Medical Update

Posted on Wed Dec 28, 2016 @ 8:54am by Lieutenant Phen Caticasse & Lieutenant Vincent Kramer

Mission: An Orion to Die For
Location: Main Medical
Timeline: MD 3 || 1200 Hours

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Vincent recalled that is normally expected that all new ships personnel check in with medical. Kramer had hit the deck running after arriving yesterday. So following a quick bite for lunch, he took the turbo lift to Deck 7 and wanted to make sure that they had received his medical records from Starfleet.

Stepping off the turbolift, Lt. Kramer made his way down the passageway and entered as the double doors 'whooshed' open. There wasn't too much activity, but he walked up to a counter that had a Petty Officer sitting behind. "Hello. I'm Lieutenant Kramer and thought to check in with medical."

The petty officer gave a smile and a nod, "Of course, Lieutenant." The crewman tapped on the console behind the counter for a moment. He gave a quiet nod, tapping the comm panel on the counter. "Medical Technician Second Class Kato to Lieu... Doctor Caticasse." The petty officer shook his head a bit.

"Go ahead," Phen's voice chimed back in from.

"Lieutenant Vincent Kramer, our Chief Engineer, is here for a check in."

"Great," Phen nearly cut off the Petty Officer, "I'm in radiology at the moment, but I will head that way in a minute. Tell him sorry I wasn't down there, and if he's in a hurry, go ahead and start on scans. Five minutes before I'm down. Thanks - Finn out." The comm cut off somewhat abruptly.

Kramer listened to the response from the doctor, trying not to show any response of his own. To Vincent the doctor seemed a little irritated. He worried that he might have come at a bad time.

Kato cleared his throat a bit, and pushed back from the counter. "Sorry about that Lieutenant." He said with a little nod. "You likely heard all of that - but, if you'd like, you can take a seat on a free biobed and I can get your scans started, or you are welcome to wait for Doctor.

Vincent understood the demands of a department head and how important their time can be. "Alright." The engineer began, " I don't want to delay the good doctor anymore than necessary. Please, lead the way," as he extended a hand for the Petty Officer to lead.

Kato stood, and stepped out from around the counter, giving a quick nod as he passed by Vincent. He stepped over to nearest biobed and gave a wave to the bed. "It shouldn't take him long to get here." The somewhat shorter human gave a quick nod, "If you'll have a seat, I'll get the scans started, and he should be able to get here and talk to you pretty quick." He gave a quick nod a couple of times. He was going over the list of things he needed to do. After the thoughts, he tapped the consoles, "Do you have any worries or issues you'd like the doctor to check over specifically?"

After moving over and sitting up on the biobed Kramer responded, "No. No issues with me. I'm a pretty healthy guy." Vince looked about the medbay. Everything seems to be the standard medical suite.

"Good. Noted," Kato said before the scans started. He didn't say anything for a few moments, before saying lightly as he watched over the scans. "Looks good so far," He said after a short few scans and a bit of silence. It was a minute or two more before he glanced back as a door hissed open, revealing the Lorillian Chief Medical Officer - who was still drying his hands from having quickly sanitized before coming into sickbay.

"Sorry for the delay," Finn called out as he slipped around the back entrance to main sickbay and towards the biobed. He gave a little smile, and a quick apology. "I was working with another doctor on a patient." He quickly glanced to the Petty Officer, "Kato, thank you for covering. Anything so far?"

"Healthy so far. Haven't taken samples, just scans though." Kato responded with a quick nod.

"Great, I'll take over here." Finn said simply, before turning to the Chief Engineer. "Doctor Phen Caticasse. Lieutenant, Starfleet Medical, Ship's Chief Medical Officer." He offered a quick nod, before switching places with the Petty Officer and glancing over the scans. "You're welcome to just call me Finn, though. What are you in for?"

Vince was amazed how chipper the doctor seemed. He guessed that would be described as a 'good bed-side manner'. He replied, "Oh, just the usual Doctor . . sorry, 'Finn'. No complaints really. I just came aboard yesterday and needed to check-in and make sure my records had been transferred, etc."

Vince wasn't sure just how much information this doctor wanted from him. He always found it more natural for the details to come out in conversation than a 'verbal data dump' into someone's ear, especially when it was neither wanted nor needed.

Finn gave a smirk, "Your records did make it through." He gave a quick nod, "Good to have someone in charge of Engineering that has some experience in the class down there." He looked over the scans for a second and sighed, "Looks like you're probably clear. If you don't mind though," Finn said pulling a hypospray from a nearby table, "I'd like to get a blood sample to thoroughly check all of your hormone, nutritional, viral, and so on levels." He jostled the device in his hand, "In your line of work, it's good to have a detailed base line - so I can keep watch for all of those extra little cumulative hazards you deal with day to day." He stepped next to the officer after explaining, waiting for the go ahead or refusal.

Vince angled his head to the side slightly and said, "Sure. Go ahead." He thought it very typical of a doctor wanting another blood sample. It definitely made sense to him. That's exactly what he did in engineering, checking the pulse and energy levels of power systems.

"Good," Finn said, taking a quick second to push up the engineer's sleeve. He placed the hypo at the top of his forearm, and gave a quick, "Quick pinch," He said quickly before there was a light hiss from the device as it took a sample. It took a second, and then the doctor gave nod and set the device aside. "Okay. I'll get that up to the lab," He said dusting his hands against his scrubs before moving to stand near the scans again.

The doctor hummed. "You were born on a homeworld, correct?" The Lorillian asked sort of rhetorically, before giving a little nod and following the question up with. "How long have you been aboard a ship full time?"

Vince was relieved when it was over. He wasn't squeamish about blood. He just didn't like to watch it happen. As to the doctor's question, he had to think, wrinkling his brow as he concentrated. He began counting in his head and finally stated, "About 8 years with usual leave, from time to time." He was curious what that had to do with his health. He felt he was in excellent physical condition.

"That makes sense then." Finn stepped back over after having set aside the earlier devices. He placed a finger on the engineers arm. He nodded towards his arm, "I noticed your skin," He said pulling the finger away, "was a bit slow in returning to its natural color. Not too bad, but the scans show a diminished nutritional level." He gave a shrug. "It's nothing to worry about, I'm sure. But you likely have a few lower than normal vitamin levels. Uhm," He had to take a second, "Iron, Folates, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, are the more common culprits. I'll know exact levels after running the bloodwork."

Vince rather frowned at the doctor's comment. He had no idea of the delema.

Finn explained, "You're from a homeworld. You spent your first, few years developing your nutritional baseline on the world, with a sunrise and sunset, and dedicated circadian rhythm. Eight years in space likely skewed that. From adjusting meal times to replicated food, and the lack of natural light, everything sort of works against a mammals nutrition in space." He gave a quick narrowing of his eyes, "Have you had any unusual shifts in your sleep lately? Fatigue? Changes in appetite? Pain in your abdomen or back? Gastrointestinal issues? Anything like that?"

Vince was beginning to worry as the symptomatics were described, or at least asked about. He swallowed hard with a dry throats as he thought about having any of these conditions. He spoke hesitantly, "I . . I don't think so. Well, moving to a new assignment always causes me sleep issues for a couple days, but nothing much more." He looked up at the Doctor with a touch of uncertainty in his eyes.

"That could be part of it," Finn said with a nod, before giving a quick wave to Kato, motioning for him to come back over. "I'm Lorillian, my entire species is what you call spacers or boomers. Well, most of us. So, if you checked my nutrition based on a Lorillian you'd find similar issues, except over a full lifetime, rather than eight years." He gave a smirk, "I'm more used to it though. The thing with nutritional deficiencies is that they can sneak up on you. You slowly get more tired. You sleep an extra few minutes a night. You start to take a nap some days, or have an extra cup of coffee." He stopped as Kato arrived, and then glanced over to the petty officer.

"Kato, could you get this," he tapped on the console, "to the pharmacist on duty, and have them start on a hypo to get a start on treating this." He nodded to the hypo. "My notes are on the file, send the blood sample up to the lab to get the exact numbers."

"Yes sir," Kato said, stepping around to the console, tapping for a moment before grabbing the blood sample and heading off.

"Now," Finn continued without missing a beat. "We should discuss this. Do you have any concerns? And do you have any treatments you have a personal preference for or bias against? Oh. And any mild allergies you haven't mentioned to medical before?"

The Engineer hesitated in thought, "Ahh . . " The doctor was talking about blood tests and pharmacy and treatments. Vince was feeling a little gun shy. Asking a touch concerned, "What are we talking about here Doc?"

"Nothing major." Finn gave a smirk, "I can't say officially, yet, that'll be after the blood work comes back. But. I think you have some nutritional issues." He said, "Just to be safe, I'll have you take a hypo here in a minute. It will be a booster, effectively. It'll give you a boost in your iron, vitamin D, folic acid, and so on." He gave a nod, "This will probably give you a little more energy, a little more focus, for the next couple of days, but it'll wear off quickly."

Vincent raised his eyebrows with a slight confirm or at least accepting smirk.

"By then, though, I'll have the information I need and we can set up a customized treatment based on the exact needs. Most likely," He leaned back a bit, "This will be weekly hypos and a change in diet." He gave a nod, "I will admit, given your position, there is a possibility that it could be more complicated than that. There could be a deeper issue. But, I want to make it clear that even if there is, its something we'd be able to handle. Nothing that should keep you up at night."

The Engineer nodded his head slowly in understanding, "That all sounds good and well." After a little shrug, "I guess I'm glad I did this little update."

"It's always good to check in regularly. I'll need you back in a week or so to go over the actual numbers." Finn said with a quick nod, "But other than that I think we're good. Or will be when Kato gets back. Until then, a couple of questions. Any dependents? Emergency contacts? Or anything of the like that needs updated?"

Vince shook his head slowly and replied, "No. No changes. Not that I've had much time to try. It seems either I don't have time or I don't seem to be attracting the opposite sex very much." He held back a chuckle, "Even my mother is complaining that I haven't given her any grand babies yet."

"Good. Do me a favor, if you catch some interest - double check with medical files or one of us if you're going to be having some interspecies intimacy." He said with a shake of his head. "Seriously. You would be surprised how many things can go wrong there." He said, sort of jokingly, as Kato returned with a hypo, and walked over to the biobed.

Vincent wasn't quite sure about those recommendations, but wasn't going to question him at this point.

"Doctor Caticasse," He said, handing over the hypo.

"Thank you," Finn said, before taking the hypospray, and then offering it over to the engineer. "Take this. Once a day. I'd suggest sometime between your last meal and sleep. You might have some side effects, such as nausea, while your body adjusts and tries to get back towards the nutrition levels you should need."

The Engineer accepted the hypo, but as the Doctor explained the side effects. Vince wasn't too sure about it all, but still replied, "Okay. I'll do my best to do that nightly." He then slid off the biobed.

With everything set until the test results came in, Kramer gave an appropriate nod of appreciation, "Thanks Doc," and then headed out of Sickbay.

As he walked, Vince glanced down at the hypo in his hand and thought, Iron and Vitamin D eh? Who would have thought.

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