chapter 4 - more tests

Anna lay perfectly still as she was slid into the CT Scan. The machine whirled for a moment and then she was slid out of it.

The technician said she did well and that the neurologist would look over the scan in a few minutes. She led out to a waiting room and sat down waiting for her results.

Anna was very worried about what the results would be. For the last 3 weeks she had seemingly blacked out a few times every day, coming to after she was incredibly full have unconsciously engorged herself on food. Her friends were worried as well, they all said it was like she was in a trance when she was eating. Often, they could not get her to come out of it until she had ate an incredible amount of food. It was as though something was compelling her to eat. As though stuffing herself was an involuntary action. Anna had gained 9 pounds in the 3 weeks since it all started.

After what seemed like forever the neurologist came out to greet her and she followed him back to her office.

The neurologist, "Well I can tell you it's not a tumor, strokes, or epilepsy."

Anna, "That is good. I was worried it was something very serious."

The neurologist, "I didn't see anything in your results that was worrisome."

Anna, "What is causing it then?"

The neurologist, pausing to find the best way of saying it, "It may be mental."

Anna, "I have never had any mental issues in my entire life. It all started after I got back from the Amazon."

The neurologist, "We don't see elevated white blood cell counts to indicate a pathogen, and your scan is largely normal."

Anna, "What do you mean by largely normal."

The neurologist, "The only thing I saw that was in any way out of the ordinary was the portion of your brain that regulates appetite was lit up far more than normal in you Functional MRI results."

Anna, "What would cause that?"

The neurologist, "I don't know, but I don't think it's of any concern."

Anna, disappointed they could not give her any good answers, thanked the doctor and left.

Two hours later she looked around, finding herself seated at a table in a Chinese Buffett restaurant. There were several empty plates in front of her. She was incredibly full. She looked down at her waist and saw that she had unbuttoned the top of her jeans to make more room for her stuffed stomach.