How's Your Head?

Posted on Thursday, 7 May 2020 - 12:31am by Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD

Mission: Operation: Recall
Location: USS Fontana | Deck 04 | Sickbay
Timeline: MD 1

{ON:}

The starship had entered the nebula much to Alvaro's dislike and heavy reluctance. Why he had thought to himself. Why did we have to go back here of all places the Senior Chief Petty Officer was thinking, his mind scattered and too unfocused. He thought it was a bad idea, but was reassured it was the only logistical option. They needed to get out of the galactic deep south and it was too uncertain when they would be able to use their QSD again safely...perhaps too long of a wait. They had to venture into the Lenora nebula and try to use one of the unstable wormholes to return to Federation space or get as close to it as they could. Then, it happened and Alvaro being the distracted fool that he was, did not brace himself for it when the starship's shields were raised, power reallocated, and the starship was hit with a wave.

BAM his head went right into the console of the science lab. He did not recall what happened next. He did not remember getting himself up off the floor, but something in him had set him on autopilot. Wait...what? he looked confused as he staggered out of the turbolift and onto deck four. He had been on the deck below but had enough sense about him to get himself to Sickbay. He proceeded through the doors, his hair a silver and ruddy mess. Blood was running down his face and he looked around. "Help" he called out, losing his balancing and steadying himself against a biobed.

"Finish up here," Ryan told the nurse who'd been assisting him. So far, nothing major had come in. A few bumps and bruises, and wounded pride were all they'd suffered so far. He looked over at the call for help, then hurried to reach Muniz. "Come on sit down Chief." Ryan helped guide the man to a seated position on the biobed. He knew head wounds tended to bleed, so hoped it was nothing too major. He quickly sterilized his hands while asking. "What happened?"

With the Chief Medical Officer's help, Senior Chief Petty Officer Muniz was able to get up onto a biobed. "I was in the science lab...on deck five" he replied trying his best to concentrate. It hurts so much he thought to himself. "I do not know. I was there and then I was in the lift and here" he said trying his best to explain. "The console" he added. He couldn't resist the urge to reach upward and touch his bloodied face and head. "I'm wet" added the man.

"I see that." Ryan smiled. "Just relax." He quickly got to work, disinfecting then cleaning the wound. He skillfully held the laceration closed and used a dermal regenerator to seal the wound. A quick scan also showed a mild concussion, which explained the man's slight confusion and speech issues. "You took quite the bump." Ryan injected a moderate dose of a NSAID safe for humans. "Things clearing up a bit?" Ryan asked.

It hurt to nod his head. Yet instinctively he did and regretted it. Dumb ass, you hit your head. Stop moving it he reprimanded himself. "Yes... a bit at least. I did. I hit my head on the console, but it's a bit of haze after that" he added. "We entered the damn nebula again and I smacked my head on a console. This is why I could never be an officer."

Ryan chuckled. "Oh, I wouldn't say that. In my third year of medical school, I smacked my head on a urinal. That's way more embarrassing than a console, and they still let me graduate. I'm sure that if you decide to go the officer route, you'd be fine." Ryan was busy with equipment and scans while he talked, working on reducing the swelling in Muniz's skull cavity.

"Thanks, Doctor" replied Alvaro who was trying not to laugh at the Doctor's expense, but the urinal story was too much to contain. "I think you have helped cure my bruised ego. A console is not as bad as hitting one's head on a urinal. Though I am curious how the heck you managed that one" inquired the science tech. "What made you pursue medicine?"

Keeping Muniz talking and listening, and overall engaged was the best way to assess how his healing was coming along, so Ryan was happy to talk. "I'd pulled a couple of all-nighters, I honestly tripped over my own untied shoes. So lesson learned, tie your shoes." Ryan smiled. "As for medicine. It's the only thing I could ever see myself doing. What about you and Science?"

"They came naturally to me," he said of the sciences. "I like working with equipment, but physics and engineering stuff was never my thing. I also get a bit queasy around blood so the whole medical field was just a no thank you for me. Science keeps me away from combat for the most part."

"Sounds like a good fit then." Ryan did a final scan. "Ok, things look good. I don't expect you'll have any side effects. The concussion was pretty mild. But with any head injury. Nausea, headache, vertigo, anything like that, come back."

Álvaro Muñiz nodded in agreement, hopping off the bed and feeling a lot better than when he staggered in a bloody mess. "The first sign of trouble, I will be here. I will try to brace myself better when traversing bumpy space and going through wormholes" commented the man.

Ryan chuckled. "A very sensible plan. I hope to, well to not see you see, at least on duty."

"I hope to see a lot more of you too" replied the man. He was quick to realize his words had come out awkwardly and he tried to cover it up. It was too late and just made things more awkward. "Not in here" he had added. "Yeah....bye."

Ryan held in a snicker, not wanting to embarrass the man. "Bye." Ryan gave Muniz a quick wave, then went to see if the nurses needed him.

{OFF:}

Dr. Ryan Rose
Chief Medical Officer

SCPO Alvaro Muniz
Science

 

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