Chapter 49 - Syndrome

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Atsumu: *pulls his hand back* It's probably nothing *shakes his hand* Maybe it's just a side effect of the medicine . . .

Sakusa: . . . We should check it to the doctor . . .

Atsumu: But we just went to the doctor two days ago... He said I'm fine . . . It's probably just the drug...

Sakusa: ...... You're fine two days ago... You might not be fine now . . . We're going to the doctor... No protest.

Atsumu: *sighs in displease* Can we at least finish this set? It's almost over anyway . . .

Sakusa: . . . Fine *goes back to his position by going below the net again*

Team A Team B
19 |2| 24

Hinata: *about to jump for the newest freak quick*

Atsumu: *about to jump too but suddenly falls* Ughh!!

Sakusa: *quickly comes to Atsumu* Atsumu!!!

Atsumu: *holding his left foot* I . . . I can't feel my left foot . . . *pants* *pants* It's... It's like being pricked by pins and needles . . . !

Sakusa: We're going to the hospital now!! *puts Atsumu's left arm over his shoulders*

Adriah Tomas: *lifts Atsumu up from the right side*

Sakusa and Adriah then help Atsumu get into Sakusa's car.

After that, Sakusa immediately drives Atsumu to the hospital.

Bokuto: Is Atsumu gonna be okay? *worried*

Meian Shūgo: Let's hope so . . .

Hinata: Should we go to the hospital too?

Meian Shūgo: . . . Nah... We've tried to do that before . . .

Adriah Tomas: Sakusa ended up telling us to go home . . .

Oriver Barnes: Those two like their privacy . . . We should give them that

•••••
At the hospital

Sakusa: How is it, Doc...?

Doctor: *tighten his lips* I'm afraid Atsumu-san is suffering from the Guillain-Barré (pronounced ghee-yan bar-ray) syndrome . . .

Sakusa: Ghee-what?

Doctor: Guillain-Barré Syndrome or GBS . . . It's a serious condition in which the body's immune system attacks its own nerves... and it's not uncommon for people with HIV . . .

Doctor: More specifically, the immune system starts to destroy the myelin sheath that surrounds the axons of many nerve cells. This prevents the nerves from transmitting signals to the brain, which can result in the inability to feel heat, pain, and other sensations.

Doctor: GBS often begins with tingling and weakness starting in your feet and legs and spreading to your upper body and arms. Sometimes it also begins prickling or pins and needles sensations in your fingers, toes, ankles, or wrists...

Doctor: At first you may have numbness, pins and needles, muscle weakness, pain, problems with balance and co-ordination... But these symptoms may continue to get worse over the next few days or weeks before they start to slowly improve.

Doctor: It can be different for everyone but I'm afraid the symptoms can progress into difficulty with facial movements, including speaking, chewing or swallowing... double vision or inability to move eyes, severe pain that may feel achy, shooting, or cramplike, which may be worse at night... difficulty with bladder control or bowel function, rapid heart rate, low or high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, and... many more . . . *hesitates* Sometimes the muscle weakness can even evolve into paralysis . . .

          

Sakusa: . . . *speechless* *lowers his head*

Doctor: But that's just in very severe cases . . . The good news is that GBS is not deadly . . . Well, the mortality rate is 4 to 7%, which is quite low . . . Usually people recover from most of their symptoms within 6 to 12 months . . .

Sakusa: . . . Is there any cure for it?

Doctor: *bites his lips* Umm... Unfortunately there's no exact cure for GBS . . . However several treatments can ease the symptoms and reduce the duration of the illness . . .

Sakusa: *glances at Atsumu*

Atsumu: *silent*

The setter doesn't even show a hint of fear anymore... only depression . . .

Seeing Atsumu with that expression makes Sakusa's own heart feels like it's being pricked by pins and needles...

He doesn't want to see him in pain but he also doesn't want to see him sad, even worse if he loses the lights in his eyes . . .

Sakusa: *takes a deep breath* . . . He's only in the early stage, right? Is there any treatment that can make him better in weeks? Maybe a month?

Doctor: Hmmm... It depends . . . The treatment can be in the form of plasmapheresis, which is essentially a treatment where we filter your blood to remove the harmful substances that are attacking your nerves... or immunoglobulin therapy, which is essentially a treatment made from donated blood that helps bring your immune system under control...

Doctor: The two are equally effective but I suggest to take the plasmapheresis because it should not be painful and the side effects are usually lighter . . . If you agree I can arrange it to be done today . . .

Sakusa: *glances at Atsumu*

Atsumu: *still silent*

Sakusa: *nods* We'll take the your suggestion . . .

Doctor: I know it's a lot to take in... But you'll get through it . . . I'll help you in any way I can . . .

Sakusa: If he can recover quickly . . . can he still join the Inter High competition in December . . . ?

Doctor: . . . There's a chance he might be recovered by then but . . . I'm not sure that he'd have enough time to practice . . .

Doctor: *frowns in worry* If he insists to practice during these several months . . . I'm afraid it'll be hard . . . Not to mention it will worsen his condition . . .

Sakusa: *lowers his head* *distress feeling intensifies*

Doctor: *concerned* I know you both just got back into being volleyball athletes but . . . I'm afraid this career is not good for his condition . . . Not only this syndrome will worsen but . . . he's very liable for other diseases . . .

Doctor: If he doesn't stop being an athlete... *hesitates* I'm afraid more dangerous diseases will develop in his body . . .

Sakusa: . . . *doesn't know what to say*

Doctor: Umm . . . Since Atsumu-san is still in the early stage, there's no need to stay in the hospital . . . But . . . if you want a quick recovery, you need to rest a lot... which is best done here . . .

Sakusa: . . . *still trying to process everything*

Doctor: . . . *exhales* I'll give you some time to process everything . . . If you have any questions to ask, you can contact the nurses . . . They'll contact me and I'll try to answer your questions as fast as possible . . .

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