Chapter 56: African Sleeping Sickness and Infidelity (5000 words)
David didn't feel anything after administering that injection.
The target of this new targeted therapy is at the genetic level.
This means David won't feel its effects immediately.
However, he should start experiencing something after sleeping for a while.
Putting on an eye mask and noise-canceling headphones, David finally fell into a deep sleep two hours later, using attention diversion techniques.
David didn't sleep soundly this time.
His entire dream was filled with combat scenarios, so much so that when he woke up, his sweat had soaked the entire bedsheet.
But David, who had sweated profusely during the night, didn't feel uncomfortable. Instead, he felt his mind was no longer as foggy as before.
His current condition was much better than last night.
It was probably the state he was in when he first arrived in this world.
This meant the new targeted drug had started showing its effects.
Quite a few cancer cells must have died during last night's battle.
Unfortunately, the gold coins he had were only enough for this one injection. If he wanted to use it again, David would have to work hard to earn more gold coins.
And there was no other way to get gold coins besides accepting assignments.
No, that's not right—there is another way.
That is to eliminate assassins from the Continental Hotel and then find where they hide their gold coins and take them.
However, this method of acquiring gold coins would be extremely difficult.
Using John Wick as a reference makes it clear that assassins value gold coins highly.
Someone like John would hide gold coins under concrete flooring. If you didn't know in advance, who would ever think of that?
So, instead of taking high risks to eliminate those assassins, it's better to honestly accept medical assignments.
Come to think of it, he still had seven medical assignments to accept this month.
As for stealing John's gold coins, David still remembered the fate of the last person who stole his car.
David shook his head, abandoning this unreliable idea.
Instead of that, it would be more reliable to try having Finch contact the pharmaceutical company and see if he could obtain the new targeted drug through cash payment.
After sending a text message to Finch, David got up to wash and prepare. He still had his primary job to attend to.
Working at the hospital was an important way for David to stably gain lifespan.
Until he found another way to consistently gain lifespan, David would definitely not quit this job.
Soon, David, fully dressed, returned to the familiar hospital.
Smelling the distinct scent of antiseptic in the air, David caught sight of a familiar figure.
Cameron was walking quickly toward the diagnostics department with a patient chart in her hand.
David realized something unusual must have happened. He quickly followed and called out:
"Good morning, Cameron. What do you have there?"
Cameron lifted the patient chart in her hand and said with some gravity:
"A patient with extreme hypersomnia. Since she was admitted to the ER, she's been sleeping an average of 18 hours a day.
Three ER physicians, two neurologists, and one radiologist have already ruled out clinical depression as the cause.
As for the real cause, they can't find it.
Moreover, they're afraid of being mocked by Dr. House for their incompetence, so they've been stalling.
No choice—I can only try asking House."
After listening, David had a general idea. He nodded:
"Your choice is correct. Don't worry, House will be interested in this case.
How are her blood test results?"
Cameron opened the patient report while walking into the elevator:
"Blood work shows no inflammation, all tests seem completely normal, can't explain why she's so drowsy and irritable.
However, she does have occasional seizures. It seems her central nervous system is infected."
"So, is it possible she's infected with a parasite, leading to drowsiness and seizures?
For example, African trypanosomiasis—sleeping sickness encephalitis. In the late stage of this disease, almost all parasites are in the brain, so they won't show up in cerebrospinal fluid samples."
Cameron shook her head:
"But the patient has never been to Africa or tropical regions, and her husband has no history of living in Africa, so it's impossible for her to contract African sleeping sickness."
"Blood transfusion? Environmental exposure? Have these possibilities been ruled out?"
Cameron shook her head again:
"She's never had a blood transfusion. Her workplace is a restaurant kitchen, and the environment meets health code regulations.
Besides, even if it were environmental contamination, she shouldn't be the only one affected.
So this is what's strange—her hypersomnia seems like a novel presentation we've never seen before."
"Then is it possible the parasite was transmitted through another route, such as sexual contact?"
Hearing this, Cameron turned back and looked at David in surprise, quickly denying it:
"Impossible. They're deeply in love. I can see their mutual devotion in their eyes."
Regarding Cameron's assessment, David just smiled and didn't say anything.
They had arrived at the diagnostics department's conference room, and he'd offered his diagnosis.
Now, all that was needed was for House to order confirmation.
House, who had sneaked back from the clinic to rest, was initially reluctant to take on this case with no obvious abnormalities.
It wasn't until Cameron told House about her and David's assessments that an interested expression appeared on House's face.
"Interesting. She had a fever early on, right? Then that can indeed rule out the possibility of clinical depression.
Those doctors weren't wrong in their diagnosis.
In my assessment, there might be an extremely small tumor in her brain or the parasitic disease David mentioned.
Order an MRI, 2mm slice scan of the midbrain.
Also, you two should talk to the husband and wife separately and ask if either has had any extramarital affairs that led to disease transmission.
Alright, I'm heading to the clinic. I'll be back later to hear the results."
Cameron opened her mouth to call out to House, but finally closed it.
Then she looked at David:
"I still don't believe that two people so in love would have one of them betray the marriage."
David shrugged:
"Marriage, you know—there are always times when arguments escalate. In a moment of anger, going to a bar, a motel, or even a neighbor's place, and engaging in retaliatory infidelity is possible.
Although it's a low probability event, similar situations do occur.
So, are you going to question the husband or the wife?"
Cameron shook her head, still not quite believing David's words.
She had seen the way the two looked at each other—the love was almost palpable.
Would such a couple have fractures appear due to arguments, leading to irrational actions?
She didn't believe it.
"I'll talk to the wife. It's easier for women to communicate with each other."
David nodded. He naturally understood Cameron's thinking.
It's not impossible for faithful marriages to exist in the world, but this case clearly wasn't one of them.
As intense as the love is, the hurt during arguments can be just as profound.
In such extreme circumstances, it's easy to do things both people will regret.
Then, David called out the husband who was inseparable from the patient's bedside,
Leaving Cameron alone inside to talk with the patient.
Looking at the exhausted man in front of him, who appeared as if he hadn't slept in days, David asked routinely:
"Based on the initial symptoms, we suspect your wife has African sleeping sickness or a brain tumor.
If she doesn't get prompt treatment, either could be fatal."
"Africa? Why would she get African sleeping sickness? Can't you just diagnose it directly?"
The husband asked with a puzzled look.
David smiled, signaling him not to rush.
"Because we suspect you may be withholding information about past experiences, so I hope you'll answer a few questions truthfully.
This will be very helpful for diagnosing the illness."
The husband nodded:
"Ask away. I'll tell you everything I know, and I guarantee what I say is true."
David took out his notepad and began questioning:
"Before the sleep symptoms appeared, did your wife have any other symptoms?"
"No. The longest I was away from her was one night. I would definitely notice if there were other symptoms."
David nodded and asked the next difficult question:
"Another question might involve privacy, but for the sake of your wife's life, I hope you won't hide anything.
Because your answer is related to whether your wife can receive proper treatment.
So... have you been unfaithful?"
The husband's face froze for a moment, then cycled through several expressions.
He immediately realized something.
He turned back to look at his wife talking to Cameron in the glass-walled room, a look of confusion flashing in his eyes.
After a long moment, he turned back and said quietly:
"No. I could never do something like that to her, because I love her.
Even when we argue, I take the initiative to apologize, and I would never let her be hurt in any way."
David then asked the next probing question:
"What about her? Anything unusual?
For example, on a weekend when you weren't home, she wouldn't answer your calls no matter what, and afterward said she missed them because she was working out?
Or did she run to a so-called 'friend's house' after a fight and only come back the next day?
Or was it a boring office holiday party where you both drank too much and blacked out, only to wake up in bed?
If you're certain your wife has done nothing wrong, then I apologize for these questions.
But if there's even the slightest possibility, then you must let us start treatment, or she will die."
The husband's pupils suddenly contracted. He vaguely realized in his heart that his wife might have actually done something to betray him.
But why?
He closed his eyes in pain and chose to remain silent.
David, who was sitting across from him, closed his notepad, stood up, and patted his shoulder without saying a word.
Cameron, who came out of the patient's room, looked completely relaxed. She happily said to David:
"She said she didn't."
Looking at Cameron's smiling face, David couldn't bear to shatter her joy for a moment, and could only say evasively:
"Okay, okay. Her husband also said he didn't. Let's check the MRI results first."
Having received the response from David, Cameron's steps became lighter.
Her whole demeanor was filled with an atmosphere of vindication.
She knew it—how could two people in love hurt each other?
African sleeping sickness was simply absurd.
Soon, the four of them gathered in the diagnostics department conference room.
House first pulled up the MRI results.
The MRI showed no abnormalities, basically ruling out the possibility of a tumor.
Tumors that don't show up on an MRI would be smaller than a grain of sand.
Tumors of this size cannot affect the body's functions.
Then House looked up at David and Cameron.
Two possible diagnoses were proposed earlier; since a tumor has been ruled out, what about African sleeping sickness?
Seeing House look over, Cameron spoke first:
"We asked, and they both said they were never unfaithful."
House frowned:
"That's problematic. This means we're back to square one."
Just then, David suddenly spoke:
"Not necessarily. I asked about some additional things.
The husband isn't home one day every week because of overtime.
They argue frequently, and the wife goes to a so-called friend's house to stay overnight before returning.
The husband likes to drink when he hangs out with buddies, and he gets drunk.
Of course, after they argue, it's usually the husband who apologizes first.
So I think someone is lying."
Cameron, who was standing nearby, opened her mouth in surprise when she heard the details David hadn't mentioned earlier.
She instantly understood that David had only been considering her feelings just now, which is why he hadn't said these things.
But now, when it came to diagnosing the patient's condition, David no longer held back and revealed everything.
And David's implication was also very clear: the wife was lying.
The perfect love Cameron had imagined always had a crack after all.
Compared to the deflated Cameron, House didn't feel much.
He'd been in this profession for a long time and had long been desensitized to these things.
He'd seen far more outrageous situations, let alone such a minor matter.
"Well done, David. Your interview technique is as effective as ever.
Go get the husband to sign the consent form. Treatment with melarsoprol has a 10% chance of causing the patient's death."
David nodded and found the husband waiting by the bedside again.
At this time, the patient had fallen into unconsciousness again. David informed the husband about the medication they were going to use at the bedside.
The husband was speechless after signing. Seeing David about to leave, he suddenly said sadly:
"I suddenly hope she doesn't get better, so it can prove she never betrayed me.
Does that make me a terrible person?"
David sighed. When a man who thought he was happily married suddenly discovers he's been cuckolded, it is indeed a devastating blow.
Especially when the disease was transmitted because protection wasn't used.
He didn't know how to comfort this husband who deeply loved his wife, and could only silently go to the pharmacy to retrieve the medication.
To be honest, in David's opinion, all cheaters deserved their fate!
But he was a physician now, a dying physician.
Even if he was unwilling, he had to save people.
Not long after, David returned to the patient's room, holding the melarsoprol in a glass container with a yellow biohazard label.
Chase came with him.
The use of such hazardous substances has strict protocols, and at least two people must be present to administer them.
David picked up the 0.5 ml of melarsoprol in a glass syringe and handed it to Chase.
Chase then opened the special IV tubing and explained to David the intern:
"Melarsoprol is essentially arsenic mixed with antifreeze. It will corrode plastic, so we must use glass containers to hold it."
David nodded:
"I've studied this. It can also cause vomiting, abdominal pain, hemotoxicity, nerve damage, arrhythmias, and excruciating pain.
Fortunately, the patient is unconscious, otherwise the whole hospital might hear her screaming."
Chase smiled:
"Kid, you know quite a lot. It is indeed her luck to be unconscious.
But aren't you going to tell me how you met Dr. Romano?"
Watching Chase slowly inject the green liquid into the patient's IV line, David answered casually:
"Of course I met him while doing side work. You know, side gigs pay well.
It just so happened that I helped him resolve a case, so he owes me a favor."
Chase nodded, secured the syringe, and then leaned closer to David and whispered:
"When can you take me along? Don't worry, I don't want money—I just want to experience a different kind of life."
David looked at Chase with some surprise. Do rich people always crave excitement?
He didn't refuse, just said:
"If you're not afraid of dying, sure."
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Chase did not shrink back, but rather became slightly excited:
"No wonder you can always find the most accurate diagnosis among many possible conditions.
Did you train under this kind of pressure all the time?
That's a solid method. Don't worry, call me next time. I want to train too."
David thought for a moment and agreed to Chase's request.
Someone wanted to work for him—what reason did David have to disagree?
Just then, the melarsoprol had also begun taking effect, and the trypanosomes hidden in the patient's brain were dying off.
And David didn't have X-ray vision—the reason he knew this was purely because he heard the life extension notification.
[Successful rescue, life extended by one day. Current remaining time: 12 days 20 hours.]
Feeling the infusion of life energy, the fatigue on David's face was swept away.
In a good mood, he informed the patient's husband that she was about to recover.
Unexpectedly, the husband first showed joy, then his face turned to pain, and finally, he covered his face with his hands and wept.
Finally, the man stood up, went back into the patient's room, kissed her forehead, picked up his jacket, and left resolutely.
And the patient, who was gradually regaining consciousness because the melarsoprol was taking effect, immediately realized what had happened.
She raised her weak and powerless hand trying to stop him, but finally let it fall and sobbed helplessly on the bed.
David sighed again looking at this scene. He could save people, but he couldn't save hearts.
The only thing he could do, refusing to let this betrayal stand, was find out from the patient who the third party was, and then eliminate him!
Looking at David, who had returned, the patient didn't respond; she was just immersed in the devastation of losing her husband and crying inconsolably.
"I need to know who he is. If you still love your husband, you should tell me this name, so that his psychological trauma can begin to heal."
The patient did not answer, but instead asked:
"He won't come back, right?"
David didn't hide it:
"People always have to pay for their mistakes. Tell me his name, and the guilt in your heart will lessen a little."
"...Pushkin."
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