"A congenital heart defect is sort of heart disease that babies are born with, the cause of this is unknown but most doctors speculate it's caused by genetics or maternal risks." Amanda paused to observe his state. "Is there anyone in your family who has a heart disease?"
"I don't know." Avery felt numb, he couldn't believe he escaped brain cancer only to run into a heart defect.
"Most of the time severe congenital heart defects are detected at birth and are managed, but some go unnoticed and are are only detected in adolescence or adulthood. There are many types of congenital heart defects, but we will only be focusing on the one you have." Amanda noticed his pale face. "Do you want me to stop for now? Is it too much?"
"No, go on." He had fought with cancer for years, he would be able to handle this one.
"You're suffering from a Coarctation of the aorta commonly called CoA. It's a congenital heart defect that affects the aorta— the artery that sends oxygen rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body. In CoA one part of the artery is narrowed which makes it harder for blood to flow through thereby causing high blood pressure in the upper part of the body and low blood pressure in the lower part."
"CoA is generally made up of symptoms such as high blood pressure, bleeding from the nose, dizziness, headaches, feeling easily fatigued during exercises and occasional chest pain. Have you experienced any of these symptoms Avery?" Amanda asked.
Avery dug into his memories and found out that indeed the previous soul had suffered from the above mentioned symptoms. "Yes I have." He nodded.
"It is exceedingly rare for CoA to go undetected during childhood, but there have been a few cases, but I found out through your tests that you have been taking high blood pressure medications for quite some time now." She arched a brow.
"And is that bad?" Avery frowned.
"It's strange that your condition went undetected for so long, and high blood pressure medications is dangerous for patients with heart problems, they can mask the symptoms of heart failure until the condition has turned too critical resulting in death from heart failure." Amanda said sternly. "I just found it strange that your doctor hadn't done proper checks on you before prescribing such medications when you clearly have symptoms of a heart disease." She smiled coldly.
Something struck in Avery's head. He was no fool and he could see what the doctor was driving at— somebody had purposely concealed his condition and was feeding him medicine that would eventually lead to his death. If a person suffering from an undetected heart problem suddenly died from an heart failure, nobody would find it suspicious. The cunning plan chilled Avery to his soul. This development had not been mentioned in the novel— Avery Ford had just been a minor side character, who was aiming to kill him? And why?
"Doctor are you trying to say—"
"I am not trying to say anything Avery." Amanda cut him off with a stern glare.
Avery heeded the warning, the walls had ears and it was best they had this discussion somewhere else. She had taken a risk to warn him.
"Doctor can my heart still be saved?" Avery asked anxiously as he buried the doctor's revelation in his brain.
"Of course with proper medication and maintaining a healthy life style you can live a normal and long life." Amanda smiled. "You have to eat a balanced diet, avoid smoking, drinking alcohol and other hard substances, stick to a healthy exercise routine and always take lots of rest."
"So I don't need surgery?" Avery asked, the thought of laying under a surgical knife scared him especially since he died under one.
"We won't need one for now, but your condition will be closely monitored, if your body responds well to the drugs then there may be no need for surgery." Amanda gripped his hand comfortingly once she noticed his scared countenance.
Suddenly the door was banged open as three people rushed in, an haggard looking Nurse Clarissa rushing in behind them— her face revealed her struggle. I tried to stop them her eyes seemed to say.
Amanda nodded at Clarissa and turned to glare coldly at the offending individuals.
"This is an hospital, not a place to barge into as you wish." She shot them a cold look.
"I am here to see my son." A harsh voice thundered.
"Apologies Mr Ford but it isn't visiting time yet." Amanda stood her ground.
"You—"
"We are sorry doctor." A soothing voice interrupted, "but once we heard our son was awake we couldn't stop ourselves from seeing him."
"I understand Mrs Ford." Amanda forced a tight lipped smile. "But I am only acting in the best interest of my patient, people with heart problems do not need stress."
"Heart disease? How?" Mr Ford asked incredulously.
"He was born with it, I will have the nurse bring you a pamphlet with everything you need to know about his condition and caring for cardiology patient." Amanda replied calmly.
"When can he be discharged?" Mrs Ford asked.
"He's condition isn't critical, luckily he was brought to the hospital before his heart attack developed into a cardiac arrest, so he can leave the hospital in three days time, but before then I will have to perform an echocardiogram on him." Amanda said.
"I will create a diet and exercise plan for you Avery and please stick only to the medications giving by the hospital." Amanda smiled at Avery. "I will leave you people to spend some family time with the patient, but please don't overwhelm him." She exited the ward with Clarissa following behind her.
With Amanda and Clarissa now gone, Avery took in his time to observe the people in the room.
Now that he wasn't confused, Ian's beauty seemed even more stunning, he glowed with an halo leaving no doubt that he was the protagonist. His swollen red eyes only added fragility to his charming visage.
Glaring at him was a man with golden brown hair and cold grey eyes. He was handsome, but his face was set in a deep and harsh scowl, his aura intimidating as he towered over Avery in a shiny black suit. Clinging to his arm was a petite woman, even through age and vindictiveness she radiated with a graceful beauty— blonde hair, almond blue eyes, pouty pink lips, golden skin and an hourglass figure that was accentuated by the deep v-line ankle length silver gown that she wore. She cradled a bouquet of expensive looking roses in her hand.
Avery knew both of them— Callan Ford and Isabella Ford— towards this people he held nothing but disgust. Avery couldn't fathom how a man could hate his own child nor could he understand why a woman knowing fully well that a man was married with a child would still choose to sleep with him and willingly bear him a child out of wedlock.
The tense atmosphere in the room was broken by Ian's loud sobs.
"Avery please forgive me, it's all my fault that you are here, if I had known about your condition I wouldn't have said those words to you, please forgive me." Ian cried beautifully, the sight of tears rolling down his red cheeks could have moved a rock but not Avery who just watching him pathetically.
In the novel Ian had been mentioned to be compassionate and kind, but nobody mentioned the fact that he was a drama king as well.
"Ian stop wasting your time, it wasn't your fault you should stop apologizing and wasting your tears, this cold-hearted bastard won't be moved no matter how much you cry." Callane drew Ian into his embrace.
"Dad please don't say things like that's." Ian scolded weakly, safely cocooned in his father's chest.
Avery scoffed, one person was acting and the other was directing.
"Dad is right Ian, I don't need you coming in here and crying, deafening me with you awful voice," Avery smirked, "if anything I should be thanking you, after all I wouldn't have known about my condition if it weren't for you."
"Avery don't speak to your brother like that." Isabella scolded.
"And who are you to lecture me, you're not my mother, never acted like one so don't you dare tell me what I can do or not do." Avery glared at her.
"How dare you speak so insolently to your mother." Callan glared at him.
"And what are you going to do about it? Hit me? Lock me up? It's the only thing you are capable of doing." Avery scoffed.
For a second three of them stood stunned, they were used to Avery's petty schemes, but never had he talked back at his father and Isabella.
"I see you haven't changed, still the same hot-headed fool you were. I knew it was a waste of time coming here, but Ian had insisted, yet you remain ungrateful." Callan hissed with spite.
"I will be grateful if the three of you could escort yourselves out." Avery frowned.
"Avery—" a harsh glare cut Ian off.
"You will regret those words of yours, I promise you." Callan smiled darkly as he turned to leave Isabella following after she had placed the expensive flower bouquet on the table and Ian joining them after giving Avery one last complicated glance.