Chapter 6 - A Difference of Opinion

Sister Katherine finally came out of the adjoining exam room looking very weary.

“Any success Sr. Kate? Is SHE all right? My brother and I heard her scream and than cry!” Dr. Cummings spoke with sorrowful eyes.

“Yes,” Sister answered. “After I cleared her anal opening she was able to pass some hard stool on her own after I injected eight ounces of warm soapy water into her. She’s all right now. The poor thing, I hurt her. God knows I didn’t want to, but it was unavoidable.” Sister looked so very drained.

Ken thought for a moment that Sister was going to cry. He knew she was a gentle soul and did not like to cause anyone pain. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder. “Sr. Kate it’s OK. You did what you had to do. Come and sit for a while.”

“It’s just that she’s SO young. Usually this happens to the elderly.”

“That’s true, but we both know it can happen to children and young adults alike.” Ken replied in a comforting voice.

Looking around the room she asked, “Where did your brother go? I thought I heard you and him shouting in here a while ago?” She asked.

“Mark was asking too many questions and passing remarks that were unacceptable. I got rid of him.” Wanting to talk more about Susan than his brother he asked in a surprised voice, “Sister I thought you said she was a cooperative patient! I’ve never in my life seen or heard a woman act like such a spitfire!”

“I THOUGHT she would be a cooperative patient. She was good for me moments ago despite the discomfort she was in and when I helped her last month.” Smiling she said, “I think she is a tad intimidated by your rugged good looks, doctor.”

“Well perhaps I should wear a mask or better yet a brown paper bag over my head when I meet and examine my patients.” Ken was annoyed. It was becoming tiresome of being reminded so often of how good looking he was.

She said with a grin, “I could always prescribe an ugly pill for you to take, before you see your patients.” She began to laugh loudly.

“Sister you’re a laugh a minute.” Ken laughed too. “Besides, are you sure she needs a doctor? Possibly, what she really needs is an Exorcist. Her eyes keep changing color! Especially when she is angry or frightened. It’s somewhat disconcerting!”

Sister answered with a puzzled look on her face. “I never noticed her eyes change color!” Teasingly she asked, “Is it conceivable, that your charming bedside manner brings out the devil in young girls?” Sister began to laugh again.

“Very funny Sister! You’re beginning to sound like a real commodeian !” They both began to laugh.

“Guess I have been working for YOU too long doctor.” She said still smiling.

He asked, “Also, I was under the impression that every female employee needs to undergo a pelvic examination before coming to work here at St. Anthony’s. Susan said she’s never been to a gynecologist. Who was the attending physician who examined her for the hospital physical?”

Sister noticed that he used the patient’s first name with familiarity. “It was old doctor Spencer who performed the examinations on all the new nurses less than a year ago. I know for a fact that he never did a vaginal exam on any of them,” Sister answered. “Her physical took place with him just before he retired and left St. Anthony’s.”

He surprisingly asked, “How did he get away with that?” Sister just shrugged her shoulders. He continued, “She’s going to need a pap smear sometime in the near future. We both know that she’ll probably defy us on that suggestion along with everything else.” He was always annoyed with medical incompetence.

In an excited irate voice he continued, “AND another thing, WHO in the HELL, is this SADISTIC aunt that you and her have referred to! She sounds like something left over from the Nazi regime! When I asked Susan if she ever had a rectal exam she began to talk of a man, claiming to be a doctor, who was brought to the house by her aunt when she was small. He must of done something monstrous to her because she became extremely distraught as she began to talk about it. I hope to GOD that she wasn’t raped by the fiend!”

Sister could tell that Dr. Cummings was very agitated. Similar to Mark’s belief, she noticed that Ken had never displayed such fierce emotions concerning a patient before.

“I don’t know anything about that particular incident doctor, though it doesn’t surprise me in the least. I do know, it sounds like both girls were grossly abused as children as a result of their aunt’s demented mind. It makes me sick that either one of them suffered like that.” Sister looked very downhearted.

In an incensed voice, “If I ever meet that crone of an aunt in person, I will joyfully wrap, to her own liking, an enema tube around her evil throat!” Ken was appalled! How could people be so cruel to defenseless little children. It was beyond his comprehension. “I am going to suggest for both her and her sister to go for counseling. I hope they will listen and go.”

“I will try to talk them into doing just that.” There was slight pause before Sister spoke again. While looking closely at Dr. Ken’s face Sister asked, “You like Susan very much, don’t you Dr. Cummings?” Ken wasn’t expecting Sister’s question. He wasn’t quick to answer her. “She’s very pretty. Don’t you think so doctor?” She was looking at his face very carefully now to see his reaction.

Trying to sound blasé, he answered, “I hadn’t noticed.” He knew sister was clever and that his answer wouldn’t sit right with her. She gave him a disbelieving look. He thought he better come clean. “OK, OK, she’s pretty. She’s damn pretty. She’s too pretty to be going through all these horrific problems that she’s been having. Damn it, I want to help her! But she’s going to have to WANT my help, OUR help if she wants to get better!” Sister agreed wholeheartedly. “For starters, he firmly said, we’ll help her with this suppository.”

Sister noticed the suppository on the treatment tray and frowned. “Doctor, most of our patients don’t like that suppository. As they say in Great Britain, Susan’s little ‘button hole’ has been through quite a lot within the last fifteen minutes.”

“She needs IT and she is going to get IT,” he said sternly. “You look like HELL Sister. I want you to go and make some of that tea you’re always brewing and sit down and drink it.” He was a little annoyed that Sister could read his thoughts SO well concerning Susan.

“But,” Sister began to speak.

“No buts, that’s an order.” He barked. “I think I’m more than capable of inserting this suppository into…, what did you call it, HER ‘button hole’?” He smiled to himself than he began to laugh heartily. “Sister Kate, I’m surprise in you! The things you come out with!” He shook his head from side to side smiling as he muttered under his breath “button hole.”

Sister wasn’t laughing. She was very serious. “Doctor, a nurse should always be in attendance when a female patient is bodily exposed and being treated or examined by a male physician. You know that as well as I do Dr. Cummings. Those are the hospital rules!”

He thought to himself she was very protective of Susan. That’s OK. She needed protecting. In any event, his better judgment told himself that he should appease her. In a calm voice he said, “OK, fine, you go ahead and administer this suppository. Have her hold it for at least five minutes. If she gives you any trouble, I want you to call me. After she expels it I will go in and treat her hemorrhoids and inject the warm oil into her while you rest and drink your tea. She will have to hold the oil for at least 30 to 45 minutes. That will give you time to relax a bit before you give her several enemas and a rinse.”

“Dr. Cummings I am going to have to insist that a nurse be present during those two procedures as well!” Sister said seriously.

“Simmer down, I will ask Sr. Theresa from down the hall to step in for you while I am in there with her. Will that suffice, Sergeant ?’

“That will do nicely, thank you,” she replied. She WAS tired and was glad for his thoughtful suggestion, though she wasn’t too sure of his motive.

“Incidentally Sr. Katherine, I’m also capable of giving enemas to that young lady inside as well. In fact, I give very good enemas, if I do say so myself.” He was grinning roguishly from ear to ear. He liked to tease Sister from time to time.

Sister gave him a shocked expression. She tried to be displeased with his impishness. “Doctor, DON’T even go there! I will be the one to give Susan her internal cleansing. Shame on you for even thinking such a thing!” Sister couldn’t help but smile, despite herself.

“Sister, I’m going to be inserting my fingers up that young lady’s posterior to give her a digital rectal exam in just a little while. What the HELL difference does it make if I insert a suppository or an enema nozzle UP and into that cute little fanny of hers before hand?”

Trying to hide a smile she said, “Is that anyway to talk about a patient’s and a young girl’s anatomy, Dr. Cummings? What's more, there IS a difference. You will be performing an exam that only a skilled physician can DO, not a nurse. AND, I might add, an exam that will be done in the presence of another woman. Leave the enema giving and the suppositories to the nurses.” Without giving him time to respond she turned quickly on her heel and went into Susan with the suppository in her hand.