More medical inaccuracies and OOC tendencies. You should really be used to them by now.
Thanks to everyone for not hating me.
--
She's twenty years of strangers looking into each other's eyes
She's twenty years of clean
She never truly hated anyone or anything
She's a dying breed
-
House looked round the room, Chase, Cameron and Foreman looking back at him, slightly impressed but still doubtful. House sighed and tapped his cane impatiently on the floor.
"You know I'm right." House muttered. Foreman frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. Chase scratched his head, still unsure.
"Still, you don't need to do a biopsy." He sighed, "I mean, we could just do the treatment, or we could look at her sputum, or all that blood she coughs up..."
"And you honestly think it's going to show something? We need to be sure. Come on, she has perfect lungs despite choking up blood." House insisted, "Why are you all so scared about sticking needles into her, it's not like she's going to deflate."
"It's just unnecessary." Chase said under his breath.
"Well don't worry, you're not going to have to do it." House reassured him, "I haven't forgotten about the last time you went at her with a needle. Plus here dad didn't seem to want you to do it."
"Didn't he ask for you to be taken off the case?" Foreman asked him slowly. House shrugged and twirled his cane absent-mindedly.
"I'm sure he did. But, I'm not his doctor, so he doesn't have a say." House murmured, "Look, just biopsy her damn lung!" Cameron, Chase and Foreman all glanced at each other before shrugging, and pushing themselves upright, heading towards the door.
"Don't use a bronchoscope." House quickly interjected, "Otherwise she'll be traumatised for life." They all nodded and left, House groaning and sitting down on one of the chairs. This case was getting frustrating.
--
"Is it safe this test?" My mother asked nervously. I looked up at Dr. Foreman, who was standing beside my bed. My Dad was seated on one side of the room and my mother was on the other, having calmed down considerably. I pursed my lips together for a moment, thinking.
"I've never had a needle biopsy before," I told him, "I mean, they mentioned it, but they said that since there was no mass, there was nothing to biopsy."
"We're looking for Coccidioidomycosis," He began to explain; "It's caused by a spore, so there would be no mass. We're looking for the antibodies which your body produces to fight against it; we can find those on just a sample of tissue."
"Are there any risks?" My dad asked, my mother quickly nodded after him.
"She's not going to get hurt?" I glanced at my mother, she looked quite panicked.
"There are risks with everything, right?" I murmured. Foreman nodded.
"Yes and this one's no different, there's a risk of bleeding, infection, and worst case scenario pneumothorax."
"Pneumothorax, what's that?" My dad asked obviously suspicious. I looked down at my lap and sighed.
"A collapsed lung." Foreman murmured.
"WHAT?" My mother sprang to her feet and shook her head, I knew she wouldn't go along with anything with the slightest risk, after what happened with the bronchoscope and even the blood tests. I seemed to have bad luck. My mothers eyes met my fathers, "She's not having this test."
"What happens if you just... treat it... instead?" My father asked slowly. Foreman pursed his lips together.
"Coccidioidomycosis should go away on its own with rest, but... your daughter's case would have to be pretty severe, so she'd need antibiotics. Most likely Amphotericin B or ketoconazole."
"And are there risks with those?" My dad asked slowly. Foreman reluctantly nodded, and my frown deepened.
"With Amphotericin B the most likely side effects are fever, shaking chills, hypotension, nausea, vomiting, headaches, shortness of breath... the most serious side effect would be... kidney damage and possible Liver failure." My dads face dropped, "Ketoconazole can cause dizziness, fatigue, headaches, vomiting, itchiness... rarely it can cause severe depression."
"No." My dad said suddenly, "No we're not taking the test and we're not giving her treatment. Not with those risks."
"The extreme side effects are very rare, and so is a pneumothorax." Foreman reassured them. My mother did not buy it and she shook her head.
"No, we're not putting our baby through that." I rolled my eyes, and shot her a glare.
"Last time I checked it wasnt up to you." Foreman muttered, he met my eyes, "Emily, what do you want to do?" I bit down on my lip and glanced guiltily at my mother.
"No, Emily, don't be stupid!" My mum snapped, I opened my mouth to reply to Foreman but she butted in, "You're not getting that test."
"It's not up to you!" I cried. My dad pushed himself up off the chair, his phone was ringing in his pocket. He picked it out and frowned.
"I have to take this," He murmured.
"No, you have to stay here and get your daughter to see sense." My mother snapped but he just shook his head and dashed for the door. I was guessing it was Carolin. I turned round to my mother.
"I want the test." I whispered, "I want the biopsy."
"Emily, I swear to god..." She gritted her teeth together, her eyes wide with rage, her hands curled into fists, "If you get that test, I'm leaving. I'm not sitting here to watch you torture yourself. I'm away." I shrugged and turned to Foreman.
"I want the test."
--
I sat up straight on my bed, a table sitting in front of me where my arms were laid out, Foreman and Cameron standing beside me. I bit down on my lip, glancing over at Foreman as he walked behind me. I was wearing a hospital gown; it was untied so my back was bare.
"This won't take too long." Foreman reassured me. I nodded slowly, glancing out through the glass wall to see Dr. Chase standing there, his arms folded across his chest, a worried expression on his face.
"What's he doing standing out there?" I asked. Cameron laughed slightly.
"House doesn't trust him around you with needles." I shrugged, feeling Foreman cleaning the biopsy sight, ready to put the anaesthetic in.
"So, do you think I have this?" I asked meekly, "Coccidioidomycosis?"
"Well, it makes sense." Foreman murmured, he reached over to the table, picking up a syringe, "I'm going to numb the area now." I nodded, shutting my eyes for a second as I felt the needle slide into my skin, stinging sharply for a second before he pulled it out.
I never really had a problem with needles, but a strange sensation spread down the side of my back, pins and needles only cold, and quickly disappearing, losing any feeling in the area. Foreman leant forward and pressed his hand against the side of my back.
"Is it numb?" He asked. I shrugged and bit down on my lip.
"I think so." He frowned and I saw movement.
"You feel that?" He asked. I shook my head, I had felt nothing. Foreman smiled to himself and nodded, glancing up at Cameron to show that he was ready for the test to begin.
"You need to keep your arms outstretched on the table," He instructed, there was a tray of instruments standing beside him and he picked one of the needles up, quickly wiping the area of my back where it was going to go in so that it was sterile, "You're going to have to take a deep breath, and whatever you do, don't cough."
--
House's P.O.V
House limped slowly down the hall, noticing a concerned Chase standing at the window of Emily's room, his arms folded across his chest, one hand raised to his mouth and he was chewing nervously on his nails. House couldn't help but roll his eyes as he came to a stop beside him, looking into Emily's room through the blinds.
She was sitting up in her desk, the back of her hospital gown undone as Foreman wiped the area of skin on her back. Her lips were pursed together, her wavy red hair was scraped back off her face, and her eyes were shining with a trace of fear. The room was empty, except for her, Foreman and Cameron.
"Where's her parent's?" House murmured. Chase glanced up at him, surprised, not realising that he had joined him. He quickly allowed the hand to fall from his mouth and settle back down against his chest.
"They left." Chase sighed, his eyes studying Emily through the window, "Neither of them wanted the test... her dad, his wife called and her mother... well... she just..." Chase shrugged and tore his eyes away looking down at his feet, "Didn't want to stay."
"So much for looking out for their daughter." House mumbled under his breath. Chase nodded, his frown deepening.
"Yeah, I know." They both fell silent as they watched Foreman raise the needle, it's tip glinting in the light as he lowered it, pressed a hand against her back. His mouth moved but neither Chase nor House could hear what he was saying, but Emily inhaled deeply, squeezing her eyes together tight. House shook his head slowly.
"This isn't right." He growled, and slowly walked towards the door. Chase looked up at him, obviously confused.
"Where are you going?" He asked. House opened the door and didn't look back at him.
"Taking care of my patient." He told him as the door swung shut behind him. Once Foreman heard him walk in he stopped, the needle point pressing against Emily's skin. Her eyes snapped open and she saw him, a tiny smile rising to her lips before it shakily disappeared.
"What is it?" Foreman asked bluntly. House scowled and walked over to Emily's bed side roughly pulling up a chair. He sat down quickly, his cane in front of him, both hands resting on top of it.
"The anaesthetic only works on the outside of the skin." House sighed, his eyes meeting Emily's ignoring both Cameron and Foreman, "Which means that it won't hurt when we put the needle in. But..." He lowered his gaze, "When the needle reaches your lung, well, your lung hasn't been numbed. You ever had a needle stuck in your lung before?" Emily slowly shook her head and let out a nervous laugh.
"No." She whispered. House's frown deepened.
"It hurts." He said plainly. He let out a long sigh as both Cameron and Foreman stared at him expectantly, wondering what the point of this was. He pursed his lips together and very reluctantly raised one of his hands, sliding it across the table in front of Emily and gripped her hand, his fingers entwining with hers. The skin on her hands was surprisingly cold and soft. Emily looked at him, completely shocked, "You're parents shouldn't have left you." His voice was barely audible, but Emily had managed to hear it and a smile fluttered back onto her lips.
"Thank you." She murmured. House was all too aware of Cameron and Foreman staring at him, their mouths hanging open slightly. He rolled his eyes.
"It's purely medicinal." He grumbled, avoiding their gaze and concentrating on Emily, "It's pain management, lowers stress levels." Emily just nodded and her grin broadened, he felt her grip tighten on his hand and he cleared his throat nervously.
"Take a deep breath." He instructed, Foreman took it as his cue to go and as Emily inhaled he slid the needle into the skin on her back. A few moments later Emily's face screwed up in pain, gritting her teeth together she clamped her hand even tighter around House's, letting out a slight whimper. House didn't mind, he just squeezed her hand in response and looked at Foreman as he tried to retrieve the biopsy sample as quickly as possible, not wanting to hurt her any longer than necessary.
Eventually Foreman slid the needle out of her back and Emily slowly exhaled, her grip relaxing as her expression softened. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled sweetly over at House. He forgot himself for a split second and allowed himself to smile back, before realising Cameron was staring down at the table where both his and Emily's hands were clutched together.
House scowled, but cleared his throat, looking away from Emily and down at the ground, very reluctantly removing his hand from her grip.