Foreman (continued)cordelia44April 14 2006, 20:42:08 UTC
-Chapter 3-
"But that’s getting ahead of us. How is your hearing in general?" She answered quickly, "I've always thought that my hearing was very good; in fact, my ears have always been very sensitive to sound."
"You've anticipated my next question. But, let’s start with your general hearing. ”
She made a face. "Actually, lately, I’m not so sure."
Foreman tilted his head.
"As I said, I thought I had great--really acute hearing. But maybe I was just sensitive to sound---because I was always turning the TV or radio down--or using-- these.
Reaching into her vest pocket, she fished out something and immediately displayed it in her open palm. For one, brief disorientating moment, Foreman thought he was looking at a pair of green larva of indiscriminate genus. Seconds later, he identified the foreign objects as a pair of lime green, foam earplugs.
“How long have you been using them?”
“Oh… years.”
Foreman raised his eyebrows. “How often?”
"Whenever I'm in an enclosed public place-like a store, or an airport terminal, hospital, trains, that type of thing." She paused before continuing, "But here's the strange thing. She took a breath.
“Lately, I've haven't had to use them. And, I think I know why."
“Why?”
"Because my ears seemed to plug up--you know-- that sensation when you're on a plane that's descending--or, driving through different elevations, like through the mountains?"
He nodded, watching her roll the ear plugs between her fingers, flattening them as she spoke. "And what’s even odder, people are telling me that I have the TV cranked up lately, as well. I thought the sound was unclear-- I never thought my hearing was impaired."
Forman heard the hopeful note in her voice. He glanced at the chart, saying only, "I don't see a history of ear infections-or wax build -up. “
"I had one ear infection in my life, and that was only after a bad cold."
Foreman reached into his coat pocket right above his hanging ID tag which was clipped securely onto the material. He pulled out an otoscope.
“Let’s take a look.” As he examined her ear, she could feel his warm breath which matched the warmth of his skin. A faint scent of aftershave reached her and surreptitiously, she breathed it in. After looking in first one, then the other, Foreman drew back, his lab coat flapping, exposing more of his crisp, striped shirt. “I don't see any sign of infection, but the fluid level is a little high.”
Dana nodded mutely, and lifting her eyes from his shirt, met his eyes.
His voice was kind in the starkness of the examination room. "How long will you be staying here?"
-Chapter 3-
"But that’s getting ahead of us. How is your hearing in general?"
She answered quickly, "I've always thought that my hearing was very good; in fact, my ears have always been very sensitive to sound."
"You've anticipated my next question. But, let’s start with your general hearing. ”
She made a face. "Actually, lately, I’m not so sure."
Foreman tilted his head.
"As I said, I thought I had great--really acute hearing. But maybe I was just sensitive to sound---because I was always turning the TV or radio down--or using-- these.
Reaching into her vest pocket, she fished out something and immediately displayed it in her open palm. For one, brief disorientating moment, Foreman thought he was looking at a pair of green larva of indiscriminate genus. Seconds later, he identified the foreign objects as a pair of lime green, foam earplugs.
“How long have you been using them?”
“Oh… years.”
Foreman raised his eyebrows. “How often?”
"Whenever I'm in an enclosed public place-like a store, or an airport terminal, hospital, trains, that type of thing." She paused before continuing, "But here's the strange thing. She took a breath.
“Lately, I've haven't had to use them. And, I think I know why."
“Why?”
"Because my ears seemed to plug up--you know-- that sensation when you're on a plane that's descending--or, driving through different elevations, like through the mountains?"
He nodded, watching her roll the ear plugs between her fingers, flattening them as she spoke. "And what’s even odder, people are telling me that I have the TV cranked up lately, as well. I thought the sound was unclear-- I never thought my hearing was impaired."
Foreman listened carefully and said nothing.
"Could this be a side- effect of my taking Clarinex©? Or, maybe it's no longer effective?"
Forman heard the hopeful note in her voice. He glanced at the chart, saying only, "I don't see a history of ear infections-or wax build -up. “
"I had one ear infection in my life, and that was only after a bad cold."
Foreman reached into his coat pocket right above his hanging ID tag which was clipped securely onto the material. He pulled out an otoscope.
“Let’s take a look.” As he examined her ear, she could feel his warm breath which matched the warmth of his skin. A faint scent of aftershave reached her and surreptitiously, she breathed it in.
After looking in first one, then the other, Foreman drew back, his lab coat flapping, exposing more of his crisp, striped shirt. “I don't see any sign of infection, but the fluid level is a little high.”
Dana nodded mutely, and lifting her eyes from his shirt, met his eyes.
His voice was kind in the starkness of the examination room. "How long will you be staying here?"
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