Just a Walk in the Park

40/28

"Goddamnittofuckinghellthisshits!"

"Mr. Kinney you need to calm down."

"No body tells me what the fuck I need."

"Mr. Kinney, please, your language."

*humph* "Fine."

"This is probably due to stress."

"Stress?! We all have fucking stress."

"Be thankful we caught this in time before any damage could be done to your heart or worse."

"Worse?"

"A stroke."

"Oh great; I bet half of Liberty Avenue would love to see that."

"Mr. Kinney!"

"Okay, okay; so what do I do now?"

"Let's go over your lab results, then we'll do an EKG and Echo, we'll also schedule you for a stress test in two weeks. Now, your blood count is fine, a little on the anemic side which doesn't surprise me. Mr. Kinney you're the only one of my patients that I would advise to gain weight."

"My weight is just fine."

"So you say; your cholesterol is practically non-existent and considering your history says that you've been smoking since seventeen, your lungs are surprising clear."

"So I'm as healthy as a horse except for that fact that I may have a stroke at anytime."

"Let's not exaggerate. As I said I suspect this is stress related. You're a prominent businessman, very young to own such a lucrative business. I'm sure you work long hard hours, perhaps well into the night."

"I've been known to."

"I can write you a script for something to help you relax."

"No thanks doc. Believe me if I wanted something to mellow me out I wouldn't need a script."

"Ah, right. Well then we'll stick to an anti-hypertensive. I'll give you samples for two weeks; you come back for the stress test and if your blood pressure is under control then you get the script filled. We check you again one month after that, if that goes well, you come back every six months. Do you have someone here with you today?"

"Why, I didn't think these tests were invasive."

"They're not but when you're done, my nurse practitioner will give you your medication, script and further instructions. I want you to take the first dose here, it may make you dizzy; I'd prefer you didn't go home alone."

"No trouble there."

"Excuse me?"

"Uh, my partner is in the waiting room."

"Good, I'll go get her."

"Her? No, wait! Shit."

~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~

"Excuse me, miss, are you with Mr. Kinney?"

"No."

"I am."

"Oh, ah, Mr.?"

"Taylor."

"Please come with me Mr. Taylor."

~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~

"Brian, are you alright?"

"Just peachy, if I don't have a stroke."

"A stroke?! What's he talking about?"

"May I?"

"He's my partner."

"As I explained, Mr. Kinney's blood pressure is elevated, most likely due to stress."

"Brian I keep telling you to slow down. You have to learn to delegate."

"Justin, delegate this." *middle finger up*

*sigh* What else doctor?"

"His lab work is fine, chest xray clear; I do urge him to quit smoking."

"I'm down to less than a half a pack a day."

"Please Brian."

"Sunshine, it's my only vice left; you want me to go back to the other one?"

"No."

"So drop it, I'll quit soon, I promise."

"Ok, what else doctor?"

"He could gain a few pounds."

"I knew it, you're too skinny; he hates to eat."

"That's not true; I love to eat, Sunshine."

"Gentlemen, can we focus here. Now, we're setting you up for the EKG and Echo. You'll see my nurse after then back here in two weeks for the stress test. I'd like your partner to be here, that test is slightly invasive, no side effects but it would be better for you if he's with you."

"That's fine, I'll make the appointment for him, I can clear my schedule. Bri, I'll let Cynthia know."

"Cynthia?"

"My assistant."

"Ah. Right this way Mr. Kinney. Mr. Taylor you can have a seat outside, shouldn't be more than forty-five minutes. My nurse will call you."

"Okay."

~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~

"Good afternoon Mr. Kinney, I'm Susan, I'll be doing your EKG and the Echo. Would you mind removing your shirt."

"Sure."

"Oh my!"

"Something wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing. Just lay back and relax while I attach the electrodes."

~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~

"Now for the Echo."

"Whoa, that's cold!"

"It'll heat up."

"Please lay on your left side, left arm up under your head. That's it. Mmm hmm."

"What?"

"Just admiring your assets, you have a very nice looking, uh, heart. Done; let me wipe off the excess lubricant, you can get dressed and meet with Jen." *sigh*

~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~

"Mr. Kinney and Mr. ?"

"Taylor, Justin."

"I'm Jen; I have your medication and your prescription but I don't recommend you fill it till after the stress test, I'll give you enough medication to last until you come back. I'd like you to take one now. Water?"

"No thanks."

"He's good at swallowing stuff."

"Shh."

*giggle*

"Common side effects are dizziness, cough, and sleepiness. Take one tablet each morning but if it does make you dizzy or sleepy you can take it at bed time. Any other questions?"

"He has headaches and his eyes bother him sometimes."

"The headaches could be from the elevated pressure or stress; the eyes, probably strain. Your history says you're in advertising."

"He owns Kinnetic."

"Read a lot, use the computer?"

"Ten to fourteen hours per day."

"You may need reading glasses."

"Glasses! That's it, we're outta here!"

"Brian, sit down!"

"Shit."

"He always this excitable?"

"You don't know the half of it."

"Sitting right here, ya know."

"Mr. Kinney, get your eyes checked. You probably only need reading glasses and only late in the evening, it'll will help the eye strain."

"Do I have to?"

"Drama Queen."

"Shit, glasses, what else. Does Armani do frames?"

"Label Queen."

"I think we're done here. See you in two weeks."

"Come on Bri, I'll take us home."

~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~    ~~~~

"Justin, glasses?"

"Brian, you'll be fine, you'll look fine. I can just see you at your desk, gold wire frames on your sexy nose, that charcoal grey suit, your red silk shirt; oh god Brian!" *panting*

"Come here Sunshine."

"Kiss me Brian."

"Mmm, you trying to elevate my pressure?"

"Uh, uh, something else."

"You know, Sunshine, I'm starting to feel a little hungry."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, you know something good to eat, something cream filled, something very hot?"

"I got just the thing for you, to satisfy your hunger."

"My Sunshine."

Return to Just a Walk in the Park