Replacements

Posted on 30 Dec 2015 @ 10:42pm by Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant Tuula Voutilainen M.D.

1,664 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 3, Sickbay
Timeline: MD7, midday

ON:
Days were spent somewhere between half awake, and half asleep, and Naois barely remembered who had visited him the day before. He was mostly patched up now, thanks to Tuula's care and attention and Eva visiting him whenever her duty shift allowed. He knew that he had a body full of medications, in part to keep him mostly pain free, but also in part to keep him in sickbay. His right hand was tightly wrapped in bandages, but the counsellor knew it was a lost cause. Any minute now, and the doctors would tell him they wouldn't be able to save it.

Being a doctor himself, Naois knew how dangerous it was to keep limbs that were beyond saving, how the limb would necrotize and toxins from dead tissue could get into his blood stream. It was probably part of why he wasn't feeling well at all, but part of him also knew he was terrified. He wouldn't be whole anymore, would Eva still want him, if he was less than a whole man? A fearful moan escaped him as he pondered what kind of future he might still have.

Exiting the Chief Medical Officer's office, flanked by Allyndra, Tuula was faced with the worst part of her job: delivering bad news. She had done all she could to save Naois' hand, but it was all for nought.

As she rolled towards him, they caught each other's eyes. Tuula offered him a faint smile before her eyes darted up towards Allyndra then back to the biobed. "Naois," she said in a soft voice, "how are you doing?"

"Not good," the half-Vulcan replied, equally softly though he didn't really have the strength to speak up louder. "I know what you are going to tell me," he added, and despite the knowledge there was still fear in his eyes. "But it needs to be done, before it gets worse."

Allyndra had reviewed Tuula's diagnosis and the data and there was nothing she could add. There was nothing they could do. She knew that sooner or later they really needed to sit down and really go through the data they had received. This was the reason she wanted to delve into the gift of what they had been given.

The fact that she now faced Naois with that news hit her hard in all three hearts. They all seemed to hurt at once like one had done way too much of something physical. She took a breath.

"Your competent enough. Right now we do not have the ability to salvage the hand. Oh we could piece it sort of together but it would be non-functional. What I think we can offer is that with careful surgery we can preserve as much of the nerve function for a artificial replacement. Due to physiology, Tuula here has the better eyes for that kind of delicate work if we have your consent." There Allyndra took a breath. She said it.

It took effort to listen, but ultimately Naois nodded. "It has to be done," he replied dully, not even daring to look at his bandaged hand. He had seen the damage done to it, but his mind had gone into protection mode and he couldn't remember. Since being transported to sickbay, he had refused to look at it. "Proceed."

"Okay." Tuula took a deep breath. "We're going to have to put you under for this procedure." She looked up at Allyndra. "Allyndra, would you care to prepare the anasthetic while I get ready for the operation?"

"Very good. We have consent. Computer record consent was given."
[Recorded]

As soon as that happened she moved to prepare the machine for inhaled anesthetic and also a hypo to bring Naois down fast.

Tuula looked back towards Naois. "I'm going to change into my surgical scrubs," she said. "Just relax. You're in good hands." Cringing at her accidental slip about 'hands,' Tuula cleared her throat. "Er, what I meant to say is that we'll make sure this operation proceeds smoothly. I won't be using the antique bone saw I have on my wall, okay?"

"I understand." The slip had actually gone unnoticed by the injured Vulcan, "I trust you, and your competence." He didn't really know how else to say that he knew he was in good hands. "I am ready." The less time he had to ponder about it, the better it probably was.

"Very good," Allydnra said with that comforting but neutral tone that one learned to cultivate. She pressed the hypo in and said, "Count back from ten please."

"Ten... nine... eight...se-" The half-Vulcan relaxed visibly as the sedative kicked in, and he never even reached 'one' on his countdown.

Allyndra put the mask in place and checked everything and then nodded to Tuula once she got back. "All yours. Vitals look good."

"Okay, I'm ready." In her scrubs and her trusty skull-print surgical mask and cap, Tuula positioned herself over Naois' damaged hand and drew her laser scalpel. She took a deep breath and looked down at the hand. Here goes nothing...

*******************************

The monitor beeped as the still figure on the bed finally stirred. First, his impassive face twitched, then the slanted brows drew together a little before finally the Vulcan hybrid opened his eyes. The blue irises were dull at first but then filled with emotion as they slowly traveled down to his right hand. A gasp escaped him and Naois wrenched his eyes shut, unwilling to acknowledge what had transpired.

The beeping on the monitor intensified as the patient's stress levels seemed to rise.

"Naois," called out Tuula as she pushed herself towards the awakening patient. "It's all right," she said, trying to calm him down. "The procedure was a success, I... I..." Tuula didn't know what to say that could make him feel better. "I... left you a viable stump."

Forcing himself to look at her, Naois nodded. "It..." He falthered and he drew in a deep breath. "I still feel it....I still feel my hand..." Of course he knew what was going on, knew what 'phantom pain' was but right now it just didn't sink in. "When..." He sighed and shook his head as if to clear the fog in his mind. "When will I get a replacement?"

"As soon as we get back to Earth," replied Tuula. "I took the liberty of booking you an appointment at the Mayo Clinic on Earth to get fitted." Tuula placed a hand on Naois' arm. "I know what you're feeling right now," she whispered. "It's hard. But I know you have the strength to push through it and carry on living."

"Thank you." It sounded sincere enough but the expression on the counsellor's face spoke volumes. "I have no desire to die, I have a family to take care of." He allowed the touch on his arm, though under normal circumstances he would've pulled back.

Allyndra hovered nearby. She was doing secondary and left everything to Tuula to handle which she was doing quite well. Her purpose was to assure no ill effects from the anesthesia.

"That's good," replied Tuula. She sighed and looked up at his readings. "We're going to keep you under observation for a few more hours. If all goes well, we'll discharge you into Eva's care as soon as she finishes her shift."

Naois just nodded, wondering what Eva would think now. He had not told her about this surgery first because he wasn't sure it would happen and second there really hadn't been time to call her in to discuss it. What would she think of him? Would she still have him? Eyes shifting back to the doctor he mustered a small smile. "I can accept that," he answered softly, "what kind of pain relief will I be allowed to take? How long, before I can resume light duty? We are very short on counsellors..."

"Ten cc's of metorapan for now," replied Tuula, as she swiped the screen on the biobed to pull up the patient's medical records in order to check for allergies and other reactions to medication that might be on his file. "Yes, metorapan." She motioned with her hand towards Allyndra, asking her to prepare the hypospray. "I can prescribe you some P4 tablets to take as needed once you are discharged. Just try not to take them on an empty stomach, okay?"

"Okay," Naois agreed.

Allyndra went to fetch the hypospray. As she returned and handed the dose to Tuula she said quietly, "I am still fully qualified as a Counselor. I held Chief Counselor position for awhile on Obsidian Colony."

Tuula nodded in response.

"When will I be discharged?" Naois asked, missing the CMO's statement despite his keen hearing. "When can I resume my duties? Or at least partially?"

"As soon as Eva finishes her shift, assuming we don't have any complications by then." Tuula took a deep breath and thought about his duties. "You can resume them as soon as you're feeling up to it, but I'd recommend you take a couple days off. I think you could use it." She sighed. "We could all use it."

"And we all need someone to talk to," the Vulcan replied softly, "I will take the time off and spend it with my wife, and children as soon as we have them returned to us. But I cannot turn someone away if all they need is someone to listen. Will not offer counselling until cleared, but please do not ask me to turn people away."

"And if you need someone to talk to," replied Tuula, glancing down at Naois' stump and her legs, "I'm here. And so is Allyndra."

Casting her a grateful look, Naois attempted to smile. "Thank you..."

OFF:

Lieutenant (J.G.) Tuula Voutilainen
Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant j.g. Naois Mercy
Counsellor
USS Galileo
[PNPC Tyrion]

LCmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

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