Dean Visits the Doctor
Mello poked his arm. "Listen up ok? Friends and family are now a part of your life. That means if they see you getting tired, they're going to speak up and do w hat they can to help. You're not soloing things..you have a full crew to back you up," he told him.
“I understand and appreciate that, Mello. I accept it. What I can’t accept and understand is why am I still having problems with this? It’s been over six months since we came down here and the doc finally gave me a clean bill of health. Please, tell me why I’m still having problems?”
"I don't know. Maybe we need to call in another specialist to have a look at you?"
“Specialists? What specialists have I had already? What the hell?” Dean headed out the door and down the stairs. Mello heard the front door slam. Dean was headed to the clinic. He knew someone would be there, and he hoped the doctor was in.
The blond sighed, then went to get Lisa and Bobby. The two went to work, getting things arranged so that when Dean returned home, everything would be done.
Dean entered the clinic and saw the head nurse was there which meant the doctor was in. He sighed and walked up to her desk. “Hi, Nancy. Can I see him?”
"You'll have to wait a bit," she said. "He's with a patient at the moment. This is one of his special ones he takes his time with."
A confused Dean sat down to wait. The clinic was on the property, and the doctor and nurse were paid well to be there so many hours a week for those who lived on it. He was trying to figure who was on the property. All of them were at the cabin except him.
Fifteen minutes later, the doctor came out with a small boy beside him. "You did good, Andy. Now remember to give your grandmother the prescriptions." The boy was lame, using a cane and judging from his limp, he wore a brace on one leg. "Yes sir," came the soft response.
Dean looked at the small child. “Doc, his grandma raising him? She got the money for those scrips? Can I help?”
"She's a bit on the stubborn side," he said with a chuckle. "I usually head to the clinic in town so many hours a week but he's got a cough and I agreed to let him come here so I could see him."
“Doc, if the money were available, would that boy walk without the brace and cane?”
He watched as the little boy got into his grandmother's old car. "No, it's a birth defect that was made worse by abusive parents. His grandmother is too old to do much but she's trying her hardest," he answered. "Andy's one of my special ones. I watch over him as best as I can."
“So, he’s needing parents?”
The middle aged man nodded. "He is but it'd have to be someone very special with a lot of patience. He's painfully shy, succeptible to illness, which makes it harder for people."
“We’re having a barbecue tonight, Doc. Can you and Nancy come and bring that boy and his grandma? Please?”
"I can ask," he said softly. "You'll have to invite Nancy though."
“She won’t try to hit on me, will she?” Dean teased, forgetting his reason for coming.
The doctor laughed. "No, she's found someone actually."
“Hey! That’s great news, Doc. I’ll ask her..” Dean turned to go.
"Dean, was there a reason you came by?"
“Yeah, Doc. How many specialists have I actually seen? No one has ever told me about what went on in the hospital. I know you took over after the other doctor over drugged Near, but it’s bound to be in my records. Right? Mello said maybe I need to see another one?”
He was quiet for a moment. "Someone came in to see about your heart and diet, I remember that. Otherwise, no, I have handled everything." That had been an education thing.
“Doc, I was led to believe that diet and rest were what I needed for a while because of what tests showed. I got the idea that it was cholesterol, blood pressure, and maybe the onset of type 2 diabetes or something. No caffeine, no sugar, no fats, and the list goes on. Doc I don’t feel any better. I get tired real easy. I have a lot on my plate right now. Sometimes I forget to eat. I’m not getting enough sleep, but exhaustion started when I got injured the first time and it hasn’t gotten any better. I can’t handle things like I used to. I don’t have the strength or the get up and go I used to have. What the hell is going on? What is this about my heart? That’s a new one for me.”
The doctor shook his head. "I told you some time ago that the blood pressure and cholesterol could push you into heart disease, which is why I had the other doctor examine and educate you on the dangers of that."
Dean stared at the man. He spoke softly, “Doc, I’ve been trying to eat right I don’t slip that often. I have no strength like I used to, Doc. I’m tired. I know I’m not getting enough sleep and everyone has decided to run my life to see that I do. I’m not fighting it. I’m tired. I just want the truth about my health. Am I just slow in getting it back? Am I gonna get it back? Is there a heart problem no one wants to tell me about?”
He held his hands up. "First off, I would tell you if there was a problem. I don't play games with the health of my patients. Secondly, I told you that you need to sleep. Sleep is essential as well as a good diet. If you like, I can draw blood and run tests to see if something was missed. Chances are good that you have worked yourself into the ground and just need to rest."
“You know, Doc. You’re right. I’m sorry I bothered you. I’d still like you and Nancy and her friend to bring that little boy and his grandmother tonight. Thanks for your time and for listening.” Dean walked out.
“Hey, Nancy, if you aren’t busy tonight, why don’t you and your friend come to the new place and have barbecue with us? If you would, bring that little boy and his grandmother? Thanks.”
The doctor went after him. "Dean...did I say something wrong?"
"Hell, no, Doc, but you see. You didn't take care of me from the beginning. All those tests were in a strange hospital under an assumed name. No one told me anything about them other than I need to eat certain foods and rest. No one told me anything other than that and that was Watari. The doc was here for Near and he wasn't treating me. They didn't give me stuff I needed either. Watari had to call and get it for me. You saw me the first time when we got caught in the fire. I just wanted answers to questions I didn't understand. I wasn't testing you or questioning your ability to treat me. If I thought that I sure as hell would not have come to you today. I'm sorry I bothered you. I got a ton of stuff to get done. Thanks, Doc.
"Hospital under assumed name? I never got those records, Dean."
“Watari just told me I had health problems and they told me to get a lot of rest and to change my diet. With my life, rest is difficult, but I do try. The diet, pretty much, I stay with it. Sometimes I get busy and forget to eat.”
The man was quiet for a moment. "When is a day you have open to give me a few hours?"
“The shop is closed for the next two weeks except for emergencies. I am at diesel school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. What day can you be here? What do I need to do to be ready?”
"Wednesday," he said to him. "The one coming up. I want to do a full battery of tests: blood, urine, stress, everything I can think of. I want to make sure your records are complete and find out why you're so tired."
“Okay, day after tomorrow. Is that what they call fasting? No food?”
"Exactly," he told him. "Be prepared to spend some time here and also something to eat so I can take blood after you've eaten as well."
“Okay, Doc. Yeah, I’ll bring something to eat. Not sure I want to do this stress thing on empty stomach. See you tonight. Don’t forget that kid and his grandma.”
"We'll be there," he said with a smile. "And don't worry, all right? We'll get it taken care of."
Dean stared for a moment, studying the man. He slowly returned the smile and answered him, “Thanks, Doc. I sure hope so.”
"Good, keep smiling and believing. Now, we'll see you this evening. About what time and should we bring something?"
“We gotta ton of food shipped in today. It’s mainly getting the cooking done. I’m fixing to go breakdown Bobby’s grill and move it. He can get it started. I will probably ask Watari to make his potato salad. He makes it so I can eat it. Lisa’s got a great recipe for baked beans. I’m gonna throw those in the oven and put eggs on for deviled eggs. If I know Sarah, she’ll make the desserts. Nah, just bring yourself and a good appetite. They encased the patio and it can be heated or air conditioned if we want it. Gets cold out and the winter storms will be starting soon. Oh, and I’m hosting a thank you party for Sarah on Saturday. I’d like for all of you to come to that if you can.”
"We'll be there," he said. "Dean, you look tired to make sure the family helps with the cooking preparations, all right? No sense in grinding yourself into the ground needlessly when others can share the load."
“Yes, sir, I know. They all yell at me about it. I try, Doc, but it’s a hard habit to break. I’ll try to remember that. If I don’t, they will.”
Dean headed to the trailers and entered his. He saw that his clothes and things were gone and thought that Lisa was ahead of him. He found his laptop and opened it. Sitting down, pulling out his cell, Dean researched a caterer and a tailor. He called both and told tailor where his measurements could be gotten. He knew they had to go to the city on Saturday morning for the tuxedo fittings, and he would swing by for the other item, while the others were being fitted. He also called Sam and said someone needed to get the grill set up and asked him to tend to it.
Sam answered the phone and said someone would be on it. Things were progressing quickly due to everyone working together as a team.
Dean slipped his laptop into its case, looked for anything else he could bring over with the computer. He saw the coffee maker on the counter.and brought it. They had not ordered a new one as this was a top of the line machine. He whistled for the dogs. Three Jack Russells and one mastiff mix followed him to the cabin.
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