Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side-sim: The Reckoning

(snip)

Randy nodded, walked over and handed them both a cup of water. “Drink. Neither of you have had anything since you were planetside.” He looked hard at Rand, her respiration, her pupils, and if she was fidgiting with her hands. Then turning back to Alden, “General soreness or a particular area?” He wasn’t showing any physical signs of distress from pain, but it was good to know for later. It could be general from the surgery or specific from the removal of one of the clots.

“Generalised,” replied Roman.

Randy nodded that was good. And it was almost time for more pain meds which meant the effects were wearing off. He wasn’t going to tell Alden that. Because he would dig his heels in, and when the nerve block was gone he would wish he was dead without the meds. He looked at Rand and pointed at the cup again.

He was distracting himself. He’d promised Rand. He didn’t want to make her worry, or angry again. If he wouldn’t ask for himself, he’d do it for her. He looked at her again before looking up at Randy. “I err… My chest feels tight. Doesn’t really hurt, but it feels like I can’t quite get my breath.” He was uncomfortable, and it showed. He wasn’t used to telling someone when he had a problem.

~ Roman

Randy picked up a tricorder and another device used to draw blood. “Have you ever had an allergic reaction, to anything?” He walked over, “Rand.” He took her hand and pulled her to sit up, but didn’t move her away. He circled around as he took several readings. “I’m going to take a blood sample.” And before Alden could say anything Randy was done and had the small vile inserted into the computer. “Finish that water.” Shortness of breath could be the sign of anaphylaxis. Randy wanted to rule that out. The beginnings of dehydration could also cause shortness of breath. While the computer worked he scanned Alden’s airway and heart.

Rand sipped at the cup steadily, not thirsty, she didn’t want it, but she knew she would be in trouble with Randy if she didn’t.

“No, no allergies,” Roman replied, shaking his head. He kept hold of Rand’s hand as Randy made her sit up. He had been about to protest, but Randy was finished before he got the words out and he remained silent instead, watching as Randy scanned him. He took a drink of the water.

The computer beeped and he read the results. “Good no histamines in your blood so it’s not an allergic reaction to any of the medications. The myoglobin and potassium in your system is going down and the right ratio to the medications.” He walked over and sat on a stool. Alden knew that look…Randy was about to tell him something he probably didn’t want to hear, but would be honest and direct about it. “Your adrenaline is up mostly likely brought on because you don’t want to be here. It’s anxiety. Deep breaths, meditation, distracting activities, maybe one of Rand’s teas are non-medication ways to deal with it. There are anti-anxiety medications I can give you if it gets really bad. Let’s start with lowering the bed to relieve some of the physical pressure.” Randy reached over and lowered the bed 5°. “Normally it wouldn’t be a problem, but with the medication for the toxins already increasing your heart rate we need to be careful. Prolonged elevated heart rate can be dangerous. Try that for a few minutes and see if it makes a difference.” He got up and went back to the computer to type a few things in.

Roman was glad it wasn’t anything wrong. Randy was right, he didn’t like it. He would argue he wasn’t anxious but the blood sample agreed and Rand had said that was how she felt. The evidence was not in his favor on that one. “I don’t want any more medications if we can help it.” He also didn’t want his bed lower, he wanted to be closer to sitting fully up not further from it, but it did help a little fairly quickly so he didn’t say anything.

“I agree. You have enough going on, but I want you aware that it’s an option, esp if you can’t keep your heart rate down.”

Rand knew he wasn’t happy with the whole situation, and she hated he was so upset his chest was hurting. So she leaned over and kissed him....Randy looked up suddenly at the sound of the monitors as Alden’s heart rate went up. “Good lord’s you two! Knock it off!”

Rand and Randy

The sudden increase in heart rate made his chest worse, but he was in no hurry to end the kiss, even at Randy’s words. When it did, he grinned at Randy. “It went up now but what if it goes down more? That would make it good for me, yes?”

~ Roman

Randy had to turn away. He absolutely was not going to let Alden see him grinning. If positions were reversed, Randy would take kissing a pretty girl as a good distracting activity. And as if on cue Alden’s heart rate dropped. Rand turned red enough to rival a solar flare. “Really Rand what made you think kissing him would lower his heart rate?” He was teasing her and would really rag on her later. Rand for her part wasn’t about to tell her brother that it made her feel better when Roman kissed her. So she had decided to do the same for Roman. She couldn’t miss the glint in her brother’s eye though. He was enjoying her embarrassment far too much. There would need to be payback.

“Do you want to try and eat before Elbbirt comes back to start the next round?” Sometimes the way Randy went from carefree fun loving brother to serious nurse made Rand dizzy. “Randy am I allowed to walk?” He nodded, “Yep but you can’t leave sickbay yet.” Rand nodded squeezed Roman’s hand and slipped off the chair and out of the room. She had to use the little girl’s room. Randy was not above conspiring about his sister not even with her English boyfriend. “You need to convince her to eat. When her anxiety gets too high she loses her appetite and doesn’t eat or drink. We don’t want her blood sugar dropping. How’s the chest? Do you want to try shifting in the bed?” It was almost rapid fire. An effort to illicit honest rather than stubborn answers.

Rand and Randy