Royal Pains : Sick Rich (9781101559536) by D. P. Lyle

crazy?”
    â€œUnusual but not crazy,” I said. “Was this with the headaches or at some other time?”
    â€œWith. As I said, the headaches were worse last night. I took the pills you gave me and they helped some, but the headaches always came back. Then this morning I felt better. Tired but pain free.”
    â€œAnd then?” I anticipated there was more to the story.
    â€œA couple of hours ago the pain came back. I tried to ride it out, but when my tongue, neck, and right ear started burning, I got worried.”
    â€œOnly on the right side?” Divya asked.
    She nodded.
    â€œWhat were you doing when it started?” I asked.
    â€œI was talking on the phone with a friend.”
    â€œStressful?”
    â€œNot at all. We were talking about a dinner party we’re going to this weekend.”
    â€œLet me check things again,” I said.
    I twisted to face her and again did a brief neurological exam and again felt along the right side of her face and jaw. Nothing. Her neuro exam was still normal and I found no tender areas.
    â€œAnd I almost fainted,” Felicia said.
    â€œWhen?”
    â€œJust after I called you. I was eating some peanut butter and crackers. I thought maybe my blood sugar was low or something.”
    â€œDid it help? The crackers?”
    She shook her head. “Then I felt light-headed. I left the kitchen and headed in here to lie down, but I almost didn’t make it. My legs felt rubbery and things looked dim.”
    â€œDid you fall?” Divya asked
    â€œNo. I made it to the sofa. Once I lay down for a couple of minutes I felt fine.”
    â€œIs this the only time that’s happened?”
    She gave me a sheepish look. “A couple of other times. Last week.”
    â€œYou didn’t tell me that yesterday.”
    â€œI know. I’m sorry.”
    â€œYou have to tell me everything. Okay?”
    She nodded. “I promise.”
    Withholding things from your doctor is not as unusual as most people think. Might not sound logical, but it’s not uncommon. Some are afraid the doctor will find something terrible if they reveal all their symptoms. Some simply want to cut things short. Get out of the doctor’s office and home as soon as possible. Where it’s safe. Where bad things can’t be uncovered. Some are simply embarrassed by certain symptoms.
    â€œHave you had any chest pain or shortness of breath?” Divya asked.
    â€œNo.” She looked at me. “What is all this?”
    â€œThe labs we drew yesterday are normal. We had them e-mailed to us as we drove over. The best bet is still a migraine syndrome, but there are a couple of other things we have to consider.”
    â€œLike?”
    â€œUnusual coronary symptoms.”
    â€œBy ‘coronary’ do you mean heart attack or angina or something like that?”
    â€œYes. Coronary problems don’t always cause chest pain. Sometimes it’s just shortness of breath, or dizziness, or neck pain.”
    She sighed. “That’s what took my Charles.” She nodded toward the photos on the mantel. “Two years ago.”
    â€œIt’s unlikely that that’s what’s going on,” I said. “But we can quickly rule it out.”
    â€œHow?”
    â€œA stress test.”
    â€œSo I have to go to the hospital?”
    â€œNo. We can do it right here. We have our stress echo equipment outside in the van.”
    â€œI’m impressed. Of course, Ellie said I would be.”
    â€œWe pay her to say nice things.” I smiled. “We can set it up right here in the living room if that’s okay.”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œWhile we get things ready why don’t you change into something more comfortable and put on your walking shoes if you have any.”
    â€œI walk almost every day, so I have plenty of that stuff.”
    Twenty minutes later Felicia had changed clothes and Divya had finished the resting