Observing and Assessing James Wilson MD
a House MD story
by midnight_angel_girl
Gregory House peeked through the window of James Wilson's office and aw the younger man sitting at his desk, head in his hands. Pushing open the door, he walked in. "Wilson." He greeted him, noticing Wilson's body shudder slightly. "You ok?"
Looking up at House, Wilson nodded, pressing his handkerchief to his nose for a deep blow. "I'm fine." He shoved the handkerchief back into his pocket and picked up a pair of glasses from his desk.
"Slept here last night, huh?" House asked pointedly.
"What? How did you know?" Wilson flushed slightly under House's gaze.
"You're wearing the same tie as yesterday; you look tired; your hair's flat."
He paused as Wilson pulled his handkerchief out again and sneezed against it. "Hihh-chhehhh. Ehh-chhmmpt. Heh-ummphht."
"Bless. And your allergies are flaring since you didn't take your pill this morning."
"What makes you so sure it's allergies?" Wilson asked flatly.
"It's spring – allergy season for you. You're wearing your glasses, which you only do if your eyes are really bad, especially if your allergies are bad and you sleep in your contacts, but I digress. And you sneeze more unpredictably when it's allergies as opposed to those 2 sets of 2 you do when you're sick. I'll be right back."
Leaving Wilson staring at him, incredulously as he prepared to blow his nose again. Occasionally, House's keen perception of things around him could amaze him. Before he could muse on that any further, House burst back into the room.
"First, if you don't want to be a sneezy, snotty, watery-eyed mess for the rest of the day, I'd shut the window." Wilson nodded as House walked across the room and closed the window. "I know the view is nice and relaxing for your patients, but I have a feeling they'd feel better if they could understand what their doctor was saying." Tossing a small blister packet of pills at Wilson's desk and slouching down on his couch, House looked expectantly at Wilson.
"What?" Wilson asked House's expression, picking up the pills and glancing at them. "Zyrtec. Thank you." Pushing one of the pills out, he washed it down with a quick sip of coffee. "Why are you still looking at me like that?"
"I'm waiting for your explanation. I already know why you stayed here last night, but I'm interested in hearing what you're going to say."
"If you already know, then why are you asking?"
House shrugged. "See what you say. See if you'll lie."
Wilson opened his mouth to say something but turned his head into his elbow and sneezed roughly. "Ehhrushh, ruhhshhhehhh, hurrehhshhoo, rehshoo."
"Bless." House offered as Wilson reached for a tissue, his handkerchief needing time to dry. "You fought with Julie. Again. And didn't want to deal with it, so you stayed here. Again. eriously, how many times is this going to happen?"
"How did you know we fought? Couldn't you assume I was here late for patient care?"
"Nope. Your hay-fever's acting up. You two always fight when your allergies are in season. My reasoning is she's never really forgiven you for the cats."
Shaking his head and blowing his nose, Wilson sighed. "No, I don't think she ever has. Or will."
Flashback Thingy
"Huhhrreshh."
A powerful sneeze shook House out of his reverie, leading him to look up and glare at the sneezer in front of him. "Do you mind?"
"Sorry." Wilson sniffled, blowing his nose carefully and sat at the table across from him.
"You sick? Stay away from me then."
"I'm not sick. I don't feel sick. It was just a sneeze, House."
"No it wasn't. Your nose is red and, judging from the care you took in blowing, I would say it's probably pretty sore."
"I feel fine. A little sneezy, maybe, but fine."
"Now that I think about it, you've been more sneezy than normal for the last couple weeks or so. Allergies?"
"It's the middle of winter, House. I'm fine."
"You sure? You could let me do some tests?" "I'm not letting you stick anything into me. House, I'm fine. I'm going home." Standing up from the table, he turned and began walking away, pausing a few times to release a muffled sneeze into his handkerchief.
Shaking his head, House grabbed his cane and headed out for the night.
The next morning, House was sitting in the cafeteria, nursing a cup of lukewarm coffee when he saw Wilson come in. A few minutes later, the younger man came and sat across from him, clutching his own mug and looking tired.
"I thought you went home last night. Therefore logically, I would assume you slept."
"I did. Bedadryl has't word off yet."
"Really. I couldn't tell from listening to you speak. Although it explains why you're wearing your glasses."
Wilson gave a few powerful blows into a wad of napkins. "You know me and Benadryl. Doesn't do much for the symptoms but knocks me out so I don't care."
"Why aren't you taking your regular allergy pill?"
"Haven't felt like going in to get a new prescription. I'm better at work than at home." He paused as Cameron walked by and paused, seeing Wilson.
"I didn't know you wore glasses, Dr. Wilson. Contact problems?"
Wilson looked at her. "I didn't feel like putting them in this morning. Why would you assume there's a problem?"
"Your eyes are red and irritated." She paused and looked closer at him. "It's not contacts." She stated, taking in his red chapped nose. "You're allergic to something."
"Brilliant deduction there, Cameron. Of course, you could have just asked him. Although allergies in winter tend not to be one's first thought. Besides, he'll just keep lying"
"It's an environmental allergen. I can stop by your office later with a kit and do some tests."
"Thank you Cameron." He paused, turning away. "Hhhurrhshhehhh. Urishehh. Excuse me. I don't have any patients until 10, otherwise my schedule is booked for the day."
"Have you taken anything that would interfere with allergy testing?"
"Benadryl, but it never does much good at stopping my symptoms. Just makes me sleep for hours."
"He's right." House interrupted. "It might interfere with the results a bit, but given how much it's apparently working for him, I think you'll still be able to tell if he's allergic to something.
"I can meet you in your office in about a half an hour if you'd like, Dr. Wilson."
"That would be fine. Thank you." He noticed House staring at him as Cameron walked away. "What?"
"What was that? I offered to do allergy testing on you yesterday, and you refused. Then she offers, and you're all over it."
"Let's think about this. Cameron isn't going stick as many substances across my back and arms in order to watch me turn into an itchy mess. You, on the other hand, would derive a perverse pleasure from that. Cameron will test me for what needs to be tested; I wouldn't put it past you to test me on things we already know I'm allergic to." Grabbing a napkin from the table, he pressed it against his nose to block another sneeze. "Uhhrehshh."
House dug through his pocket, finally pulling out a crumpled handkerchief and throwing it towards his friend.
"Do I even wandt to know how long that's been in there? And I didn't know you even owned a handkerchief."
"Since this morning. And I don't. You forced it on me when I was ick a few months ago. Figured now'd be the time to return it." Noticing Wilson's hesitance to pick it up and use it, he sighed. "I did wash it."
Wilson hesitated a moment longer before snatching up the handkerchief to release a few more harsh sneezes into it. "Huurheshh, ehhshhuhhh, hhuhhruhshh. ThAak you." He blew his nose gingerly and stood up. "I should meet Cameron in my office." He sniffled slightly, picking up his coffee.
"Not so fast." House stood up. "I'm coming with you."
"And I would let you because…"
"You know you can't stop me. I'll drop my stuff in my office and meet you at yours."
Sighing, Wilson began to walk out of the cafeteria, House following behind him.
House walked into his office, intending to dump his stuff on his desk and leave, only to be waylaid by Chase. After answering the Aussie's questions in a fast of a manner as possible before heading to Wilson's office, not noticing Cameron on the phone. Reaching Wilson's office, he looked in the glass before barging on in.
Wilson hung up the phone. "Do you ever knock?"
"What, and spoil the surprise?"
Wilson sighed, rubbing his sinuses at the bridge of his nose. "I don't know why you insist on being here. Other than to torment me."
"I want to see what you say to Cameron about all this. She's so nice that I know you can't avoid telling her the truth."
"Speaking of her, she should be here any minute. She just had to grab my chart and the equipment." Wilson finished as there was a knock on the door. "And she knocks."
"She knocks." House mimicked as Wilson got up to let her in.
Cameron came into his office, setting her stuff on his desk. "I just need to look at your chart for a minute before I start. You can roll up your sleeve now if you'd like."
"Aren't you going to test on his back?" House demanded to know.
"I'm not testing for that many allergens since he thinks he knows what's causing it."
"So you know what it is, and you're still going to let her test you."
Wilson sighed. "Doing the test is needed. It will eliminate any doubt, and it will make things easier at home."
"Easier at home? What, are you going to try to convince me you're allergic to your wife? I suppose that will make the divorce easier than another affair."
Wilson started to glare at House only to have it ruined by a sneeze. "Hurrushhhehh, rushhhehh. I'b dot allergic to by wife." He paused to blow his nose. "I think I'm allergic to the cats she brought home."
"Alright." Cameron interrupted. "I've got a couple questions, and then I'll do the tests." She pulled up a chair and turned to face him. "Your chart just lists the basic spring/summer hay fever type allergens. Is there anything else that you're allergic to that's not included?"
Wilson shook his head. "I was allergic to dust and feathers when I was younger but outgrew them in my teens."
"I'm going to test you for those two as well, see if they've come back and that could be causing the problem."
"It's not feathers. There's nothing in the house or office with down or feathers in it."
Cameron nodded. "Alright. It can't cause your symptoms if it's not there. And it's most likely that it has to be something both at home and at the office."
House interrupted again. "Then how can it be cats? There's no cats in the hospital."
"No, but there's cat hair and dander on his clothes. That would explain why he's still symptomatic here but to a lesser extent than he is at home."
"Can we just get this over with?" Wilson sniffled into a tissue. "The sooner this is done, the sooner I can get some Zyrtec and feel human again." Laying his bare forearm on his desk, he looked away as Cameron began wiping his arm down with alcohol.
"I'm going to test you for three allergens: cats, dogs and dust. Do you think we need to do anymore?"
"Only if these all come back negative." Wilson fumbled for his tissue. "Hurrshooo, uhhruhshoo."
"Bless you, Dr. Wilson. Let me know if you need to sneeze while I'm administering the skin tests. I don't want to stab you."
"Thaks; I'll try to ward you, although it should't take too log to get the pricks dode."
"Anyway, stabbing him is half the fun." House pointed out, rather (un)helpfully.
"Shut up, House." Wilson blew his nose and looked at Cameron. "Let's do this." Biting his lip, he ignored Cameron gently scratching his skin.
"I'm finished, Dr. Wilson." She pulled her gloves off and disposed of them. I'm going to take this stuff back to the office and come back and see how the test is progressing." Wilson nodded, rubbing his nose again. "I'll also get the prescription written for you and filled."
"Thanks, Cameron." He watched as she picked up her things and left the room.
"Hopefully, the Benadryl won't block the results of the test too much ince you want them to convince your wife. Again, why can't you just tell her?"
"She knows I hate cats. She's not going to want to believe me."
"Can I tell her?"
Wilson rolled his eyes. "Sure. Because she'll really believe you." Clenching his left hand into a fist, he resisted the urge to scratch at his already itchy arm.
House got up and hobbled over to the desk, taking the chair Cameron had vacated. "You remember which was which? Because you're definitely allergic to the first substance and the last."
Wilson rubbed the tissue against his nose. "Cats and dust." He paused to press the tissue against his nose. "Uhhrishhhehh. `Scuuhh…scuse be. "Rihhshhehh, uhshehshh, huhruhshooo."
"Bless. With the amount you're reacting to the cat test, I'm amazed it hasn't caused your asthma to go haywire."
Flushing and smiling sheepishly, Wilson reached into his other pocket and pulled out his inhalator, tossing it at House. "Filled 2 weeks ago. It's at it's worst when I change the litterbox but yeah, it's tarted flaring up."
"And you chose to ignore it? God, you really do love her. And given that you're reacting to cats and dust, the litterbox should be the worst for you. Although I suppose you let them sleep on your pillow as well. "
"I try to keep them off the bed. But Julie lets them be wherever during the day." He coughed slightly as Cameron knocked at the door. "Come in, Cameron." He yelled.
"I should be able to look at your arm in a few minutes and see what's going on." Cameron said, pulling another chair up to the desk, recognizing the futility of trying to convince House to vacate the one he had been in.
"I don't think you'll need to." Wilson sighed, sliding his arm closer to her. "I will admit I wasn't expecting to react to dust though."
"Wow. That's with diphenhydramine in your system."
"All that stuff has ever done for me is make me sleep." Wilson shrugged.
"Anyway, you are allergic to cats, and of course, this is entirely up to you, but I'd strongly recommend getting rid of them and having the rugs and furniture cleaned. And you're reacting to the dust as well, o cleaning will definitely help. I'll get all this typed up for you to show your wife and get it to you by the time you go home." She handed him a bottle of pills. "Your chart indicated that this was your usual allergy medication, and you mentioned it earlier, so I'm assuming that you know how to take it."
Wilson nodded gratefully, already reaching for his coffee. He opened the bottle and swallowed a pill, sighing. "Thank you, Cameron."
"Not a problem, Dr. Wilson. I hope you feel better soon."
end flashbacky thing
"The way I see it, she'll never forgive you for making her get rid of the cats. Especially because if you don't want to fight, you won't. But you can't keep sleeping in your office, at least, not without being better prepared."
Wilson's nose wrinkled and he pressed the tissues back against it. "Huhhreshh, rieishh, uruhhshehh. Ad I suppose you have a better idea."
House waited for him to blow his nose. "You can always crash at my place. I've got a lumpy couch that misses you. It's waiting for this marriage to crumble like the other two."
Wilson gave a faint ghost of a smile. "I am planning on making this one work, House."
"I know, I know. But in case it doesn't or you don't feel like leeping here again, just letting you know." Standing up, he prepared to exit Wilson's office. "See you at lunch."
Wilson nodded as House closed the door behind him, leaving the allergy tricken oncologist to get himself together before his first patient came in.