Unknown:
We really got to work on getting you outside for more than just doctors appointments.
I smiled again, bigger this time. I could feel myself blushing.
“What’s that smile about?” Teagan glanced over at me, her eyebrows raised. Before I could answer, a nurse called me from the hallway.
“Noa Green?”
“Saved by the nurse.” I dropped my phone in my purse and rolled over to the nurse. Teagan stood and followed behind me.
“You’re not off the hook. I’ll gladly wait for my answer,” she said under her breath.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I smirked just as the nurse opened the door to the back, gesturing us forward.
“You know the way, Miss Green,” she said.
“Unfortunately,” I replied under my breath, and she chuckled as we made our way to the exam room. Once inside, she took my vitals, asked about any medication changes, and gave Teagan a playful side-eye when she commented on my blood pressure being high from the text message I’d just read.
“Dr. Easton will be in shortly.” The nurse smiled and headed for the door, jotting down a few notes on her pad. The doordidn’t get to click shut before Teagan was back to questioning me.
“So… Was that Quade or no-good ass Shawn?”
“Don’t start,” I warned, but I couldn’t even hide the heat coming up my cheeks.
“That look tells me everything I need to know,” she sang. “What did Quade say?”
“Nothing. He just wanted to let me know they were working outside again.”
“That’s it?” She eyed me suspiciously.
“Yep.”
Before she could say anything else, there was a soft knock at the door to let us know Dr. Easton was entering.
“Noa! My favorite complicated case,” she teased gently as I took her in. She wore her usual navy-blue scrubs, a bob, and black-rimmed glasses halfway down her nose.
“Wow. That’s how we starting today, Dr. Easton?”
“You know I only say that because I love you. But seriously, how are we doing?”
I shrugged. How was I doing? That answer changed depending on the minute. Some mornings were hell, afternoons were iffy, and most nights, I didn’t know what was going on. I wasn’t getting better, and I wasn’t getting worse. I was just surviving.
“No changes really. I’m still tired, still flaring. Still stuck in this chair.”
“She’s being humble,” Teagan added from the corner. “She hasn’t complained half as much, and her pain’s been measuring at about an eight.”
Dr. Easton nodded, typing something into her tablet. “Your labs are stable, but I can tell you’re overcompensating again. You’ve lost a little more mobility since the last visit?”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah. My legs feel like lead some days. I’m doing the stretches, but… it’s frustrating.”
“You’re doing the best you can,” she reassured. “That’s the thing about lupus. It changes the rules mid-game. Doesn’t mean you stop playing.”
I breathed that in.
“What about driving?” I asked softly. “Is that still… off the table?”
“If we can get the inflammation down and maintain consistency with the new meds, adaptive driving is a real option. I’ll refer you for an evaluation. No promises, but it’s not out of the question.”
