ah.thefinaldiagnosis-第57章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃All righty。 Let's get to work。〃 The technician motioned to the nurse； and together they eased Vivian from the stretcher to the X…ray table。 After the stretcher's parative softness the black ebonite table felt hard and unyielding。
〃Not so fortable； eh？〃 Firban was moving Vivian carefully into the position he wanted； leaving her left knee exposed。 As she shook her head he went on； 〃You get used to it。 I've slept on this table plenty of times when I've been on night duty and things have been quiet。〃 He nodded to the nurse； and the girl went to wait behind the glassed…in section。
With Vivian watching； the technician went through the routine movements of an X…ray series。 Still with the same swift jerkiness； he took a film casette from an upright container built into the wall； inserting it deftly in a tray beneath the X…ray table。 Next he positioned the tray below the area of Vivian's knee。 Then； using press…button controls suspended from the ceiling by a heavy electrical cord； he maneuvered the heavy X…ray tube along its rollers and downward； until it was immediately above the knee； the arrow on the machine's calibrated height scale pointing to forty inches。
In contrast to so much else in the hospital； Vivian thought； this room appeared almost unearthlike and remote。 The shining black and chrome machinery seemed monstrous as it slid slowly and in massive murmur。 There was an aura of science and neutrality in this place； in a way as remote from medicine as a great ship's engine room might seem from a sunlit bridge deck far above。 And yet here； with these ominous； ponderous instruments； so much of medicine's real detective work was done。 The thought for a moment frightened her。 There was a dreadful impersonality in it all； so little of people in these machines。 Whatever they might discover was relayed and reported without warmth or pleasure； without sadness or regret。 Good； bad…it was all the same。 For a moment she fancied the picture tube suspended above her to be an eye of judgment； inflexible； dispassionate。 What was its judgment now？ Would there be hope； or even reprieve 。 。 。 or a solemn sentence from which there could be no appeal？ Again she found herself wishing for Mike； she would call him as soon as she returned to the hospital room。
The technician had finished his preparation。 〃I think that will do。〃 He took a final look around。 〃I'll tell you when to keep perfectly still。 This is the only place in the hospital； you know； where we can say you won't feel a thing and really mean it。〃
Now he moved behind the inch…thick glass screen which protected the X…ray operator from radiation。 Out of the periphery of her vision Vivian could see him moving； holding a check list； setting switches。
At the master control panel Firban was thinking： A pretty kid。 Wonder what's wrong。 Must be something serious for Bell to take all that interest； usually the chief doesn't pay attention to patients until after the films are made。 He double…checked the panel controls； in this work you acquired the habit of taking no chances。 Settings were okay…84 kilovolts； 200 milliamps； exposure time fifteen hundredths of a second。 He pressed a button which set the rotating anode of the picture tube in motion。 Then calling out the familiar formula； 〃Don't move！ Keep still！〃 he thumbed the second button and knew that whatever was to be seen by the osmotic eye of X…ray was recorded now for others to evaluate。
In the X…O…Mat room of Radiology； the Venetian blinds lowered to cut off the light from outside； Drs。 Bell and Lucy Grainger were waiting。 In a few minutes the films which Firban had taken would be ready for parison with those of two weeks before。 The technician had already fed his undeveloped negatives into the autodeveloping machine； and at this moment； looking somewhat like an oversized oil furnace； its interior was humming。 Now； one by one； the developed films began to fall too a slot at the front of the machine。
As each film appeared Bell placed it under the clip of a viewing box； lighted by fluorescent tubes behind。 On a second viewing box； immediately above； he had already put in position the earlier films。
〃Did we get good pictures？〃 There was a touch of pride in the technician's question。
〃Very good indeed。〃 It was a reflex answer； Bell was already studying the new negatives intently； then paring the corresponding areas in the two sets of films。 He used a pencil point to aid his own thought process and so that Lucy could follow him。
When they had gone over both sets pletely； Lucy asked； 〃Do you see any difference？ I can't； I'm afraid。〃
The radiologist shook his head。 〃There's a little periosteal reaction here。〃 He pointed with the pencil to a slight difference in gray shading at two points。 〃But that's probably the result of your own biopsy。 Otherwise there's been no conclusive change。〃 Bell removed his heavy glasses and rubbed his right eye。 He said； almost apologetically； 〃I'm sorry； Lucy； I guess I have to throw the ball back at Pathology。 Will you tell Joe Pearson； or shall I？〃 He began to take down the two sets of films。
〃I'll tell him；〃 Lucy said thoughtfully。 〃I'll go and tell Joe now。〃
Seventeen
Staff Nurse Mrs。 Wilding pushed back a wisp of gray hair that seemed forever to be falling out from under her starched cap and walked briskly down the fourth…floor corridor of Obstetrics a little ahead of John Alexander。 At the fifth door they came to she stopped and looked inside。 Then she announced cheerfully； 〃A visitor for you； Mrs。 Alexander；〃 and ushered John into the small semi…private room。
〃Johnny darling！〃 Elizabeth held out her arms； wincing slightly as the movement caused her to change position in the bed； and he went to her； kissing her tenderly。 For a moment she held him tightly。 He felt her warmth and under his hand the crisp； clean coarseness of the hospital nightgown she had on。 There was a smell in her hair that resembled a bination of sweat and ether； it seemed a reminder of something he had been unable to share； as if she had been to a distant place and was now returned； a touch of strangeness with her。 For a moment he sensed a constraint between them； as if； after separation； there was the need to find and to know each other again。 Then gently Elizabeth drew back。
〃I must look a mess。〃
〃You look beautiful；〃 he told her。
〃There wasn't time to bring anything。〃 She looked down at the shapeless hospital garment。 〃Not even a nightgown or a lipstick。〃
He said sympathetically； 〃I know。〃
〃I'll make a list。 Then you can bring the things in。〃
Behind them Mrs。 Wilding had drawn the overhead curtain that separated them from the other bed in the tiny room。
〃There you are。 Now you're as private as can be。〃 She took a tumbler that was on a bed table beside Elizabeth and refilled it from a jug of ice water。 〃I'll e back in a little while； Mr。 Alexander； then you can see your baby。〃
〃Thank you。〃 They both smiled gratefully as the nurse went out。
As the door closed Elizabeth turned to face John again。 Her expression was strained； her eyes searching。
〃Johnny dear； I want to know。 What are the baby's chances？〃
〃Well； honey 。 。 。〃 He hesitated。
She reached out and covered his hand。 〃Johnny； I want the truth。 The nurses won't tell me。 I've got to hear it from you。〃 Her voice wavered。 He sensed that tears were not far distant。
He answered softly； 〃It could go either way。〃 He went on； choosing the words carefully。 〃I saw Dr。 Dornberger。 He said the chances are just fair。 The baby might live； or 。 。 。〃 John stopped； the sentence unfinished。
Elizabeth had let her head fall back into the pillows behind her。 Looking at the ceiling； the words little more than a whisper； she asked； 〃There really isn't much hope； is there？〃
John weighed the impact of what he might say next。 Perhaps； if the baby were going to die； it was better for them both to face it now； better than to buoy up Elizabeth's hopes and then in a day or two have them cruelly destroyed。 Gently he said； 〃He's 。 。 。 awfully small； you see。 He was born two months too soon。 If there's any kind of infection 。 。 。 even the smallest thing 。 。 。 He doesn't have much strength。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Elizabeth was qu
