In New York Danika walked out of the studio from her first class.
"Danika," Lauren her roommate called, "coffee?"
"Sure," Danika said.
"Your sister actually came with you," Lauren said.
"I live with Teddy," Danika said.
"Your mom," Lauren asked.
"My parents are dead. Teddy is the only family I have," Danika said, "she's great most of the time."
"Just the two of you," Lauren asked.
"Teddy's husband Owen and their daughter Allison," Danika said.
"How's a brother in law," Lauren asked.
"Owens usually cool he's a bit stricter than Teddy some times," Danika said, "but he's also the one that will pick me up from a friends at night or drive us all to the beach and for ice cream."
"Like your dad," Lauren asked.
"Sometimes," Danika said, "legal guardian."
"My step dad isn't that cool," Lauren said.
"It's weird," Danika laughed, "but he's good. His sister is great. Megan is awesome."
"Sister in law," Lauren said.
"More like the cool aunt," Danika said, "she's sad she can't come to the show."
"Why not," Lauren asked.
"She's having a baby in August, like 2 days after I get home," Danika said, "she's not allowed to fly. Teddy, Owen and Allison are coming. Then we get a few days to explore New York."
"I go straight home and my mom can't come," Lauren said, "you get both."
"They're using their vacation time," Danika said, "taking August off. New York then camping in Oregon for a couple weeks."
"Surgeons go on camping trips," another girl in their room Julie asked.
"They love camping," Danika groaned, "it's okay but they try to survival skill it all and teach me. Their military training comes out and it's annoying."
After lunch the girls in Danika's group were lead into an open room near the schools first aid room. They called girls over one at a time and weighed them in the scale outside the room
"What's going on," Danika asked.
"Health check," a summer program counselor said.
"I'm not doing that," Danika said.
"It's policy," the counselor said.
"I said no," Danika repeated firmly she remembered the line Teddy and Owen had taught her for when things made her uncomfortable, "it's my body. I am not comfortable with this and I will not do something that makes me uncomfortable."
"It's policy everyone is," the counselor repeated.
"I am not," Danika replied, "I am not comfortable with this. It's my body and I make the decision."
"Danika Altman you will do it," the counselor repeated.
"I want to call my sister," Danika said, "you need her consent for anything medical. Teddy is my legal guardian. I will not be weighed or measured with out speaking to her first."
"She consented when she signed your permission forms," the counselor lied, the forms specified emergency care but she didn't think the teen would know that. The counselor was an apprentice with another company and hoping to move to NYCB the smaller company the counselor had been dancing with in Idaho had weekly weigh ins for their dancers.
"No," Danika sobbed, "I don't want to."
The doctor hearing the commotion came out of the exam room, "what's going on out here?"
"One of the dancers is refusing to be weighed," the counselor said.
The doctor could see Danika's discomfort and walked over, "I'm dr Jarrett. What's your name?"
"Danika," Danika replied.
"Danika why don't you come into my room and I can ask you a couple questions. I have to make sure your healthy starting the program," dr Jarrett replied.
"You don't need to," Danika said, "my sister and her husband are both suregons they went through the list the school sent out before I came and Teddy did again yesterday before she left."
"What are their names," dr Jarrett asked, "I'm actually an orthopedic surgeon. Danika will you come answer a couple questions for me?"
"Dr Theodora Altman and Dr Owen Hunt," Danika replied, " you can ask but I can choose not to answer."
"You can," the doctor agreed, "who taught you that?"
"Teddy and Owen. I don't have to answer a question or do something that makes me uncomfortable," Danika said, "it's my body."
"About 8 years ago I worked with a Teddy Altman at Columbia," dr Jarrett said, "then she joined the army."
"Teddy and Owen were both in the army," Danika said.
"I think I've worked with your sister," dr Jarrett said, "let's step into my room and call her do you know the number?"
"I do but she's probably still flying back to Seattle. We could call Owen."
"Not your parents," dr Jarrett asked as she lead Danika to her office.
"My parents have passed. Teddy and Owen are my legal guardians," Danika explained.
They called Owen and we're right that Teddy was still flying.
"Kiddo what don't you want to do," Owen asked, "what is making you uncomfortable?"
"I don't want to be weighed in front of everyone," danika said, "you and Teddy never weigh me to decide if I'm healthy. "
"Don't do it then," Owen agreed, "use your voice kiddo. Dr Jarrett what was your reason for weighing them?"
"The school wants it to have a base line if any sort of disordered eating comes up," dr Jarrett replied.
"You do not have my wife and my consent to weigh Danika. We signed for you to do emergency care or injuries only. She was seen by an adolescent medicine specialist a week ago my wife went with her and there is nothing to be concerned about," Owen said.
"Her history," dr Jarrett asked.
"Danika," Owen prompted.
"I have bilateral tympanostomy tubes placed by Dr Mark Sloan and my appendix was removed in January by Dr Arizona Robbins. I had an anaphylactic reaction to cefazolin," Danika said.
"You wear contacts," Owen reminded.
"She's had great care. I know both those names," Dr Jarrett said.
"Mark is a buddy of mine and Arizona and Teddy are close," Owen explained, "my wife and I are both surgeons at Seattle Grace. We wouldn't send Danika if she wasn't healthy enough to be there. She takes a multivitamin and iron daily. The only other thing I can think of is she's super sensitive to caffeine so is limited to one cup or tea or coffee a day."
"Decaf," Danika tried.
"Herbal tea," Owen countered, "we don't need a repeat of New Years."
"That was coffee and gummy bears," Danika replied.
"I know," Owen said, "dr Jarrett there is no need to do a physical exam unless Danika is injured. She's generally healthy. The odd cold, pink eye but we're not concerned. She's used to a pretty balanced diet and will eat almost anything. A glass of milk isn't her favorite but yogurt is a favorite. My wife and I don't limit how much she eats or give her a minimum. We trust Danika to know how hungry she is. She is allowed to say no to anything that makes her feel uncomfortable or unsafe."
"Weighing her," dr Jarrett asked.
"Estimate for the school," Owen replied, "it's a number that doesn't tell you about her health. You know as well as I do you'd need to calculate body fat percentage and to do blood work."
"Has there been recent blood work," dr Jarrett asked.
"Yea," Danika said, "iron still low but everything else is normal. I have my iron pills."
"Dr Jarrett unless Danika becomes ill or is injured you do not need to do an exam," Owen replied, "we are on top of keeping her healthy. "
"I need to speak to her parents," dr Jarrett said, "your her brother in law."
"My wife dr Teddy Altman and I have custody and guardianship," Owen said, "both of Danika's parents are deceased. We are next of kin she's been with us for two years. Teddy would have given your school office a copy of the papers naming us as Danika's guardians. Dani are you okay?"
"I don't have to do this," Danika asked.
"No," Owen assured, "you did what we taught you. You made a decision for your self and communicated that. What does Teddy tell you?"
"It's my body and I decide," Danika said, "she still over rode me about tubes in my ears."
"Long term health," Owen said, "and you were 14. We gave consent for your appendix because you were too out of it to explain first."
"Dr Hunt I'm going to send you and your wife a health check form," dr Jarrett said.
"Teddy would have filled one out yesterday," Owen replied, "I appreciate your concern. We've told Park Ridge this as well, we will make the decisions about Danika's health you are to phone one of us right away if you have a question or concern. If one of us doesn't answer we're in the OR or with a patient so you call the other."
"What type of doctors are you," dr Jarrett asked.
"I'm a trauma surgeon and Teddy is a cardiothroatic surgeon," Owen replied.
"I knew a Teddy Altman in cardio about 10 years ago at Columbia," dr Jarrett replied.
"She was there for a couple years," Owen confirmed, "before the army."
"This is Teddy's sister," dr Jarrett said.
"I am," Danika confirmed.
"I have to go get Teddy from the airport," Owen said, "are you okay kiddo?"
"I am," Danika replied, "hug Teddy and Allison for me."
"I will," Owen replied, "your niece misses you."
"Three weeks," Danika said.
"We'll see you then," Owen smiled, "go have fun."
"Bye Owen," Danika said.
Dr Jarrett ended the call and turned to Danika, "your Teddy Altman's half sister she used to talk about you."
Owen and Allison picked Teddy up at the airport
"Mama," Allison yelled seeing Teddy.
"Hi baby," Teddy smiled, hugging her daughter.
"Welcome home," Owen smiled, kissing Teddy.
"I missed you," Teddy smiled as Owen took her bag.
"Only one didn't you take three," Owen asked.
"One of mine," Teddy said, "two for Dani."
"How did that go," Owen asked.
"She's excited," Teddy said, "nice girls in her room."
"She settled in okay," Owen asked.
"Ya," Teddy said, "we know it's temporary. She's texted a few times."
"Last night what did you do," Owen asked.
"I ran into Claire, my old roommate from before the army," Teddy said, "we had a couple drinks and caught up. Any word from Dani?"
"Yes," Owen said, "the program tried to weigh them but she refused so a Dr. Jarrett called. She thought she worked with you at columbia and ortho surgeon."
"What did you say," Teddy asked.
"That Danika is healthy and there was no need to weigh her," Owen said, "I let Danika choose. Teddy that's not right to weigh teenagers like that."
"It isn't," Teddy agreed, "what did Dani want?"
"Not to," Owen said, "this was something she can have the choice in."
"It is," Teddy agreed, "how have you two been? I've missed you so much."
"We're good," Owen said, "we missed you."
"We won't be apart for a while," Teddy promised, "but I did make us dinner plans in New York, an old family friend wants to meet you and Allison, get to know Dani a bit more."
"New York is your trip," Owen said, "but I've planned our two weeks in Oregon and California. I rented a trailer to pull behind the truck. A true family road trip."
"When," Teddy asked.
"After Megan's due date we'll still be here for that," Owen said, "the last two weeks of august. We took all of August off."
"A road trip sounds fun," Teddy smiled, "I'm incharge of the play list."
"You always are," Owen agreed.
