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

(snip)

“I’ll get right to the point. I was doing some research, and there is a new medicine to treat blood clots. It is given as a hypo, and it adheres to them and works with the body to pass them naturally through the renal system. You are given one ‘dosage’ for each clot based on the density of each. The hypo is given in the area of each. In your case here, here, here, and here.” Elbbirt pointed to each are on his own body. “All four would be given the same day.”

“No more images, I can calculate the density based on the ones I already took. The thing is it is experimental. It is in the final stages of clinical trials, so your data would be sent in.”

“Side effects are few. A mild back ache in the area of the kidneys if the clot is bigger, but no damage or prolonged discomfort has been reported. The worst was a patient who had an open wound that was healing and the medicine attached to the platelet cluster at the opening and removed it. The patient started bleeding again. You have no such wounds. And the doctor was able to stop the bleeding and the person is fine.”

“No more blood thinners. You won’t have to miss any time. And the whole process can take one to two days.” Elbbirt went on to describe what to look for when the clots passed. “As long as that happens four times, the clots are gone. The only thing is we don’t have any, but I checked the ship’s inventory. We have the equipment and compounds needed to make it. I just need the help of the Chemistry folks. It takes about a day and a half.”

Elbbirt

The doctor explained a new medication that would treat his clots. Elbbirt pointed to his own arm, leg, belly, and then chest, explaining that the new medication had to be given to the area the clot was in. Roman knew by ‘his data’ it would be his age, the type and density of the clots, results and effects of the medicine, things like that. Nothing identifying, that would breech confidentiality, so he was okay with it. He was listening closely as Elbbirt talked. No more blood thinners, maybe a mild back ache, no missed work, and a few days, and the problem would be gone? This was good news! “What’s its success rate? Does it ever fail to break down clots?” He asked.

“90% success rate. In the early stages it did fail to break down bigger clots. That was when the research team started measuring for clot density and adjusting the dosage. It does miss them sometimes. The medication can get pumped and diverted missing the area where the clot is, and then passes out of the body. But that is why we will inject it near the clots. Sometimes it picks up the wrong clot. Which shouldn’t be an issue since your body isn’t making new clots. Sometimes the medicine picks up multiple clots and it can’t break them down because the dosage wasn’t high enough. In that case we have to keep an eye out for red, swollen, or hot spots because it will get stuck. If that happens there are two options. 1 remove the clot surgically like we did the others. Or 2 do a more invasive injection of the adjusted dosage into the clot and let the medicine remove it.”

Roman was quiet, thinking about it. He glanced briefly at Rand, then back to Elbbirt. “So either it solves the problem entirely or accelerates when it gets worse.” That was what it sounded like to him. He didn’t want the chance of another surgery, but it didn’t seem likely. And no more blood thinners was good. But… it still made him nervous.

Elbbirt shook his head, “No, not exactly. It will not accelerate the problem. It just puts us back to using traditional methods. Surgery is a worst case scenario. And I want to be up front about it. It is as likely that we wait for your body to naturally dissolve the clots if that happens. I would be remiss in not telling you all the information. Out of 1045 participants in the study so far, only 10 have had any of the mentioned side-effects or complications. But as scientist we both know there is always the possibility to get totally abnormal results from one or a small handful of subjects simply because of something totally unique to them.”

Then he considered the chemistry team. “They aren’t working on anything major right now, they’ll be more than happy to help you. Ensigns Jacobsen and Connelly have experience with medical compounds, if my memory is correct.”

~ Roman

Elbbirt nodded, “I have worked with Jacobsen before. She’s fast but very methodical and careful.”

Rand wasn’t sure how she felt. At first it seemed amazing and everything would work out fine, but then Elbbirt said it was still experimental and Roman asked about the outcomes and risks and it sounded scary, and she didn’t like the idea of Roman having surgery again. But that was a slim chance right? And none of the outcomes were fatal. Unless Roman chose not to report something, and he wouldn’t do that again, right? He promised.

Elbbirt
Rand

Roman nodded. “She’s a dedicated scientist.” He hadn’t yet given an answer about the meds, not definitively. Rand had been quiet so far and looking at her, Roman assumed she wasn’t sure either.

~ Roman

Rand met his gaze, she wasn’t sure, it was hard to know. “Dr. Elbbirt, I know doctors hate this question, and usually refuse to answer, but I never trusted a doctor who wouldn’t. Would you take it? You understand better than anyone in this room the risk, the effects, the benefits. So if you were Cmdr Alden, would you take it?”

Elbbirt couldn’t say he was surprised that Rand asked that and he smiled slightly. “We hate that question because often giving that answer causes the patient to blindly do what we would do, rather than thinking for themselves. There is a lot of responsibility in deciding such things for someone else. But I don’t worry about Cmdr. Alden blindly following what I tell him to do. If I was him, yes I would take the medicine. Given he has no open or healing wounds, his leg is 100% reconstructed, he has a healthy heart and active life style. The possible side effects are minor. I would do it. Even at the risk of surgery later if something went wrong. The alternative is to continue the blood thinners, which is very dangerous considering his work, and weekly imaging until we know the others are gone. Blood thinners have their own complications and worries, other than bleeding out if he gets injured. So the short answer, is yes I think it’s worth it.”

Rand looked back over at Roman. It wasn’t her choice. It sounded good, and she knew any medicine had it’s own risk, but whatever he decided on she would support his decision.

Elbbirt
Rand