Caroline sat alone in Dr. Kim's office for yet another three month checkup. Tim was in Boston working with an accapella group and couldn't make it home for this appointment, something that seemed to be more the norm the past few months.  She was fine with it, somewhat relieved actually, making it that much easier.

Dr. Kim entered, having reviewed the results, he was about to confirm what she suspected. It, George as she still called it, was indeed back, this time with a vengence. Telling her without Tim present wasn't going to be easy.

"Based on the symptoms you described - the confusion, behavioral changes as well as the headaches, nausea and occassional weaknesses - and the findings on the MRI, it appears we are looking at ..." he stopped for a moment.  He was having difficulty telling her the ugly truth. He had come to know Caroline  as more than a patient, both her and Tim.

Caroline looked at him with sadness in her eyes "it's Cancerous isn't it" she asked quietly.

"I'm afraid so" he replied. "Stage 4, Glioblastoma".

Caroline closed her eyes as the tears escaped, running down her cheeks. "What...what can...be done" she asked.

Dr. Kim walked around the desk, grabbing the box of tissues before sitting down next to her. Offering them to her he continued "I suggest beginning chemotherapy immediately, followed by radiation"

"What about surgical removal " she asked, taking another tissue from the box.

Dr. Kim took her hand while looking at her "Caroline, where it is located and its size is of great concern for removal. It's in the frontal lobe and has increased to five times its size just over these past 3 months."

"But you said last time it had remained the same for almost a year since the first radiation treatments. I don't understand" she stated, fear growing in her by the second "what made it change so rapidly and why can't you just take it out?"

"The exact cause for it is unknown, however the radiation treatment you received for the initial tumor, could have caused this cancerous one" he explained. "It can be growing before we find it on the MRI ".

"And you can't remove it. Why?" she asked again.

Dr. Kim looked at her "because if I do, you may lose everything..your ability to function...your memory..personality..you may go into a vegetative state...which is why I am heavily suggesting the chemo and radiation therapies "

"And if I choose the treatment you suggest, what then, how long, is it a cure" she asked with tears still filling her eyes.

He hesitated again, this was what he disliked most about being a doctor, the inability to guarantee a cure.

"At the most, about two years" he said solemnly.

****

Caroline drove to the gardens where she and Tim had spent so much time growing up. She walked to the tree, their tree where he'd engraved their names. She slid down the trunk, sitting on the ground below as she sobbed. "Why this, why now. Haven't we been through enough already" she said aloud, burying her face in her hands.

Soon darkness began to fall, making her way to her car her phone rang. It was Tim. She knew he wanted to know how her appointment had gone. How was she going to tell him, explain how she kept the suttle changes she had noticed happening to herself. She hadn't even decided on what course of action she may take. She let the phone go to voicemail. He deserved to hear it in person, if she decided to tell him at all.