Gemotions

He hadn't been sleeping well lately, and this didn't help. The doctor was still apologizing, but the words were barely registering. The room, which before had seemed perfectly normal, now felt as though it was closing in on him. He felt exposed, naked.

His own medical history, which he knew to be fairly unremarkable, seemed to be overshadowed by the details of another man’s life. The other man's battle with cancer, the struggles with mental health, the financial ruin the procedures caused. All of it weighed heavily, like a physical burden. He found himself imagining the pain the other patient must have endured. His hands clenched.

He wanted to scream, to lash out at someone, anyone, for this egregious mistake. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself.