JORDAN: You
can’t do this. You can’t.
SHAH: I’m
sorry, Miss Jordan.
JORDAN: No
you’re not. I’m just. I’m just a number to you people.
SHAH: That’s
not true, Miss Jordan. It’s just a case of rescheduling –
JORDAN: And
how long will that take? (PAUSE) That’s what I thought. (BEAT)
Doctor Shah, how long will it take?
SHAH: (PAUSE)
A few months. As things stand, with the hospital on Black Alert you’re
probably looking at mid-April for your operation.
JORDAN: April.
SHAH: I’m
sorry, Miss Jordan.
JORDAN: No,
you’re not. I just. I don’t understand. Why me? Why my operation?
SHAH: Well,
with the hospital so overworked, we’ve had to prioritise critical care. Your
operation is seen as a low priority procedure. I’m sorry.
JORDAN: So
you keep saying.
SHAH: It
wasn’t my decision.
JORDAN: (PAUSE)
You said… (PAUSE) Dr Shah, last time I came in you said that the tumour
was high-risk.
SHAH: I
also said it was non-malignant. (BEAT) Miss Jordan, please don’t get upset.
JORDAN: How
can a high-risk tumour be low priority?
SHAH: Because
it’s non-malignant.
JORDAN: What
does that mean?
SHAH: It’s
not cancerous. (PAUSE) Not yet.
JORDAN: Not
yet. Not yet. Okay. Alright. So. So I’m going to get cancer, yeah? That’s what
you’re saying, isn’t it?
SHAH: No,
Miss Jordan. Not at-
JORDAN: I
have to be dying before I’m worth saving.
SHAH: (PAUSE)
I’m sorry, Miss Jordan.
JORDAN: Sorry.
Well, that fixes everything, doesn’t it? I. I have kids. Oh God. Dr Shah, I have
children. I can’t. I can’t get sick. Cancer. It. It happens to other people. Not. Not to me. I’m too young. I have kids. A few months down the line, what am I supposed to say to them? 'Mummy's got cancer and her hair is falling out and she might not be around to read you a bed time story this time next year because she was seen as a low bloody priority'. (PAUSE) I have children, Dr Shah.
SHAH: I’m
sorry, Miss Jordan.
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