A Prompt Response for Inspiration Monday
Image © Copyright John and Margaret
A Prompt response for Inspiration Monday
PAIN THIEF
by John Yeo
It came upon Old Fred slowly, without any warning, just a gradual seepage of the atrocious, mind blowing pain he had learned to live with all his life. Fred was disturbed about this development,
He looked down at his gnarled bent fingers and hands, ‘No change’ he thought. ‘I don’t like this, ‘I’m usually suffering sharp pains at this time of day. I think I’ll have to see the Doctor. These new drugs he has prescribed are actually making a difference.
The next day, found Fred in the Doctor’s surgery waiting room, sitting next to a smartly dressed lady who couldn’t stop coughing all over the place.
‘Hmm’ thought Fred, ‘I hope I don’t catch anything nasty whilst I am sitting here!’
Fred turned to the lady, smiled, and said; “Can I offer you one of my special large soft tissues?”
“Oh! Thanks so much, I have just run out.” She replied, returning Fred’s smile,
Then she suddenly began moving and walking as if she had cramp in her legs.
“Are you alright?” Asked Fred in a concerned voice.
“Yes thanks! Ouch! I seem to have been struck with very sharp pains in my legs.” She replied.
‘That’s odd,” thought Fred, ‘my pains have virtually left me now.’
Fred’s name was the next to be flashed up on the screen and he walked straight in to see the Doctor. He suddenly realised he had left his stick behind, Fred had never walked without a stick for years.
“Hallo Mr Jones, how can I help you? Oh dear, excuse me, I have a terrible pain in my arm. Sorry Mr Jones. What seems to be the trouble.”
“Well Doctor, as you know, from my records I have suffered pain all my life! I have learned to live with it. Now it seems to be going fast, I miss the feelings of agony as the pain shoots through me.
Are you alright Doctor? I thought I recognised the effects of a spasm in you just now! Anyway, I think I am a victim of pain theft, your tablets have stolen a part of my life away.”
“Yes! I’m fine now thanks. I can’t imagine where that pain came from. Let me get this straight, Mr Jones, you are here because you no longer have your pains. I find that unusual behaviour, I can’t help you get the pains back, I’m afraid. I am going to make an appointment for you to…
Ouch! There’s, that strange pain again!…Sorry Mr Jones I want you to see our Practice Nurse, she is a pain specialist, who will assess your pain Then, if you think you are the victim of a pain thief, I will make an appointment for you to see a Psychologist. Ow! That was painful! I will just ring for the Nurse to take a look at you straight away.”
Nurse Joseph’s knocked on the door and bustled into the consulting room.
“Ouch! Would you take a look at Mr Jones, for me please and assess his pain levels?”
“Certainly Doctor. Oh my God!” She exclaimed, rubbing her shoulder vigorously. “Come this way Mr Jones, Ouch! Excuse me, I have sudden shooting pains in my arms and shoulders.”
They left the Doctor’s consulting room together.
The Doctor suddenly drew an astonishing unbelievable conclusion. In all his career he had never encountered anything quite like what he was considering. His previous patient had come in with a severe cold, and suddenly developed painful legs. He had never had spasms of pain in his life before today, then Nurse Joseph’s mysterious pains began as soon as she entered his office.
Sometime later the Doctor called in a Neurologist and after confiding his astonishing suspicions to the Neurologist, he ordered Mr Jones to be placed in an isolation ward with barrier nursing.
The irate Mr Jones asked for the Police to be called to investigate the mysterious theft of his pain.
A Psychologist arrived and was soon doubled up in severe pain, when he was introduced to Mr Jones.
That settled the diagnosis of Infectious Pain Syndrome.
Fred was placed in an isolation unit, where he sadly died three days later, having decided everyone he had come into contact with, was a pain thief, making his life nothing but a miserable pain-free existence.
Copyright © Written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved
