Fever Read Free Page B

twelve-year-old in the world.
    With the back of his hand he wiped the wetness from her cheeks.
    â€œI’m sorry, Daddy,” said Michelle through her tears.
    â€œWhat do you mean, sorry?” asked Charles softly.
    â€œI’m sorry I’m sick again. I don’t like to be a bother.”
    Charles hugged her. She felt fragile in his arms. “You’re not a bother. I don’t want to even hear you say such a thing. Let me look at you.”
    Embarrassed by her tears, Michelle kept her face averted as Charles pulled away to examine her. He cradled her chin in the palm of his hand and lifted her face to his. “Tell me how you feel. What is bothering you?”
    â€œI just feel a little weak, that’s all. I can go to school. Really I can.”
    â€œSore throat?”
    â€œA little. Not much. Cathryn said I couldn’t go to school.”
    â€œAnything else? Headache?”
    â€œA little but it’s better.”
    â€œEars?”
    â€œFine.”
    â€œStomach?”
    â€œMaybe a little sore.”
    Charles depressed Michelle’s lower lids. The conjunctiva was pale. In fact, her whole face was pale. “Let me see your tongue.” Charles realized how long it had been since he’d done clinical medicine. Michelle stuck out her tongue and watched her father’s eyes for the slightest sign of concern. Charles felt under the angle of her jaw and she pulled her tongue back in.“Tender?” asked Charles as his fingers felt some small lymph nodes.
    â€œNo,” said Michelle.
    Charles had her sit on the edge of the bed, facing away from him, and he began to draw up her nightgown. Jean Paul’s head came into the room from the connecting bathroom to tell her the shower was free.
    â€œGet out of here,” yelled Michelle. “Dad, tell Jean Paul to get out.”
    â€œOut!” said Charles. Jean Paul disappeared. He could be heard laughing with Chuck.
    Charles percussed Michelle’s back somewhat clumsily but well enough to be convinced that her lungs were clear. Then he had her lie back on her bed, and he drew her nightgown up to just below her nascent breasts. Her thin abdomen rose and fell rhythmically. She was thin enough for him to see the recoil of her heart after each beat. With his right hand, Charles began to palpate her abdomen. “Try to relax. If I hurt you, just say so.”
    Michelle attempted to remain still but she squirmed beneath Charles’s cold hand. Then it hurt.
    â€œWhere?” asked Charles. Michelle pointed and Charles felt very carefully, determining that Michelle’s abdomen was tender at the midline. Putting his fingers just beneath the right ribs he asked her to breathe in. When she did, he could feel the blunt edge of her liver pass under his fingers. She said that hurt a little. Then with his left hand under her for support, he felt for her spleen. To his surprise he had no trouble palpating it. He’d always had trouble with that maneuver when he was in practice and he wondered if Michelle’s spleen wasn’t enlarged.
    Standing up, he looked at Michelle. She seemed thin, but she’d always been slender. Charles started to run his hand down her legs to feel the muscle tone, then stopped, noticing a series of bruises. “Where’d you get all these black-and-blue marks?”
    Michelle shrugged.
    â€œDo your legs bother you?”
    â€œA little. Mostly my knees and ankles after gym. But I don’t have to go to gym if I have a note.”
    Straightening up again, Charles surveyed his daughter. She was pale, had minor aches and pains, a few lymph nodes, and a fever. That could be just about any minor viral illness. But four weeks! Maybe Cathryn was right. Maybe she should be seen by a “real” doctor.
    â€œPlease, Dad,” said Michelle. “I can’t miss any more school if I’m going to be a research doctor like you.”
    Charles smiled. Michelle had