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Eve Chapter 33

Dr Fox had said I would have a busy Friday, but I hadn't realised just how busy.

Just before nine I was at the GP surgery having another armful of blood taken. He asked if my mother was in the waiting room as he wanted to give me a complete physical and wasn't sure if I would accept if a nurse was there instead.

Of course I had to tell him about her collapse and suspected siezure, I left out the suspected cause. The physical could wait for now unless there was another adult who could give authority and be present. He made a note to contact the hospital later.

I grabbed a bus to the hospital and walked into the Diagnostic Imaging suite on the stroke of ten. The MRI technician had seen me before, but that time it was my head that had been scanned. Of course I wasn't wearing a wig then so he didn't recognise me straight away, not until I returned from the changing cubicle wearing a gown and knickers only. My bra was wired so that had to go, along with my jewellery.

I laid on the table and he told me he'd been told to give me the full treatment. I questioned what he meant.

"A full body scan. This will take some time."

I would have loved to have fallen asleep but even with the headphones the noise of the scanner was deafening. I flinched several times half way through and he found this on the images when he reviewed them. The whole scan was repeated with stern warnings.

Finally, close to midday I was dressed and at a loose end, I knew mum had several tests this morning. I decided to follow up something from Wednesday and made my way to the Out Patients reception. Brenda wasn't there but her manager spotted me and asked for a quiet word.

"I understand you were quite abrupt with my staff member on Wednesday."

"It depends from which side you look at it. I was here for an appointment and it was the hospital's fault that we were alot longer than we should have been. Did you know that Brenda was hiding her staff ID, in contravention of the hospital rules?"

"How do you know the rules?"

"I don't, I just made an educated guess. I'm right though?"

"That is a rule for the staff. Now, onto this parking ticket."

"Yes, what are you going to do?"

"I've passed it to security saying you're refusing to pay."

"So you haven't spoken to the Chief Exec's office?"

"No, it's not their fault."

"That's fine. As my solicitor was aware of the meeting upstairs and the Chief Exec changed the time of our appointment without informing us you will find a letter from my solicitor very shortly unless you see sense in the next five minutes."

"Is that a threat? I will not tolerate that and will have you removed from the hospital premises young lady."

"Fine, if you want to do that. I would point out that my mother is lying unconscious in a bed on the third floor."

I spun around and pulled my mobile out, calling Mr Dixon and giving him the 30 second summary. He promised a fax would be sent within minutes. Next I called Dr Fox and explained what was happening. Out of the corner of my eye I saw security approaching. I stood my ground, in the middle of the public area.

"Miss Jones, we're here to escort you off the premises for harassing a member of staff."

"Lay one finger on me and I'll have you for assault. As I'm a minor that would be a spell in the clink no doubt."

"You will have to leave, regardless."

"I won't."

I folded my arms as a crowd gathered. A couple of familiar voices were heard over the murmers.

"Eve, can you come over here?"

Dr Fox was there and the deputy Chief Exec was stood next to her. The senior manager sent the security goons away and dismissed the original antagonist.

I was obviously wound up but had to give a summary to both of them, starting with the appointment and parking problem on Wednesday, adding that mum had suffered a suspected siezure not long afterwards, I added that it might have been caused by stress, although no-one had actually suggested this.

The senior manager shook his head and walked towards the reception manager's office. Dr Fox grabbed my arm and walked me to the cafeteria.

She took me to the self-service counter and we picked up a couple of toasted sandwiches plus a coffee. I went to pay but was told to put my money away, we took a table in a far corner.

"Eve, why didn't you go to see your mum instead of creating a fuss?"

"They were doing tests on her, they knew I'd see her this afternoon as they were waking mum up."

"Right, now what's this about the parking and the Chief Exec's office?"

I went through Wednesday's meeting, without mentioning how much money was involved, followed by the unresolved scan later that morning. I then explained my conversation with Brenda, finishing with a  full re-run of the previous half-hour.

"No wonder you were annoyed, but couldn't it be done quietly?"

"I tried, but he wouldn't listen so I decided that a fuss in public would at least get attention."

"Too true, but risky."

"You know, at every turn I've had problems at this hospital, and you know you were the first."

"You see it that way, but it is tainted with resentment, as I said yesterday. The thing is, how are you going to deal with this?"

"If the hospital idiots back off I'll be fine. We'll know more about mum's condition soon, then we can both go home. I'd be happier not having to come here for any more appointments, if that's possible?"

"I can't speak for the surgical teams but Dr Preston has a practice at St Saviour's Hospital across town, ask if you can see him there. I can see you at your GP surgery if that helps?"

"That sounds better, how soon?"

"I'll look at my schedule and phone your surgery, I'll call later today or tomorrow morning."

"Thanks."

We finally tucked into our lunch and didn't see the Deputy Chief Exec approaching.

"Doctor, Miss Jones, could I have a word?"

We nodded, with mouths full.

"I've reviewed this situation and the hospital is at fault. Whilst security didn't know your car registration when the penalty was imposed, it should have been cancelled as soon as it was brought to our attention. It appears one member of staff passed it to her manager saying you were refusing to pay, omitting to mention your complaint."

"So that accounts for Brenda, who didn't want me to know her name."

"Yes, she has been suspended pending a full investigation."

"What about her manager?"

"He had an opportunity to deal with this and missed it. He's been sent home and will see me on Monday."

"Right, now the ticket?"

"That's been cancelled, of course, and your solicitor has been informed. He has suggested a free parking permit."

"That would help, but as my mother is lying in a bed right now, it would be pretty useless for just her car, we'd need it for any car."

"In that case we'll issue a permit to you and your mother, valid for any car for twelve months."

"That's acceptable, but why are we still having these problems?"

Dr Fox intervened. "I'd agree, Eve and her mother have not received a professional reception here, obviously the hospital has already admitted responsibility but should have learnt. She is currently under my care and her mother is now a patient. This is not a good advert for the hospital."

"I accept what you're saying and I will re-issue our professional standards advice to all support services. Certain individuals will also get personal inspections."

"That might help, but some people are so ingrained in their approach, any changes may be short-lived."

"I understand. I'll investigate a mystery customer approach for out-patients department and I'd like you to report all your visits, good or bad."

"Dr Fox and myself have discussed this and I hope most of my appointments will be elsewhere for now."

"I'm sorry it has come to that."

"So am I."

The deputy Chief Exec walked away to leave just myself and the doctor. I had good reason not to trust her completely, she had conducted the hypnotism, but mum had sanctioned it and had wanted it. Right now Dr Fox was defending me against the hospital's bureaucracy. She was the only one defending me right now.

"Eve, did you want to see your mum before your appointment with Dr Preston?"

"That sounds like a good idea, I've got 45 minutes."

I walked up to the ward where mum was. Her bed was empty so I walked back to the nurses station.

"Excuse me, my mother Debbie Jones was here?"

"I've just come on shift, can you give me a moment?"

I waited for five minutes while she looked, went away, looked again and finally said, "she's gone to neurology."

That was not good news.

Eve Chapter 34

I sent my aunt a text then followed the signs to Neurology. Although I'd been there several weeks earlier, the only time I'd seen the route was when I was taken home, in a wheelchair.

I checked with the nurse's station and mum was indeed now in the unit but was in the EEG suite. My next appointment was back in the Psychiatry unit so I reluctantly walked back downstairs and along the connecting corridor, grabbing a cup of barely acceptable coffee from a machine when as I arrived in the empty waiting room.

"Eve Jones, please go to room 4."

Why do they have to use the tannoy when I'm the only one there?

"Good afternoon Eve. I don't need my years of training to tell that something is bothering you."

"You could say that. It's just that the hospital has managed to screw up again, and that's without what is happening to my mum."

"Can you give me the short version, we need to concentrate on you?"

"Mum's had a fall after we had an argument, she's now in Neurology as they suspect a siezure. Out Patients needs new management and I created a scene there."

"When did this all happen?"

"Mostly in the past 4 hours."

"You do work fast, but how are you?"

"I'm angry but I'll get through this. With mum, it's not knowing that's the worst part."

"What about you, have you thought about going back to school?"

"Yes, we had a meeting on Monday with the head and the plan is that I go back after half term, that'll be November 2nd."

"That's good news, do you think there'll be any problems?"

"I don't know for definite. We need to meet the head again to work out the details, he said they have a new LGBT policy. One member of staff has left because of issues with me and one other student has been excluded. That should at least make things easier to work out."

We talked more about my changing relationship with Claire, which was when I blushed profusely, then about my hormonal changes, the cause of which I still didn't know.

"Doctor, is it possible to see you elsewhere? I have real problems with this place."

"I have a surgery at St Saviour's on a Thursday afternoon. If the Primary Care Trust will fund you, I'll arrange an appointment."

"Thank you."

I walked back to Neurology and met my aunt there. We were led to mum's bed in a room by herself. She was sat up, reading a magazine.

"Hi mum."

"Hello Eve, Sue. I look a picture, don't I?"

"Sure, but how do you feel?"

"I get the impression it's like when you woke up in this unit."

"Have they said when you can go home?"

"You'd best ask this man."

The same Doctor we'd seen yesterday was approaching. This time I saw his name was Dr De'ath. I didn't know whether to laugh or be worried.

"Good afternoon Miss Jones. I take it that you want to take your mum home?"

"Yes, when?"

"How does tomorrow morning sound?"

"That would be good. What have you found out?"

"The latest EEG showed some transients but not enough for a condition such as epilepsy. We woke your mum yesterday late afternoon so we could monitor her while she was conscious. We've now done three EEGs and I don't think we'll achieve anything by doing any more. The MRI showed no physical problems."

"Transients?"

"Spikes in brain activity where there shouldn't be any."

"Oh. So why can't she come home now?"

"We need to keep her for observation another night as she was unconscious when she was brought in. If all goes well you can collect her at ten."

We spent another fifteen minutes with mum and Aunt Sue drove me back home. I made a mental note to have her parking ticket refunded.

Of course, I didn't go indoors, I went first to Sharon's house. The girls had not long arrived back from school. Claire wrapped herself around me like a limpet. I was finally able to tell Sharon and the girls what had happened during my busy day, the last item was, of course, the first.

I told Sharon I needed to clean the house ready for the morning and Claire offered to help. We started in the kitchen, where my pot of chilli was sat, cold, on the hob. Having disposed of that, what a waste, all the surfaces were cleaned and the floor wiped. The lounge and diner were next, plus the hallway, before we moved upstairs.

The moment we went into my room I knew the cleaning job had finished. I was pushed onto my bed and subjected to one of the heaviest petting sessions I could remember. At some point I gained a hickey, was there a vampire loose in here?

The house phone rang and we were summoned across the path to where dinner was waiting.

Sharon sent us to wash our hands and clean off our merged lipsticks.

"Eve, the hospital rang whilst you two were supposed to be cleaning. Can you give Dr Masters a call, here's his number."

I said I'd make the call from my house, the unsaid reason was for the privacy, given I was to talk to a psychiatrist.

I walked back over there and made a black coffee before sitting in the lounge with the cordless phone. I made a note to get some fresh milk.

"Dr Masters?"

"Yes, is that Eve Jones?"

"Yes, I understand you wanted to talk to me?"

"I did, thank you for getting back to me. I have spoken to Dr Fox so I'm aware of your circumstances but can you explain how you feel about your mum?"

"If you've read my file then you know how angry I've been at times as I was forced to accept changes to my lifestyle. I'm not saying that I won't have made them of my own accord, but now I'll never know. I was violated and Dr Fox carries alot of the blame for that. As you may know, I spent almost seventeen years of my life not knowing my true name or the circumstances around my birth and my father's death."

"What do you know about your mother's state of mind?"

"She said she had post-natal depression but anything else would be conjecture."

"That helps."

"So, what does she say?"

"I've only had one short session with her to assess her and I'll be back there tomorrow morning."

"We're supposed to collect her at ten."

"I wouldn't be too certain of that."

"Why?"

"Until I've spoken to her in the morning I can't recommend her discharge."

"I think you need to speak to my aunt."

"I'll make that call next. I'll keep you informed."

"Right, thanks."

I hung up and wondered back to my last words with mum before I slammed that door. She had now seen a shrink, but was it necessary? I suddenly felt very afraid for her, wondering what I'd started?

I was sobbing when I made it back to Sharon's kitchen.

Sharon had me explain the conversation, at least the parts I was prepared to tell her. It was the thought that the shrink might keep her there that was the most troubling. Did she really deserve this?

She sent me to the bathroom to tidy myself up before returning to the table for dinner. I wasn't really hungry and pushed my meal around the plate, taking few bites of what should have been appetising.  Sharon just left me to myself, dropping a banana in my lap when I retreated to the lounge.

I wasn't one for conversation tonight and climbed alone into Claire's bed just after nine.