Delivery Room

Posted on Tue Oct 8th, 2019 @ 3:26pm by Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD & Brigadier General David Hurd Sr & Commander Hades,MD & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne & Camron Wayne

3,859 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: Episode 100 - A Hatred of Atonement
Location: Sickbay, Delivery Suite One
Timeline: MD 01 1300 hours

ON:

Ariana was still holding onto Vox’s hand as she was transferred into the delivery suite. She was reassured that Braxton was present too, he’d saved her life twice before and she had faith that she was in good hands with Braxton and Hades present with Carolyn also called for.

“It must be serious to get all the best doctors!” She offered the best smile trying to keep the mood light. “Thank you for this Rae.”

"Ariana, it's all good. I look after my friends very well. You not worry about anything else but the baby." He replied.

Ariana’s glance turned to Braxton and Hades. “I’m not even due yet!” She clenched her hands as another contraction made her stop talking, her hair was sticking to her face and neck as perspiration formed on her body. “I can’t give birth yet! She’s too early!!”

Braxton didn't have time to think or feel. It had been a long day for him. He looked over at Ariana. "It is alright. With twins sometimes they come early and the stress will cause that to happen."

Hades jumped in sensing Braxton's mood. "Everything will be alright. Just focus on breathing." He kept an eye on the hustle and bustle. Nurse Valentine entered the room bringing a tray of all that was needed. Hades looked at Vox. "Everyone stand back I want to do a deep scan to make sure things are all okay for natural delivery."

He looked at Ariana. "This is going to take a minute. If you feel a contraction I want you to just breath alright."

Ariana nodded, letting go of Vox’s hand so he could move back along with everyone else. “But I...I’m not having twins anymore!” She waited as patiently as her fears would allow.”

"It is complicated," Braxton said.

Hades gave him a look that could kill. He turned on the scan and watched as the blue and yellow lights penetrated Ariana's stomach. The readouts began to come and Braxton looked over his shoulder. He swore and Cajun French.

"Language!" Hades yelled. He sighed and looked at Ariana. "We can have a natural birth but I recommend a C-Section."

“A C-Section!!” Ariana practically growled her way through the strongest contraction yet before resting back on her bed. “Why? What’s...wrong?”

Hades sighed. "It's...." he was interrupted by Vox's question.

Vox, standing back as advised was both concerned for Ariana and feeling at a bit of a loose end as he wasn't sure what to do or whether he could be of any help. Vox, regardless of the host, had never been one to stand idly by when a friend was in need. He turned to Hades. "Is there a problem?" he asked

Clad in a fresh set of scrubs, Carolyn was still tying her hair into a messy ponytail as she entered the room. Her blue eyes swept the room, finally coming to rest on Hades. "Sorry, it got … unexpectedly complicated," she offered by way of apology as she looked from Hades to the scans. "Causing trouble?"

The last comment she directed towards Ariana, flashing the woman a reassuring smile as she took her hand and gave it a small squeeze.

Ariana smiled as best as she could given the circumstances. "Doctor Hades mentioned a C Section!" She squeezed Carolyn's hand. "Is there something wrong with my baby!?"

Vox thought for a moment. "Ariana. Didn't you say your baby wasn't dipped yet? If so maybe she's not the right way round, bottom downward. That would warrant a C-section." Vox stated.

"Let me speak with Hades and review the scans," Carolyn suggested, "I'll be right back."

Leaving Vox to keep Ariana company, she headed towards Hades and Braxton. "Ariana seems very worried," she observed. "What did the scan show?"

Hades had followed Carolyn out. He didn't have time for this. He rubbed the bridge of his nose, a tell that he was frustrated, "The baby is turned hasn't fully descended yet. The scans were fine enough but ...it's a feeling. There was a tiny inconsistence in the placental chord and while it's not exactly positioned for a problem if it goes wrong....a transport C-Section is out of the question, child is too young not to term we'd have to do it manually." How did one explain that there was nothing wrong but his mind...it saw things small glitches in the scan. He knew Carolyn would disagree.

"I don't have to remind you that protocol is to follow natural delivery unless there are clear signs of risk to mother or baby," Carolyn pointed out. She glanced back into the room, frowning. Advocating a surgical intervention at this point went against normal practice. "But she is your patient, so your call. I trust you to do what you think is right. Just tell me where you need me."

Hades didn't want to make that call. He sighed. "I ... I still think we should do surgery. It's not our call technically. We'll present it to Ariana. She has to make the call. My vote is still for surgical.”

Carolyn simply nodded in acknowledgment. “I guess we put it to Ariana.”

Hades didn't like it but it was the next step. He pressed his lips flat.

Ariana looked at Vox, she’d never mentioned that to him at all but she remembered something he’d said before that gave him knowledge of pregnancy and birth. “You’re right...” She was breathing heavily. “At my last scan...the baby was still breech.” She tried to get more comfortable. “They weren’t worried...because I had plenty...of time to go!” She gritted her teeth and reached for his hand as another contraction came and went. “I wish...Cameron was here!!”

"Well, things aren't going as planned so perhaps that is what they want to do a C-Section for." he replied feeling the grip of her hand in his. At this point, he felt a pain in his head and then remember the punch he got from the Reman and the crash landing into the chairs. He had forgotten about it with all that was going on and no one has spotted the bit of blood under his hairline but then, they were majorly busy with people with far greater issues. He took a tissue from his pocket and checked his head for any new bleeding. None...good he thought.

"Are you alright?" Ariana looked at Rae as her contraction passed. "You hit your head, in the shelter. I remember now!" She lay her head back on the bio-bed. "Did you get it checked?"

"I'm OK. A bit light-headed but OK and nope I haven't. Been too busy making sure you were ok and that we got out of there and got you here. " Vox replied.

"Just make sure...you get it checked okay?" She offered a tired smile.

"I will I promise," Vox replied.

Ariana gritted her teeth and moved herself up and around on her bed before slowly standing up. "To hell...with lying here! I want to be...on my feet!" She paused by the side of the bed before taking a slow walk around it.

Walking in, Hurd saw what was going on and said sternly, "Ariana, you lay right back down this instant!!!"

Ariana looked towards her father. “Dad!!” She held out her hand for Hurd to take it. “With all...due respect Sir...NO!” She bent forward to lean on the bio-bed as another contraction came and went. Her hand was squeezing her father’s hand with all the might she’d got. “I want...to be on my feet!”

Not wanting to get on the wrong side of a pregnant woman in pain Vox was hesitant to echo the request of Ariana's father but laying down might be best at the present time.

"Ariana, sorry to say but laying down for the moment maybe best unless the doctors disagree of course." He said. He suddenly felt faint from his head injury he still hadn't had looked at. Losing his balance for a split second he slumped into a nearby wall, putting his hands out to stabilise himself.

“Rae!!” Ariana looked towards the gathered medical staff. “Someone...help him please!” Her concern for her new friend was more than evident.

Coming back into the room, Carolyn squeezed through the gap between one of the nurses and the gathered equipment, kneeling down beside their unexpected new patient as someone passed her a tricorder. "Doctor Corrigan," she offered to him by way of introduction, her attention on the read outs before she began looking at the injury to his head herself. "You didn't get this looked at because...?"

"Conflicting priorities Doctor." Vox replied.

"You have given yourself a concussion," she advised him, "fortunately, we can fix you up in no time. Do you think you can stand?"

"Sure" he replied carefully getting to his feet with a slight wobble.

"Okay," Carolyn smiled, offering him a hand as she stood, "we'll get you a bed and then take care of that head of yours. Don't worry, Ariana, he'll be perfectly fine."

"Thank you Doctor. Now that Ariana is in good hands I can get myself sorted out. That Reman had one hell of a punch." Vox exclaimed

Ariana watched as Carolyn sorted out Rae before turning her attention back to her father. “Dad...will you help me get back onto the bed?”

Picking her up gently, he lay her down on the bed whispering, "It's all going to be ok, I promise."

Getting back onto the bio-bed Ariana looked at her father. “I need Cameron! I don’t know where he is!! Doctor Hades...has sent Rol to find him.” She lay back on the bio-bed trying to rest, She was more tired than she’d ever felt but she doubted sleeping whilst giving birth was an option. “I just..want to...” She closed her eyes and gently fell asleep at least until the next contraction.

Hades came back in wearing full scrubs followed by nurse Valentine and Brax. Braxton gave a nod. Being the only other Marine here he figured Hurd might feel better having a Marine Medic. "Sir."

Before Hurd could reply Hades looked at Ariana. "Here is the gist of it. The baby is too underdeveloped for a transporter C-Section. I don't recommend a natural birth...The scans seem fine but...there are risks. I would like your permission for the C-Section." He looked at Ariana.

Braxton could have snorted but didn't. He knew what route Ariana would go but he also knew that it was vital to listen to Hades. That man had a spooky sense of medial trouble.

Ariana looked at Hades then at Braxton, she was terrified of the idea of a C Section. "I....I don't know! I wanted a natural birth and I...trust your advice Hades but I can't make this decision on my own!! I NEED Cameron!"

"You need to make this decision Ariana." Time was ticking and Hades didn't like it.

Ariana looked at Braxton. "Braxton, if it was your baby what would you do?" She knew it was an awkward question but she trusted his instincts too.

Braxton sighed, "I would listen to Hades."

The doctor finished treating the wound on Vox's head. He thanked her and headed back over to Ariana. He looked down at his shirt and saw the bloodstains from his, now healed, head wound. "Oh great, hope I can get these stains out. It's my favourite shirt," he muttered.

Ariana looked up as the doors opened and the familiar sight of Cameron’s hover chair came through the doors. “Cameron!!” The relief she felt at his arrival was evident.

"I am here Ariana I told you nothing and no one was going to keep me from getting back to my girls." Said Cameron softly as he moved to the bed. "Well that and your friend apparently is either unusually stubborn or has a habit of seeing through things he should not." He added with a chuckle.

Now her man was present Ariana looked at both Hades and Carolyn. “I’m...having a normal birth! I can...do it!!”

Hades held back a string of curses. He motioned for Carolyn to prep for emergency surgery just in case and so the labour began.


~ Several Hours Later ~

Ariana was lying on the bio-bed she was tired, emotional and fast running out of strength. Labour had been dragging on for what seemed like forever as she clung to poor Cameron's hand.

There was not much he could do he was after all a mechanic not a doctor all he could do was to sit there talking to her and wiping her head with a cool rag. In other words he felt like every other man in this situation totally and utterly useless

Moments later Ariana screamed in more pain. "Something's wrong!! It hurts!!!"

Vox hears Ariana scream. He can't help but try and help do something. "Doctors? Nurses? Anyone? Ariana is in distress." he called out.

"Try not to worry," Ensign Roberts offered as he entered the room, flashing a reassuring smile in Vox's direction. With an air of calm, the young man took a moment to review the vital signs before touching a button to summon Doctor Hades and Doctor Corrigan. "The doctors are on their way."

Moving up to Ariana's other side, he glanced over his shoulder as Dr. Hades entered.

Hades was already slipping on his smock. "Update," he barked.

"Acute pain, vital signs spiking for both mother and baby," he said, not wishing to go into specifics in case it alarmed either Ariana or the rest of the people gathered with her. "I already paged Doctor Corrigan back. She had been called away for a surgical consult -"

"I'm here!" Carolyn called out as she ran into the room, somehow managing to stop short before hitting into Hades.

There was another scream before Ariana collapsed back onto the bed unconscious.

Hades did swear now. "Get her into the OR." He picked up a tricorder. "Placental rupture. We need to get her into surgery. Carolyn I'm going to need you in there. Valentine, Braxton prepare her for surgery I will need you both and page the neonatal specialist."

He watched as his staff moved. Braxton looked over at Hurd and Vox and Cameron who were all there. "I need you all in the waiting room." He hoped that they didn't ask questions because he'd have to answer them seriously as to how much danger Ariana was in.

Cameron may not have understood all the terms but even he could tell when there was a problem, though at least for now he would listen to the doc and head for the waiting room

Vox, who was not totally happy about being asked to hang fire in the waiting room, nodded and did as instructed as trying to help could complicate matters and he would just get in the way.

He headed towards the waiting room, entered and took a seat.
Tapping his wrist communicator "Vox to Tenaran"

#Hello Rae. All is ok other than minor hull damage from a phaser exchange in the hanger. #

"Good. Remain on lockdown until further notice"

“Understood. Stay safe Rae.”

The doors opened one last time admitting a cleaned up Freya. She wasn't a doctor but she could be there for her friend now and take care of those who were going to be waiting in the waiting area. "What's happening? How bad is it?" She looked at the gathered compliment of doctors.

"Placental rupture." Hades said in a tone that clearly said, I told you so.

"Let's move." He was clearly angry.

Freya nodded and watched them go before turning to those that were going to have to wait out Ariana's surgery. "Let's err...go and wait in the relatives’ area."

Heading into the relatives' area Freya walked over to the replicator and got herself a drink. She knew the seriousness of a placental rupture, and it kept her thinking about her own possible pregnancy. "There's not much any of us can do, for now, we just have to wait."

"Indeed" Vox replied. "I hope my gallery has survived all of this. It does have reinforced shutters so there is hope." he added.

"If you want to go and check you can." Freya smiled warmly. "I'll keep you updated on how things go with Ariana."

"OK, I will. Back soon" Vox said heading for the Gallery.

"I suppose I really should get headed back to my own shop I noticed that there was a lot of clean up in the front area and I have never been good at waiting around.." Said Cameron he was feeling his temper simmer right now though it was more out of fear for Ariana then any anger. "Freya is it? I have never been a very diplomatic person so I will be blunt I may not be her husband but I am the baby’s father if it comes to it and you have to make a choice save our daughter. Ideally both is best but we all know that is not always possible." Said Cameron softly as he moved passed Freya and toward the exit.

Freya nodded. "I...I'll tell them...if I have to." She watched Cameron go she knew that would be Ariana's decision too, but couldn't help but wonder how Kaden would feel if he had to make such a decision.


Inside the OR

Ariana had been put under anesthetic.

Valentine finished tying Hades' smock. He stepped up to the table and initiated the sterile field. "Micro scalpel." He said as he saw Doctor Catherine enter. He gave a nod knowing she'd take the baby as soon as it was out. "Carolyn. I'll open I need you to get the clamps in. Harris be ready to make the inner cut."

“Ready,” Carolyn assured him, the first set of clamps already in hand.
Tag Carolyn.

She was bleeding a lot. Hades could feel the sweat pooling on his forehead and was grateful for Valentine's assistance as she wiped his brow. His focus was on the primary incision. "Go Carolyn."

Without wasting time with words, Carolyn methodically places each clamp in position, pulling her hands clear the second she was done to allow Harris to do his part. All of them had too many years as doctors to dwell on the fact their gloves hands were stained in the blood of a friend.

Harris watched as the last clamp was placed and he cut into the womb carefully.

"Go Carolyn!" Hades yelled when the cut was complete. He trusted her to remove the child and go to doctor Catherine to make sure the child was okay. He watched as Ariana's blood pressure dropped. They needed to move. He needed to clean things up and remove the after birth before she went into shock. They were on a time schedule that was fast ticking down.

From within the incision, Carolyn’s hands found purchase on the baby, gently lifting the tiny form free and holding her in midair long enough for the cord to be cut. Her eyes used that minute to note the irregular rise and fall of her chest. The second the cord was cut she ran across the room, placing the newborn in the incubator as Doctor Catherine took over.

Braxton, who'd been in the OR waited until the baby was out and he started working with Harris and Hades to ensure Ariana was going to pull out of this.

They moved in unison. "Pressure dropping. She's going into shock."

"We can't risk a shock. Braxton stand by with twenty CCs of Evoline."

As they worked on Ariana the baby entered a crisis of her own. Hades called out, "Carolyn. Help with the baby."

“Already on it,” Carolyn called back, working in perfect synch with Dr. Catherine. While the later secured an arterial bloodline in place, it left Carolyn with the task of stabilising the newborn’s breathing. A normally straightforward procedure hindered by the size of their patient.

A few choice words later and she had cleared the airways of fluid, stepping back to allow the sterilisation field to wrap around the main area of the cot. In addition to protecting against infections, it allowed the cot to become an incubator, warm and oxygen rich.

“Neurological functions reading normal, blood gases stabilising at returning to tolerable levels,” Dr. Catherine observed. “I’ll set her up in NICU and organise a full body scan to pick up any other issues.”

“I’ll come over as soon as we finish here,” Carolyn promised.

Hades worked diligently and after a good twenty minutes he sighed, "Get her on rytalin to speed up blood production. Only one dose. I've stopped the inner bleed it's all cleaned out. Carolyn. I need your assistance to close."

“Be right there,” Carolyn promised as she began to scrub up again. Two patients in one OR was a headache. Coming up beside Braxton she glanced up at Hades, “okay, shall we?”

Hades stepped aside letting Braxton and Carolyn take the lead. He scrubbed out and checked on the baby and then headed to the waiting room.

“I don’t know about you,” Carolyn commented, glancing up at Braxton as she began working, “as bad as this delivery has been, having both mother and baby still with us? I’m counting it as a win. Especially today.”


~ Back in the waiting area ~

Freya was still waiting when surgery finished, she wanted to know everything had gone well for Ariana but didn't want to get in the way by joining them in the O.R. As the door opened she looked up. "How did it go? Are Ariana and the baby okay?"

Vox walked in behind Freya after checking on his Gallery. " Yeah, is Ariana and her baby ok? Hopefully better than the shutters on my Gallery, intact but took one hell of a battering. " Vox added.

Hades stepped out from around the corner. He saw the faced staring at him. He sighed, “We're just finishing up. It was...difficult but they both made it. The next couple of days we have to watch them both but they should be fine."

Freya breathed a big sigh of relief, letting out a breath she hadn't realised she was even holding. She smiled as she looked at Hades. "That's fantastic news! Thank you so much!!" She gave Vox a warm smile.

Vox was visibly releaved at the news and smiled back at Freya. "Boy or girl?" he asked as he could not remember what Ariana had said.

"A girl" Freya smiled warmly at Vox before looking at Hades. "I'll send Cameron a message and let him know they're alright, he can contact you from there." Freya turned to head off. "Doctor Hades...Thank you!"

Hades gave a nod and headed out.

"Wonderful." Vox replied smiling.

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