SD241904.13 | A case of lurgy [Pt. 2]

Posted on Sun May 5th, 2019 @ 4:24am by Lieutenant Commander Sarah Jordan & Commodore Amanda Bleetman MD & Lieutenant Commander Ky'La De'Lenn & Lieutenant JG Elyse Matthews

2,012 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Sincerest Form of Flattery
Location: Medical Centre

The medical centre seemed somewhat empty other than the two children that lay motionlessly on their biobeds whilst their concerned and worried parents sat beside in a state of sombre. The lights were dimmed to ease the photophobic winces of pain, the air cool for their ever-increasing temperatures and a slight melodic tune can be heard in an attempt to sooth the children.

Sarah sat at a desk that overlooked the children and had a line of sight of the entrance door, she let out a heavy sigh, perplexed as she studied her outstanding medical cases. She'd been sat at her desk for what seemed like an eternity and had been researching into the case of Astrid and Kinsley.

She sat back in her chair, raised her arms and placed her palms onto her head as she stretched and yawned, obviously fatigued. She used her arms to push against the armrests of the chair and stood to a slouched standing position. She walked over to the replicator. "White coffee with an extra espresso shot. Strong," she said, lazily and the computer obliged, almost happily as the coffee materialised in front of her, as she extended her arm out to pick up the coffee she heard the whooshing sound of the doors opening.

She lifted her coffee, took a noisy slurp from the cup before walking back to her desk taking note of who was at the door.

Stubborn to the last, Ky'La gave in to her own ill health as she stumbled into the infirmary. "Sarah....", and went down heavily.

Before Sarah had the chance to take a seat, she heard an almighty thud. She lifted her head, focusing her vision on what appeared to be a person on the floor, rather than her stacked work. It took her almost a few seconds to realise what had happened, as she rushed over to Ky'La.

In what looked like an almost seamless, faultless rehearsed regime Sarah pulled out her tricorder and began to scan the now limp body that was before her. Her device began to display several warnings including a spiking heart rate and temperature and elevated respiratory rate. Sarah shouted out for immediate help.

As if by magic, a troop of 3 Medical Officers came to assist Sarah to lift Ky'La off of the floor and towards a biobed. Sarah sighed, "Ky'La, can you hear me?" she shouted as she pinched the trapezius muscle in an attempt to get a response.

"Get to scanning her, I want a full round of blood tests, full complete scan including neuro and DNA make up", Sarah barked orders at the Officers assisting with Ky'La's care.

"Fek'lar", Ky'La whispered...her body started to shake almost as if she was freezing cold. Ky'La's tortured body was affecting her mind as she was delirious with a high fever, "No....please...Johnathan don't leave me! The Tal Shiar will use the mind probe please no!", she whispered hoarsely. Suddenly, there was peace and a bright luminescent light shining ahead of her. In the distance, she could hear chanting in Klingon. As she moved from the light she saw what she was on...The Barge of the Dead. "Noooooo...", she cried hoarsely, as her body was suddenly wracked by an uncontrolled coughing fit making it merely impossible to breathe.

Sarah stood, pondering for a moment as she wondered what was going on. There was clearly an infection based cause behind this episode of delirium, she stood questioning herself... Was it the unknown infection going around? Was it a Klingon thing? Was it something else completely?

Sarah looked at one of the other Medical Officers that stood there, motionless just as confused and unsure as Sarah, "Walter! No time to waste mate, let's get some IV Anti-biotics started cross match that with 1litre of Saline and oxygenation! Stat!" she barked, calmly but assertively.

Sarah couldn't do anything but wait at this point, for the blood tests to come back, she stood for a moment, due to the Ky'La's delirium, was it safer to sedate her? She decided that it would be. "Set me up a hypospray of anesthezine, immediately," she asked, openly and was met promptly by being handed the hypospray. She leaned over, and pressed against the neck of Ky'La and sedating her. "We'll get you fixed up shortly."

Sarah sat, now with three patients presenting with the same symptoms, wondering what was causing this... She would have to wait until she had Ky'La's symptoms under control to bring her back around, she had a good idea but would have to wait until she'd spoken with Ky'La first...

Sarah returned after a short break trying to figure out what was going on, during which she was met by a new medical officer. The new medical officer accompanied Sarah.

“I think we can wake her now we should have her symptoms under control” said Sarah, “I had to put her under as she was delirious and not making any sense at all.”. Sarah looked to Elyse, and offered her the hypospray, “All yours, if you wish?”.

With a slight shrug and a nod, Elyse accepted the hypo. She started to load the dose before glancing back at Sarah. "Given the presentation of the patient I would suggest titrating the dose so she wakes slower rather than bringing her out quickly. It might be less of a shock on her body, especially if her body is already fighting."

Sarah nodded, as she smiled. "Good idea, well take it away" confirmed Sarah as she began tapping away the PADD adding the treatment to the medical log. "We need to question her where she's been. The other two children have been hanging around with the refugees a lot recently according to their parents, but I'm unsure of Ky'La's recent history." Sarah stopped for a second as she watched the administration of the hypospray

Holding the hypospray in one hand, Elyse closed her eyes momentarily, her fingers flicking almost as if she were counting. Finally, she dialed the dose back and administered the first dose.

"So tell me, what else would you recommend?" Sarah asked "We've got antibiotics running, fluids and currently running blood work and we're awaiting the results for her genetic make up, my brain is fried with this... maybe a new set of eyes could suggest something?" Sarah asked, curiously.

"Where do the parents of the two kids work?" Elyse asked as she dialed the dose up slightly on the hypospray, administering it. "Other than that, have we isolated the actual bacterial or viral cells themselves and work out what they are on a base level. We have a universe of samples we can compare against and it might give us a better idea on where to start fighting it."

"We have Astrid with her mum Tori in Science and Kinsley, whos' dad who works in Engineering... Not exactly your most interactive parents, hence my thoughts it's got to be the kids... Until Ky'La turned up... There are bacterial traces but I don't know where it's being produced, the only other significant identification in both the children there was a slight 'mark' on the DNA Strands, almost like an alteration just barely visible, which would explain why it's so harsh in attacking the immune system. Every patient so far has presented with meningococcal septicaemia related symptoms, and bloods come back as positive for this however standard antibiotic treatment isn't working." Sarah spouted, as if desperate to get the information out in one breath. "I think that's about all so far... I've still got to let Captain Bleetman know of Ky'La's arrival, as this makes the third similar case we need to be careful."

"You said one of the parents worked in Engineering?" Elyse asked curiously, looking back at Sarah as she picked up the patient information PaDD she had been handed earlier. "Ky'la is head of department in Engineering, that could be the link there."

Pausing momentarily as she dialed up the new dose on the hypospray, she administered it to Ky'la before looking back at Sarah. "I would suggest a new series of bloods from each patient. Put them under the scope to isolate the cause of the illness and then run it from there. We need to confirm first that all three definitely have the same condition."

As if summoned by Elyse's very words, Walter, the nurse had re-entered the room with a PADD in hand, offering it to Sarah. Sarah graciously accepted, asking what it was. "It's the most recent blood works for Ky'La, ma'am." he simply replied, standing to attention.

Sarah looked to the PaDD, examined the results and then offered the PaDD to Elyse. "It's definitely the same, latest bloods from Ky'La show the exact same results. It's the same increased white blood cells, same meningococcal bacteria, same infection and same strange alteration to the DNA Sequencing." Sarah paced the room for a few minutes as she used her left hand to rub her chin... "I have no idea what's causing this"

Elyse sighed. Clearly at this point Sarah was over tired and over thinking the whole matter. Turning to face the nurse, she smiled quickly. "Can you bring me blood tubes please? I want EDTA's, K2's, and SST's. I want five of each please? And I want five clean sterilised hypsosprays."

The nurse, Walter, glanced at Sarah before nodding quickly and disappeared to the supply room to get the requested items.

Adjusting the hypospray yet again, Elyse glanced at Sarah. "This is going to be the last dose. She should be effectively waking up after this dose."

Sarah scrunched her eyes, rubbing them vigorously. "I'm sorry, I'm very very tired, this has been bashing my brain for days now, thank you... you're a life saver..." she smirked appreciatively.

With a nod, Elyse took the vials and the hypoprays from the nurse as he returned, motioning for him to follow her. "I'll start collecting samples from the children first," she stated quietly as she moved away, leaving Sarah to deal with Ky'La.

"Ky'La, can you hear me?" Sarah asked. "What's the last thing you remember?".

Groaning softly, "Agh!!, Ohhh, fek'lar, I......ugh!!!! My head hurts.......", Ky'La said. Slowly opening her eyes, "Where the hell......ohhhh, why am I so thirsty....", saying and struggling to sit up. "So dizzy........remember? Passing out in the infirmary", she said.

"Ky'La, take it easy! You've just been awoken from an induced coma..." Sarah sighed at Ky'La's ignorance to her illness. "You've got quite the nasty infection that we're working on... I'm afraid I've got a barrage of questions for you, if that's ok?" Sarah questioned.

"Infection? Fek'lar! From what, where....oh god no....", she sighed.

Sarah began her questioning, giving pauses in between for Ky'La to answer...

"When did you start to feel ill?"

"A few days ago. After I finished my shift in engineering.

"What have you done the last few days? Where have you been?"

"Been repairing replicators and power taps in Shanty Town. Place is a mess there", De'Lenn stated.

"Have you had any contact with Tori or Mark from Engineering or their children?"

"No, but I have had contact with several kids in Shanty Town. We were playing a game after I finished the repairs there. That was close to a week ago. Could I get some water please", Ky'La asked.

Sarah paused for a while, acknowledging Ky'La's request and getting a nurse to comply with it, she began taking in the information she had just received. She began typing the information into the PaDD as she tapped on her Comms. badge.

"Commander Jordan to Captain Bleetman", Sarah paused awaiting the acknowledgement.

“Bleetman here.” Answered Amanda.

"Can you meet me in the Medical Centre, please? I've got something to show you?" replied Sarah.

“On my way.” She Said, shutting off the comm and walking out of her office.

=^= End of Log =^=

Captain Amanda Bleetman
Executive Officer
Starbase Versailles

Lt. Cmdr Sarah Jordan
Chief Medical Officer
Starbase Versailles

Lt. Cmdr. Ky'La De'Lenn
Chief Engineering Officer
Starbase Versailles

 

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