Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Side sim: Matters of the Heart

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: Matters of the Heart

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Side sim: Matters of the Heart
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Roman chuckled softly. “Rand might kill me herself if she catches me trying to move too fast.” And she would love having a tricorder to check him with. He frowned and looked at Randy, then Elbbirt, “How much longer will I be here? And how long do you think I’ll be on heart meds?”

~ Roman

Randy laughed, “She might.” Rand might like being able to use the tricorder to keep an eye on him, but Roman could use it to keep an eye on her too. “Here…week and a half to two weeks. It set you back almost completely, but you know what to expect if you move too fast too soon, so that could work in your favor. No black outs, no assumptions you’re fine when you aren’t. The meds, a month at least. After that you’ll have an as needed hypo incase you find yourself struggling. Again, less invasive than surgery.”

Elbbirt

It was definitely less invasive than surgery, but still frustrating to him and he sighed. At least it wasn’t longer. “And I’ll be okay to work once I’m out of here? As long as I don’t overdo anything?” He was going to have so much to catch up on. And no way could Rand sneak Mushu in here. He’d have to check the lab feeds and see how his lizard was doing.

~ Roman

Elbbirt sighed, “That’s the plan, but in the end it’s Grat’s decision. Most likely you’ll have a week off duty to see how you adjust or maybe light duty. Either way though plan to sit. I’m sure Rand can find that chair you used for your leg again if it isn’t still in the lab. Make sure if your heart is working too hard or you feel suddenly tired, dark edged vision, etc, you sit, rest and wait. It doesn’t necessarily mean you need to come to sickbay, just give your body a break. You can always call me or Randy if you need to.”

“Now I’d like you to eat and sit up as much as possible tonight, and around 0400 we’ll start working on you sitting up unassisted and see what happens.”

Roman sighed, then he would ask Grat next he saw him. He still used the chair he’d had for his leg, when he was at his desk doing paperwork. He just didn’t roll it around the lab anymore. He was sure if Rand found out he was struggling, he wouldn’t have to call anyone, she’d do it. Then he nodded to Elbbirt. He hated having to redo this basic progress, but at least he’d be able to sit up on his own.

They started almost immediately with trying to get him out of bed and up and moving again. Roman tried every time until the doctor made him stop. Then he ploped back onto the bed with a frustrated sigh. It helped when he was finally able to move around the room at least. Rand snuck Pipkin in several more times and kept him updated with information about the science labs and the notes Franks took on the animals. Each time she left, Roman would stress the whole time she was gone, watching the door until she came back. Each night, he was struggling to sleep, having nightmares, because of Sickbay and because of the stress.

Rand had taken to laying on the edge of the bed and would tell him stories again. Some of her, a lot of times, fairy tales, or sing softly. Just using her voice to soothe him, or at least to remind him where and when he was even if it didn’t calm him.

Each time when he woke up, he’d look and see who was in the room, embarrassed for the doctors or nurses besides Randy to see him having them.

Rand stayed awake if Randy wasn’t in the room. She knew how Roman felt about it, and so it was something she could do to help. Being awake didn’t stop him from having them, but like on Kelmao she would rub his arm and hold his hand and it seemed to help.

Roman was making good progress. Once his body remembered how to maintain when standing he was able to move around the room. After Elbbirt came on duty he had good news. “Alright, so I have been arguing with Morgan all day, but she’s going to station Richards in here and we are going to clear sickbay and go for a walk. There is a small office past the main bay that has a window. Right now only Morgan knows, and we have to stay in sickbay. We can take as many breaks as you want.”

Elbbirt

At that, Roman looked up excitedly. They still wouldn’t let him leave Sickbay, but at least he’d get to see something besides the walls of this room. Staying here was driving him crazy. “Alright, then let’s go.” He wasn’t sure how far past the main bay was, he spent most of his time avoiding being in Sickbay at all, but he was going to try and make it there.

~ Roman

“Whoa, hold on. Another of Morgan’s provisions, she picks the time so no one knows but her. I have also been told to tell you not to touch anything electrical.” They didn’t have to wait too long. Morgan knew she would be going stir crazy by now and the lack of movement, she had been told, was bad for his health. While they waited, Rand gave him the dreaded XO paperwork. Since he was off the pain killers and sedatives he was allowed. And with Rand’s help he would be caught up by the time he got out of sickbay.

Morgan’s arrival was announced by Randy entering with Roman’s shoes. “Alright, she’s here, it’s time. Let’s go.” Randy was almost as eager as Roman.

Rand

Roman made a face, finding the electrical comment notably not funny. Even his XO paperwork Roman happily did, it was at least something he was allowed to do and get caught up on. But today he could barely focus. He’d rather be walking. Finally, Randy handed him his shoes as Morgan showed up and he slipped the shoes on. “You’re sure I can’t go out of Sickbay?” He complained, but he was still smiling, glad to see anything that wasn’t this room.

~ Roman

Morgan wasn’t being funny, she was dead serious. They still hadn’t caught this person and she was taking it personally. A crisp, “Positive, Cmdr.” was Morgan’s only comment. Richards came in the room and stood in the back. His job was to make sure no one came in the room while they were gone. Rand sat on her bed out of the way until they were out of the room. Then she joined them. Elbbirt and Randy were on either side of him, close, but he had room to move without them hovering.

Rand

Roman gave a soft sigh. Then they were leaving the room, Randy and Elbbirt trailing on either side of him, Morgan with them as well, and Rand there as well. Roman needed a break much sooner than he expected. He found a place to rest a few steps after the first medical/security checkpoint between the surgical suite they were keeping him in and the main bay, waiting until he started to feel better to go again.

~ Roman

Rand and Randy kept up a quiet but non-stop teasing sibling argument. Just for distraction and comic relief. Rand sat with him when he got tired and tried to help him. Things that helped her when she went through it. When they got to the office, Shrine had decided it would be nice if Cmdr Alden could eat and look out the window so his meal was waiting for him.

Rand

There were several more breaks before they reached the office with the window. His acceptance of the need to take those breaks kept him from blacking out or needing to go back, but by the time he got there, he was tired. He was grateful for the meal already waiting when he got there, so when he sat to rest there, he could eat. Outside the window, they were passing a very blue looking planet with rings, like a large and pretty blue Saturn. There was space for Rand to sit with him, too.

~ Roman

Rand wasn’t sure she should say it, that she was proud of him. That might make him more frustrated. She knew it was hard to not be able to just do what he wanted, go where he wanted. But stopping to rest rather than pushing himself was a huge concession for Roman. The meal was very good, Gorshin had even sent Roman’s regular black tea and Shepard’s pie. They stayed in the officer for awhile, while Roman rested and then ate. The planet was really very pretty, Rand told him she had decided all things blue in space were her favorite. She was being sentimental, she didn’t care.

Roman was surprised he was allowed the tea, but no one would hear any complaints from him. And Gorshin’s shepherd pie was always fantastic. When she said all things in space blue were her favourite, he reached his hand out for hers and smiled.

After that Roman was allowed to get up and walk, with at least a nurse with him just in case, whenever he felt like he could. It stressed Morgan out, but since it was random, at Roman’s whim, the timing couldn’t be tracked. He still wasn’t allowed to leave sickbay, yet, but that had more to do with security than his progress.

Rand

It was supposed to be better for him to get up and move rather than lay around, as long as he wasn’t doing too much, and he hated laying around anyway, so he walked whenever he could. It drove him crazy that he wasn’t allowed out of Sickbay, even for a short walk. His labs were just down the hall! His walks still had to be short, if he tried to go too far he would tire himself out or his chest would start to hurt and he’d have to sit and wait for it to pass before heading back.

He was still tired a lot of the time, any time he wasn’t trying to walk, he watched the animal feeds or read reports, or did something with Rand. Sometimes when she came in or looked over at him, he’d have dozed off, feed still running or reports still in hand.

~ Roman