WHO: Maggie Rivera & a doctor. WHEN: Sometime in 1997. WHERE: Children's Hospital Los Angeles. SUMMARY: BINGO PROMPT: First use of powers. WARNINGS: N/A. STATUS: Complete.
“What do you mean you can’t tell me what’s wrong with him?”
As a frown spread across his face, the doctor glanced back at the curtain that hid the young boy from view. Never in his twenty-five years of working in medicine had he seen a case such as this and he was starting to doubt he was ever going to get an answer. Medical anomalies weren’t uncommon, but this small boy was defying basic human physiology.
“I mean exactly that,” he answered as he turned his attention back to the boy’s mother. “All the test we have done so far so nothing out of the ordinary with him.”
The mother snorted. “So you’re telling me we’re running up a hospital bill that will probably bankrupt my family and you can’t tell me anything?”
“Mrs. Rivera. You son is a truly unique case. By all accounts, your son should be dead. His baseline body temperature is along the lines of people we find frozen in the snow, yet he’s still functioning normally. As far as I can tell, there has never been another case like him.”
“Well that’s just great.” Now it was her turn to frown. “My son is a medical oddity. Why couldn’t he have been a one of a kid piano prodigy or one of those kids who goes to MIT at age eight? But no, he’s the kind of special that’s going to cost us an arm and a leg.”
This time the doctor tried to offer a sympathetic smile. “If money is a problem, there are several programs that can -- “
“Of course money is a fucking problem,” she interjected. “But the main problem is my son is a freak and you can’t tell me why!”
“There are still more tests we can do. We can take some biopsies. More in depth blood panels. We have more options to figure this out.”
Sighing, she leaned to the side and peeked into the hospital room where he son was hiding behind the curtain. “And you said there are ways so we don’t have to pay for these surgeries or tests or anything else?”
“If you let me stay on as his primary doctor, I will see to it personally that you are compensated.”
“Okay,” she said as she turned her attention back to him. “You have my permission to do whatever it takes to discover what the hell is wrong with my son.”