Chapter 383 Ethan Suffers Head Bruise
"Honey!" Ashley called out.
Without warning, Ethan collapsed to the ground.
Ashley cried out, her heart seemingly stopping the moment he fell. She frantically shook him, her voice breaking with panic. "Sweetheart! What's wrong? Please wake up!"
Her distressed cries drew a crowd, but thankfully their face masks concealed their identities. Someone in the crowd shouted, "Someone's collapsed! Call an ambulance!"
Ashley's eyelid twitched with anxiety as a terrible foreboding washed over her. In that moment, her entire world seemed to be crumbling.
"Ethan, why did you collapse like this? What's happening?" she sobbed, looking as helpless as an abandoned child.
A bystander, unable to bear the heartbreaking scene, tried to comfort her. "Ma'am, please don't cry. The ambulance will be here soon."
But Ashley was beyond consolation, completely overwhelmed with worry.
When the sound of the ambulance finally reached them, she regained enough composure to almost scream at the arriving paramedics, "Please, help him!"
The EMTs transferred Ethan onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. Ashley climbed in after him, tears streaming down her face as she gazed at his pale complexion.
As they sped toward the hospital, Ashley anxiously urged, "Can you tell the driver to go faster?"
A young nurse, after completing some preliminary checks, reassured her, "Try to stay calm. His heart rate is normal, and there's no external trauma. He's not in immediate danger. We'll run a full examination at the hospital."
Hearing this, Ashley gradually regained her composure, suddenly remembering her own medical training.
"Okay," she said, taking Ethan's hand and checking his pulse to make her own assessment.
Moments later, Ashley sighed with relief. Her examination confirmed he wasn't in critical condition, but she still couldn't understand why he had suddenly fainted.
At the hospital, Ashley kept vigil at Ethan's side as the doctor examined him.
"The patient shows no abnormalities in our initial tests. We should perform a brain CT scan to check further," the doctor informed her.
Ashley nodded. "Yes, please."
She hurried to handle the payment, returning to find Ethan being prepared for transport in a wheelchair. As she pushed him to the CT room, she informed the staff about her pregnancy. The doctor asked her to wait outside due to the radiation risk to her unborn child.
Reluctantly, Ashley waited anxiously in the corridor.
About thirty minutes later, the doctor emerged. "You can come to the consultation room now."
In the consultation room, the doctor pointed to the scan. "Look at this brain CT image. There's a bruise right here."
"A bruise in his brain?" Ashley asked, her voice tight with concern.
"Yes. Judging by its appearance, it's been there for some time. It's pressing near a critical nerve. If it had been any closer, your husband might have been in serious danger."
"So that's why he fainted?" she asked.
"The bruise is affecting blood flow, which would certainly cause dizziness. He's probably been experiencing symptoms for a while. Didn't you notice anything unusual?"
Ashley froze, guilt and self-reproach washing over her face. She berated herself for failing to notice his symptoms despite spending every day with him. What kind of wife was she?
Composing herself, she asked firmly, "Can physical therapy help eliminate the bruise?"
"Certainly," the doctor replied.
Ashley nodded, somewhat relieved. "Is there anything he should avoid?"
"He needs plenty of rest and should avoid mental strain. Most importantly, he shouldn't get upset or stressed - negative emotions could cause the bruise to expand rather than heal, which might lead to..."
"Lead to what?" Ashley asked anxiously.
"It's hard to predict exactly. It could cause blindness, or even memory loss."
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