Post by house_crazy on Aug 21, 2006 16:32:37 GMT -5
Not the Flu
Chapter 1
*Ringggg ringgg* The phone in House's bedroom rang unmercifully. Once it had finally gotten him up, he reached over to answer it.
"Hello?" he asked sleepily.
"House? This is Cuddy. We need you down at the hospital. The clinic is overflowing! We're way understaffed."
There was a long silence.
"House? Did you hang up? I need you here, NOW!"
House dragged himself out of bed, dressed, and got his cool leather jacket and suglasses. He limped out to his motorcycle and got on. Today was going to be a long day.
Once he had arrived at the hospital, House saw why Cuddy needed help. The clinic was practically stuffed full of patients. He found Cuddy and went over to her.
"What is it? Cold season? Flu season? Give them all tissues and send them home," he said unhappily. Only detoxing from Vicodin could be worse that an overstuffed clinic. Speaking of Vicodin, he popped two in his mouth and headed for the elevator.
"House? Where are you going? We need you here!" Cuddy yelled.
"I have a case!"
"No you don't. I made sure of that myself. Now get down here!" Cuddy was not in a good mood. They were seriously understaffed today. House's team and many other doctors had come down to help. Still, more were needed.
House turned around and was handed a file by nurse Brenda. "Exam room one," she said.
He headed for the dreaded room. As he walked in, he found a little girl sitting on the floor, playing with a Barbie doll. Her mother was sitting in a chair, reading a magazine.
"You're late," she said.
"I know," said House.
"Well, aren't you going to apologize?"
"If you want my help, no. If you'd like me to leave, sure."
The mother was silent for a while. Then she spoke up again. "My little girl, Amanda, she's been coughing and complaining of a sore throat. I'm wondering if it's strep throat." She reached down, picked Amanda up, and put her on the exam table.
"Say ahhh," said House. Another idiot with a cold and an overprotective mother. He swabbed the back of her throat with a Q-tip. "We'll know in a couple days."
The mother coughed. "Thank you," she said. She yawned. There were dark circles under her eyes, and even though she was wearing a jacket and long pants, she was shivering.
"Have you been coughing for a while?" asked House.
"A month, maybe. It's probably just allergies."
House was intrigued. Coughing, fatigue, and chills were not symptoms of strep, if that's what her daughter had. "Stay here a minute, I'm going to go get a consult."
He called Wilson, who happened to be with one of his cancer patients. "Hello?" he asked.
"Wilson? It's House. I need a consult."
"I'm with a patient, can it wait?"
"Approximatley 30-yr old woman with cough, fever, and chills."
"It's the flu, or a cold, or something else! It's not serious. Just give her cough drops and send her home."
"She's had the cough for a month. The flu has only been going around recently. I'm going to keep her here."
"House! Don't! The last thing we need is another patient with the flu in the hospital! She could infect all the other doctors!"
"Hold on," said House. He turned around. "How long have you been feeling tired?"
"About as long as the cough has been here," she answered.
"And how long have you had the chills?"
"About the same."
House turned back to the phone. "She's been fatigued for as long as she's had the cough! And the chills. This isn't the flu. I'm keeping her here."
"Fine, House. You probably just want to stay away from the clinic. Cuddy won't let you take this 'not-the-flu-escape-the-clinic' case. You know that."
House hung up. "You're in Room #324 on the thrid floor. A nurse and one of my lackies will be by to hook you up to all those fun medical machines. If I were you, I would send my daughter home. You have a long stay here."
"But, I'm not sick. And what about my daughter? Does she have strep?"
"She's got a cold. Now get up to the third floor."
Chapter 1
*Ringggg ringgg* The phone in House's bedroom rang unmercifully. Once it had finally gotten him up, he reached over to answer it.
"Hello?" he asked sleepily.
"House? This is Cuddy. We need you down at the hospital. The clinic is overflowing! We're way understaffed."
There was a long silence.
"House? Did you hang up? I need you here, NOW!"
House dragged himself out of bed, dressed, and got his cool leather jacket and suglasses. He limped out to his motorcycle and got on. Today was going to be a long day.
Once he had arrived at the hospital, House saw why Cuddy needed help. The clinic was practically stuffed full of patients. He found Cuddy and went over to her.
"What is it? Cold season? Flu season? Give them all tissues and send them home," he said unhappily. Only detoxing from Vicodin could be worse that an overstuffed clinic. Speaking of Vicodin, he popped two in his mouth and headed for the elevator.
"House? Where are you going? We need you here!" Cuddy yelled.
"I have a case!"
"No you don't. I made sure of that myself. Now get down here!" Cuddy was not in a good mood. They were seriously understaffed today. House's team and many other doctors had come down to help. Still, more were needed.
House turned around and was handed a file by nurse Brenda. "Exam room one," she said.
He headed for the dreaded room. As he walked in, he found a little girl sitting on the floor, playing with a Barbie doll. Her mother was sitting in a chair, reading a magazine.
"You're late," she said.
"I know," said House.
"Well, aren't you going to apologize?"
"If you want my help, no. If you'd like me to leave, sure."
The mother was silent for a while. Then she spoke up again. "My little girl, Amanda, she's been coughing and complaining of a sore throat. I'm wondering if it's strep throat." She reached down, picked Amanda up, and put her on the exam table.
"Say ahhh," said House. Another idiot with a cold and an overprotective mother. He swabbed the back of her throat with a Q-tip. "We'll know in a couple days."
The mother coughed. "Thank you," she said. She yawned. There were dark circles under her eyes, and even though she was wearing a jacket and long pants, she was shivering.
"Have you been coughing for a while?" asked House.
"A month, maybe. It's probably just allergies."
House was intrigued. Coughing, fatigue, and chills were not symptoms of strep, if that's what her daughter had. "Stay here a minute, I'm going to go get a consult."
He called Wilson, who happened to be with one of his cancer patients. "Hello?" he asked.
"Wilson? It's House. I need a consult."
"I'm with a patient, can it wait?"
"Approximatley 30-yr old woman with cough, fever, and chills."
"It's the flu, or a cold, or something else! It's not serious. Just give her cough drops and send her home."
"She's had the cough for a month. The flu has only been going around recently. I'm going to keep her here."
"House! Don't! The last thing we need is another patient with the flu in the hospital! She could infect all the other doctors!"
"Hold on," said House. He turned around. "How long have you been feeling tired?"
"About as long as the cough has been here," she answered.
"And how long have you had the chills?"
"About the same."
House turned back to the phone. "She's been fatigued for as long as she's had the cough! And the chills. This isn't the flu. I'm keeping her here."
"Fine, House. You probably just want to stay away from the clinic. Cuddy won't let you take this 'not-the-flu-escape-the-clinic' case. You know that."
House hung up. "You're in Room #324 on the thrid floor. A nurse and one of my lackies will be by to hook you up to all those fun medical machines. If I were you, I would send my daughter home. You have a long stay here."
"But, I'm not sick. And what about my daughter? Does she have strep?"
"She's got a cold. Now get up to the third floor."