He stripped off his glove. “You did very well. Let me help you sit up. Take a breath.” He paused a moment. “Gwen, I’m concerned. I’m going to double-check your chart and send off a bunch of cultures. I also want to see your white count since you’re on antibiotics. I think you have a pelvic infection.”
“How?” she asked, wide-eyed.
“Resistance, or a bug they didn’t catch. I’d like to perform an ultrasound.” Russ pleaded his case with facts.
“Okay. You’re gonna do it, right?” Her hands shook as she pressed them onto her thighs.
“Yeah. I’ll do my best not to make you more anxious.” He offered her a small smile.
Trish set up the machine. “Lie back one more time,” Russ said.
Gwen held on to the exam table, her knuckles turning white. Sweat covered her lip and brow.
“Breathe in and out. Okay, all done.” He cut the exam short because of her pain and helped Gwen sit up. “Trish, would you get me Cefoxitintwo grams for IM andProbenecid, one gram PO? I’m also adding Metronidazole500 milligrams orally twice a day for fourteen days.
“I’m glad you let me examine you. The ultrasound tells me you’ve had this infection for a while. I’m going to give you some more antibiotics. I want you back here in three days, unless I call you sooner, or you don’t feel well. The generalized pain and fatigue you’re experiencing is likely from this infection. Thank you for trusting me.”
“Thank you for caring, Russ. I guess now I get my head shrunk?” Gwen laughed.
“Two pills and a shot. Pee in a cup, and then you get your head shrunk. Three days,” he warned.
Trish returned with the meds. She confirmed Gwen had no allergies, administered the shot, and watched her swallow the pills. “I put a plastic cup in the bathroom. I’ll see you at the desk.” Trish left Gwen to get dressed.
Chapter 15
Exhaustion seeped into Troy’s bones. He’d started the evaluation process on Gwen and had to wait for it to play out. He asked Tim to postpone his urology appointment. No matter what the doctors said about her fitness, he had to make things right with Gwen.
First, he had one more client interview. Troy and Trask headed toward the conference room on the fifth floor. "Trask, I didn't have time to read the file. Do we know why it got bumped up to me?" He yawned.
"Um, if you’re not up to it, maybe I should take it?" Trask slowed.
A grumble fell from Troy'slips. "What did I tell you about deciding what I should and shouldn’t do?"
"Yes, sir. The meeting is with Major Brody Garrett, MD, San Diego Naval Hospital. He wanted to discuss irregularities. He’s accompanied by Major Kim Pesce. And he asked specifically for you."
Troy opened the door. "Major Garrett, I'm Troy Bremen. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, tea, juice, soda or water?"
"Coffee, black please. I'm working overnight," said the blond man with vivid blue eyes that darted around the room.
“Kim, it’s been a long time.” Troy smiled. “Major, Kim was a year behind me at the Naval Academy.
“Troy, it’s so good to see you.” Kim walked around the table and hugged him.
“Do you still drink tea with lemon?” Troy asked.
She nodded. Trask went to get the coffee and tea.
"Overnight at San Diego Naval Hospital?" Troy opened the case folder and removed a pen from his pocket.
"I'm an ER doctor," he said proudly.
“How did you get Major Pesce to come with you?”
“She said you were a good friend to her. She encouraged me to come speak with you about my concerns.”
"What brings you to Chase Security International?" Troy asked.
"I usually work in San Diego, but for the last four months, I've been working the ER at the Navy hospital at Twentynine Palms," Brody said.
