Chapter 5: Keeping Secrets
It was almost five days since Ephram's admittance to the hospital when Andy found the moment to tell Ephram of the aortic aneurysm developing in his son's chest. Ephram was recovering nicely from his bout with pneumonia and have even gotten stronger. To Andy's surprise, Ephram took the news too well. Andy expected a more dramatic reaction to the dreadful news. There were no tears, no anguish, and no signs of fear. There was only silence. This worried him. Andy thought it would be easier to cope if Ephram would show some sort of emotion. Any emotion would be better than none at all. Ephram listened to his father's ramblings about the procedures and what's to happen next. He found comfort in sleeping and quietly holding Nina's hand. Occasionally, he would talk to his father and joke a bit with Delia.
There was only one conversation Andy remembered that Ephram showed any form of emotion. It happened shortly after Andy told him about the aneurysm.
"Who else knows about this?" Ephram asked.
"Right now, just Nina and Delia." Andy replied.
"I don't want anyone else to know about this. Can you tell them to keep this a secret?"
"Sure. But why?"
"Don't want anyone feeling sorry for me. Don't want everyone treating me like I'm some sort of freakshow. Besides, it's none of anyone's business to know." Ephram shrugged.
Andy was astonished at his son's words. "But what you have is not contagious. No one will treat you like a freak. They can only learn and understand what's going on in your body."
"Please dad. It's all I ask. It's very important. I don't want anyone else to know. Swear it you won't tell anyone!!" He begged almost with tears in his eyes.
Andy reassured him no one else would know. Ever since that conversation, Ephram acted like there was nothing wrong. He went back to being his usual self after being discharged from the hospital on the sixth day. Each time Andy asked him if he felt any pain anywhere, he'd just say no and change the subject. Andy could see his son's solitude and despair when he hid it in his silence. Ephram was in denial. He didn't believe there was a slim chance he may die unexpectedly at any given day, in any given year, at any given time.
Time was being wasted and Andy scheduled for the CAT scan appointment for the following week.
"So, tell me again how this CAT scan thing works." Ephram questioned his father nervously as he sat in the hospital changing room. They allowed him to wear his own clothes instead of a hospital gown, which he always hated. He wore a plain white T-shirt, light gray yoga pants and white athletic socks. Any clothes with metal trims were not permitted as they interfered with the images.
"It's quite simple actually. First, they're going to inject you with contrast material. Then you'll be placed on a moving table and it's going to slide into a round tubular machine where three-dimensional X-rays will be taken of your internal organs." Andy explained. "I'll be able to see you thru the observation window where the controls are located and there's a 2- way intercom system in the room so we'll be able to communicate throughout the whole procedure."
"Sounds painless. How long is it going to take?"
"About an hour or so. But you gotta lie really still or else the X-ray images won't come out clear."
The radiologist, a skinny woman with blond hair tied back into a bun, knocked on the door. She announced everything was ready for the CAT scan.
* end of chapter 5 *
It was almost five days since Ephram's admittance to the hospital when Andy found the moment to tell Ephram of the aortic aneurysm developing in his son's chest. Ephram was recovering nicely from his bout with pneumonia and have even gotten stronger. To Andy's surprise, Ephram took the news too well. Andy expected a more dramatic reaction to the dreadful news. There were no tears, no anguish, and no signs of fear. There was only silence. This worried him. Andy thought it would be easier to cope if Ephram would show some sort of emotion. Any emotion would be better than none at all. Ephram listened to his father's ramblings about the procedures and what's to happen next. He found comfort in sleeping and quietly holding Nina's hand. Occasionally, he would talk to his father and joke a bit with Delia.
There was only one conversation Andy remembered that Ephram showed any form of emotion. It happened shortly after Andy told him about the aneurysm.
"Who else knows about this?" Ephram asked.
"Right now, just Nina and Delia." Andy replied.
"I don't want anyone else to know about this. Can you tell them to keep this a secret?"
"Sure. But why?"
"Don't want anyone feeling sorry for me. Don't want everyone treating me like I'm some sort of freakshow. Besides, it's none of anyone's business to know." Ephram shrugged.
Andy was astonished at his son's words. "But what you have is not contagious. No one will treat you like a freak. They can only learn and understand what's going on in your body."
"Please dad. It's all I ask. It's very important. I don't want anyone else to know. Swear it you won't tell anyone!!" He begged almost with tears in his eyes.
Andy reassured him no one else would know. Ever since that conversation, Ephram acted like there was nothing wrong. He went back to being his usual self after being discharged from the hospital on the sixth day. Each time Andy asked him if he felt any pain anywhere, he'd just say no and change the subject. Andy could see his son's solitude and despair when he hid it in his silence. Ephram was in denial. He didn't believe there was a slim chance he may die unexpectedly at any given day, in any given year, at any given time.
Time was being wasted and Andy scheduled for the CAT scan appointment for the following week.
"So, tell me again how this CAT scan thing works." Ephram questioned his father nervously as he sat in the hospital changing room. They allowed him to wear his own clothes instead of a hospital gown, which he always hated. He wore a plain white T-shirt, light gray yoga pants and white athletic socks. Any clothes with metal trims were not permitted as they interfered with the images.
"It's quite simple actually. First, they're going to inject you with contrast material. Then you'll be placed on a moving table and it's going to slide into a round tubular machine where three-dimensional X-rays will be taken of your internal organs." Andy explained. "I'll be able to see you thru the observation window where the controls are located and there's a 2- way intercom system in the room so we'll be able to communicate throughout the whole procedure."
"Sounds painless. How long is it going to take?"
"About an hour or so. But you gotta lie really still or else the X-ray images won't come out clear."
The radiologist, a skinny woman with blond hair tied back into a bun, knocked on the door. She announced everything was ready for the CAT scan.
* end of chapter 5 *