^{CHAPTER 14}

 

 

 

^{No Rest for the Weary}

 

 

 

 

 

^{There were smiles greeting her from every direction as Jewelz walked down the hall of the hospital’s oncology ward. Most of the staff was familiar to her as she had been down this road before. And as she made her way to the nurse’s station she got warm greetings and “welcome backs” out the ass.}

^{It had taken two more home visits and quite a few more harassing phone calls, but she had finally agreed to come into the clinic to sign some paperwork stating that she was voluntarily withdrawing herself from the cancer treatment program.}

^{Jewelz had no problem signing the documents because aside from her hair loss and fatigue she’d been feeling pretty good during the day. She figured it was just all the partying and hanging out she’d been doing with Handgun Goody that had her feeling tired and run down at night. She had been doubling up on her vitamins and supplements but she still wasn’t going back on no damn chemo.}

^{Besides, with the BBU acting funny Slick had told everybody to take a short break, so she was gonna start catching up on her rest and get more sleep now that they had stopped going out on missions every other night.}

^{Jewelz was placed in a small office, and a few minutes later she looked up as the door opened and her smiling doctor walked in.}

^{“It’s good to see you, Diamond,” he said, extending his hand. “How’ve you been feeling?”}

^{“I’m good Dr. Ford,” she answered. “I’ve been feeling pretty good.”}

^{“Well, I’m glad to hear you’re feeling okay, but you’re still a very sick person, you know. Despite how you may feel, your body can’t fight this disease on it’s own and you could take a downhill slide at any time,” the doctor told her with serious concern in his eyes.}

^{“You really need to take the rest of the chemotherapy that we have scheduled for you. The doses you already took are still working in your body, but they’re not enough. Every day you forego additional treatment is a day you allow your cancer cells to multiply and a day of potential healing that you give up.”}

^{Jewelz nodded her head as she looked around the office that had mad medical degrees and certificates mounted on the walls.}

^{“I understand all that, but I can’t finish the chemo right now. I’m not saying I’ll never finish it. I’m just saying I can’t finish it right now.”}

^{The doctor leaned forward and frowned at her like he just didn’t understand.}

^{“I’ve never had a patient stop chemotherapy treatment before they even get halfway through it, Diamond. What could you be doing that’s more important than saving your own life? Whatever it is, can’t it wait?”}

^{Jewelz shook her head.}

^{“No, it can’t,” she said thinking about the date that she had planned with Handgun Goody’s fam later that night. “I’m doing a lot of stuff right now. Important stuff that I can’t do if I’m sick and can’t function. I’ll get back on my treatments soon. I promise.”}

^{The doctor shook his head sadly. “I hate to say it, but this thing could kill you, you know. By the time you come back in to resume your treatment it might be too late.”}

^{Jewelz nodded. She was an informed patient and she knew what kind of death she was facing.}

^{“I know,” she said signing the paperwork as she stood up to leave. “But that’s a chance I’ll just have to take.”}