Page 50 of Raymond's Forever

“Weight and height.”

“Okay, please continue.”

“Once I was settled on the exam table, she took my blood pressure and temperature. She then asked me exactly what happened, and how I treated it.”

“Treated it?”

“By going to Dr. Lassiter, getting x-rays from him, then icing the injured area.”

“Did she take your medical history?”

“Yes, what always happens when you visit the doctor.”

“Okay, now, to the best of your ability, please tell us what happened when Dr. Johnson walked into the room.”

Shay nodded. “She walked in, looked me right in the eye, held out her hand, and shook mine as she introduced herself. She then asked what happened, in my own words. Not once during that first three minutes did she not look at me. When she didn’t have any more questions, she put on a pair of gloves and asked me if I could roll up my pant leg so she could examine the area.”

“Did you? Roll up your pant leg?”

“No, because the injury was so swollen, I had worn a pair of sweat pants that had snaps up the side. I was able to unsnap them from ankle to hip. With her gloved hands, she gently examined the area, then told me that she couldn’t make an informed diagnosis until I had an MRI. She had the nurse who brought me back to the room call downstairs. The person who went with me, because I couldn’t drive, wheeled me to the next two appointments.”

“Two appointments?”

“The MRI and CAT Scan. While I went to get them done, she said she was going to examine the x-rays I brought with me. I had the tests done, and went back to see Dr. Johnson. She pointed out things in the x-rays and MRI, and reassured me that nothing was broken, torn, or messed up enough to warrant any type of surgery.”

“Were you given any restrictions? Any pain pills? Any instructions?”

“Yes, sorry. She gave me a brace that went from mid-calf to mid-thigh leaving my knee completely immobile. Though there was absolutely nothing wrong with my knee, the injury was so close to it that she wanted it immobilized so I wouldn’t damage it. I was to wear that brace for six weeks, no driving, no working, I was to use the crutches as well as the brace, and because I hate taking pills, we discussed that I could take the over-the-counter meds, and just keep the others as a PRN.”

“That’s that?”

“As needed.”

“How many of those pills did you take?”

“None.”

“How long were you in that brace?”

“Four weeks,” Shay grinned. “I went to Dr. Lassiter and asked him if he had a smaller one, and if I could go back to work. He did some range of motion work on me, examined thearea, took new x-rays, then told me to wait until I talked to Dr. Johnson. He called her with his assessment of me, and a few days later, she showed up at my work and made a house call on me.”

“Really? Isn’t that unheard of?”

“Probably, but she was in the area, and stopped to check on me. She said I could resume my normal duties, but Dr. Lassiter had given me a smaller brace to wear, and she told me to continue to wear that for the next two weeks, then use it on an as needed basis.”

“Still no surgery?”

“Still no surgery.”

“Thank you, now, I need you to tell this court about your interaction with Dr. Perkins.”

CHAPTER 20

“What do you want to know?”Shay asked as he sat taller, and everyone in the courtroom could see that his entire demeanor had changed from relaxed to tense and his facial expression showed anger.

“Tell us about this visit like you did with Dr. Johnson’s.”

“First, I was called and told I had to be at the office in Colorado Springs at a certain time and date.Idid not reach out to them, they contacted me. The caller, a male, informed me that my previous doctor was incompetent and missed something vital. He wanted me to come in to discuss the matter.”