Chapter 37
Wilson and Marcy were sitting in front on the TV when House came through the door.
"Hey"
"So how did it go?" Said Wilson hoping for some juicy information
"Fine" House deadpanned
"Fine? Is that it? just fine" Said Marcy smiling
"Yep Fine" Said House and went to walk away
"I spoke to Cuddy today about everything" Said Wilson
"What did she say?" Said House turning back to Wilson
"She yelled at me for not telling her about the cancer, cried when I told her I was going to be a Dad and that she was ok with me trying to clear your name. She was actually relieved in some ways when I told her, she never did think you should have actually gone to jail once she had calmed down, she said it made more sense that someone was pulling strings"
House nodded and went to his bedroom, where he shut the door and put some music on.
"He's really not comfortable with the idea is he?" Said Marcy quite bemused by House's reaction.
"Getting justice yes but getting his name cleared…No! I don't know if he ever will be" Said Wilson quietly.
House joined Wilson in the Dialysis Unit at the Medical Centre.
"So how's PT going, it's been a few weeks, is it helping?" Enquired Wilson
"Yes" Said House quietly
"What? I didn't hear you?" Said Wilson with a grin on his face
"I'm not saying it again. How many more of these sessions have you got" Said House changing the subject.
"Hopefully this will be my last one, if the blood test and urine tests come back ok"
"Cool"
"I spoke to Abbie today" Said Wilson looking at House
House gave him a blank stare
"Tammy's sister…..the lawyer" Said Wilson rolling his eyes
"oh"
"She is more than happy to take the case, in fact all I have to do is sign some papers and give her a statement and she does the rest and because it is part of an ongoing case, it won't take too long either" Said Wilson cheerfully
House looked away, "I've got to go, got an appointment to keep" and got up and left pretty much as fast as he had arrived.
House sat in the small waiting area debating whether or not to stay, his stomach was churning and it was all he could do not to run away.
"Gerry Shudergoo"
House took a deep breath and stood up Here goes nothing he said to himself.
"Follow me" Said Dr Payne "Take a seat" he waved to a seat as they entered the consultation room. "so what number are we at today" he said without looking at Houses file.
"4" Said House liking that fact that there was no small talk
"How long has it been that high?"
"About a month"
"So what changed, we had you at a 2" He said again without looking at the file
"Using the cane full time" Said House fairly impressed so far with the Doctors knowledge
"So, weight bearing is causing additional pain, so the 4 today, is that a constant 4 or breakthrough"
"A constant"
"What about breakthrough"
"Only had 1 recently and that was about an 11" House said looking away as he said it.
"And how did you deal with that?"
"Tony gave me a shot of morphine"
"And did that help?"
"What no lecture?"
"No, why would I lecture you, pain is pain, you know your body better than anyone else. What works for one patient doesn't work for another. We are all different. Now, I have read through the information that Jan gave to me" He said looking at House
House raised his eyebrows, with a questioning look.
"The Physio Therapist you have been seeing!" He said chuckling "Is there anything else you want to add, anything you think I should know about"
"I don't want to go back on Vicodin" Said House quietly
"Fair enough, why is that?"
"Because I am an addict and I don't want to go back there" Said House looking at the floor
"Why do you think you are an addict?"
"Cut the crap! You know who I am and my history" Said House getting frustrated.
"No I don't, I've never met you before and you are a new patient, in constant pain who's history I have yet to learn" Dr Payne rubbed his hand over his forehead "Look Dr House off the record – I know who you are, I have read everything about you, everything that you have written and years ago I would go to any conference that you were speaking at and I invited you to join my pain trials/group but for whatever reason you turned me down. But I think I can help you. I'm not here to judge and from this moment forward you are Gerry Shudergroo a new patient and we need to start at the beginning, like I would with anyone else"
House sat and looked at him with a smirk on his face "ok then"
"Now Gerry is there anything else you want to add?"
House delved into his back pack and pulled out his journal, having felt that he could trust Dr Payne he would be a fool not to let him see it.
Dr Payne looked curiously at House and took the journal. Opened it and started reading. House just sat and fiddled while the Doctor was reading it. After a little while Dr Payne looked up at House "Wow! This is amazing, you have documented everything you have tried, thank you for sharing it, can I read it again later and give it back to you tomorrow?"
"ok"
"Can I examine your leg?"
"k" Said House knowing that this part was the worst part of all, he hated it when anyone had to look or touch his leg. But he conformed otherwise there would be no point. He got up on the exam table and pulled his trousers down and lay down.
"Close your eyes for me please. Tell me what you can feel" He proceeded to gently press and palpate the area and feel around House's leg and House was even more impressed with this guys skills, as his quietness and body language spoke volumes.
"ok, that's all done, pop your trousers back on" He said walking back to his desk. He got out House's file while he was waiting for House to sit back down. "So I think we can keep you on the Fentanyl patch as it seems to be working for you….yes?"
"Yes"
"But we can titrate it up slightly, so let's do that first. I also wandered about a TENS machine, there's nothing in your journal about trying one of those"
"They worry me slightly, I don't think it would work"
"What are your concerns?"
"Well, my pain is erratic and inconsistent, I get feelings that range from pins and needles to hotness to being stabbed with sharp knives and also some numbness around the scar, so I won't feel it if it is too high or if it burns"
"All very good points, but the way that I am thinking for you to use it is a little different. You would have electrodes on your back and probably just below your groin area. The aim would be to stop the pain before it gets near the nerve endings"
"Hadn't thought of that, I'll think about it"
"Does hot and cold work for it?"
"Hot does, cold doesn't"
"OK, now out of curiosity I am going to ask you a really stupid question. Did ibuprofen actually work?"
"Not really" Said House looking away
"haha, I really don't know why anyone would prescribe Ibuprofen for a chronic pain sufferer. It helps with toothache, period pains and sometimes headaches. I do wander where people get their licenses from! You must have known they wouldn't work" He said curiously
"Kinda, they were like a no risk substitute for Vicodin"
"Vicodin is quite a risky drug particularly for long term use. 95% of people become addicted and also find their pain can increase after a period of time as well. Us pain specialists try to steer clear of it for chronic pain, although taken occasionally or for a short amount of time is fine. "
"Well I think my body appreciates the alternatives"
"So, how's the PT going?"
"yeah, it is um…..good….I have noticed a difference" He said quietly.
Dr Payne sat quietly for a second, making some notes and then looked up to House "Ok, here are my suggestions, there is some New Age Crap here too. I'm giving you 2 Health Supplements…don't look at me like that. You know as well as I do that our bodies get worse as we get older and you also know that your leg is going to deteriorate too, but don't worry cos we are not there yet. "
"hhm"
"I think the extra pain is still from the ACL injury healing and because of your leg the way it is, it is just taking longer to heal. Keep up with the PT, if you can manage twice a week then that would be good as it keeps the muscles you have got working and healthy. The supplements will also do that , take them once a day. This is an ointment – it's herbal, rub it in twice a day – it releases oils into the muscles so they generate heat, it's more of a small preventative. Fentanyl patch we will increase for now, although I do not think it will need to stay up"
"Ok, anything else"
"yep, I really would like you to try the TENS machine, I know you have reservations, but it can't do any harm to try. I'll fit it for you now and you can trial it for a month"
House nodded his head "if I don't like it?"
"Don't wear it! There is no evidence to suggest that using it for longer helps in any way, if it is going to help it will work more or less straight away or once we get the settings right. If you don't like it or you feel its interfering with your leg, just stop wearing it"
"ok"
He sat up against the exam table while Dr Payne sorted out the TENS machine. They had changed quite a bit since he last saw one. They were now the size of a cigarette box and clipped on your belt, the electrodes were self-adhesive, no messing with gel and tape and the controls had covers on them and each set of pads could be controlled separately. Two were placed on his lower back and 2 at the top of his thigh, just below the hip. Controls were tweaked to a comfortable position, leads tucked away and the devise put on his belt. So far so good.
"ok almost done, can we arrange to get a new MRI of your leg, not necessarily today but before the next appointment, so that we have a clearer starting point"
"Sure"
"Do you need anything stronger for breakthrough?"
"No, I don't think so, what I have does normally work"
"What I will do is leave a note in your file, to tell Tony what he is able to give you. But again if a shot of Morphine is really all that will help at the point of no return, then ask for it. Do not suffer. You should never been in the kind of pain that makes you pass out, ok?"
"Fine"
"Well Gerry I think we are done. It was nice meeting you, shall I schedule for the same time next month?" Said Dr Payne
"Yep" Said House and got up to leave. As he got to the door
"Oh and by the way, that drug that you trialled hasn't made it any further than rats yet, if and when it does make it to humans I'll be the first to let you know"
House walked off down the hallway to find Wilson, who was just finishing his chemo session for the day. "Hey are you ok, you've been gone for 2hours"
"Yep, I'm fine. Lets' go get some dinner I'm starving"
They sat in the diner and House seemed like he was miles away and also had a strange look on his face.
"hey are you ok, you seem like you are deep in thought or in some faraway place" Said Wilson although he wasn't concerned as he didn't seem upset.
"I'm fine!"
"Did you get on ok with the pain consultant, I know you were a little worried, you haven't said much"
"yep, amongst other things, he fitted me with a TENS machine and it feels really weird" He said with a smirk on his face
"I didn't think you liked those things, you wouldn't try one in case they irritated your leg"
"Yeah, well I've tried almost everything else, so what harm can it do"
"Good for you House, is it working?"
"Not sure yet, something is happening, but it just feels really weird right now"
"Oh while I think about it, Marcy has invited us to Thanks Giving dinner at her house"
"You can"
"I know that, but she invited you too, she wants me to meet her family" Said Wilson with a slightly scared look on his face.
"That'll be nice for you – I think I'll stay at home"
"oh come on, don't leave me with the lions den, I need your help in case I want to escape"
"Right! I'll think about it"
At that moment Wilson's cell phone rang
"Hello, Dr Wilson speaking"
"Oh, Hi Abbie, how are you"
"Right, ok, yes that will be fine. I'm looking forward to it already. I'll see you Thanks Giving weekend then"
House looked at Wilson
"Abbie is visiting Tammy for Thanks Giving and wants to meet me to fill me in on what's going and to sign some papers"
"I actually don't want to know and I'll make a point of not meeting her. Come on I'm done lets go" House got up and left the diner while Wilson paid the bill.