The Heat Light
We came to a different doctor. Tata is telling him I am sick lots of times. I am always sneezing and coughing. The doctor takes off my shirt and puts his hearing thing on my chest and back. “Breathe deep,” he tells me. I start to cough. I feel all hot. He feels my neck and belly.
“He’s congested, but his chest is clear,” the doctor says. “Giving him the ultraviolet light treatments should help build up his resistance. It is like getting sun. And he needs that to fight off colds.”
He takes me in the next room. “Get on the table there, Heniu.” I get up and sit on the end. The table is long and has a black top on it and a little pillow. There are machines all around. He shows me classes like airplane men have. But they are dark colored. “When we are ready I’ll put these on your eyes.”
I am starting to get a little scared. But I been in doctor’s places. “Now lie down. You can put your head on the pillow.” He looks how I am laying and pushes on my side a little. “There. Now you are right in the middle. Don’t be worried. Nothing is going to happen that will hurt. I am just going to put this special light on and let it warm you up.
I watch him pulls a big light on a stand from the corner. He fixes the light above me. “This is a special light that is good for you.” He takes the glasses and puts them on my eyes. I can’t see hardly anything. “Be very careful not to touch or move the goggles. They must stay tight.”
I lay quiet and squeeze my eyes closed. He moves away and the light goes on. It makes a fizzy sound. I feels warm on my chest. I smell something funny. I think it is the light.
Then the light goes out. The doctor comes and takes off the glasses. “OK you can go with your Mama.” I go and Mama puts my shirt on. I sit on Tata’s lap.
The doctor tells Tata when he should bring me back. “The boy will need more treatments.” Mama puts my big coat and cap and scarf on. Tata gives him money. I feel wobbly. My nose is wet. I rub it with my arm. We go downstairs from the doctor’s office. It is cold outside and dark. We go to the car.
Sickness, sickness! Childhood diseases, including measles, chicken pox, respiratory problems, are the bane of Heniu’s life. Treatments such as ultraviolet light are popular and seem to offer help.
If stress contributes to sickness, there is plenty in the family to foster Heniu’s problems. The Lukasiks are struggling to survive in these dark years. Having their only child sickly adds to their difficulties.