The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 277
“I recall Ms. Sherwood was discharged yesterday. Didn’t Mr. Sherwood inform you?”
Tamara placed the bouquet on the desk and gave Dr. Larson a faint smile. “Yes, Milford told me. I know Yvonne was discharged yesterday. I came here for a different reason.”
Tamara paused, choosing her words carefully. She didn’t look like a relative happy about a patient’s discharge; instead, she appeared deeply worried.
“Dr. Larson, although Yvonne has been discharged and seems to be recovering well physically, I still can’t set my mind at ease. I wanted to ask… is there any possibility that Yvonne’s memory will return?”
She asked tentatively, her gaze fixed on Dr. Larson, unsure if she was hoping for or dreading a yes. She deliberately emphasized the word “possibility,” her fingers unconsciously rubbing the strap of her handbag.
Understanding Tamara’s purpose, Dr. Larson nodded in realization. Her worried expression seemed genuine, so he didn’t suspect anything amiss. He pushed up his glasses and opened Yvonne’s medical file.
“Actually, based on the current examination results, Ms. Sherwood’s physical functions have recovered very well. As for her memory…”
He paused, then continued, “The medical imaging shows that the damage to Ms. Sherwood’s hippocampus has largely healed. Theoretically speaking, as the blood clot in her brain slowly dissolves over time, recovering her memory is only a matter of time.”
Tamara’s smile froze on her face. “So that means… she will remember sooner or later?”
“There are no absolutes in medicine. I can only say that based on clinical experience, in a case like Ms. Sherwood’s, the probability of memory recovery is indeed very high,” Dr. Larson answered cautiously.
Tamara’s fingernails dug deeply into her palms, but she forced a relieved smile. “That’s wonderful. Do you know roughly how long it will take? Because Yvonne has been resistant toward me since losing her memory, I was thinking that once she recovers, our lives should go back to normal.”
“That’s hard to say.” Dr. Larson shook his head, looking a bit troubled. “The hippocampus remains a complex area in global medical research. I can’t give you a definitive timeline. It could be a month, or it could be a year. However, we recently suggested that Ms. Sherwood be exposed to familiar scenes or objects, as this might trigger brief memory flashbacks. With enough stimulation, Ms. Sherwood might just wake up one morning with her memory fully restored.”
Just wake up and remember? Then what would happen to her? Tamara shot up from her chair, then immediately realized her loss of composure and forced a laugh.
“Thank you so much. Oh, right…” She took a thick envelope out of her bag. “This is a small token of our appreciation. Thank you for taking such good care of Yvonne.”
Dr. Larson waved his hands immediately. “I can’t accept this. Ms. Sherwood is a VIP patient; even without this, the hospital would provide the best care.”
09:50
“You misunderstand.” Tamara shoved the envelope into the drawer and lowered her voice. “I was hoping… if there are any signs of Yvonne’s memory returning, you could notify me immediately.”
Tamara’s tone was persuasive, gentle, and considerate, causing Dr. Larson to lower his guard completely.
“As you know, she suffered a great shock when the accident happened. We’re worried that suddenly regaining her memories might cause secondary trauma.”
09:50
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