Inside McCoy's head

Posted on Wed Oct 31st, 2018 @ 6:09pm by Commander Hades,MD & Captain R'nard Lokran & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD

1,905 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 96 - A Visitor From the Past
Location: Sickbay, Starbase 400 (Surgical unit)
Timeline: MD1, 1300Hrs- Following 'Meeting Legends Pt1'

Hades and his team were suiting up. McCoy was prepped and ready for them. They would give it a few minutes until the sedation took effect. Hades looked at Corrigan and Braxton, whom he'd asked to join them, "Are you two ready for this. We cannot mess up, there cannot be anything that goes wrong."

Braxton studied Hades, that was like asking people not to breath. He sighed, "We know this but...you cannot plan for perfection."

Standing beside Braxton, Corrigan's gaze moved beyond Hades to their patient. "A surgeon always plans for perfection," she corrected, citing from memory one of the attendings she had once worked with. Arrogant, zero social skills and yet an incredible physician. All because he spent every waking hour before a procedure plotting out the risks, how to counter every one of them before he even stepped an operating room.

She let out a deep breath, forcing herself to forget who they would be operating on but rather the procedure itself. Complex, delicate and with the added problem of a smaller OR staff than you would normally expect. Given the circumstances however...

"What do you need from us?" she asked, her gaze returning to Hades.

Hades sighed, "Let's get this done. "Doctor Corrigan I need you to check and recheck the equipment, I don't want glitches. Braxton, you need to monitor McCoy's vitals."


"Of course," Carolyn replied with a curt nod, moving off. While the equipment within every part of the department was routinely tested and kept in top condition, she didn't question Hades order. This was no ordinary patient and they could not afford any mistakes. Which is why she studiously avoided looking at the famous Leonard McCoy.

Quick and methodical, she went through an unseen checklist. Typically a technician or one of the nursing staff would complete this part of the work but on this one they did not have that particular luxury.

"Everything checks out," she said over her shoulder, "the latest imaging is just coming up now."

Hades watched as the screen shimmered in front of his eyes and into the image he was waiting for. He let out a sigh, "Alright starting pre surgical scan. I want to make sure we get it all fixed out so that he won't have this problem again. Brax, you will get the images now."

Braxton looked up and then gasped. "This is not good."

Hades could see that. The image showed how connected the tumour was with the tissue around it. "Alright so we'll have to do this using both new and old tools." He turned to his second in command. "We'll have to open the skull and use the saline solution to pop out the tumour and then make precise incisions at the root of it. Are you up for some old school surgical magic?" The open and closing would be done using up to date equipment but the actual tumour displacement and making sure the brain is set right in the skull would be difficult. He would need his second in command all the way and having read her file he was glad that she was there with him.

"Old school it is," Corrigan nodded, her gaze fixed on the latest images. "Lets work some magic."

And so it began the slow process of removing the growth that didn't belong. The open was easy but the extraction was not. Hades used a large syringe to add liquid under the mass. The saline was emptied from the syringe slowly and seconds felt like minutes. Slowly the mass started to move, started to float to the top until it was almost out. "Tray!" Hades called out as the mass moved ever closer to the surface. It wasn't sure who but the tray was held under the mass and within seconds it was on the tray and out of McCoy. Hurriedly they cleaned the area and started the procedure of closing after they were sure all was removed and there was no neural damage.

One false move and they would cause a stroke. He looked at the nurse who wiped his brow and then to Corrigan. "Read outs?" His hands moved carefully, slowly they couldn't fully close until they were sure the neural readings were stable and even then...

Carolyn glanced at the monitors. "All within normal range," she reported, eyes narrowing as she studied the individual read outs more closely. "Although the QRS complex appears wider than before. Not significantly different and still within normal range but could be a delayed reaction to the medication."

Hades sighed, "Not going to take a chance we check everything before we do a full..." The words were not fully out and the reading Klaxons started blaring.

Braxton jumped, "Something's wrong, he's having a seizure...or a stroke....or both!" The readings were so far off the charts that it was hard to tell.

Hades eyes started roaming over the neural links....It's a blood clot." He looked to his second in command, "Carolyn out of all of us you have an eagle eye. I need you to track the clot while I stop the seizure. When you get find it clamp off use a Tarkalian syringe to block the path of it and a fast absorber hypo to remove it." He turned to Braxton, "Twenty-five cc's of Tricordrazine now, prep another dose with fifty just in case."

Turning away from the other two physicians, Carolyn quickly prepared what she needed while Hades worked to bring the seizure to an end. She waited patiently for him to do his work, since her task would be impossible otherwise. While he did that, her eyes studied every image they were receiving, attempting to rule out locations for the clot working backwards from the site of the tumour.

The readings stabilized.

"Readings stabilizing, blood pressure normal, respiration normal, blood flow within normal readings," Braxton said.

Hades sighed. "Keep the hypo ready nurse. He turned to his second in command. "Carolyn how goes the search for the clot?"

"I've got three and counting," Carolyn informed him as she set to work. Hypospray poised in one hand she paused, rolling her shoulders to work out the niggling ache beginning in her shoulders. It would not do to mess this up.

"I think the tumour did not want to go quietly."

Hades sighed, "Just go slow we still have a half hour before we need to close up and wake him." He sighed, "Brax keep an eye on the readings. Any change and I want to know."

Braxton gave a node. The minutes ticked by and Carolyn worked with speed and precision. He was honoured to be working with her. "Just about done?"

"Last one..." Carolyn informed them, brow furrowed in concentration as she isolated and then removed the clot. She glanced up at the monitors, watching to ensure blood flow was not returning.

"Done!" she announced, stepping back so she could dispose of her equipment.

The close, from there on, was relatively slow but easy. Within the thirty minute mark they were ready and take him into recovery where he'd spend a few hours and then back to the Enterprise for the rest of the time. "Braxton, finish up get him into recovery and monitor him. Carolyn, let's go tell the group."


=/\=Waiting Room =/\=

Spock, Nurse Chapel, Monroe, and Nurse Lin were in the waiting room. In fact Lin had just entered. "How are you folks doing?" She would be the one passing messages to the group.

“Is there any news?” Christine Chapel stood and looked at Lin, “Is there no way I can assist? Someone should be there for him.”

Ariana stood and walked over to Christine, she could sense her fear and concern for McCoy. “Don’t worry Nurse Chapel, the Doctor is in good hands and Lin here...” she motioned to nurse Lin, “Will keep us all updated on how the operation is going.”

Lin smiled, "That I will do. In fact I will go and check how things are going now."

"Thank you Lin" Ariana smiled as she watched Lin go turning to Spock & Christine. "It could be sometime yet as I'm sure you already know, we might as well get comfortable." she looked at Christine, "I can sense your concern Nurse Chapel please try not to worry Doctor McCoy is in the best of care."

Christine nodded and took a seat, as a nurse she was used to medical dramas but it was totally different when it was someone you knew and cared for.

Spock raised an eyebrow. "Worry is a human emotion which will not help Dr. McCoy. I am satisfied that he is, as humans say, in good hands."

R'nard took it on himself to patrol the corridors outside. He didn't want any slip-ups or anything that would harm the time stream. He would keep out of sight of the Enterprise crew, or so he thought.

Christine sat beside Spock she’d always relished any opportunity to be with Spock but right now her concern for McCoy overrode her feelings for the Vulcan/Human Officer. “You said you sensed my concern?” Christine looked at Monroe curiously, “What exactly do you mean sensed?”

“As you know I can’t go into detailed explanations but to answer your question...” Ariana took a seat, “I’m half Human like Mr Spock, my people have telepathic & empathic gifts I sense & feel emotions.” She smiled.

“And your baby?” Christine looked at Ariana curiously.

“Is three quarters human” Ariana smiled, “My husband was Human.”

Christine nodded, “How long do you have to go?”

“About six & a half months” Ariana smiled, “Gestation for my mixed species is between nine & ten months so I could be a month or so earlier.” She looked towards the replicator, “Can I get either of you anything to eat or drink?”

Christine shook her head, "No thank you."

"What about you Commander?" Ariana looked at Spock, "Is there anything I can get you?"

At that moment Hades and Carolyn made their way into the room the doors hissing eerily.

Hades noted that all eyes were on them. He smiled broadly. "The doctor is in recovery and will be able to be sent back to the Enterprise shortly. The team was able to pull off a miracle thanks to the delicate work of Doctor Corrigan." He really was proud of his staff. Everyone did their part.

Ariana smiled warmly, "That's wonderful news." She smiled at Nurse Chapel who was smiling with relief at the news that McCoy was going to be alright. "Can we arrange for Nurse Chapel to see Doctor McCoy?"

Hades smiled, "Yes when he's spent some time in recovery." He handed the nurse a paper list from his pocket. "This is what he'll need when he's back on the enterprise. If you'll prepare everything then we'll transport him back when he's out of ICU.

Hades watched as the Starbase security officer made arrangements for Spock and Chapel to leave. He had his own arrangements to make. He would watch McCoy closely and when ready they would be able to transport him back to the Enterprise to finish recovery. He'd done all he could and his team had been amazing. He was humbled and touched by how they all came together and worked. Feeling exhausted he decided that maybe, just maybe he needed to talk to someone...eventually.

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