2022-12-27: Medical Intervention
- Log: 2022-12-27: Medical Intervention
- Cast: Seolla Schweizer, Sayla Mass, Renais Cardiff
- Where: North Tsutsujidai Family Clinic, Tsutsujidai
- OOC - IC Date: 27 December 0096
- Summary: Seolla seeks resupply at a local clinic. Sayla and Renais try to provide help instead.
<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
All Seolla has to do is not think about it too hard - and thankfully, for once, that is an easy prospect. The van provided by the search party rumbles along the streets of Tsutsujidai carefully - potholes and rubble are one of the most plentiful things here, after all - and all the while, Seolla's splayed out along a bench in the rear, time passing by painfully slowly yet dizzyingly quickly at the same time.
A lot hurts. There's a throbbing headache - her veins feel like they're made of ice. And yet - her instinct is to fume, to lash out, to reach for something with all her ferocity, to go, to fly, to dive, to pull a trigger and watch a crater be gouged in the world exactly where she wanted it to be. To prevail, to exceed, to claw her way atop everything on her own power.
...And the push to do all that is just utterly drained. Reaching upwards to pull herself and glance out the window is even a nonstarter at the moment. Though...
Liam did hand her a small lemon-flavored muffin before Seolla went. Carefully, she unwraps the outer paper, peeling away the cup - and taking a big, slightly messy bite from it. It takes a while to swallow - letting the sweetness linger on her tongue a bit. Working up the willpower to actually gulp.
It helps. Looking upward, instead of off into space.
By the time she's dropped off at the small clinic, Seolla can at least walk on her own - she'd refuse any assistance doing that much, but her gait is slow, shuffly, all the same. The door pushes open, and a low, breathy "Hello...?" spills from Seolla's lips. "...I'm...here because...someone can...resupply me..."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
The clinic is not occupied by it's usual staff- it was evacuated during the attack by Nanashi B. Nonetheless, it is staffed. She requested some supplies from the hospital and some from and she has some limited experience here. She'll have to hope it's enough.
She steps out of the room she's prepped upon hearing the voice. Concern flavours her face, but she's trying to keep her 'GP' face on. She's wearing a business shirt and slacks and is in the rare position of not wearing her sidearm.
She doesn't have to worry about that today. "I'm Dr Mass. I'll do what I can to help." She indicates to the room behind her. "I'll have some people with me, but I'll be seeing to your symptoms to myself. Would you please follow me?"
The room is... a typical doctors office. There's a sealed bottle of water waiting for Seolla, on a small table next to the bed. Sayla suspects Seolla will need to lie down. "We need to do standard checks first- I can't check your records under the circumstances. An incorrect dosage would greatly inhibit you, and we don't have supplies to spare."
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais Cardiff is stood off to one side as Seolla enters, ready to help receive her--but she's not quite prepared for how rough the girl looks. An expression of mild alarm crosses her face, and she bolts, metal actuators in her legs pistoning audibly in two rapid steps as she crosses the room and snatches a folded wheelchair.
She does fumble a bit as she unfolds it, but quickly enough it's ready to go. "Here. Sit," she says simply--a command, not a suggestion. Nobody's collapsing on Renais' watch.
She's dressed casually, today; a black pleated skirt and pink tee beneath a purple hoodie. Provided Seolla acquiesces to the instruction, Renais wheels her into the exam room; if she insists otherwise, Renais simply supports her on the way in.
"I'm Renais," she introduces herself, her tone softer now, more personable. She even smiles, subtle but warm.
<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
There's a bit of a rise in Seolla at the offered wheelchair. A vibration from heel to sternum, fingers curling tight together. A familiar sight of failure. She wants to refuse, to march onward, somewhere of her own accord. She can't accept a signal of weakness like that.
The command comes to sit, and sit Seolla does. That's all it winds up taking to utterly switch her defiance, sagging in exhaustion and grasping the bottle of water - gulping it down fiercely enough to leave a stream rolling down her chin.
She didn't even realize how ragged she looked - the tank top she's been wearing the past few days is only just drying off from being out in the rain, covered in dirt, and there's a gouge in her left pant leg from the ankle up along the calf. Seolla couldn't even say how it got this bad.
"...reporting in to standby, Bron-" Seolla stops herself on that line she's uttered countless times. "...it's Seolla. Seolla Schweizer...nnn. This is...going to be...an odd request. ...a notebook, and something to write with." She even offers it as...an exchange - handing the empty pill bottle she's been clutching so hard off to Sayla. It's divided in three sections, each with enough capacity for two doses a week. None of their labels are any good news to Sayla - one's a rather intense combat drug, similar to an amphetamine...another's an experimental over-dilution hormonal enhancement that amplifies muscle growth akin to steroidal effects, and the last is a somewhat tamer, but still far too potent anti-psychosis medication with manic-depressive side effects...all three of which would have pretty intense withdrawal effects on their own. Combined...? It probably says a lot about Seolla's constitution that she's still relatively able to talk and walk after a week without this.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla nods, reaching into the desk draw and pulling out a memo pad and a small pencil- harder to weaponize but still easy to write writh, handing it to Seolla. "Are you having trouble speaking? Just nod or shake your head." She takes the pill bottle and looks at it.
It takes all she can not to wince. To even make this she'd probably have to ask GGG- this isn't the sort of thing kept in hospitals- not that she remotely wants to return it to her. She will have to stall for time- and see what it's safe to give her. She gets the blood pressure cuff- and decides to do this the old fashioned way with a stethoscope. "How long since you ran out of supply?" She asks, working carefully.
She'd want more than that- height, weight, but... "And is this the only medication you're on? No diet supplements?" She thinks back to Ouka, lying in that bed. A long slow process- interrupted. Can she spare Seolla that?
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais spots the hesitation... and the capitulation thereafter. Her hackles are up at that point, though they're mere suspicions at first. As Seolla *speaks*, though, starting with that rote report, a very specific set of neurons activate in her brain.
Still suspicon, but stronger. Not directed at Seolla, per se, but at what she might be. immediately, Renais fears that Seolla is... well, like her. She's not quiet about that worry, either, mentally... it's all she can do not to say something, and the only thing stopping her is that she's not sure what she'd ask.
Instead, she remains quiet, looking to Sayla with clear concern written all over her face.
<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
It's a little tough for Seolla to answer that question decisively...she does nod, but she clarifies, voice somewhat low and ragged, "...it's not...dire or anything. I can still mostly...come up with what to say. It's just the energy to say it...it's been...mm, lost track of time. I had a week of supply coming here. Thought I'd be in and out in that time. So...I've been out as long as this place has been cut off, minus a week."
Thankfully, she shakes her head on top topic of dietary constraints. "...the food here is a little less than ideal, some of it can be kinda junk, but only that...I'll be fine there. ...this has happened before, on longer operations gone wrong. First time I've gotten to a doctor about it...usually just...suck it up until extraction."
Renais can probably spy what Seolla's writing down in the memo pad. Her hand is shaky, and her handwriting is suffering for it...but what's clear is that she keeps glancing to both Sayla and Renais' faces...and is sketching them with a surprising amount of accuracy for her current impaired state. Underneath each:
'Renais' - strong type of person. Forceful. Quiet. Slightly scary stare, protective.
'Dr. Mass' - very diligent. I think this is the one who helped my sister. I don't want her to worry as much. She looks too tired for that.
"...I'm not...in an emergency state or anything, so whoever's banging at the door so intensely, you can go to help them really quick," Seolla murmurs mid-drawing. There's nobody at the door, nor any noise like that.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla nods. So nearly two weeks. It's a wonder she's standing at all. "I see, that's... significant." She grimaces. "Blood pressure is 87 over 55... That's quite low. Have you felt dizziness, light headedness?" Sayla continues think. "I think it would be best for you to lie down, please let Renais help you on to the bed. Under the circumstances we need to address that first."
"Have you been to either of the relief centers? They're providing rationed food packages daily. Once were done we can aquire some for you. Maybe with some salt."
She pauses as she talks about the banging at the door. She can't hear anything, and Renais would, but... she doesn't want to upset Seolla now she's here.
"Renais, can you check the door, and see if there's another bottle of water for Miss Schweizer." She's pretty sure she'll be okay alone with her. For now at least.
"I can imagine going to a doctor isn't always an option, depending on where you are. But extraction isn't viable right now, so this is necessary." She takes a deep breath. "The way you are now, your body won't be able to metabolize your normal medication, and it will take a while to source it. Would you be willing to let me give you something to help you towards..." She pauses on the word. "A state where you'll be able to function a little better, and hurt a little less?"
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais helps Seolla onto the bed, and watches discreetly as the girl takes notes and sketches. She sets her shoulders as Seolla brings up a noise that isn't there, taking a moment to make absolutely sure before shaking her head to Sayla. Nothing.
The look turns to confusion, momentarily, as Sayla tells her to check the door, but nods after a moment. "Bien sur," she says, slipping out of the room. Renais does, in fact, check the door, one hand in the front of her jacket as she looks outside, sweeping the area with her eyes.
Nothing. For sure.
She latches the door again, quietly, and finds another bottle of water in the refrigerator. She sets it aside, and waits a few moments near the exam room door to give the pair some time alone.
<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
Thankfully, Seolla's distracted from the checkup on her momentary hallucination by the various lines of questioning, slowly laying on her side in the bed, finally closing her eyes restfully. She might fall asleep right then and there if left alone, but she has it in her to keep herself up just for the sake of the exam. An aimless-sounding 'thank you' at Renais - one less...huffy, and one more...unaccustomed to having to say that.
"Light-headed...it feels...heavy and light at the same time. Headache...throbbing, but it feels like a balloon too...I really wanted to...avoid things like the relief centers, any big...public gathering spots... Too many potential enemies. Almost everyone here turned out to have a problem with my objective..."
There's a dull-beating command not to take offers from the opposition. That they'll provide something poisonous. Judgment impairing. It cuts in incessantly. But it's so...muffled, where it's normally so sharp.
All the same, Seolla is fidgeting under the sheets, staring balefully at the vigiliant Renais. "...I'm not supposed to accept things like that. Something is telling me that you all are...dangerous...somewhere...nnn...ghhh! I...I'm not going to...hhh." The rise of intensity in her voice fades, tension brought on by a flaring headache, and she returns to a low, flat, almost monotonous, "I'll need a replacement to do anything..." The tactical part of her head is working overtime. Under the assumption that this might just be a trap - if she can endure these crippling withdrawals for two weeks, then it also stands to reason she can endure the side effects of something that could help, and compromise her, right? As long as she doesn't say as much - if they undersell her resistance, she might still have an upper hand.
Separate from that part of her head - finally given some time to breathe, under Sayla's half of the notebook, she jots down: 'trust her to help'.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais listens as Seolla speaks, while she gets the water and waits by the door. Sayla can feel it, easily, that wary tension growing into a deep anxiety in the pit of the cyborg's stomach.
A tasteful couple of moments later, she opens the door, and holds out the water to Seolla, held out in her gloved hand. The ring's still sealed. "Here... don't worry, it's safe," she reassures, taking a seat for herself.
"I apologize. My bedside manner isn't exactly as good as Dr. Mass'," she explains. "... Not exactly used to dealing with other people. I haven't had the kindest life." The girl chuckles softly, though there's not much mirth in it.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"You're going through withdrawals. Those are going to only get worse if I don't do something." She pauses. Had a problem with her objective. Sayla does too, but at this point, she knows the objective isn't Seolla's choice. "I could set this place up as a drop point for you. People don't really come out here, and you're going to need supplies beyond the medication." She thinks, how to frame it. "Treat this place as neutral ground, perhaps."
Renais comes in, and Sayla nods. As she thought then. Letting Renais speak, she slowly, openly moves to open the drawer. She takes out some over the counter moderate strength painkillers, still in the packaging, and a medicine vial with a syringe. She holds up the painkillers first. "These are standard medications, and you can take two every six hours. That will take the edge off the headaches in the short time."
She picks up the vial next. "And this will help manage the withdrawal symptoms while I look into acquiring the rest of your medication. Ideally I'd like to run bloods, but the hospital pathology department is under heavy load and test results are slow, so we have to be careful about your dosage." She pops two of the painkillers into a paper cup, in clear view of Seolla, and puts them next to the water.
I understand that you're cautious, I would be too. And I know you've probably got procedures you need to follow, but this is a situation without SOP. I won't do anything you don't agree to." She picks up the vial again. "Do you want me to administer a dose? I can provide one every 24 hours at most, and you'll need to rest after the first one- you're pushing yourself and you need recovery time. You may also experience nausea, lethargy and reduced appetite for the first 48 hours." She takes a deep breath. "It's your decision, and the circumstances are less than ideal, but I'd like to help you if at all possible."
<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
Why do the fight or flight urges kick up in times like these?
want always comes with fear
Why does being surrounded by those who care feel so tense?
surrounded by others with pain in their hands
Why does she just want to run away?
it is safe to run away here
please, for me, for once.
not what you 'should' do for them
i'll forgive if 'you' can't be selfish, just like always
but please. just one time, now that 'you' can hear.
the thing you feel is desperation.
With a little more energy than expected, Seolla grips the second water bottle from Renais, struggling just a bit to unscrew it - before sipping it carefully, her hold slightly squeezing and deforming the plastic. Once that swallow is safe (permitted) - Seolla fills her mouth up with water once more, dropping a single painkiller in afterwards to try again - and it is safe once more...so the second is downed shortly.
"...I agree..." she says, as clearly as she can muster, as though the thought of having to repeat herself is too much to risk being misheard. "...it's clear I really can't...be in a rush on this. If I can stay here for a while, and get some sleep...it'd be helpful. Don't...feel the need to get me too much, though."
"I'm not relying on you or anything...it's just a temporary arrangement, got it...?"
She tries to muster a bit of a pout there, but it falters after a slight cough, before Seolla grits herself through it and presents her arm out to Sayla. Shockingly strong and sturdy for her age - as predicted.
"...you're better than most I've had at my bed," Seolla murmurs at Renais, staring at her directly perhaps to avoid looking at the impending injection - she's used to them...but they've often been difficult experiences. "...at least you admit it! If I had to deal with that sorry-looking bastard acting like he's somehow the worse off one for all this, I'd probably go totally unhinged right about now...!"
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla nods, and fills the syringe- again so Seolla can see anything. She moves towards her upper arm, and finds a suitable spot. "Of course. You can use this room as you like while you're here. I'm injecting now." She pushes the needle in, and administers the dost. It has a sting, but no more than a flu shot, before emptying the syringe and placing it in the sharps container. She'll take that with her.
"Understood. It's no issue to bring some food with tomorrow's dose, however." She pauses. "Some clothes, too, if you want them." She pauses. "Yes, of course. Only as long as you can use it, right?" Sayla's phrasing is delicate, buther voice is sincere.
"I don't know, I think you're picking it up." She gives a gentle, supportive smile to Renais. She takes a step back. "One moment, I need to get something from our vehicle." She nods to Renais- this is her turn to give the two some alone time. And she knows Renais will be okay. "Just keep an eye on her in case there's any troubles. Shout and I'll be here."
She steps out, and when she comes back, she's got an extra blanket, a 12 pack of water bottles, and everyone's friend, some CalorieMark. A passable substitute for a meal under the circumstances, and maybe okay for someone running on fumes. (It's fruit.)
And then she waits outside the door for an appropriate moment.
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
Renais smirks. "Sounds like the sort of man I'd like to punch." As Sayla moves to stick Seolla, she takes a few moments to roll her right sleeve up, then roll the long glove down to her wrist, baring the gold-colored cybernetic that makes up most of her forearm, with a green gem inset into the wrist. There's a fair bit of visible scar tissue where metal meets flesh. the temperature nearby rises noticeably--a bit like there's a space heater nearby. She balls the fingers into a fist. "And I have a hell of a right hook."
She pulls the glove back, one eyebrow lifted, grinning with a bit of pride as she tugs her sleeve back down. She glances at Sayla. "Yes, well, taking a crash course like this means I might rub a few people the wrong way." There's another little grin paid the older woman's way on her way out of the room.
Once they're left alone, Renais turns back to Seolla. "...I'm guessing you've struggled a lot. And I might be off, but... I like to think I know the sort of things I went through when I see them on others. You're not alone."
<Pose Tracker> Seolla Schweizer has posed.
A light wince at the shot. Not at the pain itself, but as the deep association with what she'd rather forget - what she's forgotten that she'd rather she didn't. ...It definitely takes a little while for the effects to kick in for Seolla, and she lays out on her back with a long breath, shifting her eyes from window to window. "...I could use...a lot more than I realize," Seolla concedes, and elects to make herself comfortable instead of ready to leap out of bed. Slowly coccooning herself in the blankets with only her head peeking out - tank top quickly retrieved from within and tossed aside.
Her eyes settle on Renais' hand, eyes getting a little bit sparkly. "...You don't say-! That's pretty impressive stuff...nnnh, the one I'm talking about...really good at weaseling just short of feeling like throwing a punch is the right thing to do...sometimes I get close...! . . . nn, but it sounds like..." That sentiment does make Seolla's head turtle into the sheets a little bit, hiding the worrying of her lips. The way she grimaces and feels the dam cracking...
"...you really...have to be careful about saying something like that...it's safer if I just handle certain things myself, after all-!" A harder nut to crack than expected...
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla steps in once the two are finished speaking, placing the blanket on a chair next to the bed, and the CalorieMark bars on the table. "There's water in the staff room fridge, and a bathroom with a sink down to the left. She also puts something else down- the keys of the office.
"I have a set as well." Or a good enough lockpick. But you can secure the place. I'll be here at 3PM with your next dose, I'd ask that you leave a note on the desk if you go out, and if I should wait or come back later. I'll do what I can about the rest."
She can see Seolla starting to get comfortable, starting to relax. A little. Just a little. She's cocooning. "There's also a flare under the main desk, should it become necessary. I doubt you'll need it."
She pauses, though, considering their options for advice. "Maybe. But the safest option isn't always the best one. Otherwise... I think you wouldn't have come here." She pauses. "But right now, I'm glad you came." She looks to Renais. "I have to get back to the Foundation office." She speaks so quiet as to be inaudible to anyone other then Renais- something she's still working out the limit of. But the message is simple:
"It's fine if you stay. I'll meet up with Calibur."
<Pose Tracker> Renais Cardiff has posed.
"Well, I tend to stand on the wrong side of that line," Renais winks in return, frowning just a little to Seolla's protest. She listens, as Sayla explains the situation. "She's right, you know," she adds, nudging her head indicatively toward Sayla. "A 'safe' option can leave you spinning in place... sometimes, taking a risk is the only way to move forward."
She's quiet for a moment... listening to those quiet words. She doesn't respond to them, but she looks up after a bit. "I'll catch up with you later, I think," she says to Sayla, adding, "But if I see your office light on after midnight, I'm coming up there and putting you to bed myself." She grins.
Looking back to Seolla, her smile turns a little somber. "Well. I understand the reluctance. But if you'd like to talk with someone... I can relate better than most, I think."
Renais produces a book from her hoodie, a volume on the 'layer theory of reality', with a bookmark and a pen clipped to the cover. "Do you mind if I stick around for a little while?" she asks.
If so allowed, she stays in the room with Seolla, making conversation as desired, but otherwise, simply reading quietly, taking margin notes as she goes.
She's even got a couple of other more entertaining books stashed in there, if Seolla wants.