Dr. Tom rushed into his office followed by the nurse, Danielle. He changes out of his street jacket and into his doctor's coat.
"Send in the next patient."
"Alright." She nods and leaves.
Dr. Tom sits down and sees Danielle enter with Chris, "Good afternoon Chris."
Chris laughs and sits down, "Oh no you don't, you tell me."
Dr. Tom pauses and looks at him, composing himself, "I'm afraid that the exam results didn't test to our liking. I'd like to schedule you for surgery as soon as possible."
It takes a moment for Chris to take it, "Surgery? You mean..." He tries to pronounce the word but the lump forming in this throat causes him to choke, "Tah, ton...."
"I'm afraid that, due to both your illness and the presence of a slight small cancer, it's the only option. Perhaps if it had been found earlier..."
Chris is stammering, "Look, the culture said..."
"As you can see, however, we are forming better medical technology al the time."
"Oh, well, that's good."
"In the meantime, I'm afraid that your tonsils will have to be removed."
Stunned, "You mean, the... my tonsils?"
"Uhm, yes, unfortunately."
"What...?" Chris's voice squeaks in fear, trying not to cry.
"I can assure you, it's perfectly safe in cases such as your own."
Incredulous, "Oh, I don't think so, not this time!"
"Of course it's your decision, no one is forcing you to...."
"And no one can force me to have the ton... the ton..."
"Tonsillectomy."
"Yea, yea, whatever. Nobody can force me to have that either!"
Stunned, "We're not talking about an elective procedure, this procedure can save your life!"
"You mean as soon as.... see, I've got.... but I...."
"Chris! You have what appears to be a very aggressive ailment."
"Do I?" Hard. "Sorry..."
"Any other questions I can answer for you right now?" He pauses.
Chris takes out another cigarette, and replies in a challenging wry, "Yea, why me?"
Refers to Chris's chart, "Well, you have a number of known risk factors. Heredity, alcohol consumption...."
"What's riskier, being born or living your life?"
"Please, I was referring to your choice live style. Shall I go on?"
"Yea..."
"Diet, smoking," Chris puts the cigarette down on his desk. "numerous cases of untreated tonsillitis...."
Sarcastic, careless, "Whoops."
"On the other hand, in most of these throat cancer cases, when caught early, not all people have any known risk factors at all. So..."
A sigh of defeat, "All you know is, its gotta go."
Upon rising, "Of course, you are free to get another opinion. I encourage you to do that, as soon as possible. Then discuss it with your family, a significant other, and please let me know what you decide."
There is a pause as Chris is very frightened, "No, no... we got a date, doc." He leaves.
Dr. Tom sighs quietly with regret, "If only it didn't have to be this way..."
"Excuse me, Dr. Prichard?" He looks up to see the nurse, Danielle, who had just passed Chris as he made his exit down the hall.
"Yes?"
"A Brian Kendrick is waiting out there, it's about his arm." Dr. Tom recalls and nods. "Shall I prepare him for surgery?" Dr. Tom thinks for a moment, then nods, Danielle nods back and returns to the waiting room.
"Send in the next patient."
"Alright." She nods and leaves.
Dr. Tom sits down and sees Danielle enter with Chris, "Good afternoon Chris."
Chris laughs and sits down, "Oh no you don't, you tell me."
Dr. Tom pauses and looks at him, composing himself, "I'm afraid that the exam results didn't test to our liking. I'd like to schedule you for surgery as soon as possible."
It takes a moment for Chris to take it, "Surgery? You mean..." He tries to pronounce the word but the lump forming in this throat causes him to choke, "Tah, ton...."
"I'm afraid that, due to both your illness and the presence of a slight small cancer, it's the only option. Perhaps if it had been found earlier..."
Chris is stammering, "Look, the culture said..."
"As you can see, however, we are forming better medical technology al the time."
"Oh, well, that's good."
"In the meantime, I'm afraid that your tonsils will have to be removed."
Stunned, "You mean, the... my tonsils?"
"Uhm, yes, unfortunately."
"What...?" Chris's voice squeaks in fear, trying not to cry.
"I can assure you, it's perfectly safe in cases such as your own."
Incredulous, "Oh, I don't think so, not this time!"
"Of course it's your decision, no one is forcing you to...."
"And no one can force me to have the ton... the ton..."
"Tonsillectomy."
"Yea, yea, whatever. Nobody can force me to have that either!"
Stunned, "We're not talking about an elective procedure, this procedure can save your life!"
"You mean as soon as.... see, I've got.... but I...."
"Chris! You have what appears to be a very aggressive ailment."
"Do I?" Hard. "Sorry..."
"Any other questions I can answer for you right now?" He pauses.
Chris takes out another cigarette, and replies in a challenging wry, "Yea, why me?"
Refers to Chris's chart, "Well, you have a number of known risk factors. Heredity, alcohol consumption...."
"What's riskier, being born or living your life?"
"Please, I was referring to your choice live style. Shall I go on?"
"Yea..."
"Diet, smoking," Chris puts the cigarette down on his desk. "numerous cases of untreated tonsillitis...."
Sarcastic, careless, "Whoops."
"On the other hand, in most of these throat cancer cases, when caught early, not all people have any known risk factors at all. So..."
A sigh of defeat, "All you know is, its gotta go."
Upon rising, "Of course, you are free to get another opinion. I encourage you to do that, as soon as possible. Then discuss it with your family, a significant other, and please let me know what you decide."
There is a pause as Chris is very frightened, "No, no... we got a date, doc." He leaves.
Dr. Tom sighs quietly with regret, "If only it didn't have to be this way..."
"Excuse me, Dr. Prichard?" He looks up to see the nurse, Danielle, who had just passed Chris as he made his exit down the hall.
"Yes?"
"A Brian Kendrick is waiting out there, it's about his arm." Dr. Tom recalls and nods. "Shall I prepare him for surgery?" Dr. Tom thinks for a moment, then nods, Danielle nods back and returns to the waiting room.