Chapter 1

"You have a brain tumor."

Those were five words Dr. Kevin Collins never imagined hearing. He always went to every doctors' appointment and seen specialists when things bothered him. He took all his medications on a rigid schedule. He exercised every day. Of course, as he aged he had to lighten his difficulty of exercise routines, but he kept up a schedule. He tried to maintain a healthy diet. Yet, his brain was going to be his downfall. The one thing Kevin Collins always prided himself on was failing him.

Kevin has been experiencing horrific headaches for about two months before he saw Dr. Monroe. He just assumed it was due to stress and work. He also needed new glasses, but couldn't find the time in his packed schedule to his recent work load with Franco Baldwin. He thought his old prescription was causing his constant headaches. But the headaches didn't stop and he began to have episodes of short term memory loss. Kevin just assumed that short term memory loss was due to getting old, but he was wrong.

Laura came home from France two weeks ago and she noticed his symptoms almost immediately. She kept telling him to go see a doctor about his constant headaches, but he would just blow it off. He told her that the headaches were nothing. Laura noticed that Kevin was irritable and on edge every day. The Kevin Laura and everyone knew was hardly ever on edge. The only time Kevin was ever not himself was when he had his breakdown. Laura knew that Kevin never wanted to experience a breakdown ever again. Kevin was always fearful that his mental health issues would appear again. One of the first things Laura and Kevin bonded over was their shared past of mental health issues. After they started dating and became serious, they promised one another that if one of them were showing signs of mental health instability, that the other would convince the other to go seek help.

Kevin, keeping his promise to Laura, scheduled an appointment with a psychiatrist at Mercy Hospital. Kevin didn't want anyone at General Hospital to see a well-known psychiatrist having an appointment with another psychiatrist and rumors to spread. After his appointment, he received a clean bill of mental health. The psychiatrist said that his edginess was probably due to stress from work. Kevin relayed the message to Laura, but Laura knew something was still wrong with Kevin. They would be talking over dinner and Laura would ask him a question about something he told her yesterday and he wouldn't remember. Kevin couldn't remember appointment times he scheduled a few days ago or the plot of a movie Laura and he watched the night before. Laura knew that this wasn't her husband.

One night, while they were in bed almost asleep, Laura brought up the idea that Kevin go see a neurologist. "I think seeing a neurologist would really help in discovering what is going on with you", said Laura.

"Honey, nothing is wrong with me. It's just stress", replied Kevin.

"No, it's not just stress. Something is wrong with you Kevin! And you aren't doing anything about it."

"Laura, all seeing a neurologist is going to do is tell us that nothing is wrong."

"Kevin, please! I love you and it would kill me if something was really wrong with you and we couldn't do anything to stop it. You mean too much to me, to spencer, to everyone for us to risk losing you. Please if you won't do it for you, do it for us", Laura said while her eyes filled slightly with tears,

Kevin caressed his wife's face. He could see the fear in her eyes. She was right. It's always better to be safe than sorry. He said, "Fine. I'll schedule an appointment with Dr. Monroe. For you".

Laura smiled and kissed him. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And when you make the appointment, I want to know the time", she said.

"Why?"

"Because I want to go with you."

Kevin replied, "But what if it's just nothing?".

"We are a team Kevin Collins. Where you go, I go. Even if it turns out to be nothing, I want to be there. Neurology appointments aren't ordinary appointments. I want to be there for good news, or God forbid, bad news", said Laura.

Well, Kevin made the appointment and told Dr. Monroe his symptoms. Laura told the doctor about Kevin's memory loss and his edginess. After listening to Laura and Kevin's descriptions of Kevin's recent symptoms, Dr. Monroe decided that Kevin should have a CAT scan and MRI done. He wanted to see what was happening in Kevin's head and brain. Dr. Monroe left the room for Kevin to change into a hospital gown. While he was changing, Kevin noticed a worried look on Laura's face. "Laura, everything is going to be fine. This is just procedure so we don't file a malpractice suit against the hospital if something happens. Everything will be fine. I swear", said Kevin.

Laura nervously replied, "But Kevin, MRIs and CAT scans aren't for checkups! Dr. Monroe must think something wrong is going on in your head. I just can't imagine something being wrong with you. What if something is wrong in your head or brain and we caught it too late?".

Kevin walked over to Laura and rubbed her arms up and down. "Laura, you can't think this way. I'm ninety nine percent sure that nothing is wrong. He'll get the results back and say that I have an old brain. That's all", said Kevin.

"What about that one percent? It's that one percent that makes me nervous. I need you in my life for a long time, mister", said Laura.

Kevin smiled and said, "You can't get rid of me, Laura. Nothing will be wrong. Don't worry".

Epiphany came in the room with a wheel chair to wheel Kevin down to the MRI room. Kevin and Laura shared a kiss before he hopped in the chair for his tests. Laura held his hand and walked with them to the elevator. Laura had to stay on this floor and wait for Kevin to be finished. Before the elevator doors closed, Laura yelled, "I love you!".

She heard Kevin reply, "I love you too!".

Laura waited in the longue area while Kevin was being tested. She knows that these are just tests and if they come back negative than she would be worrying for nothing. But, she couldn't help it. Something was telling her that the doctors were going to find something wrong. Bobbie had a shift today and noticed Laura sitting in the longue area wringing her hands with a worried look on her face. Bobbie approached Laura and said, "Laura? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?".

Laura looked up and responded, "Kevin had an appointment with Dr. Monroe about his headaches and memory loss. He's getting an MRI and CAT scan done now. I'm just nervous. You know me".

Bobbie sat down next to Laura and said, "Yes, I do know you. But Laura, everything will be alright. You have to think positive".

"But what if the doctors find something? What if it's too late? I can't lose him, Bobbie. I just found him."

Bobbie grabbed Laura's hand. "Laura, if something is wrong, well than the two of you will have to make the best decision for Kevin. And you know Kevin, he will do anything that gives him more time with the people he loves. We have good doctors here. They will know how to treat him, if something is wrong", said Bobbie.

"I wish Tony were alive. I might feel more confident or at ease. He was the best. Or even Patrick. He was great with me during my bout of mental instability", said Laura.

Bobbie formed a sad smile. "Yeah, I wish Tony were alive too. You know, Kevin, Monica, and I are the last of the old gang. Steve, Alan, Tony, Jessie, and Amy are all gone. And Audrey and Gail are retired. I miss the old gang, you know", said Bobbie.

"Yeah. Those were the good old days. Bobbie, thank you for sitting with me. I would have wringed my hands over a thousand times if you didn't sit with me and calm me down", replied Laura.

Bobbie smiled and got up from the chair. "Well, what are sisters for? I'll go check and see if Kevin's finished with his tests. And Laura, everything will turn out fine."

Laura smiled. "Thank you."

Twenty minutes later and Kevin came back from his tests. Epiphany told Kevin to redress and meet Dr. Monroe in his office. Kevin wouldn't say it to Laura, but as a doctor he knew that if the doctor asks to see you in his office, most of the time it is to deliver bad news. Kevin redressed, grabbed Laura's hand, and guided them to Griffin's office. The spouses sat in the office in silence, but remained holding hands. Kevin knew the news was going to be bad, he just didn't know how bad.

Griffin walked in and sat down. Kevin could read his face. Yep, definitely bad news was coming his way. Kevin squeezed Laura's hand and looked at her one last time before their lives were going to change. Griffin opened the test results, took a deep breath, and said the five words Kevin never thought he would hear, "You have a brain tumor".