Posted by Lieutenant Cara Esmé O’Farrell (Counselor / Education Specialist) in Sometimes a Lunch Break Works Wonders

(snip)

However long Cara lay there sleeping, it wasn’t enough. =^=Sickbay to O’Farrell. Potlier is waking up and Dr. McGillicuddy doesn’t want to give him more sedatives.=^= Cara didn’t move, but her body was no longer pleasently relaxed in his embrace. She spoke into the air. =^=I’m on my way. O’Farrell out.=^= The com closed and she groaned slightly. “I don’na want ta get up.” But get up she did, after kissing him for a long moment, and got dressed. She kissed him again, “I’ll see ya…soon.” Soon was relative though.

Cara headed back to her quarters…getting turned around, and then with a shower, uniform, and strong black coffee, she stepped out her door headed for Sickbay.

O’Farrell

Cara arrived in sickbay and spoke with McGillicuddy and Nurse Vpedk. Potlier’s burns were healed but he was struggling, which was to be expected. Cara spent a few hours with him, helping him piece together and smooth out what had happened in engineering and sickbay. Then Vpedk and a medic took him to a recovery room to eat and clean up. Cara left for her 2300 appointment, and then returned.

Potlier was one of those patients that counselor’s hope for. He was confused by what had happened, but once Cara helped him piece it together, he understood what had happened and why, and most importantly, he was willing to talk about it. They talked until the late morning before Potlier was able to sleep for a couple hours; Cara caught a catnap on the cot at the nurses station. Potlier didn’t sleep long though, and they spent another set of long hours coming up with techniques that helped Potlier deal with the trauma induced nightmares. They talked long into the night. At some point Potlier’s roommate showed up in sickbay asking about him. They had been friends since before they had enlisted in Star Fleet, and out of pure luck had ended up on Atlantis together.

After a lot of talking, much discussion, and agreement with McGillicuddy, Potlier was allowed to return to his quarters, his roommate aware of what warning signs to look for and to contact her and security of anything happened. Cara wrote an update to her report and gave it to the security officer that had been on watch. Potlier was being released from sickbay but was not cleared for duty yet.

Cara returned to her office to a incredulous Shan, “Lt.? No. Go. Home.” Cara was tired, “Yvonne, I ‘ave appointments and I appreciate the concern…” Shan snorted, “It’s covered. I already rescheduled or reassigned your appointments for today. Tomorrow is your day off anyway. You’ve been at it for two days.” She got up and pointed back down the hallway. “Go.” Cara made a face but gave a tired smile. “A’right already. Thanks.” Cara disappeared down the corridor, Shan called security and told them she was on her way to her quarters but was doing a pretty good impression of a sleep walker.

Cara got off the lift on deck 4, following the blue running dots, but the computer kept having to ‘reroute’ her as she passed her door 3 times....

O’Farrell