The Life Criterion --Prologue
anonymous
May 15 2010, 12:46:46 UTC
The sanatorium stood upon a green hill, surrounded by thick woods and barely in sight from distance. It was a building full of history, old and antique and facing south. The road, paved with thin asphalt, led to the main hall through the meadow and bushes like a winding grey stream. Its interior, however, was amazingly new. Alfred was stunned on his first arrival. He hadn't expected greetings from the shiny high-tech front desk and the modern hallway
( ... )
The Life Criterion 1a/??
anonymous
May 15 2010, 12:50:16 UTC
Compared with the hospitals where he had done his internship, days in Brehmer seemed very still. In the hospital wing things were sparkly new so it sort of went unnoticed. But in the old sanatorium building it's plain and obvious. Alfred used to get lost first week and that was not an enjoyable experience, reminding him of something (transparent and starting with a G) he rather put behind his mind. The odyssey ended with him running into the nurse station, never once in his life more at ease listening to those chatter patters. He became familiar to the buildings now. Though during the days and nights when he did his routine visits, he would again see how cold and abandoned the sanatorium truly was
( ... )
The Life Criterion 1b/??
anonymous
May 15 2010, 12:53:35 UTC
Lucky for him that Arthur did not argue or start another worrisome cough the rest of the way. He only spoke up when Alfred had him sit on the sofa in the staff room. His trunk was laid not far away in a puddle of rain slowly taking shape
( ... )
The Life Criterion 3a/??
anonymous
May 15 2010, 13:08:49 UTC
Phthisis. White plague. Consumption. These are the names of tuberculosis, caused by a group of bacilli called mycobacteria. Dating back a few thousands years, it has coexisted with mankind and weaved its path of death through human history. Medicine had come so close to sealing it in the past till retrovirus boosted it to its newest height, now at a soaring peak with millions of cases over the globe
( ... )
The Life Criterion 3b/??
anonymous
May 15 2010, 13:12:44 UTC
"Uh, you don't do drugs right?"
"You saw my arms three minutes ago."
"Just get to hear it from you. So . . . never?"
"No."
"Know any person around you that has TB?"
". . . no."
"Ever lived on the streets or stayed at foster homes?"
"What did that have to do with this?"
Alfred decided he'd better get through this as fast as possible. "Look, it's important. If you have any these risks, it would help us diagnose and decide on the treatment."
"I thought you were sure."
"It helps. So. Anything?"
He just shook and remained silent. Alfred didn't know if he was trying to recall or meant to drop the subject. Damn, it's hard to tell when one wore a mask. He searched those eyes for hints but they were lidded and downcast. It must be hard to have your life crashing down around you, Alfred thought. Because he was sure as hell feeling like shit just to be the one breaking the bad news; he could never grow used to it. Still there were differences. To him it's his job. To them it's their lives. He felt sad but the sadness had an entirely
( ... )
The Life Criterion 4a/??
anonymous
May 15 2010, 13:17:44 UTC
The afternoon was a disaster. Due to the storm, three cars piled up in the highway not far from the hill and Alfred was recruited to help the ER. They did some primary surgery and trauma care, got most of the victims transferred to medical centers, leaving only the minor-injured to stay behind at Brehmer. Still it was a mess. The weather didn't show any sign of getting better. By the time Alfred got to sit down and have a cup of coffee a nurse kindly offered him, it started to thunder. His hands were shaking from the adrenaline rush. They weren't when he carried out the CPR. Now he could barely feel his arms. They will sore like hell tomorrow, his mind numbly pointed out, and I haven't had my lunch. Maybe he could go to find Kiku later and get some rice balls he brought
( ... )
Re: The Life Criterion 4b/??
anonymous
May 21 2010, 16:00:28 UTC
I really like the medical diagnosis and the way you show the hospital life here. This way it looks more real and professional :D Well done dear author!anon, I'm waiting for more <3
The Life Criterion 5a/??
anonymous
July 2 2010, 06:11:07 UTC
OMG I'm so slow. RL you nasty bitch! Really sorry guiz ;_; Anyway you have no idea how many times I look at your comments with a stupid grin on my face, love you so much!<3
The birthday party the nurses held for him was not exactly fancy or big; it was, however, nice to spend the last few moments of one's birthday on something more than just a usual graveyard shift. They brought him a cake, bags of donuts and sang him birthday songs. Alfred really appreciated it. He liked nurses; they were cute and sweet and helped a lot. Unlike doctors, they often got transferred or left Brehmer for a better job. It's reasonable they took guesses about his presence.
Well, reasonable he supposed . . . But saying that he only came to backwater Brehmer because he was left no choice after being kicked out from the previous hospital due to an (amorous) affair with his former director's wife was just-too much! Alfred was horror-struck when he found out what the nurses had told Arthur. Did they really think that was why he was here? God, what did they
( ... )
The Life Criterion 5c/??
anonymous
July 2 2010, 06:13:58 UTC
"I'll think about it." Seemed when Alfred did his tune out, Arthur had regained his bearing. "Could we start the treatment now?"
Kiku gave him a quick nod, "I supposed we should."
Quietly the chief doctor placed the pill bottles on the table attached to the hospital bed, forming a line of jars. "Here are your medications. They ought to be taken once per day, through ingestion."
"Five pills at a time?"
"Yes. Four of them are antibiotics. And one to reduce the side effect." At this Kiku glanced to Alfred, "Unfortunately, since the consultation is about to start, I'd better let Alfred take it from here. He would explain each drug and alert you the cautions."
"And," as if reminded in hindsight Kiku craned his head around on his way to the door, eyes reminiscing. "I trust you now not to take the pills together with tea, Arthur?"
"O-of course not."
Kiku left with a wistful tug at the corner of his lips. Alfred laughed out loud as soon as he thought his mentor was out of earshot. "You drink tea
( ... )
The Life Criterion 5d/??
anonymous
July 2 2010, 06:16:19 UTC
Alfred sighed. The man just so snappish and totally not cool, couldn't stand a harmless little joke and seemed always picking for fights. He pointed as he quickly mentioned each drug.
"Rifampin, isoniazid, prazinamide, and ethambutol. All antibiotics, four at a time to prevent drug resistant because TB is a slow sucker and an ass to kill."
He didn't stop because Arthur was the kind of people who'd better stayed zipped. "They are to be taken by mouth and will pass through your liver, so the most severe side effect will happen there. Others, I'm afraid we'll have to stand that."
"Good."
Not quite fond at the tone, Alfred frowned. What does he mean by 'good'? He was no professor whom Alfred had to do presentation to. Heck, all he did was sitting there on a hospital bed, insulting (he started it!) the coffee he never drank and acting like some kind of jerk. Oh no not acting. He is. Totally
( ... )
US/UK AU request - Arthur gets tuberculosis and has to enter a sanatorium, Alfred is the junior doctor ( ... )
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"You saw my arms three minutes ago."
"Just get to hear it from you. So . . . never?"
"No."
"Know any person around you that has TB?"
". . . no."
"Ever lived on the streets or stayed at foster homes?"
"What did that have to do with this?"
Alfred decided he'd better get through this as fast as possible. "Look, it's important. If you have any these risks, it would help us diagnose and decide on the treatment."
"I thought you were sure."
"It helps. So. Anything?"
He just shook and remained silent. Alfred didn't know if he was trying to recall or meant to drop the subject. Damn, it's hard to tell when one wore a mask. He searched those eyes for hints but they were lidded and downcast. It must be hard to have your life crashing down around you, Alfred thought. Because he was sure as hell feeling like shit just to be the one breaking the bad news; he could never grow used to it. Still there were differences. To him it's his job. To them it's their lives. He felt sad but the sadness had an entirely ( ... )
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I love this fill
It is so great
Keep going, anon!
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The birthday party the nurses held for him was not exactly fancy or big; it was, however, nice to spend the last few moments of one's birthday on something more than just a usual graveyard shift. They brought him a cake, bags of donuts and sang him birthday songs. Alfred really appreciated it. He liked nurses; they were cute and sweet and helped a lot. Unlike doctors, they often got transferred or left Brehmer for a better job. It's reasonable they took guesses about his presence.
Well, reasonable he supposed . . . But saying that he only came to backwater Brehmer because he was left no choice after being kicked out from the previous hospital due to an (amorous) affair with his former director's wife was just-too much! Alfred was horror-struck when he found out what the nurses had told Arthur. Did they really think that was why he was here? God, what did they ( ... )
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Arthur's reply was on the border of nonchalance. "Which is?"
"I was thinking, perhaps instead of me, it will be more appropriate for Alfred to be your attendant."
Alfred barely had enough time to process the words his director just said. "What?" Attendant? For a junior like him ( ... )
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Kiku gave him a quick nod, "I supposed we should."
Quietly the chief doctor placed the pill bottles on the table attached to the hospital bed, forming a line of jars. "Here are your medications. They ought to be taken once per day, through ingestion."
"Five pills at a time?"
"Yes. Four of them are antibiotics. And one to reduce the side effect." At this Kiku glanced to Alfred, "Unfortunately, since the consultation is about to start, I'd better let Alfred take it from here. He would explain each drug and alert you the cautions."
"And," as if reminded in hindsight Kiku craned his head around on his way to the door, eyes reminiscing. "I trust you now not to take the pills together with tea, Arthur?"
"O-of course not."
Kiku left with a wistful tug at the corner of his lips. Alfred laughed out loud as soon as he thought his mentor was out of earshot. "You drink tea ( ... )
Reply
"Rifampin, isoniazid, prazinamide, and ethambutol. All antibiotics, four at a time to prevent drug resistant because TB is a slow sucker and an ass to kill."
He didn't stop because Arthur was the kind of people who'd better stayed zipped. "They are to be taken by mouth and will pass through your liver, so the most severe side effect will happen there. Others, I'm afraid we'll have to stand that."
"Good."
Not quite fond at the tone, Alfred frowned. What does he mean by 'good'? He was no professor whom Alfred had to do presentation to. Heck, all he did was sitting there on a hospital bed, insulting (he started it!) the coffee he never drank and acting like some kind of jerk. Oh no not acting. He is. Totally ( ... )
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