respond immediately, and Tanner’s throat went dry.
“I’d like to speak with you.” The doctor led him to another room where they could talk privately.
Tanner waited, looking intently at the doctor. He was a doctor. He would know. He could make Natalie better.
“Your wife is seriously ill.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“We ran some tests. And from the results and her symptoms, I’d say she has encephalitis.”
The doctor may as well have been speaking a foreign language.
“What is it? How did she get it?”
“The type she has is called Powassan encephalitis. It’s caused by a virus of the same name, Powassan virus.”
“Is it contagious? Did she get it from someone?”
“No. It’s not contagious. We don’t see too many cases of this. It’s rare. The virus is spread by infected ticks.”
“A tick?”
“Yes, sir. Has your wife been out in any natural areas recently? Or near the river?”
Shock hit Tanner like a slap in the face. The river?
“Yes, she has. Natalie likes to hike. She’s been near the Hudson River many times recently.”
“That would explain it. The Health Department has done a good job of cleaning out areas where ticks thrive. But it’s impossible to avoid contact completely. We see more cases in the summer.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“I don’t know for sure. She is still unconscious.”
Unconscious .
“This virus causes an infection of the central nervous system, and when severe can put the patient in a coma.”
“Natalie is in a coma?”
“Yes, she is. We are taking good care of her. We will have to see how she does.”
“What do you do for this? How do you treat it?”
“That’s the problem, I’m afraid. There is no anti-viral therapy for it. This particular infection is uncommon, but it’s associated with significant complications.”
“Can you clarify that? Will she come out of the coma?”
The doctor paused, his eyes showing concern. “Viruses are not responsive to the medicines used to treat bacterial encephalitis. Patients sometimes suffer permanent paralysis, hearing and vision impairments, or memory loss. If they survive.”
“If they survive? She could die?”
The doctor nodded. “We shouldn’t assume that. Permanent neurological damage occurs about half the time, and death, in about ten to fifteen percent of all cases.”
The doctor’s statement hit Tanner like a blow with a two-by-four. He reeled from the news. Natalie could die. No. Please, no.
“When will we know? What can we do?”
“The prognosis in these cases is often grave. But in these life-threatening situations, early medical intervention can make the difference. I understand you were with her when she passed out?”
“Yes. Yes, I was. I called the ambulance immediately.”
“That may have helped. The fact that she got to us as soon as possible might be an advantage. The outcome depends on how strong your wife’s immune system is; how well she can fight the virus. We will do all we can for her, but I’m afraid I cannot predict the result at this early stage. And if she does come out of the coma, there is still a chance of permanent damage. I’m very sorry to have to tell you this.”
Tanner felt numb, lost, and empty. The doctor stood and waited for a moment.
“Can I see her?”
“Yes, certainly. I’ll have the nurse take you in.”
Tanner followed the doctor out of the room. Life seemed crushingly oppressive. His love, the wonderful woman he married, might die. And there was nothing he could do. Nothing he could fight against. All he could do was wait—and pray.
23 – Love And Regret
Thoughts raged through Tanner’s head. If he hadn’t been home with Natalie, who knows how long it might have been before she got help. What if she’d been out hiking? What if…what if?
Natalie had the kindest heart of any person he knew. She didn’t deserve this. If anyone deserved to be stricken, it was Tanner, not his sweet wife. Not her, of all
“I’d like to speak with you.” The doctor led him to another room where they could talk privately.
Tanner waited, looking intently at the doctor. He was a doctor. He would know. He could make Natalie better.
“Your wife is seriously ill.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“We ran some tests. And from the results and her symptoms, I’d say she has encephalitis.”
The doctor may as well have been speaking a foreign language.
“What is it? How did she get it?”
“The type she has is called Powassan encephalitis. It’s caused by a virus of the same name, Powassan virus.”
“Is it contagious? Did she get it from someone?”
“No. It’s not contagious. We don’t see too many cases of this. It’s rare. The virus is spread by infected ticks.”
“A tick?”
“Yes, sir. Has your wife been out in any natural areas recently? Or near the river?”
Shock hit Tanner like a slap in the face. The river?
“Yes, she has. Natalie likes to hike. She’s been near the Hudson River many times recently.”
“That would explain it. The Health Department has done a good job of cleaning out areas where ticks thrive. But it’s impossible to avoid contact completely. We see more cases in the summer.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“I don’t know for sure. She is still unconscious.”
Unconscious .
“This virus causes an infection of the central nervous system, and when severe can put the patient in a coma.”
“Natalie is in a coma?”
“Yes, she is. We are taking good care of her. We will have to see how she does.”
“What do you do for this? How do you treat it?”
“That’s the problem, I’m afraid. There is no anti-viral therapy for it. This particular infection is uncommon, but it’s associated with significant complications.”
“Can you clarify that? Will she come out of the coma?”
The doctor paused, his eyes showing concern. “Viruses are not responsive to the medicines used to treat bacterial encephalitis. Patients sometimes suffer permanent paralysis, hearing and vision impairments, or memory loss. If they survive.”
“If they survive? She could die?”
The doctor nodded. “We shouldn’t assume that. Permanent neurological damage occurs about half the time, and death, in about ten to fifteen percent of all cases.”
The doctor’s statement hit Tanner like a blow with a two-by-four. He reeled from the news. Natalie could die. No. Please, no.
“When will we know? What can we do?”
“The prognosis in these cases is often grave. But in these life-threatening situations, early medical intervention can make the difference. I understand you were with her when she passed out?”
“Yes. Yes, I was. I called the ambulance immediately.”
“That may have helped. The fact that she got to us as soon as possible might be an advantage. The outcome depends on how strong your wife’s immune system is; how well she can fight the virus. We will do all we can for her, but I’m afraid I cannot predict the result at this early stage. And if she does come out of the coma, there is still a chance of permanent damage. I’m very sorry to have to tell you this.”
Tanner felt numb, lost, and empty. The doctor stood and waited for a moment.
“Can I see her?”
“Yes, certainly. I’ll have the nurse take you in.”
Tanner followed the doctor out of the room. Life seemed crushingly oppressive. His love, the wonderful woman he married, might die. And there was nothing he could do. Nothing he could fight against. All he could do was wait—and pray.
23 – Love And Regret
Thoughts raged through Tanner’s head. If he hadn’t been home with Natalie, who knows how long it might have been before she got help. What if she’d been out hiking? What if…what if?
Natalie had the kindest heart of any person he knew. She didn’t deserve this. If anyone deserved to be stricken, it was Tanner, not his sweet wife. Not her, of all
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