Vail Chapter X - “EXTENDED STAY IN DAVENPORT” MEGYN AND BRADLEY SIMPSON, 30 SOMETHING NEWLYWEDS HAVE TEMPORARILY MOVED IN WITH MEGYN’S PARENTS IN DAVENPORT, IOWA DUE TO MEGYN’S METASTATIC GYNECOLOGIC CANCER. BRADLEY’S ORTHOPEDIC TRAUMATOLOGY PRACTICE IN VAIL HAS GRANTED HIM A LEAVE OF ABSENCE DUE TO THE IMMENSE PAIN AND SUFFERING MEGYN HAS INCURRED. MEGYN HAS ENCOURAGED BRADLEY TO RETURN TO VAIL AS SHE FEELS HER LIFE IS VERY SHORT AND HOPELESS. BRADLEY HOWEVER, HAS PUT HIS RESEARCH AND PRACTICE ON HOLD WHILE HE AND MEGYN DECIDE THEIR NEXT STEP. BRADLEY CONSIDERS TRANSFERRING HIS ENTIRE PRACTICE AND RESEARCH TO THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. MEGYN’S IDENTICAL TWIN, MICKY, HAS JUST BECOME ENGAGED TO RUDOLPH - A GUY SHE RECENTLY MET AT A VAIL WATERING HOLE, THE HUBCAP. MEGYN I CANNOT FATHOM THE IDEA OF MY SISTER ENGAGED - LET ALONE THE FACT SHE ALREADY HAS A WEDDING PLANNED AT ST. MARY’S IN VAIL. BRADLEY WELL I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING FUNNY GOING ON. WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
MEGYN
BRADLEY YES YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? MEGYN I’M STILL NOT GETTING IT BRADLEY. YOU DON’T THINK........... BRADLEY YES I DO THINK MICKY IS PREGNANT. MEGYN OH MY GOD, MY PARENTS WILL TOTALLY LOSE IT. BRADLEY NO THEY WON’T. THEY’LL BE OK. MEGYN BRADLEY YOU MEN ARE JUST SO STUPID WHEN IT COMES TO COMMON SENSE STUFF. MY PARENTS ARE OLD SCHOOL, ARCHAIC, AND NOT UNDERSTANDING. THEY 2
DON’T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING THAT DOESN’T GO THE WAY THEY WERE RAISED. BRADLEY WELL PEOPLE BACK THEN ALSO BECAME PREGNANT. MEGYN NOT FROM SMALL PRIVATE CATHOLIC PARISHES WITH CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND NUNS, PRIESTS, AND JESUIT BROTHERS. THIS JUST DIDN’T HAPPEN BACK IN MY PARENTS’ TIME. BRADLEY BUT MICKY IS IN HER 30S. YOUR PARENTS MIGHT JUST BE HAPPY. MEGYN AGAIN BRADLEY, YOU ARE SO VERY STUPID, CLUELESS, AND ABOVE ALL ACT NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER GUY I KNOW. BRADLEY GIVE ME A BREAK. YES IT IS NOT OPTIMAL, BUT THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED AT ST. MARY’S IN VAIL. IT IS A CATHOLIC CHURCH. MOM AND DAD WILL REALLY LIKE THAT. MEGYN THAT IS ANOTHER THING. WHY NOT MARRY IN DAVENPORT LIKE WE DID. WHAT IS IT ABOUT VAIL THAT IS A MUST MARRY DESTINATION? BRADLEY OH MICKY PROBABLY JUST WANTS TO AVOID ALL THE RUMORS SURROUNDING DAVENPORT AND THE REST OF IOWA. MEGYN I KNEW HER MOVING TO VAIL TO SUPPOSEDLY TAKE CARE OF ME WAS A BAD IDEA, VERY BAD. NOW LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE GOT. A PREGNANCY FROM A SKI BUM, MY PARENTS HAVING TO BE PARENTS FOR BOTH ME AND MICKY ALL OVER AGAIN, AND......... BRADLEY HANG ON MEGYN. WE DON’T EVEN KNOW IF MICKY IS PREGNANT YET. MEGYN WELL WHY WOULD SHE SCHEDULE A WEDDING SO SOON. IT’S NEXT MONTH.
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BRADLEY WELL IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO CHANGE THE WEDDING TO ST. ALPHONSUS HERE IN DAVENPORT WHERE YOU ATTENDED CATHOLIC GRADE SCHOOL, AND WHERE WE MARRIED. MEGYN YES I COULD SEE THAT - BUT WHY THE BIG RUSH. MICKY HARDLY KNOWS THIS GUY - AND EVEN IF SHE IS PREGNANT, SHE DOESN’T HAVE TO MARRY RUDOLPH. BRADLEY DON’T YOU THINK THAT IS HER DECISION MEGYN? MEGYN WELL SHE NEEDS A BIT OF HELP IN ALL OF THIS. WE ARE IDENTICAL TWINS, AND ACT AND THINK ALIKE. BRADLEY WELL I DO KNOW THAT WHEN THERE IS A MARRIAGE IN A FAMILY, THE WEDDING CENTER IN A WOMAN’S BRAIN BECOMES HIGHLY ACTIVE. IT OVERTAKES ALL OTHER NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTIONS; AND WORKS TOWARD A COMPLETED MARRIAGE. MEGYN YES I AGREE, BUT YOU ARE OVER STATING IT A BIT BRADLEY. BRADLEY OK, WE NEED TO DISCUSS THIS WITH MICKY DON’T YOU THINK. MEGYN I’LL GET MICK ON THE PHONE TONIGHT. BRADLEY YES, THAT SOUNDS GOOD. THIS WHOLE THING IS WEIRD. WE WERE THE ONES MOVING TO VAIL, AND IT APPEARS THAT MICKY WILL BE THE LONG TERM VAIL RESIDENT, NOT US. MEGYN WELL BRADLEY, YOU ARE MOVING BACK TO COLORADO. I’M DONE - WE ALL KNOW IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME. BRADLEY AGAIN MEGYN, I’M NOT GOING BACK. I’VE ALREADY DISCUSSED MY SITUATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. THEY WOULD BE GLAD TO HAVE ME ON THE ORTHOPEDIC STAFF, TAKE ON ALL MY RESEARCH PROJECTS, ASSIST
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WITH GRANTS, AND DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO MAKE IT WORK. MEGYN AND YOUR STMO - SIMPSON TRAUMA MOBILE OPERATING ROOM - WILL THEY TAKE ON THIS PROJECT? BRADLEY YES THEY WILL. THEY LOVE THE IDEA OF TAKING SURGERY TO THE PATIENT. ON SITE ANESTHESIA, SYNTHETIC BLOOD BANK, AND CREATIVE NEW INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE PACKAGED VERY EFFICIENTLY WITHIN THE MOBILE TRAUMA OPERATING ROOM. MEGYN WELL THAT IS ALL GREAT; HOWEVER I WANT YOU BACK IN VAIL. THE STAFF THERE LOVES YOU, YOUR PRACTICE IS GROWING. YOU ARE NOT A HAWKEYE. YOU ARE A SKIER, AND VAIL WAS YOUR LOVE. HANGING AROUND ME FOR A FEW MONTHS WHILE I’M DYING WILL NOT BENEFIT YOUR CAREER. BRADLEY I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. MY CAREER IS SECONDARY TO OUR MARRIAGE. REMEMBER OUR PREMARITAL CATHOLIC EDUCATION, OUR MARITAL VOWS, AND THE COMMITMENT WE MADE TO EACH OTHER. MEGYN ABSOLUTELY. BUT NOTHING WAS SAID IN OUR EDUCATION ABOUT METASTATIC GYNECOLOGIC CANCER, ME DYING, AND THESE TREATMENTS WHICH ARE AWFUL. BRADLEY YOU CAN NEVER GIVE UP. SOME THINGS IN MEDICINE HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. MEGYN RIGHT BRADLEY. SOMEONE IS GOING TO COME IN HERE AND GIVE ME A MAGIC WAND TREATMENT. YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN. BRADLEY AGREED - HOWEVER THERE ARE NEW ADVANCES IN IMMUNOTHERAPY, CHEMOTHERAPY CLINICAL TRIALS AND RADIATION TREATMENTS WHICH DON’T AFFECT FERTILITY. STEM CELLS ARE GAINING EVERY MONTH WITH NEW TREATMENTS GIVING MANY PATIENTS LONG TERM HOPE.
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MEGYN BUT AGAIN WE HAVE DONE ALL WE CAN IN VAIL. I’M TIRED. I DONT’ WANT TO PUT OUR FAMILY THROUGH ANY OF THESE TREATMENTS. BRADLEY BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH TO GAIN AND LITTLE TO LOSE. I DON’T SEE YOUR RESOLVE. MEGYN BRADLEY YOU JUST DON’T GET IT. I’M DYING.I KNOW THIS. I KNOW YOU WANT LITTLE ¬NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL PLAYERS AND FUTURE DOCTORS. IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN WITH ME. I’M SORRY. NONE OF US COULD SEE THIS COMING. BUT IT IS OVER BRADLEY. I’M NOT GOING IN FOR EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT. BRADLEY OK I DO GET IT. I’M JUST NOT LEAVING YOU. WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER. WHAT HAPPENS IS IN GOD’S HANDS. MEGYN YOU WILL REMARRY BRADLEY. I KNOW THIS. IT IS OK. YES IT WON’T BE ME, BUT WE ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THINGS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS HAPPENED, BUT IT DID. AND WE’LL BOTH HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT THE BEST WAY WE CAN. I GUESS MOSTLY WHAT I WORRY ABOUT IS MY PARENTS. THEY THINK THEY SHOULD BE DYING, NOT ME. BRADLEY THAT’S UNDERSTANDABLE. MEGYN BUT THAT IS WHY I JUST WANT TO DIE AND GET THIS OVER WITH. MY PARENTS ARE JUST SITTING HERE SUFFERING SEEING ME NOT BE ABLE TO EAT, URINATE, POOP, OR EVEN GET OUT OF BED. BRADLEY OK, BUT THAT IS WHY YOU NEED ME HERE. SO YOUR PARENTS DON’T HAVE TO ENDURE ALL OF THIS. MEGYN WELL BEFORE YOU CAME BACK TO DAVENPORT, I HAD CHECKED OUT A HOSPICE. AND............
BRADLEY
MEGYN WELL I’M GOING IN NEXT WEEK. 6
BRADLEY WHICH MEANS YOU’VE GIVEN UP HOPE OF ANY FURTHER TREATMENTS. MEGYN YES, IT IS OVER. I’LL TAKE UNDER THE TONGUE MORPHINE AND OXYCODONE AND ANYTHING ELSE TO KILL THE PAIN. I WANT NO MORE SURGERY, CHEMO, RADIATION, OR EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENTS. IT IS THAT SIMPLE. YES, MY LIFE IS OVER. BRADLEY OK, IT IS YOUR DECISION. I HEAR YOUR CELL RINGING. I BET IT’S MICKY. MEGYN HI MICKY. IS THIS MARRIAGE STILL ON? BRADLEY DON’T BE PUSHY, JUST ACCEPT MICKY FOR WHAT SHE IS AND WANTS. MEGYN DON’T YOU THINK YOU ARE RUSHING INTO THIS MARRIAGE WITH RUDOLPH? BRADLEY OH MY GOD MEGYN - LEAVE THAT ALONE. ARE YOU PREGNANT?
MEGYN
BRADLEY WELL THAT IS BEING VERY BLUNT. MEGYN YOU DEFINITELY ARE NOT PREGNANT, BUT WANT TO BEGIN TO HAVE CHILDREN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE? BRADLEY WELL THAT IS A RELIEF. NO PREGNANCY. MEGYN OK I’LL TOUCH BASE WITH YOU TONIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. BRADLEY OK MEGYN -- ARE YOU UP FOR HEADING HOME? MEGYN YES. I’M HAPPY. MY SISTER ISN’T PREGNANT BEFORE SHE MARRIES. SHE JUST IS SO IN LOVE THAT SHE WANTS TO
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FOREGO ALL THE COURTSHIP AND JUST MARRY, HAVE CHILDREN, AND NOT RETURN TO IOWA. BRADLEY WELL SHE TOLD ME THAT HER JOB IN ¬DES MOINES WAS ESSENTIALLY OVER. SHE HAS BEEN REPLACED. THERE IS NO JOB OR GUY WAITING FOR HER IN IOWA. MEGYN AND SHE HAS BOTH IN COLORADO. SHE WILL BE WORKING FOR RUDOLPH’S FAMILY’S FOUNDATION. BRADLEY SO SHE IS MARRYING MONEY? EXACTLY.
MEGYN
BRADLEY WELL ONE CAN MARRY SOMEONE NOT FOR MONEY, BUT FOR LOVE. MEGYN YES I KNOW THAT. BUT PEOPLE WITH MONEY MAY MAKE LIFE A BIT EASIER. BRADLEY YES AND NO. MONEY CORRUPTS. MEGYN WELL WE DON’T KNOW IF MONEY HAS CORRUPTED RUDOLPH. HE IS JUST A SKI INSTRUCTOR. HE ISN’T LIVING A GRAND LIFE STYLE WHICH IT SOUNDS AS IF HE COULD. BRADLEY WELL THERE ARE A BUNCH OF THESE GUYS AT THE HUBCAP. FAMILY MONEY, LOVE TO SKI, AND............... MEGYN THEY ARE SKI BUMS.....IRRESPONSIBLE, IMMATURE, YOUNG GUYS WHO NEVER GROW UP. WHY DO WE THINK RUDOLPH IS ANY DIFFERENT? HMMM....LET ME SEE MEGYN IS WORKING A MADE UP JOB COUNTING RUDOLPH’S FAMILY’S MONEY WHILE RUDOLPH IS SKIING. BRADLEY YOU ARE THINKING. WHERE IS THIS GUY GOING? MEGYN EXACTLY. WHERE IS HE GOING?
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BRADLEY I GUESS I’LL JUST HAVE TO GET BACK OUT TO VAIL, AND SCOUT OUT THE SITUATION. MEGYN ABSOLUTELY. THERE IS NO NEED FOR YOU TO BE IN IOWA. MY PARENTS WILL TAKE CARE OF ME. YOU NEED TO MOVE ONTO YOUR LIFE. WHAT IF YOU TRANSFER ALL YOUR PRACTICE HERE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, AND THEN I DIE THE NEXT DAY. BRADLEY I’LL JUST DEAL WITH IT THE BEST I CAN. I LOVE IOWA. MEGYN RIGHT. YOU ARE A MOUNTAIN GUY. I CAN TELL. LIVING AND WORKING AS A PHYSICIAN IN VAIL IS A DREAM COME TRUE FOR YOU. I’M NOT STOPPING THAT NO MATTER IF I LINGER FOR MONTHS. BRADLEY YES I’M WELL AWARE OF YOUR FEELINGS AND INTENTIONS. BUT I’M NOT LEAVING. IT IS THAT SIMPLE. I’VE TOLD MY STAFF THAT MY PRACTICE IS ON HOLD. MEGYN I DISAGREE. BUT I DON’T WANT TO CONTINUE TO ARGUE WITH YOU ABOUT THIS. I DON’T HAVE THE STRENGTH. I’LL USE MY STRENGTH TO PLAN MICKY’S WEDDING WITH HER. BRADLEY DID YOU EVER GET THE FEELING THAT THE REAL REASON THEY ARE MARRYING SOON IS THAT YOU CAN BE A PART OF IT? MEGYN WELL WHY THEN A WEDDING IN VAIL? WHY NOT SAINT ALPHONSUS HERE IN DAVENPORT? BRADLEY OH WHO KNOWS? MAYBE THEY WILL CHANGE THE LOCATION. MICKY MAY NOT REALIZE YOU CAN NO LONGER TRAVEL. MEGYN I GUESS SO. BUT I’M CERTAIN RUDOLPH’S FAMILY DOESN’T WANT TO TRAVEL TO IOWA FOR A WEDDING. WE JUST ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR ALL THEIR MONEY.
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BRADLEY NOW YOU ARE IMAGINING THINGS. MAYBE WE’LL HAVE A RECEPTION HERE AFTER A SMALL VAIL WEDDING. I CAN PLAN THAT. MEGYN NO YOU CANNOT. GUYS CANNOT PLAN WEDDINGS. THEY KNOW NEXT TO NOTHING ABOUT WEDDINGS. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO FOR A WEDDING IS SAY: WILL YOU...... BRADLEY OK, I GET IT. YOU WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH MICKY’S WEDDING. MEGYN YES, IT HAS TO BE PERFECT. BRADLEY GREAT. WHILE YOU ARE PLANNING THE WEDDING, RECEPTIONS, AND REHEARSAL DINNERS....I WILL BE MOVING MY PRACTICE BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HOSPITALS. MEGYN DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO. I RECOMMEND YOU JUST CALL YOUR BANKS WHO HAVE THE NOTRE DAME, CREIGHTON, AND WHAT PRACTICE LOANS YOU HAVE IN COLORADO. MAYBE THEY WILL FORGIVE THE LOANS. BRADLEY THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA MAY RELIEVE THE LOANS IF I COMMIT TO 10 YEARS OF TEACHING AND RESEARCH. THAT IS INTRIGUING.
MEGYN
BRADLEY YES, I WANT TO AT LEAST BREAK EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, DEVELOP SOMETHING WORTHWHILE FOR SOCIETY, AND............. MEGYN HAVE A SPECIFIC SOCIETY IN SWEDEN TAKE NOTE OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. BRADLEY THAT IS A DEEP HIDDEN GOAL OF MINE. MEGYN WELL I FEEL YOU SHOULD PURSUE YOUR DREAMS. IF IOWA SUITS YOU, GREAT. BUT I STILL FEEL VAIL AND COLORADO IS WHERE YOU BELONG. 10
BRADLEY YOU TAKE CARE OF THE WEDDING AND I’LL TAKE CARE OF THE LOANS, PRACTICE, AND MEDICINE. MEGYN SOUNDS GOOD. MOM IS CALLING - WONDERING WHERE WE ARE. BRADLEY AND YOU TOLD HER WE WERE JUST DISCUSSING OUR FUTURE LIFE TOGETHER. MEGYN NO - ACTUALLY MY MOTHER IS LOOKING FORWARD TO PLANTING ME IN A HOSPICE AFTER LAST WEEK. I COULDN’T GET OUT OF BED THE PAIN WAS SO BAD. BRADLEY OK MEGYN, I WON’T DWELL ON THIS POINT, BUT I’M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER AN INJECTION EVERY MONTH WITH A TUMOR VACCINE THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED. MEGYN I’LL CONSIDER IT - AS LONG AS THE INJECTION ISN’T PAINFUL. BRADLEY SHOULDN’T BE - A 30 GAUGE NEEDLE AND ONLY 1 MILLILITER OF FLUID. IT HAS GAINED SOME NOTORIETY IN EUROPE FOR GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS. MEGYN YOU WILL NEVER QUIT BRADLEY. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU ARE DOING. I’M SO VERY SORRY REGARDING ALL THIS. BRADLEY I WANT TO PLACE MY ENTIRE PRACTICE ON HOLD AND PAINLESSLY JUST TRY TO GET YOUR LIFE BACK. MY LOVE FOR YOU IS TRUE, UNYIELDING, AND UNTIL WE ARE TAKEN TO THE NEXT PLACE, IT WILL NOT WANDER. FOR BETTER OR WORSE. FOR BETTER OR WORSE.
MEGYN
End - Vail chapter X
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