AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“If it’s my balls you guys are contemplatin’ losin’, I’d appreciate it if you could at least wait until I’ve had some offspring.” Doc walked in, grinning at Swan.
“We were,” Swan said with a smile. She still sounded about half loopy from the drugs he’d given her. “But I think I talked her out of it.”
“It was you who suggested it,” Noelle said, giggling. “I was just helpin’ a bitch out.”
Swan chuckled. “I like you, Noelle. You and me and Jezebel are gonna rule the roost around here.”
“That you are, my dear,” El Diablo said with a smile. “Now, Doc. You have news?”
“Can’t we just talk about other things for a while?” Swan looked like she thought she was being led to the gallows. “I don’t want to --”
“Relax, Swan.” Doc came closer, sitting on the other side of the bed from Noelle. He took her other hand in both of his. “It’s not cancer. You’re not gonna die. At least, not from this, and not any time soon.”
She sucked in a breath that turned into a sob. “What?”
I was afraid to say anything. My grip on Swan’s hand tightened fractionally, and I tried to loosen my grip. Last thing I wanted to do was hurt or frighten her.
Doc sighed, frowning. “This is a prime example of why I don’t like telling patients a definite diagnosis until I’ve run all the tests.” He took a breath. “You should have been told they were testing for osteosarcoma. And yes, all the imaging pointed to it. Your blood markers were questionable, but the imaging was key in the diagnosis they gave you. The pathology, on the other hand…” He grinned. “You’ve got what’s called myositis ossificans. It can look like cancer in imaging, but it’s not. Short of it is, this was caused by your fall in a roundabout way. The resulting injury to your muscle, and probably the bone to a lesser degree, caused an inflammation or swelling around the bone. It’s why the chemo didn’t work and any kind of surgery or just walking on it will aggravate it because it irritates it. With some rest, anti-inflammatories, and gradually working your way back to full mobility, you’re going to be just fine, honey.”
Swan’s lower lip trembled. “You’re serious. You promise you’re serious.”
“Honey, I would not in any way be that cruel to anyone. You don’t have bone cancer. You have an inflammation that will go away on its own given rest and careful physical therapy.”
