Deep Thought

*Haddie glared up at the doctor woman taking a defiant bite out of her roadkill kebab. Aello looked down at her with those cold eyes of hers and Gill reached over and tapped her shoulder.*

*"It's ok, give her the knife back. We wont need it here."*

*Haddie cocked her head to one side considering for a moment. The doctor had saved Gills life that was worth something. Besides the scalpel was not the only prize she had from the med bay so it would not be a total loss. She fished around in her bag, first pulling out the screwdriver Gill had stabbed the goon in the eye with. The end was still red and sticky. She frowned at it and put it back before locating the scalpel.*

*She took another bite from her meat treat as she held up the scalpel towards Aello. There was something about the woman she did not trust, a flicker behind the eyes and way about her. Not arrogance, no, it was deeper than that more visceral. She sensed the woman was dangerous and for a moment considered lashing out.*

*"Haddie she is a friend." Gill soothed her, and at last she placed the scalpel back from where she had snatched it. She shrugged, she could always come back for it later.*

*She smiled sweetly up at Aello.*

Aello gave a slight smile as she took up the bloody scalpel and walked to the sink to clean it and sterilize it. She spoke to the kids as she had her back to them in a calm but distant manner.

Aello: Thank you Haddie. These tools were the last gifts I got from my parents. Its all I have left of them to hold on to from my past before...........(silence).

Aello turned and looked at Haddie with her empty eyes and dull expression.

Aello: I am not as lucky as you to have a big brother still around. I have no one to lean on in troubled times........ so cherish these moments or you might end up like me.

Aello then went back to prepping the room for Jacy's surgery and then organizing the medicine cabinet so the major stuff was under lock and key. It was bad enough Jacy was bold enough to steal meds, but the foolish girl when and took more than she was suppose to. It was common for even educated people to think all pain relievers were the same. Aello spent many hours explaining to patients that drugs were not interchangeable sometimes and some drugs you can't combine.

As she reorganized the medicine cabinet on a high shelf to keep away from Haddie's reach she saw the Naproxen Jacy boldly took. Aello quietly turned the label to read it clearly. It read 220mg per pill, take 1 pill every 8 to 12 hours. May take up to 2 pills the first time. Common side effects of Naproxen include stomach pain, heartburn, nausea, and gas. Naproxen can aslo cause dizziness or drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication will affect you.

Aello shook her head as she knew it was a matter of time before Jacy learned the error of her ways. However since Jacy was constantly shooting daggers at her through her eyes, Aello limited her interaction with her. In the end Aello was hoping the Dentist would help clear the matter of why Aello limited what she gave the hotheaded Jacy. Sadly the git was very late as he said it would only be fifteen minutes and it was already a half hour, not to mention there were loud noises coming from the cargo bay. It was obvious the Dentist would either be late or a no show, which meant she might have to fix Jacy's mouth. Aello was not hired to be a merc, but as a medic instead so she was not dumb enough to leave the Med Bay. Of course her patient Gill was still recovering from surgery and she needed to monitor him for a fever, allergic reaction or various complications. It was going to be a long day since she still had one more surgery left.

When you operate on someone, you are always taking a risk especially with anesthesia involved. The balance has to be perfect or the patient will wake up during surgery or worse they won't wake up at all. Unlike the movies where the hero saves the day in just two hours, reality is much different. Granted medical technology has advanced enormously in the past century or two, but Doctors are far from Gods in that they can't save everyone. Aello remembered the painful turmoil of loosing a few patients under her care and then the painful moment when she had to tell their families the hard news and quietly accept their blame for her failure to save their kin. She found loosing a child in surgery was the hardest for her since they barely had time to live. Very few outside medical practitioners ever experienced the hardships that came with the job. It was true that the medical field was very rewarding, but the hours were hard and the guilt was even harder. She remembered some doctors managed to cut off their feelings to get through the hard times while others turned to drug abuse.

At that moment Aello snapped out of her flashback and closed the medicine cabinet. She checked on Gill again then looked around till she found a few folding medical cots in a hidden wall compartment still in the packaging.

Aello: Wow this place was hardly ever used huh?

Aello was talking to herself as she began pulling the medical cots out for Gill and Haddie. She then set them up along the wall away from the main door and out of the way. Then she put some clean blankets on them .

Aello: Well kids looks like we can move you both here while we do the surgery on Jacy's mouth. You can rest there for now till we have more people to move you Gill. I set them next to each other so you can stay together.

Aello then sat in her chair and pulled out a data pad so she could read her Electronic Books. She purchased this data pad to hold all her medical books. On a drunken whim she purchased most of the medical library to amuse her friends. She never got around to reading them all despite her advanced skills. She flipped through several choices then selectedNetter's Head and Neck Anatomy for Dentistry, 33rd Edition. She began reading it in case she had to fix Jacy's mouth. Since she had a habit of eating while she read she pulled out a few protein bars from her bag and set two aside on the counter for the kids.

Aello: Here is a snack in case you both need something later on. Haddie make sure Gill eats before he takes his meds.

Aello then went back to reading as she nibbled on her protein bar.