A Dose of the Pox?

Cameron was going through all of Foreman's notes to see if she could think of anything for the differential, but she realized it would be useless for now. There wasn't enough information to diagnose Elizabeth without first talking to the pediatrician. She decided that it was the perfect time to call her since she and House were just sitting around for an hour anyways. She pulled out Elizabeth's file and searched around for her pediatrician's contact information. When she finally found it, she made the call.

Cameron: Hello, is Dr. Connor there?

Connor: This is she.

Cameron: Hello, Dr. Connor, this is Dr. Cameron. I work with Dr. House, and we've just been showed Elizabeth Mattock's case file. I was wondering if you could give us some more information.

Connor: Dr. House? THE Dr. House? Isn't he only licensed in New Jersey?

Cameron (reluctant): Well, we also need your help there, Dr. Connor.

Connor (suspicious): Help with what…?

Cameron: Well, Elizabeth's mother is getting desperate. She would like us to look at her daughter's file, but since Elizabeth is currently quarantined to her home in Louisiana, we'll…

Connor: You'll need a doctor to actually treat her based on YOUR diagnoses.

Cameron: Yeah.

Connor: So you want ME to treat a patient based on someone else's diagnoses? Look, I'm not an idiot. I know how Dr. House practices medicine, and it's not a way I'm familiar with, nor is it a way I agree with.

Cameron: House's practice is unique, but it gets things done. We're the ones they call on last resort. And trust me, in Elizabeth's case, we ARE the last resort. Now please, will you help me?

Connor (unsure): I'm going to continue to overlook Elizabeth's treatment, and you and Dr. House, and whoever else you have on your team are free to consult, but I'm not going to treat Elizabeth Mattock based on a diagnosis that I don't agree with. Nor will I give her a treatment that I don't agree with, is that clear?

Cameron (sighing): I suppose it's fair. Now that we have that clear, I was wondering if I could get some more details on Elizabeth's condition. I have her history and file in front of me, but I'm not sure if it's enough. Let me put you on speakerphone with House as well. Our other teammates are currently… out of the area.

Connor: Okay.

House: So what do you know?

Connor: Well, it all started about two weeks ago. Elizabeth broke out in skin lesions.

House: What kind of lesions?

Connor: Well, that's the thing. We have no clue really. My first suspect was chicken pox. I took some scrapings and was completely wrong.

House: Naturally.

Connor (insulted): Do you want my help or not, Dr. House?

Cameron: Don't listen to him. He's just being a jerk.

Connor: Well, once chicken pox was ruled out, I moved on to all the other pox. It's not smallpox. Heck, it's not even monkey pox! I began to wonder if the lesions were even caused by an XML virus.

Cameron: Were they?

Connor (sighs): No, they weren't. And not only that, but they were spreading.

House: Scabies?

Connor: No. When she tested negative for all XML viruses, I sent her to a dermatologist. He's tested her for scabies, eczema, and even all three types of lice. She tested negative.

Cameron: For everything?

House: Cameron, if she would have tested positive, we wouldn't be here.

Cameron (rolling her eyes): So any other info you can give us? Anything you know about the lesions? Any other symptoms or details about her condition?

Connor: After all the dermatologist's tests all came back negative, things started to get worse. Elizabeth was getting into fights at school. She was having a rough time on her swim team as well. Her mother took her out for a while and hired a tutor. That did not go over well at all. They aren't exactly the richest of families, you know. So, I came by and checked her out again. Her lesions were spreading, and I still couldn't figure out why.

House: But now she has fatigue and irritability.

Connor: Yup.

Cameron: And then what?

Connor: I felt bad for the poor kid, but I had to do what I had to do. I called the CDC. They've since put her in isolation.

Cameron: But you aren't sick, are you? Her dermatologist? Her mother isn't sick, right?

Connor: I know, but we can't take the risk. You know how the CDC is. Whenever it comes to some unknown condition, they send you straight into isolation.

House: Why not in a more controlled environment? A hospital?

Connor: She stayed there for a while, but they eventually ran out of bed space. Down here, we're still flooded with refugees, Dr. House. And we still didn't know what we could do for Elizabeth, so her mother agreed to take her home. Ever since then, a nurse has gone by to check her vitals daily. They only people she sees are her mother, her nurse, and her tutor. I used to stop by weekly, but things have been getting far too busy at the hospital, and by what her nurse tells me, Elizabeth isn't getting much better.

Cameron: Her mother didn't mention her seeing a nurse on a daily basis, just her and her tutor.

Connor: I don't know what to tell you.

Cameron (sighing): Is that all?

Connor: Afraid so. I hope you and your team can figure out what's wrong with her, but remember this, Dr. House, I will not subject this poor girl to any of your horrible tests or treatments. She's been through enough already, do you understand me?

Cameron (joking): I'll make sure to keep him in check. Thank you so much, Dr. Connor. Please, let us know if anything changes, or if she gets any new symptoms.

Connor: Will do.

Cameron: Thanks. We're on our way now. We should be arriving at her house in about three days.

Connor: Thanks a lot and I hope you can get here in time.

Cameron: We'll do our best. Goodbye.

Connor: Bye.

Line Goes Dead

&&&&&

Chase was sitting in the dirt alongside the road. He was drawing designs in the sand. Foreman was still standing because he didn't want to get his nice pants dirty, but soon his legs would be getting too tired.

"Are they here yet?" whined Chase.

"No," sighed Foreman. "Hopefully AAA should be getting to them soon."

"Yeah," said Chase. "But then who knows how long it'll take them to get here."

Foreman sighed and sat down next to Chase who was currently drawing a picture of an amoeba. "That's not a very good Varicella," said Foreman.

"It's not a Varicella," said Chase. "It's an amoeba."

"Then it's an even worse amoeba."

Chase swooshed his hand around in the dirt to erase his picture. "I'm bored."

"Get used to it," sighed Foreman. "We have a long time until House and Cameron get here."

Chase heaved a sighed before lying back in the dirt. It wasn't long before he was asleep in the heated sand.