| A Healer's Touch |
| Summary: | Callie comes to Sickbay, looking to see if anything can be done for her injured hand. Cameron, much to Circe's bemusement, decides to treat her with traditional healer medicine, rather than modern science. |
| Date: | 21 Feb 2042 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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| Sickbay - Deck 10 - Battlestar Cerberus |
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| Being able to accommodate combat casualties requires room, and the Sickbay has it. Beds line each side of the room with privacy curtains strung up and readily available. Large vaulted lockers hold access to the supplies at the far end of the area. Nearer the front, a Petty Officer sits ready to dispense simple items like ibuprofen and aspirin. Further to the rear is an area prepped twenty-four hours a day for emergency surgery. To the side are a set of double doors that lead to the Recovery Ward where patients can recuperate. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #360 |
The hour of the medbay is one that is rather late or verging on it. Dressed in her sweats, Circe is not on duty and leaves most of the work to the staff that has been given duty assignments. Instead she sits at one of the tables and leans over the bright light to read her medical book. One of the many texts she had been recommended by Cameron.
Her finger trails down over the page and she makes some notes on a notebook next to her. Idly she chews on the end of the pen, leaving teeth marks as one foot lifts to perch at the edge of her seat, leg brushing against bruised shoulder. The crewman sighs, rubbing at her face and then resting her head on her hand.
Cameron is sort of nominally on duty tonight - more like the doctor in charge of making sure that everything is running smoothly and there just in case an emergency crops up. As such, he's spent most of the night locked away in one of the labs, studying tissue samples and running endless varieties of tests. Emerging from the lab, he carefully closes and locks the door before pausing beside one of the bunks where Elpis is fast asleep. Crouching down next to the child, he gently runs a hand over her hair, just watching her breath in and out for awhile before stretching and yawning and heading toward the coffee. Out of the corner of his eye he catches sight of Circe sitting a studying, a hand rising up and waving absently as he struggles to stifle yet another yawn.
One of the civilian contractors enters the med ward, Callie looking a bit apprehensive and nervous and as if being here is causing her actual physical pain with how pensive she seems. "Uhm…" Clearing her throat, the engineer-in-training peers about before stepping up to where the nurses' station seems to be. "I know it's kind of late but I was busy all day and couldn't get away till now and I'd like to talk about getting a physical done and all that." There are medical facilities on the Elpis, which is where the civilians are supposed to go for check-ups, which might hint to how she has something else she needs to talk about but isn't bringing up just yet.
The movement as Cameron passes draws her attention, the crewman lifts her head and smiles softly. A nod of her head is given and her fingers trail the air in greeting. But another voice, inquiring in question draws her attention. Circe looks over to the new arrival and tilts her head a bit. She rises, letting her foot slide to the floor so she can stand. The pen is set aside and she steps closer to Callie. "Hey." She says and nods to the Nurse. "I can handle this.." She offers and smiles at the deck hand. "Physical, at this hour?" She ask curiously, "Most people don't come willingly either." She then starts for the record counter. "Your name miss?"
Turning his head from where he is pouring himself a cup of coffee, Cameron studies the newly arrived person with quiet curiosity, but between the desk nurse and Circe's extra-curricular eagerness, she seems well in hand. Adding a little milk and sugar, he heads over to the desk, blowing across the hot surface before sipping it. Her badge is like his - a civilian contractor, which causes Cam to arch and brow and note, "Her records are most likely all over on the Elpis…" his attention then shifting to Callie as he asks, "Any reason why you wanted to come here for your physical rather than have it done there? I realize their equipment and facilities are not as extensive, but I assure you they can handle the basics of a physical." As part of his agreement in becoming an contractor, Cameron spends two days out of each week working over on the Elpis with the civilian population, so he should know.
"It is Callidora Doukas, miss," Callie answers Circe first but her explanation is halted before she can even get it started when she's addressed by the doctor. "I was wanting to discuss this," she starts off with while motioning with her left hand, trying to indicate the damaged appendage while trying not to call to much attention to it, that done habitually. "I guess… I just want to talk to someone about it, see what my options are." Squinting, she looks at Cameron and finally recognizes him but doesn't say anything to how she does, not exactly one for small talk at the moment.
The records file is closed slowly as Cameron speaks up and Circe turns to regard the woman again. Or course. She rubs her face and sighs. It's late. "Of course, right you are." She finally says and then looks to the hand she indicates. The EMT allows Cameron to approach first but she is not far behind, one arm lifting to rub at her opposite upper arm.
She moves to take up a clipboard and some new forms as well seeing as the Cerberus didn't have information - it is about time it did.
"Well, seeing as how she's a contractor, she should have a file here as well. Go ahead and start her one if she doesn't have one already…" Turning back to Callie, Cameron offers the woman in question a smile and offers, "Hi there. I'm Dr. Adair. But you can call me Cameron if you like." Putting down his cup of coffee, he reaches out for her left hand and asks politely, "May I?" before taking it and pulling the damaged limb toward him. Fingers lightly trace over the severe scarring of the hand, turning it over and then back again as he notes, "The damage is fairly old, so you're going to be somewhat limited in what we can accomplish. What is your main concern? Is it the scar tissue? Pain? Are you suffering from any nerve damage, numbness or loss of control?"
Callie looks at Circe and smiles, it lingering when Cameron introduces himself. "Seen you on the other ship. Nice meeting you." As his questions begin again she looks at her hand, it getting a scowl as if it is somehow offending her just be existing. "Range of motion and slight nerve damage is what the primary issues seem to be. Makes it hard to do my job when I need both hands to get proper torque with a wrench." Waving her other hand dismissively, she smiles warmly to them both. "If nothing can be done then it's okay. I just want to make sure before dismissing the whole thing as a lost cause, you know?"
"Of course." Circe says and takes the new clipboard over to the filing to make sure that Callie does not have a file on hand. It seems she does not, not one at least at this office. With that determined, the crewman takes a step back and turns, starting to fill out the information. "We will have to get weight, height and other measurements." She advises Cameron and then returns that warm smile to Callie. Her own lingers as she moves to fill out the specific information that she can without bothering the two for right now.
"Range of motion I think we can improve," Cameron muses as he uses his own hands to gently test and stretch Callie's rumbling softly, "Just try to relax and let me manipulate your hand…" He carefully pulls and presses, studying how the muscles beneath the scarred skin move before nodding. "I could do some surgery, but I think in the end that would take a long time to heal and not really improve your condition greatly. But if you're interested in some alternative forms of medication, I think I can help you make this far more capable." Turning to study Circe, Cameron points out, "You're not on duty, you know. You don't have to do this…" But he's not telling her she can't either. Just reminding the EMT. "Circe, or one of the nurses, can get your basic info and do your exam. We can copy the data over to the Elpis then." His head cocks thoughtfully as he adds, "I'd like to run a few tests on your hand, take an x-ray of it as well."
The scar tissue extends several inches above the wrist, thickly knotted in some areas while being almost invisible in other places. There's no sign of pain from the patient who takes it all in stride. "That's understandable, Doc. I wasn't looking for miracles, really. If those were going to happen then we would have never been attacked in the first place, right?" Chuckling, she nods quickly, that being to his offer of an alternative way of helping. "I'd love to give it a try." Scooting a bit closer to the woman, she looks at Circe again, this time sizing her up as if seeing her fully for the first time. "I do appreciate this. I know this isn't conventional by any means of the word but I… trust you guys."
Cameron gets a look from Circe, "I am here to learn, Doctor." She says, her smile remaining yet. "I am glad to help. I would rather see what I can do for Callie here than just sit and read my book." With that said, the woman moves closer to her and she smiles all the more. "Oh dear.." She starts in regards to the woman and a shake of her head is given, "Nothing is conventional now-a-days. I am sure the Doctor will do his best for you. I trust him." She nods in his direction before motioning to the records. "Just need to know approximate height and weight, then we just go down the list according to any illness, sicknesses, that you have had. Any known health problems, I am sure you get the drill." says the crewman.
One brow lifts as Cameron softly chuckles and notes, "Well, we are physicians. We swear an oath to do no harm, so trusting us should come easy, no? I'll be right back. Circe, why don't you get Callie settled in one of the exam rooms and then you can take her height and weight, blood pressure and all that. Take a blood sample as well for basic testing. All the usual. I'll be back by the time you're finished with that."
"Of course." she says and then turning to Callie, she gives her a nod. "This way please.." She leads the woman then towards one of the rooms and holds the door. "Please, inside. Everything we need is right here." She says and once the tech has entered, the door slides shut on its own. The crewman moves over to check and reset the scale and motions for her to stand on it.
The appropriate information is given by Callie without having to be asked for it. No known drug allergies, no underlying medical conditions, not currently on anything, recreational or otherwise. When asked to step on the scale she does so as well, swift to comply with Circe's orders. "I am not fond of doctors usually," she confesses in a whisper. "But it's nice to know we have people who care."
"Neither do I.." she says softly back. "Just don't tell Doctor Adair." She says with a faint smirk and wink. "That is what we are here for though." She says and waits for the scale to even out before writing down the number. "Please just stand near this.." She motions to the measuring tape on the wall as she is scrawling down the information. Circe then jots down her height in centimeters and then steps back. "Take a seat on the cot, I am going to prep the needle for the blood test."
She sets down the clipboard and moves to the drawer, breaking open the packaging of the needle and twisting the plunger of the syringe a bit. She depresses it all the way to make sure the air is all out and the moves to her good arm, motioning for her to turn it.
Returning with a few items, Cameron casts a curious glance at Callie, asking mildly, "Bad experience with doctors in the past?" Sadly it's not all that uncommon, really. So many go into the field for the money, or get burnt out and lose their empathy. "Okay, I'm going to have you do a number of different little exercises so I can see what your current abilities are. First, I want you to touch each of your fingertips to your thumb, like this," and demonstrating, Cameron easily touches the tip of each finger to the tip of his thumb, starting with his pinkie and ending with his pointer finger. After she's done her best to do the same, he gives her a soft ball and says, "I want you first to squeeze this several times, as quickly as you can and as hard as you can. Afterward, I want you to squeeze it for as hard as you can and as long as you can. Alright?"
Sitting down, Callie offers her right arm to Circe just in time for Cameron to join them, the fact that he heard her getting her to blush something awful. "Not really. Just kind of never developed a fondness for the few that I did see. Nothing bad. Just never had a chance to build a rapport with any of them." With having tests to do she falls quiet, Callie's attention solely on what she's supposed to do. She has an easier time of touching the tip of her index and middle fingers to her thumb but the last two fingers just do not want to move well at all, barely moving a few centimeters before freezing. The squeezing of the ball is much more difficult, however, her hand lacking a lot of the strength she used to have in it.
Snapping her finger against Callie's arm, the vein puffs a little and she sticks the poor woman. Its a gliding motion and practiced by the EMT rather regularly lately. She draws syringe full of blood and dabs antiseptic from a cotton ball as she removes the needle slowly. She presses the cotton there as the exercises begin. Reaching over, she sets the full syringe down and takes up a band aid, covering the point of insertion.
She then twists the need end off the syringe and deposits it in the receptacle. Circe lowers her head and begins to take a few more notes on the clipboard before she moves the blood sample over and labels it.
Cameron watches all of her efforts quietly and thoughtfully before asking, "Is there any pain? Or, conversely, any areas of your hand or fingers that are numb?" As he asks, Cameron takes Callie's hand again, rubbing some oil onto it that has a gentle warming effect to it, a liniment of some sort that he begins to massage into her skin, working over the muscles slowly to stretch and massage them out as he listens to her answers. "I think I'm going to prescribe a number of physical therapy exercises for you to do every day to help strengthen your muscles and stretch them, some liniment that I want you to rub into your skin to help the scar tissue soften a little, and each week I want to see you for some massage therapy and some acupuncture. I might also prescribe some herbal teas which taste terrible, but are very effective…"
Callie watches Circe do her thing while being examined, her gaze breaking from her when she's asked more questions. "Those last two fingers are numb but I don't have any pain. That passed… oh. Maybe a couple weeks or so before I was rescued." Cameron's massage seems to help some already, or at least she think it does but whether it's actual fact or power of suggestion remains to be seen. "That sounds good to me. Thanks." She isn't fond of the idea of the tea but she'll suck it up and take it just like everything else, with a smile and a bit of courage. "Just promise me that you'll let me know if you guys start getting sick of me, okay," that a joke.
She tales up a bag and drops the syringe into it and then seals it. Another bit of information written on the bag with a marker and it its moved to settle and wait for anything further. The mention of liniment, massage, physical therapy and acupuncture get a look from Circe. At Callie's words, she smirks a little, "It's the pilots I get sick of…so needy." She winks at Callie and moves to bring the clipboard over, writing down everything Cameron has expressed to the woman. She lingers on the look over the liniment and teas on the file.
Chuckling softly, Cameron notes, "That would be highly unprofessional. Besides, I prefer being able to prescribe alternative medicine when possible. It's a refreshing change from the usual options you find in such settings." He doesn't seem to notice the look that Circe gives him with this non-standard treatments, or perhaps Cameron is just used to his colleagues looking at him in askance whenever he brings one of his holistic solutions up. His hands are lightly calloused, strong and warm, and even though he's only been working on Callie's hand and wrist for a short while, the muscles there already are starting to feel more relaxed and flexible than before. "We'll leave the acupuncture till next time I think," he says, releasing her hand and wiping his off on a towel. "In the meanwhile I want you to take this ball and whenever you're just sitting around, not doing anything terribly important, I want you to squeeze it. When you can do it for long periods with ease, then we'll move you up to a slightly harder ball, and so on. That way we'll start building up the muscles in your hand without causing them to get pinched or tense. I also want you to do some stretching exercises - just till you can feel the stretch, not to the point where it hurts, alright?" Taking up Callie's hand once more, Cameron shows her how to stretch her hand herself, then has her show him so he can see that she's doing the stretches correctly.
"Ah, professional or not, I would understand," Callie says while going through the motions, stretching her hand in a way that is a close approximation to how Cameron does it when he demonstrates for her. "Thanks again, Doc. And hey, I've taken up enough of your time. If there are any unanswered questions or more tests are needed I can be found on the Elpis or in engineering here when I'm working." The ball is held as well as she can and she starts to squeeze it, the gesture comforting if not exactly effective at the moment. "I'll be by to get that stuff from you later, Cameron." Slipping off of the exam bed, Callie tosses them a wave. "Stay safe please," a gentle request.
With all the information jotted down and Callie making her exit, Circe smiles after her and then moves to grab the blood sample for the doctor. The medic gets things in order and then hugs it to her chest as she then waits till the woman leaves to clear her throat. "Doctor.." She starts in question. "I don't think I familiar with the applications of liniments and acupuncture…or this tea you were prescribing." She is willing to learn anything but the look she gives him is one of curiosity.
"No, of course you wouldn't have," Cameron returns casually as he sits back in his chair and pulls out a pad to make a few notes upon. "It's not something that it generally taught to medics and isn't considered 'proper' medicine by most doctors. However, there are traditions, medicines, and poultices that have been made for generations upon generations before 'science' was even a twinkle in the human eye. They have fallen by the wayside over the centuries, but most of them work as well now as they did then, and some of them are even better than what so called 'modern' medicine has to offer." Casting a glance over his shoulder at Circe, Cameron explains, "I have the benefit of having been raised with the best of both worlds. My father was a doctor of medicine and my mother was a healer. Each have something different to offer than the other. Where one fails, often the other can succeed."
Looking somewhat skeptical, Circe does not outwardly dismiss the facts he offers in his experience. "Alright, so if this is the case why have they not re-emerged or someone spoke up. For fact - why haven’t you? A book..something? Though.." She says with a faint ironic look. "Not like that would make a bit of a difference now."
Stepping forward, she moves about the chair and sets down the clipboard with information on the woman for him. "I said I was willing to learn. That means everything." She intones seriously.
"Just because you haven't been told of these practices doesn't mean that they didn't exist or don't have a strong following. It depends on where you come from, who you talk to. On some planets, traditional medicine is all that they have." Rising up, Cameron puts away the tools he used to assess Callie's injury, opening and closing cabinets with a easy sort of efficiency and grace. "I had my own path to follow, which didn't involve writing a book about traditional healing methods. In fact, I had all but given up on it after I left Aerilon for University on Caprica. That sort of the thing definitely wasn't considered 'real' medicine there, and if I, an Aerilonian, was going to get through the system there, I was going to have to keep my nose clean and do my doctoring 'straight'." His eyes are focused on the working of his hands as he reveals, "It wasn't until years later that I realized that I had thrown everything that I had meant to be and do aside because of what I learned on Caprica. Returning to my roots, I was reminded of them. To honor the memory of both of my parents, I strive to keep both of their talents alive." Glancing over his shoulder he notes, "Besides, for what ails Circe, massage, acupuncture, and traditional medicine is generally far more effective."
She listens, holding on to the clipboard still as he explains. The medallion of Asclepius turns at her neck, mixed with her dogtags. "Forgive me for questioning your methods, it is just not often I am able to take the time to observe such practices in the field. I have not had the same training, and as much as I wish I had invested more time into the studies, that would have left me planetside for the attacks. So.." She says, dipping her head with a nod and outward seriousness. "I believe I am here now for a reason. Despite losing your way, you have found it again - resurrecting practices long since passed. It seems that many old beliefs are returning in various ways. For the good, too." Circe says and takes a step forward towards him, looking quite determined as she offers once again the clipboard to him, her chin lifting a little. "I want to learn from you. Everything." She intones. "Times are changing doctor…faith drives us now in varying degrees. I am investing my faith in people around me, including you. I trust you, so let it be known I won't question anything you teach me." She says evenly. "You said that I should be willing to work hard." She nods to confirm this.
Taking the clipboard from her, Cameron smiles wryly, his eyes reflecting the same aging affect that everyone has experienced since Warday. "No, Circe. You should question everything, even from sources that you trust. Everyone has to determine for themselves what is right, what is true, and what is good. Follow my lead, my instructions, if you wish, but don't ever just take what I say on faith and trust. Ask questions. Find your own answers. That is the hard work that lies ahead of you." Closing the cupboard, Cameron slips the clipboard under his arm and leaves the room, snapping off the light before adding his notes to the file in progress, heading toward the front desk once more.
She is silent, slipping out after him and moves about, stepping past him with her long legs to go about the desk and reach for her bag. Moving through her items in the bag she usually has, she draws out something that shifts and turns in the light - glinting. Setting the dangling item in a palm, Circe straightens and then closes her fingers around the item.
Moving back to the desk where Cameron is, she clears her throat. "Good advice, Doctor." She says. She extends her hand, "This is for Elpis. I had a few favors and had this made for her. She's officially a crewman."
Reaching out, Cameron accepts the bit of metal that she offers him, smiling before handing it back to her a noting, "She will be thrilled. But since you went to the effort to get it for her, you should be the one to give it to her." Pressing the item back into Circe's palm, Cameron notes, "If you want to learn more about alternative forms of medicine, as well as modern ones, I can again recommend some texts for you to check out. And if none of the them are available, well, then you can assist me in recording everything that I can remember so that it won't be utterly lost."
She draws the tags back to her and she nods her head. "I can check the library, but I am going to assume if anything there will be very little left. The military has less of a welcome to such beliefs than the medical field." She says and makes a look of uncertainty as she knows well how many nonbelievers there are amongst her fellows. Circe tucks the dog tags into her side pocket and looks towards Elpis' sleeping form. "I would like to help you though if you may be the last source. Everything should be remembered." She says gently and offers a warm smile. She still holds the blood sample in her other hand and she excuses herself, making to go drop it off with the lab.