Assessing the Damage

The doctor cleared his throat, pulling out a worn, plastic box from his pocket. He opened it, revealing a collection of simple, colorful flashcards. "Let's try to assess your visual recognition," he said, pulling out a card with a picture of a cat. "What is this?" he asked, holding the card for Ashley to see. Ashley's eyes focused on the card, but her response was delayed. She squinted, trying to make out the image, but her face remained blank. "I...I don't know," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. Erica's grip on Ashley's hand tightened, offering silent support as the doctor showed her a picture of a ball. Ashley's expression remained vacant, her eyes darting back and forth as if searching for an answer that refused to come. The doctor's expression remained neutral, but his eyes betrayed a hint of concern. He tried a few more pictures – a dog, a house, a tree – but Ashley's responses were the same: confusion, hesitation, and ultimately, a shrug. The doctor nodded thoughtfully, making another note on Ashley's chart. "Let's try something a bit different," he said, getting up and walking over to a small table in the corner of the room. He picked up a set of wooden blocks, about the size of children's building blocks. "Can you stack these blocks for me?" he asked, handing Ashley the blocks. Ashley took the blocks, her fingers closing around them like a small child. But as she tried to stack them, her hands seemed to falter, the blocks clattering to the table as she struggled to coordinate her movements. Erica's eyes met the doctor's, a look of growing alarm flashing across her face. The doctor's expression remained calm, but his eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Ashley struggle. "It's okay, Ash," he said gently, taking the blocks from her. "Let's try something else." He picked up a cup of water from the bedside table and handed it to Ashley. "Can you take a drink of this?" he asked, his voice soft and encouraging. Ashley took the cup, her hands wrapping around it awkwardly. As she lifted it to her lips, her hand jerked, and water spilled all over her shirt and lap. Erica quickly grabbed a towel, trying to help Ashley clean up the mess. The doctor's eyes flicked to Erica, then back to Ashley, his expression thoughtful. He made another note on Ashley's chart, his brow furrowed in concern. What he was thinking, Ashley had no idea, but she knew she was failing these simple tests, and it was eroding her confidence with every passing moment.