Posted by Civilian Sisnil Zoi (Intelligence Consultant) in So… This Is It

Posted by Ensign Dradvia (Medical Officer) in So… This Is It

Posted by Civilian Sisnil Zoi (Intelligence Consultant) in So… This Is It
Posted by… suppressed (52) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Sisnil could feel her worry. He sighed. “Yeah… I know it can do damage until it’s out. It just won’t kill me.”

~ Zoi

“I’m sorry. I’m not going to stop worrying. But once your system is clear I will bring him.” Or maybe Sisnil might be able to go back to his quarters. It just depended on how bad his nervous system was damaged.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil chuckled and shook his head again. “I don’t expect you to stop worrying, Dee, anymore than I’d expect a planet to stop orbiting its sun.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia’s face flushed, her stomach fluttering. “Are you saying you’re my sun?” Was she so obvious?

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil felt her embarrassment and laughed. “That wasn’t what I was going for, but you know what? Yeah.”

~ Zoi

Her checks turned bright red and Dradvia ducked her head to hide it. “That doesn’t bother you?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“No,” Sisnil said with a shrug. “I love you, Dee. I like being that important to you.”

~ Zoi

Her fingers curled further around his hand. “You always will be.” It was true. Dradvia would never forget Sisnil. She had been… what since she’d met him? More relaxed? Happier? Safer? All those things, but not in ways most normal people thought of them. She’d never be that way again after he left.

“Do you want me to put something else on for you? Are you hungry or thirsty?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

He suggested another movie that hopefully wouldn’t have anything that might set off Dradvia in it. “What can I have?” He asked about the food and drink.

~ Zoi

“Smoothie, milkshake, jello, pudding, soup, juice, coffee, tea, broth, ice pops, apple sauce. Maybe some lightly spread toast,” Dradvia rattled off the options. While she did Dradvia pulled up the movie he asked for.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

He gave the name of an Orion soup that didn’t have too many hard things in it. “I think you’ll like this one,” he said about the movie.

~ Zoi

Dradvia asked one of the nurses to get the soup for him. She set her PaDD on her lap and worked while she watched. It wasn’t that the movie wasn’t interesting, but focusing on both things helped calm her mind.

The nurse returned with the soup in a large cup so he could drink it rather than fight with a spoon.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil glanced at the cup. It took several moments and then, “…Dee? Can you…?”

~ Zoi

Dradvia turned on her stool and picked up the cup. She brought it to his lips and gently tipped it toward his mouth.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

He drank the soup slowly. It was embarrassing. But the soup was really good. Okay, there’s chunks I need to chew here, Dee, he said telepathically after a moment.

~ Zoi

Dradvia tipped the cup back, away from him so he could finish what he had. Dradvia didn’t mind helping him. She liked it, caring for him, knowing she could do even such small things to help him get better.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

He finished what he had and then asked for more. It went like that until the soup was finished. He patted her hand gently. “Thanks.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia grinned and set the cup to the side. “You’re welcome. It makes me feel useful.” The movie was still going and Dradvia was quiet watching it. She’d never been much on movies, preferring her books, but she did enjoy them. When the movie was over she looked at him, “How are your arms feeling?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Painful, stiff. Same as before.” Sisnil said. “My body feels the same way.”

~ Zoi

“Do you want to lay back down for a bit? Is sitting up hurting too much?” It was still time before she could give him more meds. He’d been still so he wouldn’t have burned through the medication. The higher doses would be keeping him comfortable, or at least more so.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“No, it’s not too bad. Lucky for the higher dose of pain meds, I think,” Sisnil said. He shrugged in a little movement. “I’ll be alright.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia rolled her eyes, totally exasperated. “Yes, I know. You will be. But I can’t read your mind or feel your emotions, so I have to ask, Sisnil.” She laughed just a little though.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Can’t you?” Sisnil grinned. “Take my hand, Dee.” He held one hand up carefully.

She gave him another exasperated look. She could guess based on readings, but no, she couldn’t feel it. She looked at his hand, he must be feeling better because he was absolutely admate not to do this earlier. Or maybe he was just feeling very lonely and vulnerable? A little disconnected and isolated? Dradvia set her hand in his without hesitation. She wasn’t afraid to feel his pain.

Then he made a connection with her that let her feel what he felt. It wasn’t so agonizingly painful like it was before, but it still hurt. He was stiff and painful and occasionally his muscles still twitched or his heart rate would destabilize and then correct itself.

~ Zoi

Dradvia closed her eyes, focusing on what she was feeling from him. It didn’t hurt her physically, but emotionally. Well…sort of. She hurt too, but she knew it wasn’t her own body that was hurting. Did it work the same for him? Could feeling what she felt, help him feel better? Sort of the way she sort of hurt but didn’t? She didn’t know how to share with him, how she felt. How her heart beat steadily, but raced because of him, that she was relaxed and comfortable. She’d gladly exchange how she felt for how he did.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil closed his eyes, too. It seemed to help him to share this way. I can always feel how you feel, Dee. He told her telepathically. She could not only feel how he did, but he was letting her hear his thoughts, too.

She knew that. She just hoped it helped him in some way.

And with how relaxed he was, he wasn’t policing his thoughts.

That was how she heard what was really worrying him that he’d been hiding, because he was scared: he wasn’t able to see correctly.

~ Zoi

Too many times Dradvia had sat beside people that were faced with horrible outcomes. A sudden turn in recovery or injuries and… experiments that were meant to torture. So realizing what was wrong didn’t shake her. Mentally she sighed. Why wouldn’t he tell her?

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Because telling her forced him to admit it was happening, and that it was a problem. And he hadn’t been ready to do that. But he heard her mental sigh and squeezed her hand lightly. Dee?

~ Zoi

Dradvia had seen patients unable to accept things, and it may be nothing. “I just wish there was more I could do,” she said aloud but quietly. “You’ll tell me if anything is wrong, so I can try to help? Please.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

She could feel Sisnil’s guilt just before the connection broke. He squeezed her hand with all the strength his hand could muster. It wasn’t much. “Dee, I.... I can’t see anything but lights and general shapes.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia suddenly felt empty and very alone. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “Okay. Do your eyes hurt? In anyway?” She picked up her tricorder and moved the scanner around his eyes and then to the back of his head to the occipital lobe.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“The same as the rest of my body,” Sisnil said. There was nothing structurally wrong with his eyes, it was that the poison had damaged the nerves and part of the brain responsible for sight. From her readings, of the poison still active in his system, that was what it was attacking.

~ Zoi

“Your eyes are structurally sound. The poison has damaged the end if the optical nerve where it connects to the occipital lobe. It could also be momentarily worse because of the pain medicine and the way it works. Neural regeneration can correct a good deal of damage, and the Betazoid brain is remarkably capable of healing itself. Given enough time it can even correct moderate brain damage.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“So you think it won’t be permanent?” Sisnil asked. “What if the poison does more than it already has?”

~ Zoi

Dradvia paused, considering. “I think there is a good chance that it won’t be permanent or at least better than what you are experiencing now. However,” Dradvia sighed, she hated this, “I won’t know for sure u til the poison is out of your system. Right now, it looks like that is where all the poison has concentrated. If it does more damage, we will treat the same way.” She tapped her fingers on the side of the bed, thinking, “We could try neural regeneration now, but I am not sure how painful that would be, or if it would be safe.” It could trap the poison inside the repaired cells.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil frowned. “I’m pretty sure it’ll hurt a lot. Can’t comment on the safety.” He shrugged, “Whatever you think would have the best end result, I’ll do.”

~ Zoi

“I’ll have to do some reading on it, first. Do you want to listen to another movie while I do?” Dradvia asked.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil nodded and named another movie he thought they’d both like.

~ Zoi

Dradvia turned the movie on and then sat with her PaDD doing research about the use of neural regeneration and poisons. She also did a search on Batazed brain regeneration.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

There wasn’t really anything about neural regeneration and echtallin specifically. It was just too uncommon of a poison. With other neural agents, she would find that neural regeneration while the nerves were affected was painful, but generally safe. Unless there was ongoing nerve damage then it could repair the nerves incorrectly. Betazoid brain regeneration was generally quite powerful, more so than human brains, but it depended entirely on how the nerves and brain were damaged.

~ Zoi

However, Dradvia came across a study that had promising results. Regeneration and Healing of Neural Tissue in Betazoid with Severe Brain Trauma through the use of Psilosynine by Dr. Alexis Kane, M.D. Dradvia did a little research and the woman had a slew of degrees, titles, and honors.

Sisnil could feel the hopefulness in her. She turned to him. “So Neural regeneration can be done now, but with the poison still attacking your system, the cells may heal incorrectly. But it could also prevent further damage.” She paused to let him process that.

“However, I found this study. A doctor on the USS Ogawa did work with Betazoid patients suffering from brain damage. Apparently you can take Psilosynine from the paracortex and inject it directly into the damaged part of the brain. It will jump start the process and aid in the healing. They had a 96% success rate in the study.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil made a face. “That wouldn’t damage my telepathy, would it?” It sounded hopeful, Dee felt hopeful. Was there really a miracle cure?

~ Zoi

“According to the study, removal of the Psilosynine will act sort of like a telepathic inhibitor. Lowering your perception and sensitivity, until the paracortical gland produces more. Your brain is constantly producing it as it gets used. Your telepathy is strong and doesn’t seem to be affected by the echtallin. In fact it says for people who had damage to their paracortex, this procedure even repaired their telepathy.” Dradvia was optimistic, but would ask Tessan first.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil nodded. “I wonder if it’ll work as well for things that aren’t in the paracortex.” He shrugged, “You’re planning to ask Tessan, so I’m not getting my hopes up until you do that.”

~ Zoi

“The study looked at damage to all sections of the brain. It’s not 100% success, but it is high. Understand though that success was marked as improvement. The degree of healing was influenced by time, type, and severity of the damage.” Dradvia would talk to Tessan as soon as she saw him.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil nodded. “Yeah, I heard. It’s not 100%. It would most likely improve and not be perfect. As long as I can see my work, I don’t really care. There’s a lot of medical devices to help people see.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia nodded, “There are. We will look into those also. We can now if you want.” She brushed his hair back, “Anything else you should tell me?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil shook his head. “No- honestly, no. That’s the only new thing that’s cropped up.”

~ Zoi

“Okay,” she leaned toward him. “I know it can be… disconcerting to admit when everything else is so… critical, but you can tell me if you notice anything else. I won’t tell if you don’t want me to.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil nodded. “Okay. …Sorry, Dee. I just.... I don’t know.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia took his hand, like when he had asked her to earlier, “I’m not mad, not at all. You don’t need to be sorry. I understand.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil’s fingers slowly wrapped around her hand. “Good.” He smiled, “You mentioned looking at assistive technology?”

~ Zoi

“I did. Do you want to do that?” Dradvia asked. She was calm, supportive, nit pushy. She was worried about him, that would never change, but there was a quiet confidence too when discussing Medical things.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I’d rather get a head start just in case.” Sisnil said, nodding. “If I don’t end up needing it, no big deal, right?”

~ Zoi

“Right,” Dradvia agreed. “Finish your movie, then we’ll get your next round of meds. I’ll work on compiling everything while you rest after.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil nodded. “I’ve been picking movies I’ve seen before, Dee. So I’d know what’s going on without seeing them.”

~ Zoi

“That’s a good idea. You could close your eyes. The lack of visual stimulation will help your eyes rest, help slow things down. Or… an audio book if you like those too.” She was sure the ship’s library had plenty of history texts.

While he listened to his movie, she turned, facing her back to the screen and poured her attention into Sisnil’s case.

“There are several options. The first would be old fashioned glasses. There are also occular implants, genetronic therapy, visual assist implants, a visor, and nanite integration,” Dradvia listed off the various options.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil smiled sheepishly. “Uh, Dee? I’m gonna need like… Pros and cons or something.”

~ Zoi

Fradvia grinned sheepishly. “Sorry. So glasses are the least invasive. They can correct vision quite a bit, but they are not as sophisticated as other options. You will have to wear them all the time, and your Peripheral vision will always be fuzzy beyond the range of the lenses.”

“Occular implants are cybernetics. They are as good as the programming can make them. We would remove your eyes and replace them with cybernetic ones. Your vision would be… well amazing but not the same. You would see like a machine, more spectral bands, heat signatures, energy readings. Nothing would look quite the same.”

“The same for a visor. You would have implants on your temples and the visor would connect there and sit in front of your eyes. The surgery is less invasive than the occular implants, and you keep your eyes. However you wouldn’t see with them anymore.”

“Visual assist implants and nanites work the same. They will pick up the visual input from your eyes and then transfer them to the occipital lobe and bypass the damaged areas. Implants require brain surgery, nanites are injected and then placed remotely. This is a solid option, but if anything goes wrong with them then your vision will go back the way it is now. That is usually because of physical trauma. But any mechanical device can be hacked.”

“Gentrinic therapy is the most risky. We would have to open your brain, remove the optic nerve and occipital lobe, replicate it and then place the new undamaged replacements inside. When it works it is wildly successful, when it doesn’t the outcome more damage. In your case it would be death because we would not be able to put the damaged part of your brain back. The success rate is roughly 50% and it is still highly experimental.” Dradvia would not choose that option fir herself, but she wouldn’t withhold telling him his options.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil considered that. “Well the replicated brain won’t work because a 50% chance of death is way too high.” He gave it some thought. “In my line of work anything hackable is dangerous. Most cybernetics or machinery are hackable given the right circumstances. Hmmmm.... With the ocular implants, could I see screens?” He asked.

Dradvia nodded, “Yes, you could. In fact, you maybe be able to see them better, but I’m not sure about that or what that means. I guess it depends on your definition of ‘better.’ Most of the statements I read were from engineers and talking about working with parts and interfacing with them, so maybe that doesn’t apply to screen reading. However there have been no mentions of not being able to read the screens.”

“Let’s try old style glasses to see if we can get correction that works now but isn’t so invasive until we know what I need. I’m just not sure there are glasses strong enough to correct my vision.” He pointed ahead of himself, “the PaDD is a rectangular, fuzzy blob that blends into the blob that is the wall, and the arm it’s mounted on I can’t really tell where it is or what it looks like. I know that’s the PaDD because it emits so much light and I can still see the difference in light amounts.”

~ Zoi

“Even 3 centuries ago, glasses could correct quite a bit of vision problems. I’m not sure how accurate I can be though. I’ll take some readings, but some of the tests I’d need would require shinning a bright light into your eye. That is not a good idea right now. So, just keep in mind that what you use now is affected by all of that. We can refine it when I can do more detailed scans, alright?”

Dradvia got up and retrieved an ocular scanner. She slid it over the head of the biobed and set it up to scan. After taking what scans she could she went to the medical replicator and produced three different pairs of glasses. Each with a different strength. “Okay, tries each of these, and see if any of them help. If they don’t, that doesn’t mean they won’t, just that I couldn’t get all the readings I needed.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer