CHAPTER 115

The next day we were sitting at the ENT’s office again as he gave us more information about Hazel’s sickness. He said everything the other doctor had said to Hazel before, and whenever I cast a quick glance her way where she was sitting next to me, her eyes were glazed over. I didn’t know how much of it she actually heard. Her hands were grasping the arms of the chair in a white-knuckled grip, so I didn’t think my touch would be welcome. Instead, I asked every single question that came to my mind about her upcoming unavoidable surgery.

“After we see the results of your MRI and the CT scan, we’ll schedule your surgery.”

Hazel cleared her throat and interrupted the doctor. “I’m sorry for interrupting you, but I’m claustrophobic—is there any way we can avoid the MRI scans if we already know from the samples that this is a CSF leak and I’m gonna have surgery anyway?”

“I’m afraid not, Mrs. Walker. Since you didn’t have a head trauma or any other injuries that could cause a CSF l