Though he was worried about his mother, he still had patients to take care of. He still had research that he had to finish. He still had a job to do. He didn’t need to fret over his wife and daughter anymore. He really shouldn’t have been fretting over his mother, but he was. She gave him life after carrying him for nine months the put up with him for eighteen years following that. She was there for him when he was sick, hurt, scared. That to him commanded respect, and he had nothing BUT respect for both of his parents. They were the strongest people he knew. He could only hope to have a fraction of their strength to get him through his life.
After doing his rounds that morning and checking on his regular patients, Dr. Draiman sat in his lab in behind a microscope taking notes. As he examined the sample under his microscope a slow smile spread across his face. Oh, please, please, PLEASE let this be what I’m looking for, he thought. He made one minor variable adjustment and he got the desired result. “YES!!!” he shouted. “OH, HELL YES! THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, MOTHER FUCKER!”
His sudden outburst frightened his interns. “Is everything ok, Dr. Draiman?” Dr. Franklin asked.
“Everything is PERFECT, Dr. Franklin. I need to call the Chief of Medicine down here to show him what I just saw in that microscope. I think we’ve found what we’ve been looking for, ladies and gentleman.” He walked into his office and call the his boss. “Dr. Francis, I need you down in my lab please. I think I found what I’ve been looking for.” He hung up the phone a moment later and stepped out into the office.
“What do you think will happen if this is the breakthrough we’ve been looking for, Dr. Draiman?” Dr. Carver asked.
“Clinical trials here we come, Dr. Carver. What I just saw under that microscope is what I’ve been looking for. This is THE breakthrough. There is nothing else but validation from MY superiors and taking this into clinical trials to see if it’s a viable treatment. I think it is and I have patients what will LINE UP to test it out.”
Dr. Francis walked into the lab and spotted Jake. “Dr. Draiman, you called me to check out what you’ve found.”
“Yes, sir.” He showed Dr. Francis over microscope he’d just been working at and put a clean specimen under it. Dr. Francis looked into the lenses as Jake explained what he was looking at, then added the exact variable he’d added right before he started celebrating. He turned the slide sideways and put the previous slide under the other lens and blurred the separation. “Do you see what I’m talking about. Dr. Francis?”
Dr. Francis sat up and looked at Jacob. “You did it, Doctor. You found a treatment for traumatic brain injury. Now, we need to see if it works. After your lunch break and afternoon rounds, we’ll talk clinical trials.”
He smiled. “Thank you Dr. Francis. You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that.”
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He placed a call home to tell everyone them that he was about to go into clinical trials. Everyone was excited. He laughed when he heard little Miri giggle after hearing what Daddy had to say. “Are you excited for me, baby girl?” he asked his six month old. She giggled and laughed for her Daddy as she bounced in the floor. “She’s so funny”, he said.
“We’re all very happy for you, baby”, Delilah said, a smile in her voice.
“It’s getting close, I can feel it. We’re going to have a viable treatment soon. I just KNOW it.”
“I believe you, baby. Get through the trials and successfully treat those men and women you’ve been helping. We’re all behind you 10,000%.”
“10,000%, huh?”
“Yeah. Not 100, not 150, not 1,000… 10,000% in your corner. You’re GOING to have the results you want.”
“Thanks, baby. Look, I need to get something to eat here soon and make my afternoon rounds. After that, I’m discussing clinical trials with my boss.”
“Well, then go do that and we’ll see you when you get home. We ALL love you”, she said.
“I love everyone there, too. See you all in a few hours.”
“Bye, babe.”
“Bye.” He sighed and picked up his office phone to order some Chinese. There was a really good take out place that had just what he liked and made it just the way he liked it. After he was given his total and told how long it would take for it to arrive, he sat back and watched a movie on his lap top as he waited. He there was nothing that could ruin his mood; or so he thought.
----------------
He made his way to the Chief of Medicine’s office and knocked on the door. When he was told to enter, he did so. “Dr. Draiman, I have bad news for you. Have a seat.”
Jake sat down and looked at the Chief. “What’s wrong, Doctor?”
“Jacob, I don’t know any better way to say this rather than to just say it.” He grabbed a piece of paper to show Jake. “This was just faxed to me. It’s a cease and desist.”
Jake’s eyes doubled in size. “Are you kidding me? A cease and desist? Why?”
“DOD’s cut your funding, son.”
Jake let out a disgusted sound. “I knew this shit was coming. Those bastards.”
“What do you mean you knew this was coming?”
“One of my former interns came to warn me the other day. I may be missing a few days of work to go to Washington to cuss some people.”
“If that’s what you have to do, then give me a little notice if you can so that we can juggle the schedule so that that’s all covered.”
“Oh, when I get the notice of where the hearing will be and when, you’ll know. I’m also going to need some time off for my mother to have back surgery.”
“Yikes! Let me know when that’s scheduled and, more importantly, what becomes of that. Brie Draiman is one of my best friends.”
“I didn’t know that you know my mother.”
“I know BOTH of your parents. The first time I ever set eyes on you, you were a young science nerd that had just lost his uncle. I served with Matthew Cartwright. I was his Doc; his Corpsman. After being discharged, I went to medical school and became a doctor.”
“I don’t remember seeing you at my Uncle’s funeral.”
“You were trying to wrangle your younger siblings so you wouldn’t have.”
Jake nodded. “Well, that makes sense.” Jake frowned. “I still can’t believe this BULL SHIT.”
“Neither can I, Jacob. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off and go spend a little time with that precious little girl of yours?”
“No problem, Dr. Francis. I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.”
“No, take the week off. Gather your thoughts. Clear your head. Take care of you family and give your wife a break from the baby.”
Jake smiled. “You got it. I might be seeing you in a week. I’ll call you when I know when I know when that stupid hearing is.” And with that, he left the office as well as the hospital.
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When he walked into the house, he went straight to his father. His father was holding his daughter. “Dad, I need to hold my girl for a little while. She’s the only thing that’s going to calm me down right about now.”
“What’s wrong, son?”
“DOD cut my funding and I can’t go into trials until I go out to Washington and give those bastards a piece of my mind. Now, may I PLEASE have my daughter?”
David handed the little girl to her Daddy without a word. “I’m going to go check on your Mom. She couldn’t get out of bed this morning. The pain was too severe.”
“I’m sure you’ll be a happier person when she gets that surgery done and so will she.”
“Oh, you have had better believe it.” David headed for the stairs, pausing at the bottom. “Oh, Malachai’s family, and Jordan and Davina will be over later. Jordan’s got some exciting news that she wants to share with everyone.”
Jake forced a smile. “I’m sure I can fake enthusiasm for her. She’ll have to forgive me for it not being genuine. The only emotion I can feel at the moment is numbness.”
“I’m sorry, son. I really am. Just take it a little bit at a time.”
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