Professor Stone was used to bad news.
Rather, he was used to giving others the bad news. As much as he wanted to deliver hope and good prospects, sometimes in forensic investigations such a thing can be...fleeting. And he personally has been on the receiving end of bad news so he’s used to it.
Just...the Doctor’s report was an entirely different story.
“X-Rays shows fractures all over her body: arms, wrist, leg, hip. Multiple lacerations across her skin and suffered first to bare second degree burns from road rash. Ultrasound confirmed a significant amount of internal bleeding within the abdominal cavity caused by trauma to the ribs that lead to a series of pulmonary contusions. Underwent several hours of surgery and is more or less stable. Vitals signs are way below average, but salvageable. Prognosis...uncertain.”
Prof. Stone swallowed the lump in his throat, period.
Although he wasn’t a doctor, having worked alongside the coroner gave him enough foundations to take in medical jargon and not get a headache.
The forensic chemist then asked, “Any chance—”
“To soon to say when she’ll wake up. Could be any time, any day, weeks, months. Perhaps a year, give or take.”
“Then what should we—”
“Nothing you can do, not in this moment in time. Everything is up to the nurses and care aides. Perhaps a dash a luck.”
“What is the—”
“The plan for the patient is to put her on antibiotics, opoids, neuroprotective agents, blood thinners, and of course I.V. treatment until further notice. Once she is stable enough, she will be moved to I.C.U. for close monitoring. Now, any further question?”
“Could you turn around and ask me again?”
The Doctor in question let out a sigh and he finally turned a full 180 degree. It...still didn’t helped, not when he dragged his COW...Sorry, Computer on Wheels, around him like he was holding a tray of food. Kicking the legs to lock a wheel so it doesn’t escape his grip, he continued to type away at the keyboard and keeping his eyes on the screen displaying Keekee’s electronic health record.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“The main concern is her head, specifically her brain.” The doctor rubbed the tip of his nose with a palm, “If not a nasty concussion, CT scans indicate cerebral edema and subdural hematoma. The patient is lucky to be alive at this point. If she was in any worse shape, we would had to have air lifted her to the Big City outside of these mountains. And of course, you and I both know how much ‘specialists’ we have available in a backwater location like this.”
Prof. Stone wanted to pinch his nose bridge, but he felt this conversation was a battle on its own. Mostly to fight with his own wits and not scold this doctor, “You mentioned her cerebral edema, the fluid swelling in her brain... Did you do any surgery on that?”
The doctor could only fold his arms, “Despite her condition, I – along with most doctors in this hospital – would be against any surgical intervention to relieve the cranial pressure. Don’t get us wrong, we all want to save a life with the best means possible – but you look like a smart, smart man. I believe you know, the moment we start prodding into the brain territory it can become a bit finicky.”
“....”
“So, our hope is this problem will go away on its own, literally. Let the swelling in her brain subside with rest, I.V. fluid, medication, and pray the hematoma in her head shrinks and resolves itself naturally. Last thing we want is to drill her head open and she ends up losing sight, hearing, or speech – and other worse case scenario.”
“...”
“There is also the finicky part, we don’t have a neurosurgeon of decent calibre. Like I said, she’s lucky we didn’t have to force her to fly to the bigger cities.”
Is this the limit of modern medicine? Or was there more the doctors aren’t telling? Was there anything Professor Stone can think of to resolve this problem? Perhaps, Martial Kim?
“Now that I think about it,” Prof. Stone mumbled to himself, “Wonder how Kim is doing?”
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