A Plague of Our Making

[Faith Augustin]

Ashan 39, 719

"The inside of the elbow, the back of the hand. Those are best, but it's about being able to find a vein. I've found," Faith said, casually, as she pulled blood from Marta, "that a tight torniquet above the area helps. Not cutting off the supply, but enough that the veins bulge. Go with what you see, but then check with a touch, some veins are very tricksy." And some people just had strange blood vessels, Faith thought. Marta looked between the two of them and there was a slight smile on the Aukari's face. Faith glanced up at the red haired woman as she finished the slow and careful process. "Rest, nothing strenuous for the next few breaks and make sure to drink plenty of fluid." As Faith spoke, Marta nodded. She had heard it before, certainly. , at least one could assume so judging by her expression. Faith shot her a grin that was unrepentant.

If Faith found Gennadiya to be an amusing sight, she certainly did not show it; in truth she was very aware that she often ignored all conventions in favour of doing what she needed to do. Faith nodded her head as she heard the platinum-haired woman's thoughts; they very much were in agreement.

The suggestion of how to proceed was something which made Faith pause, and she lifted her head to look at Gennadiya with a neutral expression; one eyebrow was raised, though, by Famula's priestess and she nodded. "You have a sound instinct, that is exactly what we should do. Rather than directly put the Aukari blood into the victim, we should mix a small amount of it with healthy blood from their own race." It would make sense to do that, and Faith was more than pleased with Gennadiya's suggestion. Someone in the first stages of the disease, though? Faith considered it and shook her head, just slightly. "I'm concerned that, if we do that," she said, softly. "that it will cause issues. I think a stronger mixture, perhaps. Experiments will need to consider each stage of the disease and the impact of each ratio of aukari blood to huuman - or whatever race - individually. That is a lot of work and we'll need to get started straight away."

Faith sighed slightly and glanced at Marta apologetically. The aukari shook her head. "If it saves people, Faith, we do it. There's more than me here, we'll take turns to donate." Faith nodded, just once, in acknowledgement of the way in which Marta approached this and then turned her gaze to Gennadiya. "The sooner we begin, I would say, the sooner we will finish, yes?" The woman had shown herself to be a competent medic, quick minded and more than able to handle this. Also, as the blood was taken, it gave Faith the chance to teach Gennadiya how to take blood.

It did, indeed, take a lot of hours of work and required careful and meticulous note taking. Aukari blood reacted differently with each stage of the disease and each race. It was long and detail oriented work which required them to be focused. Faith was, as was usual when working, intensely disciplined and focused. Eventually, they had the best that they were going to get, and Faith lifted her head to look at Gennadiya. Faith was a tiny person, in terms of stature - her frame was very delicate seeming and yet, she had an immense endurance and ability to simply keep going. She took no breaks, simply kept going. Any questions Gennadiya had, she answered them and she expected - and encouraged - those working with her to rest, just for a break or two, here and there. When she looked up at Gennadiya, though, she smiled.

"I think we're ready to test, what do you think?"

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya watched the whole blood extraction process making notes on the answer to her questions. The inside of the elbow made sense. She had always noticed the blood veins running along there, and with the fact it can bend and the fist can clench would also make it so that the pressure there could be easily manipulated. Same went for the back of the hand. She nodded as they continued. Once the extraction was done she let go of her sister healer’s hand, and added her own thanks.

The process moved on, and Gennadiya was pleased to hear her thoughts were close to the mark. A little tuning, which was fine with the young woman. She acknowledge Faith’s praise but moved on with the discussion. Gennadiya made a note that you needed to always mix with the correct species blood type, it was just the amount of Aukari blood that you adjusted. “I see that. We want to replenish natural parts of the blood, and introduce as little of foreign elements as possible. So we will start with small amounts, and increase based upon the need or the intensity of the infection.” She more said to her self, but still out loud.

So the testing started. Breaks went by as the worked up different ratios and tested them. At one point Gennadiya worked through a cramp in her hand from all of the note taking. Not that Gennadiya wanted anyone to be sick, but she loved the challenge this presented. The work, the right and wrongs all challenged her and pushed her to think and rethink how something was done.

Eventually Faith looked at her and said she thought it was ready. “I feel we have done what we can her in a controlled environment. I think it is time to seek out a volunteer.” Gennadiya had faith in what she saw, but she also knew that the real world wasn’t as neat as this lab. “I think I know someone, Helen, I have made a few house calls as she has two sons who compete with each other for injuries. She was brought in yestertrial.” Gennadiya’s eyes softened, but her tone stayed professional. “She has expressed a willingness to try anything to see if it helps.”

[Faith Augustin]

Ashan 39, 719

It was dull.

Faith wondered, sometimes, if people ever realised that. That the meticulous and detail--oriented process of devising a cure required patience as one constantly refined, reconsidered and then finally tested. When one imagined being on the cutting edge of medicine, most people considered that it was quick decisions in tense situations, Faith knew. And that happened - but then there was also the time spent on what turned out to be the wrong answers ~ the fruitless searches and wild goose chases. It was all part of it and to be a medic, in Faith's eyes at least, meant being able to endure both those scenarios. Pushing boundaries, challenging what was known, insisting on rethinking, re-envisioning, forcing progress ~ that was as life saving as a tourniquet or stitches, as far as Faith believed.

So, they worked. It took the time it took but eventually, they had the best that they could do now, without further testing and that would be on mortal subjects. This bit always worried Faith as it meant relying on their work to the point that they were sure that at the least they were unlikely to make things worse; and that was far too loose as a gamble. She wouldn't move forward until they were as sure as they could be - but that was most certainly NOT sure enough.

Helen? Faith nodded, "I've treated the boys a few times. She's.. oh that's a shame." Faith frowned at that news. So many people - too many people. Not one more if she could help it. Perhaps oddly, Faith did not hide her concern or upset at the news of Helen being ill; she looked worried. Had she been in front of any patients, then she would have kept up the front ~ but here she chose not to. However, what she also chose was that it didn't stop her from moving. "Let's go make it better, then."

As they walked down, towards the room Helen was in, Faith spoke quietly to Gennadiya. "I'll keep back in this, let you lead. Just make sure that you're clear with her about how this is an experimental treatment. If there's a difference between what we think it will do and what it does, she needs to be prepared for that. " Faith had a good idea of how Gennadiya was when working together on research ~ she'd heard reports of her good manner with patients and so on, too. But now, this was an opportunity for Faith to see the young woman at the bedside and that was make and break. So, letting her lead - including administering the treatment - would allow Faith to judge just where they were going.

So, other than a quiet hello to Helen, Faith held back and let Gennadiya take control. She was ready to step in if needs be, but she wanted to see.

[Gennadiya Lyosha]

Gennadiya didn’t has as much experience in testing as Faith did, but she had run into a few cases where the patient didn’t show all of the exactly right signs, and so you had to review and analyze before finally taking the leap. The young healer wished they had that type of time, that they could try a mild case on someone just coming down with it and see if it worked. Unfortunately both woman were aware of the latest symptoms, and with the spiking fevers death was looking everyone in the face.

Gennadiya wasn’t surprised to find out that Faith knew of Helen and the boys. No everyone knew them but anyone who was willing to jump at helping people who walked in would have meet them by now. The two women gathered the little supplies they needed and Faith told Gennadiya that she would be the lead on this. Gennadiya was mildly surprise by the declaration, but worked with it. The young woman wondered if this was some type of a test, but she wasn’t knew to healing, and had people looking over her should before.

The two women when through the halls of a building filled with controlled chaos. Everyone was working and trying to help relieve the pain of the sick filling the beds and rooms. There were glances in their direction as the two woman walked with purpose and resolve. Word had spread over the breaks that they had been working on something. The blond haired woman nodded to her colleges, her expression resolved, but holding hope. She didn’t want them to think they were ready with a cure, but she felt there was hope. They had seen some progress and had run as many test as they could.

Gennadiya grabbed a stool as they approached Helen’s bed. This was not the ideal situation for this conversation. While Helen herself was quiet, there were moans coming from many of the patients as their fevers climbed and their skin continued to charcoal. Gennadiya put the stool next to the head of the bed. For this conversation she wanted to look her straight in the eyes instead of looking down on her. This would be Helen’s chose ultimately, and the young woman wanted her to feel like she was a partner in this process.

Gennadiya gentle rested her hand on the bed and next to the woman’s. If she needed comfort it was there if not then no one was embarrassed. The strong mother was awake and her eyes filled with pain but alert. She did grasp Gennadiya’s hand, and the blond woman kept smiling and didn’t flinch and the rough, and scabbed skin that now held her own.

“Sorry I haven’t been around much Helen this trial.” Gennadiya said “I do have a reason. Faith,” She indicated to the woman with her. Who offered her own greeting. “and I have been working on a cure.” Gennadiya raised her hand to forestall any comment. “We have something we have tested and we believe it will help, but we don’t know if it will make anyone better, or even what side effects will occur. Before we can know that we need to try it out on someone.”

“Gennadiya, I told you yestertrial, I will take any cure you have. Even if its unsure.” Helen said in a sick version of mother voice. Gennadiya smiled and gentle squeezed Helens hand.

"I wanted to make sure you understood there are risks and no guarantes." Gennadiya said quietly. Helen nodded her head her strength weakening. Gennadiya looked over at Faith, and nodded. "Alright my friend lets see what we can do for you." She said smiling at Helen.

"Okay Faith lets give her one of the stronger dosages." She said looking at the woman who was completely covered in the scabs. Based on that and the fever she was in the later stages of the plague. Gennadiya exposed the elbow and remembering her instructions tied a cloth around the womans arm. "Helen I am going to walk you throught what we are doing so nothing surprises you. We are going to put it directly into your blood so you will fill a prick."

Gennadiya glanced at Faith her look asking her to help and make sure she did this right. Gennadiya felt that Helen needed to know what they were doing but didn't need to know it was Gennadiya's first time. Once the communication had been recieved Gennadiya began to look for the vein. Once she thought she had found it she tried, and missed. Gennadiya frowned slightly, and then tried again. In all it took her three times before she found the vein. The whole time she smiled encouragingly at Helen.

"Okay Helen we are going to give it to you now." Gennadiya looked at Faith to make sure she didn't have any objections, and if cleared she began the process as Faith had taught her.

[Faith Augustin]

Ashan 39, 719

Faith had watched the young woman as she worked and she had been more than a little impressed. Gennadiya had focus, compassion and talent. There were gaps, most certainly, in her knowledge but those were things which could be dealt with, and everyone began their learning somewhere. What was most important ~ at least in Faith's mind ~ was that Gennadiya had the right attitude to the patients, and to the job.

Which meant that Faith was doubly glad that this first one had been a win. There would be losses, down the line, of that she had no doubt. If she was entirely honest, there'd probably be more losses than wins. However, every loss was a lesson and every win made the loss more - though never fully - bearable. "You did better than well. For a moment there, I thought things were about to act in a very different manner," Faith said to Gennadiya. Indeed, at one point it had seemed like Helen was about to go into convulsions, she experienced a sudden temperature spike the like of which might well be dangerous. It had stopped, though, as quickly as it had begun. "I think we might want to explore adding the medicine even more slowly - or it might be that we can not mitigate that impact, you know." It was that moment, after all, of charcoal burning brightly to burn out, Faith thought. "Perhaps we will be forced to accept that it is better it happens that suddenly and burns out as quickly, and prepare for it, dosing against it before it happens."

It would have repurcussions, of course, Faith considered. Helen was stronger, healthier than many and it had been touch and go for her. So, now they would need to try and stop that reaction from happening or - more likely, Faith thought - a way of protecting against it. There would need to be more tests, more recording and fine-tuning, but this was entirely to be expected. In fact, it was good, because it meant that they had results to go on. "So, the purpose of records, and record keeping. We record every detail we can of Helen. Basics such as age, sex, so on. But also as detailed a history as possible. Because it might be, for example, that people who got a particular illness during childhood are more, or less, susceptible to the Ember Plague. We won't know unless we record and examine - always looking for links and cross overs. Geographical information too - the Lightbane disease was specific to Scalvoris, and had always been believed to come from the bite of a particular insect. It was an allergic reaction to the tree that insect lived in, which turned it from being something which forced people to lose their sight to something which can be cured with drops." The Institute for Innovation would be part of all this, and she was excited to see it happening.

Faith turned to Gennadiya and smiled, then, nodding her head. "You did excellent work to-trial. Truly excellent. Thank you."

[Kasoria]

Review Rewards

Name Gennadiya

Points awarded: 15

Knowledge:
Medicine: Collecting symptoms of a new dieses
Medicine: Cure for the Ember Plague
Medicine: Using a Magnifier to see blood behavior
Medicine: Different parts of blood
Surgery: Where on the body is the best place to draw blood.
Surgery: How to extract blood.
Surgery: How to separate the parts of blood.
Surgery: How to administer blood into the body.
Psychology: Managing patient’s expectation.
Caregiving: How to offer comfort without embarrassing patient.

Name Faith

Points awarded: 15

Knowledge:
Medicine: Cure for the Ember Plague

Renown: 15 points awarded to both of you, for curing a disease threatening to overtake the city!

Notes: This really was so engrossing, mainly because it's such a change of pace for the usual... well, everything in the setting! Or mayhap just the usual tone of the stories? Medical experimentation, advanced equipment, just standing around and DISCUSSING the nature and symptoms and thus cure for a disease, all of this was such a grant departure from the usual stories on here. Much more MD than D&D, heh!

No critique for either of you, this was fun on the bun all the way. You fit your roles perfectly, and it'll be great to see the results when the cure is disseminated across the city.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns in regards to this review, feel free to PM.