Love beyond the mask (Whitney) novel Chapter 537

Florence's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she took a deep breath. "Then I'll be waiting for you in the operating room."

Her words hit Ryan like a hammer to the heart, sending his pulse racing.

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An hour later, Whitney was writhing in agony from stomach pain. She made her way back to the self-service kiosk to print out her test results, which were still pending. Heading towards the information desk to inquire about the delay, she was intercepted by a nurse. "You're Dr. Bill's patient, Whitney, right? Dr. Bill mentioned your test results came back a bit concerning. Please follow me to his office for a follow-up."

Concerning?

That word usually meant something serious. But Whitney felt in tune with her body and sensed no significant issues. She could self-diagnose to an extent.

In the office, the previous doctor sat behind his desk and pulled out a blood test report. "Ms. Valentine, here's the situation. Your bloodwork is a bit complex, indicating it's not just a simple case of gastritis. To rule out the possibility of benign or malignant tumors in your stomach, we need to perform an endoscopy. The procedure requires anesthesia, and due to a high volume of patients, there might be a wait. Are you okay with that?"

"Tumors?" Whitney glanced over the report; indeed, the indicators were off. She confirmed her name; it was her report. Shaking her head, she said, "It can't be that serious. Maybe it's just the acute symptoms that are skewing the bloodwork. I've had stomach issues before, sensitivity to certain foods. But a tumor, that's highly unlikely. I'm really uncomfortable right now; could we start with an IV?"

Seeing her organized refusal, the doctor hesitated, conflicted. "I'm sorry, Ms. Valentine. Our hospital follows a strict diagnostic protocol. Given the abnormalities in your test results, I can't just proceed with an IV treatment. If there's a serious issue with your stomach, misdiagnosing could lead to me facing medical liability. If the endoscopy shows everything's clear, we'll get you on an IV right away."

Whitney frowned deeply. She had been at the hospital for an hour; heading to another facility would mean more waiting, likely without being seen before closing time. The pain made her physically and mentally exhausted.

"Fine, let's do the endoscopy."

After paying, a nurse escorted Whitney to another floor crowded with people waiting for their turn. She vomited once in the restroom, then found a seat to catch her breath. Taking a sip of water, she pondered if the lunch at the hotel could have been the culprit. Pulling out her phone, Whitney messaged Tiana on Facebook, "Do you think our lunch at the hotel was off? My stomach's a mess." She copied the message to Nyx, concerned they might be experiencing similar symptoms. After waiting a few minutes without a reply, she checked the time; it was past 2 PM, they must be on their flight. Her pain escalated, clouding her clarity of thought.

Then, the nurse returned, holding a number. "I saw how much pain you were in, so I managed to bump you up the queue. Ms. Valentine, let's get you prepped for anesthesia."