Posted by Lieutenant Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in Sacred Heart Hospital- Lt. Gov’s Appt

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Sacred Heart Hospital- Lt. Gov’s Appt

Posted by Lieutenant Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in Sacred Heart Hospital- Lt. Gov’s Appt
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
There was no scenario in which Eela Dasca was going to be allowed to just show up at the hospital unannounced and have a friendly conversation. This was the sickbay of a starship, after all. And yet, after all the time she had spent in hospitals and with health professionals since the incident, she rather wished she had the cozy comfort of a sickbay right now.

Fortunately for her, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Starfleet crew, she had access to Starfleet personnel and the Chief Medical Officer was one person who was not only qualified to treat her, but likely someone who could appreciate her need to efficiency and, well, distaste of pandering.

She was still sussing out her new assistant Cort Belanger, but so far the man seemed to have a decent head on his shoulders and there was a chance he might not irritate her every single day. She might be a diplomat more recently in her life, but she still couldn’t stand fools.

Belanger sent a message to one Lieutenant Sharah Fayth, requesting an appointment for Dasca with a note that more time would be required given her extensive medical history.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Sharah was going home tonight. She wasn’t thrilled about it, with everything going on at the hospital, but another restless night and poor sleep was not good fo her or her patients. She was signing off on the final chart of the day when her computer beeped. The new Lt Gov had arrived. Sharah had never even met the last one except very briefly in passing. She searched her schedule and available facilities. In a totally selfish moment she was glad she could claim this appt for herself. She was grateful for Cpt Rende recommending her for this position, but the paperwork and administration on a colony was crazy compared to a ship’s sickbay. She missed working with the patients. Sharah blocked out 3 hours, she had to meet with the woman professionally as well, after all. She returned the message with a time the next day at 1000 hours.

Fayth, SFCMO

Belanger confirmed that the time would be fine.

Dasca’s file was pretty basic: the basic injuries and illnesses one expects of a long-serving Starfleet officer. Right up until 2392 when Dasca was granted a medical discharge. The details from the incident were long:

Doctor’s Report, 2392 Concerning Captain Dasca, Eela.

Patient suffered a serious Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury as a result of an explosion at close proximity that threw her backwards into a bulkhead. Details of injuries and treatments are as follows:

Traumatic Brain Injury

Dasca suffered a coup-contracoup injury that caused damage to frontal lobe and cerebellum. The ship was soon under evacuation alert and Captain Dasca was rescued from the debris and quickly moved to a runabout. On the runabout, the primary physician diagnosed a large epidural hematoma. There was no adequate medical facility available just then, so a shunt was placed to drain the fluid and reduce the increasing ICP (Intracranial pressure).

On the medical frigate transporting her to Earth, the neurosurgeon performed a craniotomy and treated the hematoma fully. Subsequent damage to the cerebellum and frontal lobe was healed but it was impossible to know if there would be any lingering damage until Dasca regained consciousness.

Post-surgery, Dasca remained in a coma for almost 10 weeks.

Glasgow Coma Scale

Post-surgery	Eye Opening Sequence	Verbal Response	Motor Response	Score	Coma
24 hrs	E 1	V 1	V 1-NT*	3	Severe
67 Days	E 2	V 2	M 5	9	Moderate
84	E 4	V 4	M 6	14	Conscious
*Not Testable due to spinal cord injury

Persistent aphasia occurred for six days following consciousness then resolved on its own.

Spinal Cord Injury

The impact against the bulkhead caused fractures in vertebrae L2, L3 & L4 that resulted in paraplegia (diagnosed by nerves conduction studies that showed impaired nerve function to lower extremities).

The nature of the fractures were likely not as severe as when Dasca reached medical treatment, as her rescue from the explosion did not include spinal stabilization due to the emergency situation and risk of death. The injury to the spine was exacerbated likely resulting in the paralysis detected by scans. Patient was unconscious and then in coma and unable to demonstrate the paralysis.

A Spinal Fusion using artificial bone was completed 10 days after Dasca’s neurosurgery due to circulation issues causing risk of deterioration. Following the patient’s recovery from coma, immediate physiotherapy was conducted to stimulate motor recovery.

Complication: At 4 days following fusion, developed pulmonary embolism that was treated with anticoagulant.

Patient achieved the following milestones:

Days since Consciousness	Milestone
3	Push to sitting position unassisted.
4	Cross legs in sitting position.
6	Stand assisted.
9	Stand unassisted.
10	Walk 2 steps with walker.
14	Walk 20 metres with walker.
15	Walk 5 steps unassisted.
18	Walk 20 metres with cane.
27	Walk 20 metres unassisted.
35	Walk 100 metres.
40	Fast walking (6km/hr) on treadmill.

There was a final notation that Dasca was on an antidepressant and analgesics (mostly terakine), but that the pain relievers were used less frequently in recent years.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Sharah read over the file, and made notes, pulling up the more detailed information and checking over Dasca’s more recent exams and physicals to insure there was nothing that stood out as being concerning.

Everything was good so long as Dasca did her physical therapy. When she went periods without it, she tended to have more pain, nerve, and circulation issues.

The next morning, Eela dressed more casually in stretchy black slacks, a vibrant purple short sleeved shirt and a floral blazer. Flip on loafers would make physical exams easier. She waved off her security after she checked in, making it clear they would not come back with her. They didn’t seem to like that very much, but tough cookies.

When the Lt Gov arrived at Sacred Heart she was escorted to a smaller wing that served as the basic clinic. A nurse took her to a private room, activated the biobed to begin scans. “Dr Fayth will be…” there was a knock and then the door opened, “is here.” Dr Fayth was short 5‘2” young woman with long back curly hair, that seemed barely contained, and the obsidian eyes of her Betazoid heritage. “Cpt Dasca I’m Lt Fayth. Welcome to Oed and Sacred Heart.”

Even sitting on a biobed in an exam room, Eela Dasca took up space and it was clear she was comfortable. There was a certain presence a starship captain had, and even a few years after her retirement, the relatively tall woman still had hers. Pale hazel eyes took in the doctor and her entrance, and mostly Eela just looked curious. “Thank you, Doctor Fayth. Though it’s just Eela here right now. Captain Dasca is retired and only comes out to play when needed, ” she said with a tiny grin.

“Why don’t we start with if you have any immediate concerns.” The nurse left to arrange for a few labs.

Fayth, SFCMO

“Hard to say yet. New environment, new atmosphere, increased stress level. Ask me again in a few weeks. The gravity can be the same but every planet is different, so my brace can take some adjusting to get it optimal. But honestly? My friend Roger laughed when I commented on it, but I swear I’ve gotten shorter. Mind you, it can’t be more than a centimetre, and it doesn’t both me, but it was something… notable.”

She patted her torso. “Brace on or off? I have no issues taking it off if it makes your job easier.” Everyone was different and some doctors relied on tech more, while others preferred a more hands on approach.

~Eeela Dasca, Lt. Gov.