Dr. Yi Zhao studied his patient's chart. The case of Elvira Sweet was a strange one. And very sad.
He had recently taken over her care at the behest of his grandfather. Apparently, his grandfather and the patient's paternal grandfather were longtime friends.
He'd been studying her records for weeks with every spare moment he had. Admittedly, as a top surgeon his "free time" was severely limited. Nonetheless, he took every chance that presented itself to study her case.
It didn't bother him. He lived and breathed his work. He was content. Not only did he enjoy taking care of others and helping them, but he enjoyed the challenge of finding out what was wrong with them. It was intellectually stimulating. Along with the task of diagnosing a patient's problem, designing and implementing a treatment plan was even more challenging. He couldn't imagine doing anything else.
Dr. Zhao returned to his apartment late that evening. He'd picked up some Mexican food along the way. It was his favorite.
He signed wearily as the dropped the bags of food and the stack of papers on his coffee table.
After pulling 16-hour shifts every day for the past three weeks straight he was long overdue for rest. Of course, rest for a brilliant man like him meant studying patient files and researching their medical conditions.
He decided the first order of business should be to take a long hot shower to relax his aching muscles. So that is what he did.
Feeling infinitely better, he pulled on a pair of black boxer briefs and went to heat up his dinner.
Now ready for consumption, he brough his bounty to the living room along with copies of Elvira's medical files.
He spread the papers out on his table and began to read them again while he ate his burritos.
It was only the fifth time he'd read them. But he was sure he was missing something. He had four days now to find it.
As usual, he was so absorbed in his work that he had no idea how much time had passed. His dinner long since finished, he leaned back on his sofa and rubbed his bleary eyes. He needed sleep, but this case kept him awake at night.
It wasn't just his grandfather's pressure. He felt sorry for her.
He had heard from the nurses that she had not had any visitors since she arrived three months ago. Her grandfather was unable to visit due to being wheelchair bound from an accident. He'd also been suffering from a mysterious illness. His absence was understandable then.
But she had two parents, six siblings, and countless aunts, uncles, and cousins who all lived in the same city. Yet none could be bothered to even send a measly card, let alone visit.
He even heard she had a husband. Although, like the rest of her family, he didn't seem to visit either. He was probably enjoying her money. He knew she was wealthy from the private room she had and because he knew her paternal grandfather.
As a doctor, he didn't allow himself to get too emotionally involved with his patients or their families. It clouded one's judgment and he needed to be laser-focused on his patients' treatment. He could be compassionate and kind without being their best friend. He had to maintain a respectful and professional emotional distance.
That wasn't to say he was unkind. On the contrary, he was exceptionally good at alleviating patients' fears and comforting grieving families while still being honest. He didn't sugarcoat his diagnoses, overpromise on his abilities, or provide false hope. It was his genuineness, sincerity, and determination that instilled confidence and trust in him. His patients and their families appreciated his authenticity.
Yet he couldn't quite figure out why he was beguiled by this patient. True she was beautiful, even if older than him by a few years. Even being so sickly pale and bruised and hooked up to machines, he could tell she was uncommonly attractive. But he never got worked up over a woman.
He often wondered if he was asexual. His friends in high school and beyond often teased him about being such. They were all about dating in their teenage years, but he preferred studying biology and chemistry.
Even as a teenager, he found intelligence more stimulating than physical beauty. He loved science and logic puzzles. He was awkward with small talk and couldn't stand entertainments that did not challenge him in some way.
His friends had said he was a robot and the most boring creature on the planet. That was probably why he didn't really have any friends since graduating from medical school.
But that really wasn't it. He was not an asexual automaton.
He was so kind and compassionate that he didn't want to put a girlfriend through any heartache. He worked extremely long hours including holidays and weekends. What little time he did have off he was on call, so he often had to leave immediately if requested.
The few remaining hours of his days and nights were spent on reading up on medical breakthroughs, research studies, and alternative treatment methods. He even took occasional classes on new technologies, therapies, and medications.
It would be a boring and lonely life for any girlfriend he might have. And he didn't want a woman who'd spend his money and cheat on him because he couldn't give her enough attention. Better to be alone.
But he wasn't all work and no play. He also managed to find some time for exercise, eating, sleeping, and occasionally visiting his parents and grandparents.
In fact, it was on his last visit to his grandfather that he received his newest case.