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

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: Head Case

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: Head Case
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
He nodded, taking the water bottle. “I do remember…” He hadn’t realized she wasn’t drinking enough and he felt bad for it. As if it was his fault she had a migraine. He lifted the edge of the blanket to look in at her. “Sounds like you’re going to feel better faster if you drink a little,” he said to her, loosening the lid of the water for her. He leaned back against the bed’s head board. “Randy turned the lights down. That should help, too.”

~ Roman

Rand didn’t move at first, everything just hurt, but once the anti-nausea kicked in it was easier to move. The core of her body wasn’t stabbing painfully and she didn’t think she’d be sick if she moved. She squinted her eyes open, testing the light and sighed a little with relief when it didn’t make her head throb. With Roman’s help she sat up and leaned against him. She took the water and sipped at it, sure she couldn’t drink it. Instead after the first few sips, she found she was really thirsty, and almost guzzled the bottle down.

“Drink slowly, even with anti-nausea meds you don’t want to make yourself throw up.” Roman warned, putting his arm around her.

Rand lowered the bottle and hummed her understanding. Part of her just didn’t want to talk, the other was that she didn’t want to worry him speaking Gaelic rather than English. But just the thought of the effort to speak English made her head pound more.

Randy returned a few minutes later. He sat down next to her. He couldn’t put the infusion unit on her forearm because of the burns and still healing skin. So instead he was going to put it on the inside of her upper arm. “This is going to pinch, but stay still for me okay.” Rand nodded. Randy worked as quickly as possible, but she squeezed her eyes shut and winced as he got the line started. Once it was in she relaxed though. “I’m setting this up for a 3 hour run. You’ll feel better soon. Keep drinking the water too.” Randy turned to Roman, “And what about you?”

Rand

Roman held her other hand while Randy put the line in her arm. He squeezed her hand gently when she winced. “There. That’ll help. And Gorshin said you can go and help out whenever you want, so if you’re feeling better tomorrow you can do that.” Roman checked the time, about to say he needed to go back to the lab, when Randy turned to him. He wasn’t feeling much better, but he was feeling a little better and he’d been about to use that as an excuse to himself to not tell Randy. In fact, he hadn’t said anything to Randy, not yet. “Me?”

~ Roman

“I think it’s a good idea, Rand, to help Gorshin out. As long as you feel up to it.” He looked at Roman, “We’ll make sure to tell him to make sure she drinks plenty.” Randy nodded with that knowing look, “Yes you. While I’m here, how are you feeling?” It had not missed Randy’s notice that Roman was not in the lab but had most likely been sleeping. It could be because of Rand, but better to check, and his respiration was a little off, but that was going to happen. Now the question was, would he be honest or try and hide it. Rand was listening. She didn’t know Roman had left and come back, or how shallowly his breathing had been while she was asleep, but he had said he would tell Randy if it wasn’t better. She didn’t know if it was or not.

Rand | Randy

Roman nodded. “I’ll make sure he knows.” Then Randy gave him that knowing look, and Roman tried to look innocent. The look Randy was giving him then was one Roman was familiar with from their therapy sessions, his we both know it, so just say it look. If Roman tried to hide it, he’d get the Are you REALLY not gonna tell me? look. He gave a sigh, he was worried enough about it himself he didn’t want to lie about it. “I’ve been feeling lightheaded on and off… for the last two days. I was a little nauseous myself too,” That would explain why he hadn’t eaten at lunch, either. And a check of his work logs would show he wasn’t getting as much done as usual today - lack of focus.

~ Roman

Randy had gotten up and started setting out bottles of water on the counter while Roman decided and then told him what was going on with him. He nodded and picked up his tricorder and started moving the wand over him. Starting with his heart because that was a big deal, then focusing on where he’d been shot, and the the rest of him. Could be simple fatigue after everything he’d been through, could be something serious.

Roman let him take the scans, watching Randy’s face as he did. He didn’t look too concerned, that meant it couldn’t be anything really serious. It did worry Roman a little when he ran the scans a second time.

Randy ran the scans twice just to make sure. “Well realistic news, good news and annoying news for you.” Rand stirred beside him lifting her head a little looking worried. Randy patted her hand, “Drink your water.” He put the tricorder down and moved back to the counter and began making ginger tea. “Your blood pressure is low. You’ve been pushing yourself hard to get better. This is causing your heart to work harder and then as it gets tired your BP is dropping. This can hurt your recovery. That’s the realistic news. The good news is your heart isn’t in distress over this, so it is getting stronger, but we don’t want to keep that up. Also good we can help by simply adjusting your meds to compensate. The annoying news for you is I can’t do that, Elbbirt is going to have to make that order. He was planning to come check on Rand anyway.” Randy rummaged around in the cabinets, like he lived there, and came back with a plate of plain crackers and mild fruit and set it on bedside table. Then he came back with a cup of ginger tea and gave it to Roman. “I don’t think you need meds for the nausea. The ginger should work fine and then a little bland food constantly on your stomach will stop it from coming back. While you two do that, I’m going to take these scans down to Elbbirt.”

Randy

It was good Roman had said something, too long with his BP low like that could damage other organs. Because he’d said something… well, sooner than he usually would, the fix was simple and easy. When Rand stirred, Roman took her hand and squeezed it gently. He nodded to Randy’s news. It didn’t sound too bad, but when Randy said Elbbirt would have to make that order Roman stiffened, not wanting to visit sickbay. He relaxed a little when Randy said Elbbirt was coming to him. Roman wasn’t surprised Randy rummaged about like he lived there, he spent enough time there taking care of them Roman wouldn’t be surprised if he knew where they kept everything. He thanked Randy for the tea and took a sip of it. Ginger had never been his favorite but it was better than more meds.

~ Roman

The door chimed much more quickly than expected after Randy left. The door opened to Elbbirt. At least it seemed he and Randy had learned to knock before entering. “I came to check on Rand, but Randy caught me in the corridor and said your BP is low Cmdr. So I sent him for your medications. I need to take a few scans while you do a few things for me, to make sure I adjust the dosage correctly.” Rand stirred again, her hand tightening around his as she tried to sit more up right, concern all over her face.

Roman’s hand squeezed hers, and quietly in Gaelic he said, “It’ll be fine.”

Elbbirt shook his head. “Now you be still, I’m not going to have him do anything dangerous. Really Rand, it’s like you don’t trust me.” He placed a hand over his heart in bad theatrics and grinned at her. Which elicited a grin from her. Elbbirt picked up the tricorder, “Alright Cmdr I want you to sit up, feet on the floor, then when you are ready stand up.” They went through that process including Alden walking across the room and then returning to the bed.

Roman did what Elbbirt asked. Letting go of Rand’s hand for a moment he sat at the edge of the bed with his feet flat on the floor and stayed there for a minute and then tried to stand like normal. When he did, his blood pressure dropped, his heart started beating harder, and the lightheadedness came back, making him feel unsteady and his vision faded until he could barely see and he ended up sitting back down. After another moment he stood again, causing the same reaction, but he managed to stay standing and finish the rest, walking across the room and back and sitting down. Like before, by the time he sat down, his breathing had gotten shallower, his pulse weaker, both signs of the low BP.

Ellbirt might be older but was still in excellent shape and had good reflexes. When Roman got dizzy and fell, he quickly caught him and eased him back down. Once they made a full round of scans Elbbirt helped him sit and recline. “Try to breathe slow. It should level off.”

Roman was quietly glad for Elbbirt’s help, both the first time when he fell and when they were finished and he was feeling really lightheaded. He nodded to Elbbirt’s instructions without argument or comment, trying to control his breathing. Elbbirt had reclined him next to Rand so he reached over and took her hand gently.

Randy arrived during that time and sat down next to Rand. She was rubbing at the burns because they itched. Rand took her hand gently and began to apply the get to her burns and wrap them. The gel helped and the bandages stopped her from scratching. When Randy went to take her ring off Rand clenched her fist and shook her head. Randy spoke very quietly to her in Gaelic. “I know, Sweetie, but you do want this tangled in the bandages. Roman can give it back to you in the morning.” After Rand’s confused misunderstanding after she woke up, Randy knew how important of a reminder her ring was for her. When Roman sat back down Randy handed the ring directly to him. “You can take the bandages off in the morning. Her arms should have stopped itching by then.”

Elbbirt | Randy | Rand

Roman took the ring, squeezed it in his hand, and nodded. Then he put it in its little box, which was on the side table, so it wouldn’t be lost. He looked at Rand, “You’ll get it back as soon as we can take the bandages off and I’ll be right here.”

~ Roman

Rand nodded and leaned against him. She hated this, for both of them. She wanted to get better not worse.

Elbbirt took the medications and dialed in a booster dose and then gave it to Alden. “You should feel better in a few seconds. I’m not taking you off duty for this, but before you go into the lab and get your daily dosage I want to run the BP scans again, just to make sure I adjusted them enough. Randy can do that if it’s easier.”

Roman nodded again with a sigh. He got his daily dose in the lab so he didn’t forget and couldn’t avoid it. Like Elbbirt said, a little while passed and he started feeling much better. More energy, the nausea started to fully subside, and no more lightheadedness.

Elbbirt sat down on the other side of Rand and checked the infusion unit. “Now young lady, how are you feeling? Your head should be a little better by now.”

It was a slow process getting Randy or Roman to translate for her. She knew she was supposed to drink plenty of water, she honestly hadn’t realized she wasn’t drinking enough. Randy suggested they set out at least six bottles for her every day, that way she didn’t have to try and remember, incase she had a rough day and got confused. “I’ll be back in a couple hours when the infusion unit is done. You drink more water.” Randy twisted the cap on another bottle and handed it to her. Then he looked at Roman, “and you try to eat something.” Then they were left alone for awhile.

Rand

Roman grinned sheepishly and looked at the bland food. He’d already nibbled off a cracker, but nibbling off one saltine hardly qualified as eating. Then they were alone and Roman leaned a little bit into Rand, putting his arm around her. “We’ll make sure you’re drinking enough from now on, avoid this happening again, okay?”

~ Roman

Rand sighed quietly, “Okay.” The infusion unit was uncomfortable. It didn’t really hurt but was in an awkward location because of her burns. And now her arms were wrapped up again. Granted not as heavily as they had been before, and she really didn’t want to scratch at her arms. She lifted the bottle to take another drink. She supposed she should be grateful it wasn’t something more serious. Or maybe it was that bad if Randy had to hook her up to medical equipment. She sighed, frustrated and defeated. She should be able to take care of herself. She was incredibly grateful to have Roman and Randy to take care of her, but she just felt so useless.

Rand