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The afternoon is spent waiting for Doctor Miller, and when he finally arrives and studies my file, a deep frown crinkles his forehead. He sends me to have more blood tests done and wants me to come back for an echocardiogram tomorrow morning after fasting for eight hours.
Argh, I hate fasting.
He’s tight lipped when I asked if anything was wrong, saying that he needs to build a bigger picture before he can make a full assessment.
The next morning, Aiden drives us to the hospital. I’m cranky, not having eaten anything in what seems like forever. So I stay quiet for most of the trip, not wanting to snap at my fiancé.
The test itself isn’t so bad. Simone, the technician, attaches electrodes to my chest and I just lie there while she runs the test. I close my eyes, not wanting to watch her. Her face is mostly impassive, but I couldn’t help but notice how her eyes narrowed a few times, even stopping at one point to send a text message, receiving a reply shortly after.
Is something wrong? Unease crawls over my mind, spreading like an epidemic to all parts of me. If everything was okay, she’d look more impassive, wouldn’t she?
After thirty minutes of this, she excuses herself, and when she returns, she wheels in an IV drip.
Oh god. I’m going to be sick, and if my stomach wasn’t empty, I’m certain I’d throw up.
“Doctor Miller suggested we’d do a stress echocardiogram as well, but don’t worry, I won’t make you run on a treadmill. You’ll receive medicine through this IV to increase your heart rate,” Simone explains with a calm smile. It does nothing to appease my rising anxiety.
Doctor Miller didn’t mention anything about a stress test. They must want to do this because Simone found something not right with my heart and was texting him about it.
At this rate, I won’t need the medicine; my heart is already racing.
I force myself not to think about worst-case scenarios as I’m hooked up to the IV.
Our engagement party… where did our plans get up to with that?
It doesn’t take long before my heart beats really fast. I don’t like it… it’s unnerving.
Despite my best efforts to focus on pleasant things, I’m quite worked up by the time I join Aiden in the waiting room.
“That took longer than I expected,” he says, standing up and taking me into his arms.
“Yeah. They did some additional test.” Burying my face in his shoulder, I admit, “Ade, I’m scared. What if there is something wrong with my heart?”
“Then we’ll deal with it, Sunshine,” he reassures me, kissing the top of my head.
I breathe in his alpine scent. And thank God, the calming effect Aiden always has on me doesn’t let me down this time either. A sense of peace comes over me as we hug.
He takes my hand, and we sit down. “Are you allowed to eat again? I’ve gotten you a sandwich from the cafeteria and some cake.”
“You are truly the best,” I tell him and peck his lips. “I’m starving, but I better wait. I have no idea if I’m allowed to eat yet.”
Staring into space, I fidget with the straps of my handbag until Aiden takes my hands into his, resting his forehead against mine. “All will be well, lucida. Anything can be fixed these days.”
He pulls out his phone and types something before scanning the pages.
“What are you looking up?” I ask, happy about the distraction.
“Random fun facts about hospitals… but surprise, surprise, there are none.” He puts his phone away and slings his arm around my shoulder instead.
I roll my eyes at him and nestle against him.
It seems like an eternity before we’re called into Doctor Miller’s office.
I feel sick as I sit down, the doctor’s expression serious and solemn. I twist my engagement ring, my legs bouncing.
Aiden reaches over and takes my hand again, giving it a reassuring squeeze. I’m so grateful he’s here with me.
My stomach churns as Doctor Miller reads the notes, and the longer I wait, the more light-headed I become. But that’s because I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday afternoon.
