Roleplaying
2004 Archive
2005 Archive
Seminars
| When: | 22 March 2005 |
| Who: | Galen, Noah |
| What: | Galen tries to get patched up. |
Brackenridge Hospital
First opening its doors in 1884, Brackenridge Hospital is the oldest public hospital in Texas. Under the management of a non-profit Catholic healthcare network and newly renovated, it stands as a testament to modern medicine at its finest. The building itself is tiered beige concrete structure with blue-glass windows standing some fifteen stories tall. It hosts all of the standard services one might expect from a hospital and is the region's only major trauma center.
The hospital lobby is laid out in a very orderly fashion. Across the room from the double-glass door entrance is a long sleek wooden reception desk. Hospital staff hand out forms to patients, prioritize patient care and answer questions. To the right, behind a set of blue double metal doors, is the entrance to the emergency room and trauma care units. To the left of the reception desk is a hallway leading to the elevators and the other departments on the floor.
The hospital is decorated in the simplest of styles. The walls are two-tone white and pastel blue, split in the middle of the wall by a divider that can serve as a handrail for those in need of such assistance. The floor is a tile checkerboard of white and gray squares. The reception area though is carpeted in a functional dark gray carpet with plastic chairs for visitors to sit upon.
What makes the hospital stand out as something other than a cold antiseptic facility is the staff. The nurses and receptionists joke and laugh together as they go about their work, employees sit with patients in the reception area and assist them with their paperwork or assuage their fears and hospital clergy comfort the friends and family of the sick and dying. The walls of this place house souls of great compassion and sacrifice caring for those who are need of healing and rest.
Galen Stumbles into the hospital, he doesn't seem all that hurt, but is making a big fuss about being hit by a flying object while riding his bike.
Galen says, "I think it was a frozen ham."
Noah stands behind the counter at the reception desk going through some paperwork with one of the other nurses.
Galen looks down at the clipboard handed him by the reception nurse. He ponders the complication of the forms. He chews on a pen for moment, then snaps it as he recognizes Noah from the other night at No Dinero - "YOU!" he yells. "I recognize you, you're a friend of Kacela's"
Noah looks up from his own clip board. He glances around, left and right and a little behind himself for a moment before he realizes Galen is talking to him "Kacela? I'm not sure who you mean, sir...umm...May I help you," he asks, his expession confusion his voice concerned.
Galen approaches Noah, depositing his clipboard and requisite forms in the nearest trash recepticle on the way over. When he gets close enough he mumbles theatrically from the corner of his mouth "The black woman at the corner table." though it comes out more as "der blok womb it thuh kernel taybull."
Noah shrugs "I'm still not sure what you're going on about..." Though, Noah thinks, he does look somewhat familiar "If you'll fill out these forms, we can get you in to see a doctor as soon as possible." Noah manages to product another clipboard with another set of forms rather quickly. You know..the basics..name, address, social security number. Everyone has them...right?
Galen takes the proffered clipboard..."sure, doesn't...everyone." He begins the laborious task of filling out the forms. You note that he writes each character carefully and mostly legibly. Three questions into the form his forehead is sweaty and his tongue is sticking out in concentration. After about 15 minutes he's finished to his satisfaction.
Galen returns the clipboard and a well-masticated pen.
Noah takes back the forms and looks them over. Even if the information is false, he has no way of verifying it right away "Well then..." Thankfully mid-afternoon on a weekday the ER isn't exactly jumping "If you'll follow me, I'd like to do an evaluation and then we'll have the doctor look at you. How does that sound?"
Galen ponders it and agrees, following Noah.
Galen wrinkles his nose at the antiseptic smells around him. He picks things up and fiddles with them, then puts them down. He even reads a couple of the PSA posters.
Noah nods towards the corner "Hop up on the bed if you would. So...what seems to be the trouble," he says, getting out his stethescope. Trouble or not, it looks as if he's going to take vitals.
Galen hops onto the bed.
The metal frame of the bed protests under Galen's weight, but manages to not break.
Galen points to his chest. "I got hit by a frozen ham while riding my Harley. I think someone must have dropped it off a overpass or something."
Noah looks up from taking Galen's pulse "That's...um...impressive," he says "Did it just glance you or did you crash or..." He lets it trail off, unlikely Galen crashed unless he was wearing a really good set of thick clothing or leather.
Galen lifts his tee-shirt revealing a torso that looks like steroids were used as candy in his home. He points to a perfectly square bruise just left of center on his chest. "It hit straight on, but I wasn't going all that fast."
Galen points at a dark spot, "I think it broke a rib."
Noah stares for a moment as he takes Galen's blood pressure "That's certainly and impressive mark. It's likely the doctor will want to do an X-Ray."
Galen looks down at it. "Mainly, I just wanna know if its gonna mend straight. I'd hate to get hit in the chest and have that rib rip into something I really need."
Galen thinks a moment. "Or pop out of my chest...that'd be pretty gross."
Noah leans in close "May I," he asks, looking as if he's going to touch the wound "Well..unfortunately there's sometimes more to be concerned with than just a broken bone," he says, not mentioning the fact that a major bloodvessel could tear or a half a dozen other things he thinks of. Nope. Lets not worry the patient.
Galen peers down at his wound. Who'd throw away a perfectly good ham?
Galen takes out his cell phone and starts murmering into it.
Noah presses against the mark a bit "Yes. Probably an X-Ray...I'll get the doctor," Noah says, watching Galen.
Galen says, "Cool, that thing hurts like mad. Can I get some Morphene or something?"
Noah says, on the way out the door "That will be up to the doctor..." And he leaves Galen alone for a time. Eventually the doctor comes in and examines Galen.
The doctor comes in and gives Galen an exam. Given his physical condition and the symptoms (or lack thereof) he's reporting, he finds it safe to discharge him with a simple 'take it easy' and avoids the costly X-Ray. Noah returns after the doctor with Galen's chart, scratching notes here and there.
Galen hmms..."Well, that didn't help much, but I suppose its good to not be dying, eh?"
Noah says in a concerned tone "You're lucky...Some advil and a bit of rest and you'll be fine. If you were going faster or it hit you off center and it very well could have killed you." He tries to remain cheery though and smiles after saying that.
Galen nods. "I'll try to be more careful." Somehow he's now convinced that being hammed was all his doing.
Noah smiles warmly still "May I ask you a question," he says in a curious tone, looking at Galen.
Galen nods, "Sure."
Noah asks "Were you at the No Dinero the night of the benefit...you look familiar."
Galen says "Yeah, I was there, I saw you. Right after those skinheads all got beat up." Galen neglects to mention the source of most of the beating up.
Noah nods with a smile "Ahhh....glad you made it out of that all right," he says, eyeing the object of the hammening.
Galen nods more, he seems a skilled nodder. "Hey." he looks out the door of the examination room. "Can I ask you something?"
Noah nods as well "Of course."
Galen Well, I'm a biker. And sometimes we kinda get into 'scrapes' that we might want 'off the record,' ya know?
Noah nods, not seeing where this is going "Uh huh," he says, looking clueless.
Galen looks cautious "Now mind you, I'd never get you involved in anything illegal, but I might need some 'discreet' medical attention...
Noah chews on his lip at the question "I'm not a doctor," he says admittedly "There's a lot I can't do...I mean I've seen some pretty vicious injuries come in but still." He sighs at Galen "Even so, if I came across you injured I'd be legally obligated to offer assistance."
Galen grins from ear to ear, displaying a impressive set of teeth. "Exactly." he then takes out his cellphone again. "Can I get your number, so you can 'happen across' me? Say, when I really need you to 'happen across' me?
Noah somehow thinks he's going to regret this. Even so, he takes a moment and writes down his number, handing it to Galen "Just be careful...Please."
Galen folds the paper carefully and puts it away. "I'm always careful, but hams, you know, they just come out of nowhere."
Noah nods and it's probably a few minutes after Galen is gone that Noah finally realizes that he probably wasn't, in fact, hit by a ham.
Galen thinks a moment. "Hey, if you need anything, call my number, it's on the forms."
Noah smiles warmly "Thank you very much."
Previous: Logs