Chapter 10

The nurse checked Chloe‘s vital signs; Her pulse rate, body temperature, and blood pressure were normal. Even her respiratory rate was much better compared to the last time she had a check up. Finally, her blood was drawn for further analysis. By now, she’s tired of giving blood in every visit, although she knew that it must be done, if she’d to get help in finding the cure for current predicament.

Asides the weakness of her lungs, she appeared in good shape. No other health alarming problems were identified. Once all that was done, Chloe was prepped for her clinical trial treatment.

The nurse left the room, and closed the door behind her, leaving Chloe inside. Chloe then lied down on the examination table, and waited for the doctor. Hope was dancing in her head, a successful outcome, when everything would be completed.

As her back touched the white table cover in the examination room, she remembered Amy’s smiles. She wished Amy was around, now at that moment and hold her arms, and with her angelic smiles, make her mother feel like a superwoman, not this mobbing and weak mother she appeared to be. She’d never felt so weak and insignificant like this in her entire life. She couldn’t avoid thinking that illness wears down anybody to nothing.

Few minutes later, Dr. Kyle walked into the room.

“Hello Chloe, how are you feeling today?” He extended his hand for a handshake. With his clean shave, he looked 15 years younger than his age. She felt old comparing herself with him.

“Everyday is a struggle doc, but I’m fine.” She replied.

“I think you’re going to be just fine,” he exclaimed calmly and enthusiastically. Then, he began checking her medical chart. His eyes penetrated every line on the medical record like a laser. Chloe was watching every moment he made. Suddenly, she felt her heart bouncing, a sudden anxiety shooting inside of her.

“I do not see any red flags, except for your lungs, of course,” he smiled, joking with her. She smiled, too. She needed that sudden outburst smile shining in on her face. Then he continued, “But, it looks like you’re good to go for the treatment. So, let’s get you ready okay,” he tapped on her shoulders, when he finished reading.

”Doc, besides myself, how many other patients have been tested on this drug?”

He looked into her eyes. He’s heard and seen patients panic or change their minds at the last minute. Some of them would just lose hope. Others would fear going through the treatment entirely. He’s always tried calming them down first, to ease their nerves and erase the last hint of doubts their instincts and weak bodies fought.

“Well, we’ve conducted many experiments on non-humans. Some were done randomly as well as in a controlled environment. Even though the experiment is still on its infancy stage, our success rate has been promising as we continue to see much progress in every test. Now, you’re the third patient, a real human patient to try the new drug. On one of the previous patients, we identified some side-effects, because her body completely rejected the drug and we immediately discontinued her treatment. But we were lucky that the clinical trial worked on the second patient.“ He paused and watched her reactions.

She processed the information he just uploaded onto her fragile mind. She was hesitant, but when she thought about it, what other choices did she have? She gasped for some air and said, “Well doc, let’s get over with it then.”

“You’re going to be fine. I promise, okay!” He smiled and tapped on her shoulders.

She nodded and sat back.

Few minutes later, two nurse practitioners came to the room and took Chloe to an isolated room for her treatment to begin.

“We”re going to sedate you so that we can inject the drug directly to your lungs,” one of the nurses said. The nurse then put an air mask on Chloe’s mouth and saw her close her eyes. Then, the nurse opened a small vial bottle of the trial drug named Miracle that’s been tested to regenerate human cells, and filled a syringe with 15 milligram of liquid medicine. She then inserted the tiny needle into Chloe’s ribs.

Until Chloe would gain consciousness, the nurse left the room.

Few minutes later, Chloe woke up and looked around. The nurses and Dr. Kyle were standing by the bedside. She watched them, as they exchanged words, though she couldn’t read their lips.

“Welcome back Chloe,” said Dr. Kyle. “We’re going to keep you here for a 24 hours observations.”

Chloe felt the bright room light burning her eyes, so she signaled him, nodding and closed her eyes.