Chen Yu, holding a number 23 Michael Jordan Bulls jersey, knocked lightly on the door.
"Co in."
A gentle voice ca from within.
Chen Yu pushed the door open and went in.
It was a dressing room. In front of a vanity, a makeup artist was applying makeup for a woman with shoulder-length blonde hair.
She turned her head to see who it was, paused for a mont, and was surprisingly the first to say Chen Yu’s na.
"Dr. Chen, what are you doing here?" Her eyes held a look of surprise.
’This is unexpected,’ Chen Yu thought. A mont ago, he had been wondering if it was appropriate to just show up unannounced, assuming she wouldn’t know who he was.
But he couldn’t refuse Lexi’s request, so he had to co.
He hadn’t expected the pop superstar Mariah Carey to actually know him.
That’s right. It was only after arriving in Atlanta that Chen Yu learned Mariah Carey would be performing a tribute for Jordan during the main ga’s halfti show.
He had ntioned it to Lexi on the phone last night, and she had been so excited she wished she could fly to Atlanta imdiately.
She must be one of Kelly’s die-hard fans.
That was why Chen Yu had made a special trip before the main ga today, bringing Jordan’s jersey to get an autograph.
Kelly was wearing a one-piece blue spaghetti strap long dress with the number 23 printed on the front. Because it was form-fitting, her slightly pudgy waist was visible.
From what he recalled, she seed to have put on so weight in the last couple of years.
Sitting down next to her, Chen Yu explained his reason for coming.
"What’s this, Dr. Chen? Are you a fan of mine? That would be a true honor." Kelly’s eyes lit up.
Chen Yu subconsciously wanted to explain, but he swallowed the words before they ca out.
Kelly took the jersey and elegantly signed her na.
"Thank you."
She was in the middle of her makeup, so Chen Yu didn’t want to disturb her any further and got up to leave.
But just then, Kelly stopped him.
"Lawrence, could you step out for a mont?" Kelly said to her makeup artist.
After the makeup artist left the room, Kelly invited Chen Yu to sit down again.
"Is sothing wrong?" Chen Yu asked as he sat back down.
Kelly said, "Dr. Chen, you’re the best doctor in the United States. I happen to have a dical question, and I was wondering if I could consult you."
Chen Yu nodded. He had figured as much.
He subconsciously activated the Eye of All-Seeing and scanned Kelly’s body.
A quick scan revealed no obvious lesions or abnormalities.
Kelly pointed to her head and said, "It’s like this. Since last year, I’ve been having occasional dizzy spells. The world will suddenly start spinning, and I have to lie down for a while for it to get better. It doesn’t happen very often, maybe once a month or even less."
"But since the second half of last year, I feel like the dizzy spells have been getting more frequent."
Chen Yu looked toward her head.
’No tumors or lesions. The otoliths are in their normal position, too.’
"I’ve had physicals, but the doctors could never find the cause. Last month, one doctor told that maybe I should see an orthopedist. He thinks there might be a problem with my cervical spine." Kelly lifted her blonde hair to show Chen Yu her neck.
Chen Yu nodded. Cervical spine issues could indeed cause vertigo due to insufficient blood supply.
"May I examine it with my hands?" Chen Yu asked.
Even with the Eye of All-Seeing, he still had to go through the proper procedures.
"Of course," Kelly nodded eagerly, lifting her hair.
"No need."
Chen Yu stood up, moved behind Kelly, and had her sit up straight before placing his hands on her cervical spine to examine it.
"Do you experience vomiting in your daily life? Also, have you ever injured your cervical spine?" Chen Yu asked casually.
In truth, Chen Yu had already seen the root of the problem.
’It’s bone hyperplasia of the uncinate process. The vertebral artery passes right by it, so the overgrowth is compressing the artery, which is causing the dizzy spells.’
Kelly imdiately replied, "I feel nauseous when I’m dizzy, but not normally. As for my neck, I actually have injured it before. The year before last, during a performance, a lighting rig fell and hit on the neck backstage. Nothing seed to be wrong at the ti. It just hurt for a while and then got better. Does that count?"
"It counts."
Chen Yu removed his hands. Trauma was one possible cause of cervical spine problems, but he felt the bigger reason was related to her long-term, high-intensity work.
Things like looking down to write songs and various poor lifestyle habits could all easily lead to cervical spine issues.
Looking at Kelly in the mirror, Chen Yu said, "I’ve found that you have a certain degree of uncinate process hyperplasia. I suspect your dizzy spells occur when you make a sudden, large movent with your head, like whipping it around or tilting it back abruptly."
The compression wasn’t severe at the mont, but a sudden, large movent of the neck, especially to a very specific position, could suddenly cause significant compression, triggering an abrupt dizzy spell.
This was also why she said the dizzy spells were infrequent and occurred at irregular intervals.
Kelly was startled and nodded quickly. "Yes, that seems to be it! I rember it clearly. The last ti I got dizzy, last month, my assistant suddenly called out to . I whipped my head around, and suddenly the world started spinning. Dr. Chen, does that an I have cervical spondylosis? Is it serious?"
She knew Chen Yu was incredible, but to find the cause with just a simple physical examination... it could only be said that he truly lived up to his reputation as a miracle doctor.
Chen Yu shook his head. "Don’t worry, it’s not a major problem. Just pay attention to getting enough rest in your daily life, and don’t keep your head lowered for long periods. After working for a while, make sure to get up and move around a bit."
"Oh, right." Chen Yu sat down again. "You could also change your pillow. Get a cylindrical one, not too big and a little firm. If you place it under your cervical spine over a long period, it will be good for your neck."
Aricans like to sleep on high pillows, usually super-soft feather ones, and on top of that, Simmons mattresses. Being too soft isn’t good for the cervical spine.
"On a daily basis, you can find a massage therapist to give you so physical therapy. Of course, if the situation worsens, it can be resolved with surgery. It’s not a major operation." A minimally invasive procedure would be enough to cure her problem.
Kelly nodded repeatedly and said at once, "If I need surgery, I’m coming to you. I don’t trust any other doctors."
"Alright." Chen Yu nodded.
It really wasn’t a big deal.
Chen Yu then taught her so exercises to relieve tension in her cervical spine, and in the end, he simply went ahead and gave her a cervical spine therapy session himself.
He didn’t use his ’Rehabilitation’ effect, but just his skill and technique alone were enough to make Kelly so comfortable she almost fell asleep.
"That felt so incredibly good." Kelly practically lted into the chair. "I feel like I haven’t been this relaxed in two years."
She sighed with emotion and said involuntarily, "These last two years, I haven’t been feeling well. Sotis I’m really manic and have to keep working constantly, and other tis I can’t muster any enthusiasm for work at all, and I feel very depressed."
Chen Yu paused.
’Isn’t this bipolar disorder?’
Chen Yu then recalled seeing sothing in one of Lexi’s gossip magazines. It said that reporters had exposed Kelly for having bipolar disorder, and that she’d even had a ntal breakdown and was hospitalized for treatnt.
’That’s right, that did happen.’
He rembered now. It was in ’01, during a promotion for her new album, when she had suddenly and inexplicably started stripping in front of the audience. News of her hospitalization ca out soon after.
Chen Yu looked at Kelly in the mirror. ’If it’s bipolar disorder, then she must be in a lot of pain.’
"Last month I just terminated my contract with the record company, and on top of that, I had another huge fight with Tommy because of Michael... I just feel so exhausted."
Chen Yu blinked. ’Why is she suddenly telling so much about her private life?’
But considering she might have bipolar disorder, it wasn’t that strange.
When soone has ntal health issues, you can’t judge their behavior by normal standards.
’But when she says Michael, who is she talking about?’
’It couldn’t be Jordan... could it be Michael Jackson?’
Chen Yu’s heart skipped a few beats.
If Chen Yu had an idol, it was definitely Michael Jackson.
When he was famous all over the world, Chen Yu was in his youth. There wasn’t a single young person from that era who didn’t love him.
As she was talking, Kelly actually fell asleep.
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Chen Yu withdrew his hands. He opened the door, called her makeup artist back in, and told her to watch Kelly so she wouldn’t miss the halfti show.
The makeup artist nodded, giving Chen Yu a strange look. ’What on earth happened in here just now? Why did Kelly fall asleep?’
This year’s player introductions were the sa as always.
If there was any difference, it was probably that starting this year, the jerseys for the main ga were no longer the players’ respective team jerseys, but were now a uniform red and white.
’That’s good. It’ll prevent players from passing to their opponents by mistake.’
Chen Yu stood with Little Curry in the best spot. Once the players were introduced, they would all pass right in front of them.
Little Curry was trembling with excitent, eager to high-five every single All-Star player.
A stoic-looking Duncan was the first to walk up the steps and appear on the stage. The writhing dancers beside him, the explosive music, the cheers from the stands—none of it seed to have much to do with him.
He gave a wave and left it at that, then walked past a group of children.
Without a doubt, Little Curry stretched out his arm and got a solid high-five from Duncan.
The players ca out one by one.
When it was O’Neal’s turn, he must have seen Little Curry, because he graciously picked him right up, letting countless fans around the world see the boy on cara.
Chen Yu felt like Little Curry was so excited he was about to pass out.
The star players continued to take the stage, but even after the East’s head coach, Rick Carlisle, ca out, Chen Yu still hadn’t seen any sign of Jordan.
’If I rember correctly, the original plan was for him to be introduced in the middle.’
’Did they change the plan at the last minute and save him for the grand finale?’
Just as he was thinking this, the flashing lights suddenly focused on a single spot, and the explosive music ca to an abrupt halt.
Even the dancers on stage quickly exited.
The entire arena was plunged into darkness, with only the sound of hushed whispers.
Just as confusion set in, a low, subdued music began to play amidst the oppressive atmosphere, growing from soft to loud, echoing throughout the arena.
The rhythmic intro instantly sent the stands into a frenzy.
Chen Yu was also taken aback.
’Isn’t that "Sirius," the the song that’s beco synonymous with Jordan?’
As the music swelled, the lights began to flash rapidly.
The next mont, a voice that Chen Yu found very familiar bood through the arena.
"And now, the last one, let’s welco, from North Carolina, at 6’6", a guard, the eternal number 23, Michael Jordan!"
He drew out the last syllable, sending the entire arena into a frenzy.
Suddenly, Chen Yu couldn’t help but feel his own blood pumping with excitent.
’There’s no mistaking it. That’s definitely the voice of the Bulls’ dedicated announcer.’
The next mont, under the focused spotlight, a blue-clad Jordan stepped onto the stage, waving his arms.
He squinted slightly, a broad smile on his face as he gazed at everyone.
In that mont, he seed to be the focal point of the entire world.
The one and only God of Basketball—Michael Jordan!
User Comments
0 comments from readers