Jan 25 00:28:31 107 PA - A Hospital update
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Wed Jan 25 00:28:31 107 PA.
The main entry and hallway of the Knights Hospital building is a simple and yet cheerful place. The doors are quite big and quite wide to permit the entry of oversized D-Bee visitors if they so wish to come. The opening area is big enough for two guards to sit on either side of the door, usually armed. Though they are the quintessance of curtious and polite and are actual Knights of Hippocrates Employees as opposed to the gang members that help with the outside patrols. They serve the double function of being receptionists as well and direct people to where they are supposed to be in the building. Sometimes they even function as emergency triage to help get a severly wounded person to the Clinic area. They are very well equipped and one is usually a magic user or psionic, and people who cause trouble are gently but firmly shown the door. Sometimes, other 'security' personnel can be seen walking the hallways to make sure the peace is kept. Despite being called a Hospital, a clinic is a better word. Off to the left is a big waiting room and the doctor's offices while off to the right are the adminsitrative offices. Straight ahead down a little hallway are the building's classrooms. Here and there are motivational posters but what makes the place really cheery are decorations made by some of the very young children that are taught in the classes.
The Hospital is understaffed and overworked under the best of circumstances, but with the disease raging at epidemic levels outside, panic has nearly reduced it to bedlam. There are three distinct areas set up throughout the building at large, the clinic having commandeered the classrooms and entranceway as overflow: Definite Contagion, Non Contagion, and Both. Outside the snow falls on a line of people who are waiting for room to clear up inside, a series of metal barrels spouting forth filthy black smoke in an attempt to keep them warm. Every so often a doctor can be seen running from area to area, ducking quickly out of the way of the impatient masses.
Joachim can be found running back and forth, separating out and tending to those who aren't yet sick as quickly as possible to get them out.
Erica was with the second wave of infected to come into the hospital. Despite her having a room initally she gave it up a while ago to those in greater need. She has become a lot sicker since she was visted before. She is hugging her knees to her chest on a gurney and has a sheet wrapped around her. Sucking on ice chips to try to keep herself hydrated while she trys hard not to cough too much. With little that can be done for Erica, she is just trying to keep going.
Vadania might not be the best of medics. Infact most wouldn't even put her on par with a doctor or even a nurse. Though she is offering cups of some sort of tea from over one of the cleaner burning barrels. If asked what it is she shrugs and answers, "Found some clover and lots of pine needles. It could help." Though there appears to be some sort of bark in there as well.
From behind his mask and rubber gloves, Joachim's appearance is almost more butcher than doctor, streaks of blood and who-knows-what covering his smock - though the gloves manage to be consistently sterilized. His eyes are bloodshot, eyelids nearly inhumanly dark as he mills from person to person. A series of stitches here, a quickly set bone there... Bouncing from one person to another, it's obvious that the staff is losing the battle, no matter how quickly they move. Disappearing for a moment into the back, he returns with a cart loaded with saline, pushing into the worse-off of the quarantined areas. Pulses are taken, bags are checked, replaced, until he works his way to Erica. "Hello there. Sorry about the crowd - we seem t'be celebrities 'round these parts, now. How're you feelin'?"
Not being one to frequent the Dregs often, Sage has steadfastly pushed herself in the search for the host. Often being in the same general area as one of the other's. While her searching has turned up sick, they haven't been new from what she can tell. Meaning the search needs to progress to another spot. She drops by the hospital for a visit at this point. "It feels like we're still grasping at straws." She comments to her search partner as she wanders in towards where she expects to find Erica.
Erica looks up and offers Joachim a weak smile as she shrugs her shoulders quickly. "I've been better I guess. Just trying not to get too dehydrated, but it is hard keeping anything down." Her smile becomes a little wider as she trys to force cheerfulness on her face. "How about you doctor? You doing ok? It has to be pretty hard keeping up with all this." She says as she gestures around to the crowd of sick people.
Vadania hmms softly as she gathers up several cups of her tea and starts intowards the hospital proper. She glances back over her shoulder. "The tea whould help the coughs a little. Enough so that you aren't loosing your food from it. Help yourselves." Her expression pensive as she worms her way inside to pass out a few more mugs, saving one for Erica at least. Maybe if folk are luck there might be two or threee left.
"We get rushes from time t'time, this isn't anythin' we can't handle," Joachim says to his patient, the optimism not-quite making its way into his voice. Turning to his cart, he steadies himself against it for a moment, eyes briefly closing before he picks up one of the fluid bags, "Now, so far's hydration goes, I'm not sure th'ice chips are goin' t'cut it for too much longer, an' I'm afraid I mightn't be back this way for a little bit. Would y'mind lettin' me put in an IV? I promise it'll just pinch fer a minute." The needle and tubing is already in his hands as he asks the question, grabbing a small alcohol-swab as he moves, waiting for the merest semblance of an affirmative.
Erica gnaws on her lower lip for a moment before nodding her head. She holds out her arm for the IV. "Alright. I don't think it can hurt worse then being so thirsty, and I have to keep around until they find the carrier for this nasty disease." She perks up at the sound of Sage's voice coming over her internal radio. "Excuse me." She offers to Joachim before returning Sage's radio call. "Yah they moved me again Sage. I'm in the hallway over by room 213 Sage."
Vadania spots Sage as she nears the spot where Erica was earlier as well. Offering a cup of tea to the other woman she sighs, "They moved her again. I was bringing her some tea to see if it would help calm the cough enough to not make her nauseaous."
The arm is grasped somewhat roughly as the surgical tubing doubles for a quick tourniquet on her upper arm, the swab coming down in a practiced arc across the exposed forearm. "Now, once it's all set up, I'm goin' t'need you t'make sure th'line stays untangled an' clear, an' make sure th'bag stays above your head," and up comes the needle, sliding in just as the tape comes across. "That should just about do that," Joachim says, untying the tubing as he gets the lines all connected. "That wasn't too bad, was it? Somebody'll probably be by t'check on you in a little bit, an' you might want to try'n bundle up a little, it might make you feel a little chilly." His eyes are already back on the cart, on the next patient. "Anythin' else I can do for you?"
Sage nods faintly to Vadania as she takes up the cup of tea. She's been seeing to her own needs when possible, but expends most of her efforts towards the hunt and related issues. "I'll take it to her." She comments simply as she moves along to find where the patient is resting. Once she finds the room and enters, she glances towards Joachim. "I might be able to take a couple people off your hands once they start the road to recovery... got a couple beds and a couch." She offers simply, trying to sound positive that things will get better. Then she takes the cup of tea towards Erica. "Vadania thinks this may help soon your symptoms a little... couldn't hurt."
Erica winces slightly as she feels that needle slide into her arm, but her expression quickly turns back to normal. She licks her dry lips quickly before looking up and offering Joachim another weak smile. "Thank you. Nah that wasn't bad at all. I'll see if I can get another blanket from one of the nurses, but I think they might be in short supply. I'll make due either way. She looks up at Sage as the other woman enters with Vadania, and her smile becomes stronger as she sees them. "Hi there. I'm glad to see you both. How is the hunting going?" She asks as she reaches out for the cup of tea.
Outside Tirzah waits as Sage goes to check in with the others. Silently cursing herself before a sneeze over takes her to slam her helmeted head into the wall. She's still having trouble coming to grips with being infected as she curses under her breath. It had only been one momentary slip while her helmet was off. And itch in her nose she could not resist. She may have tried harder had she realized the hand was contaminated. She's not entirely convinced she has it though, So far its been little more than an annoyance. Perhaps its just psychological.
Vadania lifts a hand to wave to Erica as she hands the last of the cups to a passing nurse. "You look like you could use this. Or give it to someone who is coughing bad." she offers in passing as the cup is carried away. Her attention coming back to the room/hallway she blushes. "Not as well as I would have hoped. I am having a hard time tracking anything in the crowds and milling. How are you holding up?"
At the entrance of the two others, Joachim looks up, smiling slightly behind his mask, "I think we'll be fine on keepin' 'em once they're getting better - or prob'ly more likely on gettin' 'em to go home," he clears his throat behind his mask as he takes a brief break - though the occasional glance around him seems to pull his attention ever further away. "Truth be told, I'm not really worried about what we're goin' t'be doin' with the ones who wind up gettin' better, so much as the ones who won't." He shakes his head for a moment. "We're already runnin' out of room to store them."
Vadania offers softly if not quite so helpfully, "The snow will keep them until spring. It is often done that way before we can present them to the skies."
Sage's posture slumps ever-so-slightly when the topic of ones that might not make it is brought up, but like any healer she knows that not everyone will make it. Her posture straightens once more as she lets the concern roll off her back now rather than become a burden. She looks to Erica, almost as if intensely looking at the other woman. "She has it about right." Tilting her head towards Vadania, "But, you feel like this thing is eating you away too much... you let me know and I'll try to heal you up. Got it?" Her question directed to Erica.
Erica takes a small sip from the cup. She winces a little bit as she swallows and she sways slightly as she fights the urge to vomit up the liquid. She closes her eyes briefly and then opens them up again before taking a sip. "Well no one is going to get better until the carrier is found, but hopefully once that is done everyone will recover quickly." She takes another small sip of the tea and this time it seems to go down a little easier. Turning her head to Sage she nods her head slowly. "So far I'm doing ok Sage. There are a lot worse people off then me. I would suggest healing them, but you may want to save your strength for when you find the carrier." She says while offering an encouraging smile to everyone.
Vadania crosses her arms as she looks for a place to lean out of the way. Her lips quirking slightly, "We could color her green and see if I could heal her a little bit." She is joking, right? Those dark eyes flicking to the resting doctor as she offers a small smile. "Hae you thought of bringing some greenery in to help lift the moods? It might help with the smell too."
Joachim's eyes close for one moment, two... as he leans against the cart. The talk of a carrier goes over his head as he struggles back to the fore, eyes lifting, "Can't be just puttin' 'em into the streets," he says. "Don't know just what kind've problems that's cause - or how infectious they are. An' that's not even considerin' all the stray dogpacks an' worse." His head shakes again, "We're goin' t'have t'figure somethin' out. But that's not your problem, I'll work it out." Vadania's suggestion brings what might manage for his best look of warmth, though he gently rebuffs it, "Don't have the space. Don't have th'time t'keep 'em alive."
"I know... and I don't know if it'll work... and if it did, I might spend all my time trying to save everyone... that would be to lose everyone." Sage replies to Erica's calling her bravado for what it is. She glances over to Vadania, "Perhaps we should just colour her green after we take care of the source..." She says, her realization of the situation making the humour in her suggestion harder to detect. She glances between all three of them then before sighing a little. She gives a faint sigh, "I guess it may be about time to start phase 2 of the search..." She mentions, "with all the good new going on around here." She holds herself with grim determination as she begins to edge back towards the door.
Erica laughs softly at the comment about coloring her green and she playfully sticks out her tongue at Sage. Taking another sip of the tea she leans back and seems to be slightly more comfortable. "Well I just hope the second stage of your search manages to get him. I'm tired of looking around at these walls." She says with a slight giggle before she starts coughing into a tissue. Her cough wracks her body for a while before she can sit back up and take another sip of the tea.
Vadania frowns slightly at the coughing, then shakes her head slightly a she turns to follow Sage back out. "What is stage 2?" she asks softly as she glances ahead towards the doors. "It has baffled my tracking abilities. No scent I can pick up over the usual smells of a city. And it's not leaving footprints I can see."
As the others seem to be moving to begin their own search, Joachim has no such joy or change of pace. "I'll be back around in a few hours," he says to Erica as he finally begins moving the cart in front of him, moving toward the next patient. "Break's over, for now."
Pausing as she gets asked about stage 2, Sage turns to look at Vadania. She considers the words that the other woman shares as well. "If none of you can help track it, stage 2 is my senses and its ability to hide. Just need someone watching my back since this is still the Dregs." With a momentary clenching of her fist, she turns to storm from the room.
Erica cradles the warm tea in her hands as she takes another sip from the cup. Quickly she finishes off the tea and a little more color returns to her face. The IV and tea seem to have helped her as her eyes slowly close and she fades away into a restful sleep.
Vadania's brows nearly arch into her hairline as she's never seen a mad Sage before. Then she ducks quickly after the other woman. Though she waits until they are outside to draw the bow and an arrow out for protection. "That can be handled easily. Though I am not certain the city will like me if I miss."
