Posted by Lieutenant Commander Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in Side Sim: The Confounding Symptoms

Posted by Lieutenant Solal Segal (Oncology and Immunology) in Side Sim: The Confounding Symptoms

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Alexis Bonner (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in Side Sim: The Confounding Symptoms
Posted by… suppressed (17) by the Post Ghost! 👻
It was a few weeks after Solal had asked Alexis every question about pets and why people have them as well as his meet and greet with Frigga. Several more letters had been exchanged with V’alura, not that he spoke much about that, though he had mentioned she was sick lately. His tiredness had gotten worse since then, now he wasn’t making it through full workdays without a large amount of caffeine, considering because of his Vulcan biology, caffeine had little effect on him. Even the placebo effect was better than nothing.

That day, he was working in his office. He’d woken that morning with a temperature of 93.5… a two-point-two-degree raise from the Vulcan ‘normal’ temperature of 91.3. His throat was scratchy but he’d just taken an over-the-counter cold medication to hold himself over through his shift and taken himself off patient duties. The cold meds were only a six-hour remedy though, and already beginning to wear off, so as he worked, he tried to hide a cough he could not get to go away, on his sixth cup of caffeinated tea, which he usually never, ever drank. Caffeine kept one from being calm and relaxed.

~ Solal

Alexis was always aware of things going on around her. It was just a matter of whether or not her brain deemed those details significant. So at first she didn’t notice that Solal was acting different. They spoke frequently about patients and duty rotations and various things work related. Once or twice he mentioned his sibling and that she was ill. Somewhere in the caverns of her brain she registered he was drinking a lot of tea more tea than usual and he seemed…tired. They were similar that way, on duty anyway. However it was Solal taking himself off duty that drew her attention. There was a shuffling around of assigning appointments. It wasn’t a problem, but when Alexis checked the reason and it was because Solal had taken himself off patient rounds because he was feeling unwell she got up from her desk and went to see him.

She found him in his office and knocked on the door frame. “Dr Solal.”

Bonner

Solal thought he was doing a decent job hiding his symptoms. The tiredness could be explained away. But he wouldn’t risk paitent health, if he had an unknown infection he could absolutely not be around potentially immunocompromised patients. So he had taken himself off duty. It was the logical thing to do. He was surprised to see Bonner at the door to the office, knocking on the frame. “Doctor Bonner? Did you need something?” His voice was level as ever, but the dark, green-tinted circles under his eyes gave away his tiredness, his face flushed lightly green with fever.

~ Solal

“I saw you took yourself off patient duty because you were feeling ill. Protocol requires I come to take a list of your symptoms incase it’s something that spreads.” Alexis’ gaze traveled over him and her brain quickly took in the data. The flush told her a lot. The dark circles that his body wasn’t getting enough sleep to heal. “You are feverish.”

Bonner

“I cannot risk patient contact until I know what it is and if it is contagious.” Solal was familiar with the protocol, though he had entirely forgotten she’d have to take a list of his symptoms. He considered his options. Clearly, she had already gathered his fever, and it would not be difficult to check ship logs to see he’d had to request the cold meds - he didn’t bring any and he didn’t know anyone to ask personally. Honesty it was. “Fever of 93.5, general malaise and fatigue, cough, nasal congestion, headache. I can do paperwork and officework, but with those symptoms I knew I could not be anywhere near my patients.”

~ Solal

Alexis gave a firm nod. She wasn’t worried about Solal breaking protocol or putting patients at risk. This was simply a formality. She jotted down his symptoms on a PaDD that she never seemed to be without. “Have you taken anything for the symptoms? Would you like me to do an exam or have you conducted one yourself?” That was frowned upon but was expected. Doctors made the worst patients as the saying went and they all thought they could diagnose and treat themselves. Even Alexis.

Bonner

“An over the counter cold medication containing Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, Guaifenesin, and Phenylephrine.” He listed the quantities of the ingredients per dose he had taken, a standard adult’s dose. “The claim of non-drowsiness always lies.” Then he shook his head. “I conducted no examination besides taking my own temperature. I did not think it necessary. However, if you request I have one, it would be preferable if you did it.” No, Solal was not immune to being a terrible patient either, both because doctors were the worst patients and because, often, so were Vulcans. He had often done his own exams, but he was telling the truth when he said he hadn’t done one.

~ Solal

Alexis continued to tap the details into the PaDD. “I am here, I see no reason not to do an quick scan. It will save time later if Dr Walker insists on it.” She pulled her tricorder out and flipped it open as she stepped around the desk. She pulled out the scanner and with Solal’s permission she ran a very quick scan and added the information to the PaDD. “If you get worse let me know. And do remember, even Vulcan bodies need rest in order to recuperate from any illness.”

Bonner

Solal nodded and sat up and back so Bonner could have her scans. His vitals were normal, for a Vulcan. There was nonspecific inflammation, possibly explainable by his illness, the scan identified it as a virus derived from Earth’s Influenza virus family. His temperature agreed with what he had told her. “Understood, doctor.” He did not plan on mentioning unless it was worse enough he could not hide or ignore it. Then he let something slip, “I have been sleeping and resting.” And still he did not feel rested nor very awake.

~ Solal

Alexis read the scans, “You have influenza, which is why the extra sleep doesn’t seem to be working. The body needs extensive sleep to fight influenza. I can give you an antiviral that will clear it faster.”

Bonner

“It’s the 23rd century, you’d think by now they would have cured that.” It was delivered with the level tone of a Vulcan but the annoyance was clearer than he’d like. He needed to meditate. Being ill always made his mind feel foggy. Meditation would help. He coughed lightly, bringing up his elbow to cover, and then nodded to the antiviral. It would help shorten the length of the illness, perhaps also help keep the symptoms more mild.

Alexis shrugged, “We have cured many things and inoculated for others. As you know quite well, though, viruses and bacteria are quite adept at adapting and surviving.” She left and returned a moment later with the hypospray of Zanamivir. “You will need one more dosage in two days.”

Solal nodded. “Alright.”

He continued to feel worse throughout the day, and by the end of his shift he was unintentionally dozing in his chair, the illness and his general fatigue making him tired.

~ Solal

Alexis had passed by his office and had to commend him for working despite obviously being ill, but when she caught him sleeping…she knocked in the office door. “Dr. Solal. Go to your quarters and take tomorrow off if you need it. You need rest.”

Bonner

Solal jolted awake at the knock and then stood, a little abruptly. A quick breath helped let go of those pesky emotions. “Understood, commander. Sorry.” He closed out and finished up what he was working on. Then he left, back to his quarters. He did need the next day off, and by the day after that, he seemed a little better, his fever lower and his cough not as bad, but he still looked exhausted.

~ Solal

When Solal arrived for his booster, Alexis waved him into her office. “You still look a bit feverish. How are you feeling?”

Bonner

“Fever is down to 92.8, cough has improved somewhat, however muscle aches and fatigue persist,” Solal replied, listing symptoms very matter-of-factly as if he were speaking about a patient rather than himself. “The contagion period should be over, however I believe I am still not well enough for patient contact.” Which was unfortunate, he didn’t like having to reschedule so many days worth of patients. He was going to be behind for weeks.

~ Solal

Alexis nodded, “We just got a new NP on board. En Fargo. She can help pick up the slack for a few days. Better to have you completely well than have a recurrence. ” She stepped around her desk to grab the hypo and administered it. “You should feel much improved tomorrow. If not we will need a blood test to see if this is a mutated strain.”

Bonner

Solal nodded. “Thank you. I think I am well enough for office work, but if you’d rather I stay off duty one more day, I will do that.” Solal would prefer working, he always did. He was fairly sure Bonner knew that. But it was a sickbay. It was no place for sick people who weren’t patients.

~ Solal

Alexis considered. If it was a mutated strain then the contagion period could be longer. However Solal had passed through the asceptic entry with no alarms. If it was unknown one though that didn’t mean much. Solal had still caught the virus. “I have no objections to you doing desk work, however we should err with caution. You can log into sickbay’s files from your terminal in your quarters.” That would also allow him to rest as needed. “Then return tomorrow.”

Bonner

Solal nodded, content with that compromise. “Thank you.” Then he turned and left, returning to his quarters to work. The next day when he returned, he looked better. No longer flushed with fever and he did not seem to be coughing. There was still a light scratchiness to his throat and the fatigue had not lifted. Before getting to work he reported directly to Alexis’ office.

~ Solal

Alexis looked up as he entered. “Solal, you look much improved today. How do you feel?” She asked as she stood and grabbed her tricorder.

Bonner

Once again listing symptoms as if speaking about a patient instead of answering the question he replied, “Fever is down, coughing has stopped.” So, better. “My throat is still a little sore.” He didn’t mention the fatigue. Nor the lightheadedness, which he had assumed was because of the general illness and coughing.

~ Solal