Pain that woke her in the dead of night and refused to relinquish its grip. "The painkillers are not working anymore," Carmen closed her eyes, her face scrunched up in agony. Shaun wiped the sweat off her brow with a cool facecloth. "I think we should tell Dr. Marcel about this. There could be a simple explanation." "What if there isn't?" She took a breath and opened her eyes. "What if the accident damaged something else? I can't handle any more bad news, Shaun." "We'll never know unless we ask a doctor." Another cramp assailed Carmen, and she drew her knees to her chest, her face crimson. When the pain subsided, she asked him to escort her to the bathroom, where she threw up the contents of her stomach until only bile was left. The next day, she gave in and agreed to let Shaun take her to the emergency room. During the next weeks, Carmen was in and out of the hospital as doctors carried out an endless list of tests: imaging tests, endoscopies, blood tests, and biopsies.
