Posted by Lieutenant Tandra Mika (Chief Mental Health Officer) in Sacred Heart Hospital- Comfort for the Small Ones

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Sacred Heart Hospital- Comfort for the Small Ones

Posted by Lieutenant Tandra Mika (Chief Mental Health Officer) in Sacred Heart Hospital- Comfort for the Small Ones
Posted by… suppressed (26) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Eela ran her hands over the cream coloured soft jersey cardigan, smoothing invisible wrinkles. Mostly she was a tiny bit nervous, not just because she hoped a family would be okay with her, but because she knew this would bring up a lot of memories. But they weren’t all bad. There had been some poignant moment with her premature son that she wouldn’t trade for anything, even if her life at the time had been an utter mess.

Moving through the hospital to the NICU, Eela was dressed more casually with her favoured stretchy black pants and a simple blue t-shirt. Babies could get messy at times and she wasn’t afraid of that. But she also was keenly aware of making sure everything she wore wouldn’t introduce potential allergens. Even her hair was pulled back into a tidy french braid, a far more serious style than people were used to seeing from her.

Approaching the nurses station, she gave the nurse on duty a wam smile. “Hello, I’m here as a volunteer. I was told to check in here first? And someone is meeting me here as well.” Mika worked at the hospital a lot, so she suspected that despite her technically being off-duty, she was somewhere around and would be here in due course.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

The nurse smiled. “Of course Ms. Dasca. If you will step into the antiseptic entry and change into scrubs.”

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, SFCMO

“Of course,” Eela said, moving through the entry. She found the change area and a pair of scrubs her size and went to change. She came out looking at ease, or as at ease as she could. Spying Mika, she smiled.

Mika was at the hospital. Séan walked her down from the psych floor and left her at the check in desk, before returning to his own duties. Mika smiled at Eela when she saw the lieutenant governor. “Eela, it’s good to see you.”

“Hello, Mika,” Eela said.

She smiled at the nurse. “Nurse Hartwell. I’m just here to accompany Eela while she volunteers.” She stepped up to the nurse, already in scrubs (she must have changed in her office?) and signed in as a visitor to the NICU. Normally, still possessing medical credentials, she would have free access, but while off duty, she was a visitor.

~ Mika, CMHO

“Is there anything else you need me to do before I meet the family?” Eela asked.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

The nurse smiled, “No. Just head to the family room down the hall on the left. There is a sign.”

Lt. Cmdr. Fayth, SFCMO

Mika smiled. “Thanks.” She turned to Eela, “You ready?”

~ Mika, CMHO

Eela nodded as she drew in a steadying breath. She wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from here, since this was a new experience for her. She hadn’t had this as a parent of a preemie. She had been on a starship and just was there all the time. It wasn’t like she had anywhere else to be, and there was always someone else around when she needed a break. And yet, as she walked to the family room, there was a strange feeling that swept over her, as if she might be having this experience as a parent all over again, even though the setting was entirely different.

Still, as she and Mika arrived at the family room, she pushed away the odd sensations and letting calm sweep over her as she stepped in to meet the family.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

A man looked up from a table strewn with PaDDs. “Ms. Dasca. I am so glad you are here. The family you were to meet couldn’t make it. Their daughter had to have an emergency procedure and they are with her. However, I have another child who is desperate need. Her father is in a coma and her mother passed right after labor. A horrible accident at a mining facility.” He shook his head, “Our volunteers have been rotating to help, but the child has failure to thrive. We need someone consistent to spend time with her. Would you be interested?”

Jal’na, Lady Duroc

Her breath caught in her throat, even as she forced herself to relax. That poor child! “Of course!” Eela said. “I’d be happy to help her.” Eela cast a glance at Mika, wondering how she was taking in this turn of events.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Mika smiled passively. “I’m up for whatever you are,” she said. She looked at the man, “I’m sorry to hear about the families. Both of them.”

~ Mika, CMHO

The man nodded, “Yes, it’s sad, and very difficult. We are very hopeful for little Rose though. We have a specialist who arranged to come in via holographic interface to guide the doctors here through the procedure. She wouldn’t have been able to make it in time otherwise.” He turned off his PaDD and walked around the table. “If you’ll follow me.” They walked down the corridor and then turned left and then right into a room. It was a heart wrenching sight. A small neonatal biobed was against the wall, with a small baby wrapped in a blanket, with tubes and monitors connected all over. There was a fully stocked nursing station, a small chiller, and a bottle warmer. There was also an easy chair. The nurse in the room looked up from checking the baby and smiled. “Oh, Yuri, did you find someone?” she sounded hopeful.

He nodded, “Yes, Ms Dasca has agreed to look after her.” What was even sadder was every other room they had passed had a name on the door. This child didn’t. The nurse looked at Eela hopefully. “She won’t eat. We are feeding her through a tube, but she really needs to eat on her own. She doesn’t look at anyone or respond at all. Poor thing doesn’t have a name, yet. I call her muyal sometimes. It’s what my mom called me when I was a babe.” She stroked the baby’s head. “I just can’t call her Jane. It seems so dismal.”

Jal’na, Lady Duroc

Eela gave a sad smile. “I agree, she needs to be called something meaningful. I might have something of my own I could call her too while we interact.” She glanced at the vitals and despite the challenges the baby was having, she looked otherwise healthy. She also knew the medical staff would have already discovered if the child’s issues were due to a medical reason. Approaching with a calmness, Eela reached out and brushed the baby’s cheek gently with the back of her hand. She watched the monitor to see if there was a change. Nothing.

And suddenly there was a determination in her. In some way, she understood, and maybe, just maybe, she could help this baby girl find her way.

She stroked the soft down of the baby’s head. “It’s so hard, isn’t it? To feel so lost, so adrift. One moment you’re going one way, towards what you think will be something good, and the next moment everything is different. And nothing feels good. And everyone can tell you it’ll be okay, but they don’t know that. They can’t guarantee that. No one can.” Eela rested her hand on the baby’s torso, careful of the weight, but firm enough to make solid contact. She exuded a deep air of understanding that was more than just emotion, but a projection from her own experiences. “But you know what, sweet girl? The unknown doesn’t have to be so scary. Because you’re not alone. That I can promise.” Another swell of determination rolled through her. Yes, her and this baby had a lot in common just now, even if on the surface it didn’t seem like it.

After getting the low-down on which tubes and monitors were doing what, Eela looked at Mika. “It’s so strange, but I remember how to do this, even after all these years.” The baby was already wrapped in a blanket, so Eela dragged the rocker right next to the bassinet and reached her hands underneath, her mind tracking each lead and cord to know where they would go as she lifted. Pulling the baby up with confidence, she tucked her feet and arms in against her chest, and, holding her steady with one arm, reached down with the other to steady the glider.

Soon they were settled and Eela had the baby nestled with her head near her shoulder and she rocked gently, making sure to not stress her own body out. “Jourin was so tiny. He was two months premature, which wasn’t as bad as it could have been. But I had been under so much stress after finding out the Borg had killed my parents that we guessed that was a contributing factor.” It had been difficult (after she had surfaced out of the grief enough to not just be numb) to not feel guilty. She knew it wasn’t her fault she went into early labour, but there was a part of her that had never let it go, especially given how difficult things had been for her when Jourin was a newborn, including the subsequent postpartum depression.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

As she continued to rock, Eela hummed a lullaby. It slipped out without intention but it made her smile. “I always thought lullabies were one of the sweetest traditions. So many cultures have their own version. Just a quiet song to soothe a child to sleep. It makes me think of my parents. And I’ve heard Caridee humming and singing to my granddaughter, the same song I sang to her. I never taught it to her either,” she said, still smiling.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Mika grinned then, stepping over next to Eela. “My mom had a special lullaby she liked to sing us. All about the stars.... I wonder if that’s why I joined Starfleet.” She said. “Babies are so small…”

~ Mika, CMHO

“You’d be amazed what small things can influence our desires later in life. I wouldn’t discount a simple lullaby for making you curious about what’s out there,” Eela said.

She could feel the baby relaxing and smiled. Eela looked up at Tandra. “Have you been around babies?”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Mika shook her head. “Not really, never. I have a little brother, but he was adopted. I um.... Never had much interest in babies.”

~ Mika, CMHO

Eela flicked her gaze to the monitors and saw that the baby’s vitals were still stable and even improved a little. She smiled before turning to Mika again. “It’s not a requirement in life, but it’s… a skill. Some people feel it comes very naturally to them, others not so much.” She gently tapped her fingers on the premie’s back as she continued the slow and steady rocking. “And it’s even more nerve-wracking when they are extra small and hooked up to monitors. I didn’t get to hold Jourin right away- I wasn’t strong enough. There had been complications during the birth and they were keeping a close watch on us both. When our CMO said I could finally hold him, it was so strange. It had been so easy with my daughter, but that time I was so scared I would do something wrong. But I learned then, and I know from other experiences that babies are more resilient than we think they are. Even if they need a little bit of extra help, like this little one does,” she said. “We all need a little extra help now and again, right Almai?” she said to the baby before she looked at Mika. It was clear Eela was including herself and Mika in her statement.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“I’ve delivered babies, of course, but that’s… A little different.” Mika ommented. “And I usually work somewhere with a big enough medical department I can hand off to someone better equipped to deal with babies.”

She understood the meaning between the words and smiled shyly. She decided to direct attention back to the young baby. “The baby’s name is Almai?”

~ Mika, CMHO

Eela shook her head. “No, she had no name. Mother died in child-birth and father is in a coma and it’s not looking hopeful. Almai is a Haliian term of endearment that means ‘sweet one’. I used to call my children that as infants,” she said with a smile as she rocked gently in the chair.

“Oh,’ Mika said, voice small.

“Before my own children, I didn’t really have tons of experience with babies myself. I had been around them, but not really cared for them at all,” Eela said. “I won’t say I miss the infant years, but I do miss this part. It’s the hard part about having moved to Oed. My granddaughter is growing so fast and I only got the tiny-baby snuggles for short while before I left Earth. Now she’s mobile and on the go. She’s just curious about everything, which is so wonderful to watch, but harder for me to keep up with.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Mika smiled. “I never understood that myself. A kid that has some amount of personality seems better than a young infant in my mind.”

~ Mika, CMHO

Eela chuckled. “Well, it’s vastly different when child is your own versus that of someone else. In this case, it’s that my back doesn’t always cooperate, so if Alais wants me to pick her up, I’m not always able. And right now she can crawl, but once she’s on her feet, running after her would be problematic. Toddlers are notorious for dashing off after something that interests them. Can I run after her if necessary? Yes. But there would be consequences after. And right now I’m trying to stem any deterioration of my spinal fusion. Injury is not exactly going to help.”

All those were practical things though. Cradling this baby was both more wonderful and harder than she had anticipated. “I missed this stage to a degree with my son, Mika. I went through the motions and I cared for him, but after he left the intensive care of Sickbay and came home to our quarters, I… fell apart, little by little. My parents had died two week before I gave birth and I had barely processed my grief before I went into early labour. Those first months were so difficult, and then Cory went away for work and it was just me with a four year old and an infant. I ended up with severe postpartum depression. My best friend, who was our first officer, and they captain, they stepped in to make sure I got the support I needed, and eventually Cory came back, but bonding with my son was harder. I dare say we never truly bonded till he was a teenager and he came out with me when the Steadfast went to the Gamma Quadrant for six months. So yes, there are lots of wonderful things that go along with an older child, but”-she rubbed the baby’s back-“at this moment in their life when they are completely dependant on you, as hard as it is, it’s a special bonding time, especially for empathic and telepathic parents. It’s just… different.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Mika listened to everything Eela said. There was a lot of grief and resentment there, but that was for Sean to help her work through. “So what are you going to do to help connect with this baby? She’s not telepathic.” She commented, partly, oddly hurt by the idea that bonding was somehow more important to an empath, but also out of true curiosity.

~ Mika, CMHO

Eela smiled. “No, she’s not. But she’s also not my child. We don’t know what will happen to her father, so the most important thing for her right now is that she feels safe. So I can be a soothing and safe place for her. And actually, knowing that that is what she needs, it will help me because I will have to come here in a state of calm. And the things that will get me to that place will ultimately help me with everything else I’m dealing with.” She noted the thread of discomfort in Mika, but didn’t comment since she wasn’t sure of the context.

“Maybe that’s all I’ve been missing lately,” Dasca mused. “I have either been buried under work matters or dealing with the ups and downs of my personal life. For a little time though, I can just focus on being and let that all go. It doesn’t exist in here while I’m giving this little one the care and comfort she needs.” She looked up at Tandra. “Sometimes we just need that pause and to to be connected to something that is external to ourselves. It’s been a long time since I can remember the last time I felt like that.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Mika nodded. “One of the best things we can do is ground ourselves with times like that, times to just be and try not to focus on our troubles,” she said, accidentally entering counselor mode. She peered over Eela’s shoulder at the baby. “Hmm.” She said with a little smile. “She is cute. Gotta say, I still prefer puppies though.”

~ Mika, CMHO

Eela laughed softly, not wanting to startle the babe. But it was good for her to feel Eela’s amusement- positive emotions of all kinds were good. “You know, I never had a pet. My parents were too busy to manage one on top of raising me, and then a life in Starfleet can make that tricky. I’m not sure if I’m a dog person or not, to be honest.”

“Have you had pets in your life?”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Mika nodded. “When I was younger, we had a golden retriever, Daisy.” She said. “I was so small, that dog was bigger than I was. But she was always so gentle, she never hurt anyone, not even accidentally.”

~ Mika, CMHO

Eela grinned. “Sounds like a lovely experience.”

She continued to rock the sleeping babe for a little while until a nurse returned. “How’s it going?”

She nodded. “Well, I think. Her vitals stabilized a bit. She seems at ease.”

The nurse smiled. “That she is. We need to do checks and get her fed, and I know you can’t stay much longer. Will you be back tomorrow?”

Eela looked down at the tiny creature and smiled. “Absolutely.” She leaned in and kissed the top of the infant’s head. Eela let the nurse carefully scoop the babe from her resting spot and back into the incubator.

Rising carefully from the rocking chair (which was harder for her than one might think), Eela moved to the incubator and rested a hand on top. “Have a good day, Sweetness, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Stepping out of the main part of the NICU into the clean room, Eela removed her gown and smiled at Mika. Something had shifted in her that was hard for her to pinpoint, but she felt grounded in a way that was hard to find since Dash died. “Did you have to get to work right away? If not I can spare time for a cup of something, if you like?”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

“Oh, I’m… I’m still not seeing patients,” Mika said, shrugging. “And I don’t have anything with a stringent deadline to do, so… I have no objections to that.” She smiled, “You drink tea, don’t you?” She remembered from their appointments, she thought. “Know anywhere good?”

~ Mika, CMHO

“Both tea and coffee. Depends on my mood, except I always drink coffee first thing in the morning. It’s non-negotiable,” Eela said with a laugh. “Come on, I’ll take you to my favourite place. We can’t stay, because I’m not ready to be in public much yet, but we can order and take it with us back to my place.”

Once she was fully ready to go, Dasca led Mika out of the hospital to where her slider was waiting. She spoke to her team and then slipped in, letting Tandra enter and get settled.

“So, coffee, tea, something else? The Quill does excellent brewed coffee and espresso drinks, and they have a wide selection of artisanal teas. I’m probably going to grab a box of baked goods that they get from a bakery, because goodness knows I’ve been forgetting to eat.” Eela snorted. “Not that people around me letme forget, but if they didn’t shove food toward me lately, I don’t know that I would remember what meal I had last.”

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.