(Untitled)

[evillurks]

PINpointing into the clinics tonight is a black-clad form, his emergency status noticeable in the way he is on his knees and struggling to breathe, or more accurately struggling not to. There are no signs of bloodshed, at least, but he is unable to regain his feet and proceed any further than whatever main receiving room the coordinates have

Comments

[sarah_branigan]

The staff are used to patients dropping in unannounced in all stages of illness and injury. A couple of interns will attempt to put the older gentleman onto a stretcher while asking a few preliminary questions. Someone at the front desk starts contacting doctors, to see who's available.

Well, she's not a doctor, but Nurse Branigan is available. She's dressed in a rather nice-looking dress and looks vaguely annoyed, but checks in at the front desk all the same, before checking on her patient.

[evillurks]

He moves stiffly, with as much dignity as he can muster under the circumstances. His hat is tossed onto the stretcher with him, while his feet nearly hang off the end due to his height. Time seems to be of the essence, as he allows himself a few small breaths. There are subtle signs, in the windpipe, to tell of a colapsing lung. This is a lucky thing, as he is unable to answer with more than a nod or shake of his head.

The face of the man in black should strike her as familiar, if a bit more strained than usual. His blue eyes fix on her with recognition, but the usually intense gaze is dulled.

[sarah_branigan]

He looks more than familiar to Sarah. His blue eyes are a give-away, and the fact that he seems to recognize her, in turn. "What happened?" she asks an intern, an expression of surprise still on her face.

The intern gives her a quick run-down of the situation. Sarah borrows his stethoscope and takes a measured listen to The Shadow's chest. "Are you injured anywhere else?" she asks him, not expecting him to answer verbally. It's becoming fairly obvious to her that he has a collapsing lung.

[evillurks]

He shakes his head, eyes rolling briefly shut. He has breathed out again and held it, preventing the lung's complete collapse or at least attempting to. His heartbeat is fast, but not quite so much as one might expect. He is in pain and has exerted himself, but despite the situation he shows no sign of panic.

With a slightly lethargic motion, The Shadow reaches up to tug at the cloak and the collar beneath, pulling suit coat and button-down shirt and all clumsily just far enough to show a bandage at the collarbone. It would appear he thinks this is related to an injury that occurred some time ago.

[sarah_branigan]

She's impressed by the way he's holding his breath. He must realize his lung is collapsing, too. She returns the stethoscope to the intern and rattles off a list of instructions that basically boil down to The Shadow needing a thoracostomy, otherwise known as a chest tube. "And get me a lab coat and my own stethoscope, please," she calls after the intern who has already started to scurry away.

Her attention returns to The Shadow. She undoes his cloak and unbuttons his shirt so she can get a better look at the old injury. "How long ago was this injury?" she asks, hoping he'll figure out a way to tell her non-verbally. Another intern prepares an IV.

[evillurks]

It is just possible he has been through this before, or he may simply be familiar with the phenomenon through reading and has recognized it in himself. The Shadow's genius-level intelligence and calm focus under pressure serve him well.

He finds it necessary to take another small breath, although it clearly pains him, but he needs some air just to keep conscious. His hand shakes as he holds up two fingers, and when she pulls away the bandage it should be evident this means weeks rather than days. It appears to be a bullet wound, and there are faint hints of a burn that tells of it being at very close range, but it has been neatly stitched up and there is some healing. The wound is no longer an open one. Such an injury, however, also implies the collarbone beneath should be badly broken, but it appears whole, and it should have caused a severe exit wound on the back of his shoulder. Should she find a way to look for it, there is none. Metody's work with his bones has added a complexity to the matter.

[sarah_branigan]

There's a puzzled frown on Sarah's face as she examines the old wound. A shot at that close range should have shattered his collarbone, and there's no exit wound. She gives him a brief, weird look. It hadn't occurred to her that he might be physically supernatural, as opposed to a very talented old man.

Well, if he happens to have four lungs or an alien symbiote in his chest, now would be the time to tell her. Otherwise, he's getting a chest tube and she can worry about the missing exit wound later. The intern is back with some hospital equipment, including a very large needle. "Lie back," she instructs The Shadow, putting the stretcher at an incline so he'll still be propped up. "I'm going to give you an anesthetic and then reinflate your lung."

[evillurks]

Being anything other than a very talented, and very lucky old man are quite recent developments. That is not including his incredible longevity, which is not something that's easily determined by physical examination in any case.

His eyes drift closed again, although he continues to hold his breath until he's told it's no longer necessary. Contrary to popular belief, The Shadow is quite an obedient patient in an emergency. It is during the recovery period after that he tends to grow impatient. He lets them do their work without protest, being as helpful as he is capable of in his weakened state.

[sarah_branigan]

Sarah wipes The Shadow's chest with a yellowish liquid that is probably an upgraded version of an alcohol swab. Only then does she remember the lab coat that the intern dutifully brought. She slips into it, the white fabric a stark contrast to her satiny green dress.

"This will sting, and then you shouldn't feel anything for a little while." She first injects a local anesthetic, then makes an incision by The Shadow's armpit in order to insert the chest tube. For about 20 seconds, there is the uncomfortable sensation of having one's breath taken away, but then it passes. On his other side, an intern inserts an IV needle into his arm and monitors his vitals.

Sarah says little during the procedure, but her touch is both efficient and kind, a balance that comes to her easily. After the procedure is over, She lightly taps him on his good shoulder. "How are you now? Can you breathe?" She has her stethoscope out and is listening to his chest.

[evillurks]

Divested of cloak, suit coat, and shirt, he is a lean and wiry old man with a number of old scars. Certainly he has been shot before, and stabbed, and suffered burns and other odd injuries. The majority of these are fairly old, although there are some rather large and newer scars on his right arm. There is also, faded and very old indeed, a small tattoo of a cobra on the right side of his chest. It is an identifying mark, but one he does not guard closely.

Very still and calm throughout, he seems almost to be unconscious but for the nature of his breathing. When his lung is reinflated there is a brief moment of wheezing in relief, then he begins to breathe steadily and evenly, despite the lingering pain of doing so. Meditation tends to serve him well when he's injured.
When she taps his shoulder he gives a slow nod, then gradually opens his eyes. "Thank you." His voice is a croaking whisper, and he winces at both the effort and the sound of it.

[sarah_branigan]

She moves the stethoscope's end to a few places on his chest while he breathes. The chest tube appears to be doing its job. "You're welcome." She tucks the stethoscope into her pocket and absently adjusts her necklace, touching the sapphire pendant once to make sure it's still there. "Where did you get that patched up?" She gestures at his shoulder wound.

[evillurks]

He blinks at her once, exhausted from the brief ordeal. His stamina is not quite what it was. His breathing is not quite as steady or as deep, now that he has ceased to concentrate fully on it. The tube, while not painful thanks to the anasthesia, is still uncomfortable. He feels as though he's been through the wringer, and very unexpectedly so.
"...The mirror. I dosed... myself with antibiotics for a few days. No... fever, no sign of infection." He speaks carefully, with effort, and reaches about on the cot for his dropped PINpoint. He has lost his quarry, and will be out of commission for days, and Burbank must know.

[sarah_branigan]

She sighs. "You make lovely stitches, but you really should have gone to a doctor." She gestures to his wound again. "It's a miracle your collarbone isn't broken, but there's no exit wound, which means that bullet is still in there. It might have caused your lung to collapse. I'd like to give you an x-ray."

She watches him search about for his PINpoint. Misinterpreting his intention, she crosses her arms just under her chest. "I'd really recommend staying here overnight, but I won't stop you. I'll be able to get back to my date sooner."

[evillurks]

"Was. Green-Metody Green fixed..." He resists a rising urge to cough, and his hand finds the PINpoint. He's quite aware he won't be capable of going anywhere for a while. "Bullet is out." With a quiet wheeze he lifts the PINpoint, hands shaking, and draws up a number for a text message. Talking is proving difficult, and there is much to be conveyed. With care, peering at the screen although the text is fairly large, he types briefly and sends the message, then lets his hands drop. "Myra. Ask Myra."

[sarah_branigan]

"Metody Green..." she murmurs. She's never met him, but the young man is so often in the Nexus that the name might be vaguely familiar to her. "I'd like to take an x-ray anyway, but it can wait."

She watches him type into his PINpoint. "Is that your emergency contact?" she asks. She quickly raises a hand. "Wait, don't answer, just rest. The interns will get you into a room, and I'll grab you some paper and a pen."

Unless The Shadow protests, the interns will wheel his stretcher to a room and transfer him to a more comfortable bed. Sarah takes a moment to text Daniel that she'll be a little while longer. She's disappointed that her date was cut short -- a real date, even! -- but she won't leave her patient until this Myra person shows up.

[myra_reldon]

Thankfully, Myra is a prompt individual, and it's only a few short minutes between the time The Shadow's message is sent, and a woman shows up in the clinic. She's dressed in a calf-length skirt and loose shirt that is wholly appropriate for her time period. She looks around the receiving room quickly until she notes an intern that looks enough like a nurse to be approached.

"Excuse me, a man just came in here, he may have been wearing a black cloak and hat....where is he?" Her voice is calm and mannerisms schooled, but she's honestly a few inches shy of dropping into a panic.