dropped off. She registered his name and card number.

As she left with his folder in her hands to be returned to the card room she felt dread overcome her. His symptoms were far from a simple cold. If the red spots she saw around his neck and chest were any indications, his sickness was much worse.