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 Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Sacred Heart Hospital- Lt. Gov’s Appt
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“The antidepressant has been working well. I was discussing reducing the dosage and going off it, but… things happened and I think staying on it will keep me more level while I settle into the chaos here.” Eela was nothing if not practical. Her personal life going to hell meant that now was not the time to mess with her emotional state anymore then was naturally going to happen anyway.

“That seems like a good idea. I can refill that one for now, but before you go off or we make adjustments, I would prefer you speak with a counselor.” Fayth commented with a gentle smile. She was sure Dasca was planning on doing anyway.

The one thing she hadn’t missed since leaving Starfleet was the regular visits to the counsellor. Not that she had anything against them- quite the contrary actually since she had been one after all. But after her initial year of recovery, she had been cleared for her diplomatic work and more of less been on her own. Here on Oed, it became a question of who she should see. Did she see a civilian? Did she stick with a Starfleet one? Dilemmas. One of many she’d likely have in the coming days. But reality demanded she be at her best, and Eela Dasca was too pragmatic to intentionally blind herself to her own issues.

“Obviously I can expect privacy through doctor-patient confidentiality, but beyond that I have little illusions I’ll have much actual privacy in my life. Life in the public eye and all that.” She gazed directly at Fayth. “So what do you think? Do I go with a Starfleet therapist where none of the other officers will bat an eye since we’re all so used to it but potentially alienate the civilians, or do I go with a civilian and possibly forfeit some of that precious privacy?” It might seem that she was making more of this than needed, but Eela was acutely aware of optics and how they would factor into almost every damn decision she made. What people saw and what they assumed about her as a result mattered greatly. Because the wrong decisions and the wrong interpretation of them would make it impossible for her to do the great work she envisioned here.

Fayth listened to her words and understood the concern and maze she was trying to navigate. “I would suggest that you let our head of psychiatry look over your file and then let him pick the counselor best suited to your needs. Sacred Heart seems to be the one place that people are more concerned with our specialties and expertise than what uniform we wear. And if you do pick a non-civilian I am sure will be happy to go to your home or office in civilian clothes if that makes you more comfortable. And if you have appts here, well no one will know which office you go in to.”

Eela nodded. It was a reasonable and wise compromise. “Thank you for the suggestion. I think I’ll do just that.”

Her pain management on the other hand was a different beast. “But with the terakine, I’d like to request a slightly higher dose. I’d rather take one larger and more effective dose when it’s really needed rather than smaller ones and have it in my system for longer period of time. I’m trying to not rely on it but I know the work I do with Jal’na will hurt more in the beginning until my body adjusts again.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Fayth looked at the dosage and increments and checked a couple things. “Okay so I’m going to up the terakine but also add a regular simple anti-inflammatory for you to take once a day. That’s going to help with the swelling and tension in the disc and surrounding tissue. THEN I’m giving you flexeril. It’s a muscle relaxer for those days when sleep is hard because of the pain. It has the least side effects and usually does not cause drowsiness, but I will suggest you only take it at night as needed.”

Fayth, SFCMO

The frown hit her face before she could even process it and then Eela snorted. “Can you feel my resistance? Wow… that’s a holdover from my captain days. Never liked sedatives”-she held up a hand-“and I know you just said it won’t make me drowsy, but my brain got that message a second too late.” She shook her head. “I’ll try the muscle relaxant and see how it works. The rest sounds good and I can grab the hypos on my way out.” She was used to metered doses that she could administer herself and it had worked quite nicely over the last few years.

Sharah had a different relationship with sedatives. It had been a while since she had needed one, but they were a release when things were too painful. But she did understand not wanting them, not wanting to be late or too drowsy to work, judgement impaired. They should also always be used with caution. “I will caution that it might make you tired, but I oh because the body can react with exhaustion when constant or severe pain is suddenly relieved. So do be aware, and don’t take it if it bothers you. We can always find other alternatives.”

Dasca nodded. “I’ll try it. I like to open to things and see how it goes. I can always choose not to use it again and see what else you might have in your arsenal.”

“Anything else we need to cover about my care? If not and you have a bit more time, I’d love to sit down and have a chat about the state of things at the hospital and back at the Starfleet Complex.” If there was anything Dasca excelled at, it was switching gears in an instant as required.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov

Fayth tapped a couple more commands on her PaDD making sure the hypos would be ready for Dasca when she left and then slid it into the pocket of her lab coat. “I have no more questions, and I have time. I will let you get changed out of the gown and then we can head to my office.” Fayth stepped out of the room and was immediately bombarded with information and questions from a nurse while she waited.

When Dasca stepped out, her loose blazer was back on and it was clear within a couple of strides that the brace was working much better for her. There was more ease to her movements and that translated to Dasca herself seeming more relaxed. “Alright, onwards,” she said with an easy smile.

The office of the CMO was on the administrative floor on a hallway that held offices for the chief of staff and other hospital staff heads. The office was like any other CMO office with readings on all current fleet patients, appts and files. A desk and chair and then a small sitting area with comfortable chairs, low table, and a replicator. “Would you like any refreshment?”

Fayth, SFCMO

“Oh, I’d love a coffee. Probably not the best thing to admit to your doctor, but I’m pretty certain caffeine will fuel me most of this week. I know it’ll get better, but for now I am grateful coffee exists,” she said with a grin as she moved over and took a seat in one of the chairs in the sitting area.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Sharah moved over to the replicator and when she returned she was carrying a tray with two pots, two mugs and sugar, cream, and a chilled container. She set the tray on the low table. It was something her Dr Zarath, her first CMO after Academy, always did. Except he served tea. Sharah had a love hate relationship with tea. But she had always liked the ritual and the welcome of serving the drinks rather than simply letting the computer make it.

She set the tray with the carafe of coffee, a mug, cream and sugar faced Dasca and the other pot, mug and container facing herself before sitting down. The second pot held the aroma of the sweet with hint of bitter hot chocolate, and the chilled container contained tiny marshmallows. “Please help yourself.” Zarath would probably be mortified she didn’t offer to pour and serve, but Fayth had found that often people preferred to customize their drinks themselves. They got it the way they liked it and Sharah was even less of a barista than she was a cook. Fayth sat and lifted the pot and filled me mug 3/4ths full of the chocolate, and dropped a small handful of marshmallows into the mug. “What can I answer for you?” She’d been on Oed less than a month so she wasn’t sure if she would have all the answers, but she would know how to get them.

Fayth, SFCMO