The Scheme by Sam Cade

Author:Sam Cade [Cade, Sam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-07T16:00:00+00:00

45

TWO HOURS AND forty-five minutes after her colonoscopy, Sarah was awake sipping on Sprite over ice and snacking on cheese crackers. She was telling Jake and Hope she felt fine, just fine. “I think I’m ready to go home. Hope, could you help me dress?”

Hope didn’t have time to answer. A man and woman walked into Sarah Bradley’s recovery room. Both wore long white coats over scrubs. One walked to each side of Sarah’s bed. She knew Mark Epstein, her gastroenterologist. She didn’t know the woman.

Dr. Epstein took Sarah’s hand, clasped it between two of his. “Sarah, this is Dr. Rai Bhatia. She’s consulting with me over the results.”

Bhatia was a slim woman with wheatish brown skin, brown eyes, black silky hair to her shoulders. East Asian heritage.

Jake watched concern race across Sarah’s face at seeing another doctor. “Ms. Sarah, Hope and I will step out so you can talk.”

“No you won’t. Come her, boy. Hold my hand.” Jake moved next to Dr. Bhatia, took Sarah’s hand.

“First thing I want to say is we have some good news. But…there’s also a little bad news, but just a bump in the road. I’d like for Dr. Bhatia to explain,” said Dr. Epstein.

Sarah cut her eyes to the lady doctor.

“Mrs. Bradley. A pleasure to meet you. The MRI shows a growth in the colon but it’s small. And, very critically, it doesn’t appear to penetrate the outer wall. Even better news is that the full body scans show no evidence of growths anywhere else.”

“Doctor, you say growth. Is that cancer?”

“Not one hundred percent sure, but likely.” Bhatia came to America when she was three years old, when her father began his surgical residency in New York City. Her speech was unaccented English.

“Are you a cancer doctor?”

“I’m not an oncologist, I’m a colorectal surgeon who surgically treats cancer. But I work closely with oncologists.” Her tone was assured, speaking with confidence. “The best route is for me to remove the tumor, evaluate the pathology of the tissue, and meet with oncology to see if we need chemotherapy or radiation to get you past this.”

Dr. Epstein had something to add. “Sarah, Rai, here, is not just any surgeon. She’s one of the top GI surgeons on the east coast. She’s a clinical professor at Georgetown and she’s part of an on-call team for the president, vice-president and, visiting dignitaries for issues calling for GI surgery while in D.C. She’s your guy… I mean gal.” He smiled. “Trust me, you’re in the finest hands.”

“Okay, when?” said Sarah.

“Seven a.m., day after tomorrow, Mrs. Bradley,” said Bhatia. “You can leave now but I’ll have a room reserved for you in the morning. Only Jell-O and clear liquids for the rest of the day. A clean gut is vitally important.” The doctor pulled a sheet of paper from her coat pocket. “These are five ladies who have had this procedure over the past few years. They’ve all agreed to speak to women who are to have this surgery. They’d like to ease your mind.

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