"Kathleen is coming in a few minutes to baby-sit Nora," Elliot said, gently waking Olivia. "Let's have you nurse Nora now so we can leave once Kathleen gets here." After helping Olivia through another excruciating nursing session, he updated Kathleen and helped Olivia to the car. Elliot had grown increasingly concerned about Liv throughout the day, as her fever remained high and she still felt awful. He was also worried that the swelling on her breast seemed larger, and he thought the doctor's appointment couldn't come soon enough. When they got to the hospital, Elliot brought a wheelchair to the car, and Olivia didn't protest.
Olivia was lying on the exam table, shivering, when Dr. Lee walked into the room. She frowned as she examined Liv's breast, noting her pain as soon as she touched the lump as gently as possible.
"I'm concerned that your fever isn't down and that you haven't started to feel better," she told Olivia. "The antibiotics usually kick in quickly. Has the swelling or size of the lump increased since you first noticed it?"
"It has," Elliot confirmed. Dr Lee didn't seem surprised. "It looks like it's formed into an abscess," she said. "I'd like to drain it, which I'm hoping will make your breast less tender. I'm hopeful this will help you start feeling much better but if you haven't significantly improved by tomorrow, I want you to come back in."
"What would you do then?" Elliot asked.
"Either a more extensive surgical drainage or potentially admit her for IV antibiotics," she said, "but I'm hoping we can prevent that."
"I'm going to numb you with a local anesthetic, then drain the abscess with a needle," she explained to Olivia.
She came back in with the supplies and a nurse. "The anesthetic will be painful, because I have to inject it directly into your breast."
"Just do it," Olivia groaned, desperate for intervention.
She cried out as the needle went in and continued moaning in pain as Dr Lee injected the medication. Elliot sat next to her, holding her hand and rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sorry, Olivia," Dr Lee said. "I'm just going to give the medicine a few minutes to take affect, then drain the abscess." She inserted the needle a few minutes later, and Elliot gasped as she drew out pus."
"Keep alternating between ice to help the swelling and warm compresses to ease the blocked milk duct," she told Elliot and Olivia. "And continue with the antibiotics and the Tylenol and ibuprofen for the pain and fever. You can alternate them for more relief."
"Call tomorrow morning and have them page me," she told Elliot. "I want to see what her temperature is and how she's feeling in the morning. I'm hopeful you'll be feeling significantly better by then," she said to Olivia, "but if not, I'll see you again tomorrow to address it."
"I'm so sorry, Liv," Elliot told her, kissing her forehead, before gently lifting her off the exam table and helping her into the wheelchair. "I wish you didn't feel so terrible." He massaged her shoulders for a minute before taking her out to the car. "Let's get you home and back into bed," he murmured.