YOU'RE NOT ALONE - CHAPTER 8 - "The Need To
Know"
Meanwhile......at the Anderson
residence................
Amy is on the phone with
Mina..................
"I'm sorry to hear about the situation with
Lita........well, I hope things work out..........Maybe that way they could get
better results..............no, Mina, I didn't hear about Molly......that's
terrible.........well, I wish the both of them well. I hope it's not as serious
for Molly's sake......no, Raye hasn't heard anything about her biopsy
yet.............she's going to see Dr. Jones in two weeks, maybe she'll know
something for sure.....", Amy hears her mother walk in the house, "....well,
Mina, my mother is back from work, and I have to help her with dinner. So keep
in touch, alright?....let me know more about the conditions of Lita and
Molly.....you have a nice night.....thanks, bye-bye".
"Hello, Amy", greets Mrs. Anderson.
"Oh, hello, mother", replies Amy, "how did work go
today?"
"The usual work", replies Mrs. Anderson, "who
did you speak to on the phone just now?"
"It was Mina", replies Amy, "she said that Lita has
to go back to the hospital next week. They're performing another type of biopsy
on her because they didn't get enough liver tissue the first time around.
They're going to perform a trans-jugular method, in which they're going to get
liver tissue through the jugular vein by ways of a catherer".
"I'm sorry to hear that, dear", says Mrs. Anderson,
"I hope things turn out well for her".
"But that's not all, mother", adds Amy, "Molly is
going to have the same procedure done. Her lab reports show reports that
she may have Hepatitis C. The biopsy will know for sure".
"I'm sure things will work out for Molly as well",
assures Mrs. Anderson, "she and Lita are very strong willed".
"Yes they are, mother", adds Amy, "umm, may I aks
you something?"
"What is it, dear?", inquires
Mrs. Anderson.
""What's Dad's blood
type?", asks Amy.
"I believe it is AB Negative, as far as I
remember", answers Mrs. Anderson, "why do you ask?"
"Has he ever donated any blood in his life?",
wonders Amy.
"Mrs. Anderson paused for a moment, and then
replied. "Seven years ago, there was a shortage of AB Negative blood, and your
father wanted to do the right thing by donating his own blood for a helpful
cause. What is your point, Amy?"
"Mother, I think at around that time, Greg and
Molly have had some kind of major surgery done, and I believe they were both
AB Negative", wonders Amy.
"Yes, I did remember about Greg and Molly being AB
Negative", says Mrs. Anderson, "because I performed both of their surgeries.
There was a shortage of that type of blood, and your father did
donate".
"Did they screen any of the blood donors at
that time, mother?", asks Amy.
"Are you saying that your father's blood may be
infected with Hepatitis?", asks an incredulous Mrs. Anderson, "I'm sure there
were several other donors who had AB Negative blood, and some could have been
Hepatitis infected".
"But were they ever screened?", asks Amy
persistantly.
"I'm not really sure, Amy", answers Mrs.
Anderson.
"Didn't he have tattoos on his arm?", asks
Amy.
"Yes, he had a few, and one on his back as well",
replies Mrs. Anderson, "I don't understand the connection".
"Hepatitis C is transmitted through blood", says
Amy, "so maybe the needle used for Dad's tattoos could have been
tainted?"
"But we don't know that for sure, Amy", counters
Mrs. Anderson, "we don't know if it was your father's blood that was Hepatitis C
infected".
"I won't sleep until I find out for sure, mother",
charges Amy, "I have to know about this. I am greatly concerned for both Greg
and Molly. Isn't there any way you could go into past files of the blood bank
that Dad donated his blood at? I'm sure the hospital would have that information
in their database. It may sound like a long shot, but it's still worth it. Maybe
they can re-test his blood".
"You're right, Amy, it does seem like a long
shot", counters Mrs. Anderson, "the disease does stay dormant for a long
time. I'm not really sure having your father take a blood test would be proof
that he has Hepatitis C."
"But how many people do you know that have AB
Negative blood are Hepatitis C infected?", asks Amy, "I could help you with the
reasearch if you like".
"I'll see what I can find out at the blood bank
files, Amy", says Mrs. Anderson, "as far as your father agreeing to blood work,
well, like you said, is a long shot".
"But it's a shot worth taking, mother", pleads Amy,
"please, do this. It's for Molly and Greg."
"Alright, Amy", nods Mrs. Anderson, "I'll she what
I information I can come up with. I'll try to contact your father".
"Thank you very much, mother", smiles Amy, "I'll
get moving on my reasearch as well".
TO BE
CONTINUED..............................
