Martha's 3rd - Video/Action - Day 98

[notrosesshadow]

[To anyone who has been to the clinic when it was still there, that's where you'll see Martha when the video opens up.]

In an attempt to be of some use around here, I'm opening up the clinic again. I have my credentials from Royal Hope Hospital in London circa 2008. I also have experience treating non-humans thanks to some travel in both time and space. Most recently, I have gained experience as a field medic.

For anyone who has been seeing Dr. Barrett as your physician while here on this island, you may keep seeing her. But more doctors are always helpful.

If you have any questions or would like to sit for a physical, you may talk to me here or come visit the clinic. If not, that's perfectly fine too.

[Of course, baseline physicals would be much better, but she's not going to push anyone. Martha wants to be trusted above anything else.]

Comments

[bluesrat]

I... don't have much to trade or anything, but I'm having trouble shaking this cough, and I... well. I feel like I've been hit by a truck, but Balthazar seems to think I was abducted and returned, so I guess that's probably all that is.

[notrosesshadow]

Trading's not an issue.

[Martha hadn't even thought of payment. As far as she was concerned, everything was free.]

If you stop on by, I can take a look at it for you. Make sure it's not something worse.

[bluesrat]

[There's a lot of goodwill and helping each other out, in this town, but he prefers not to assume.]

Thanks. I... guess I'll head over. You're doing a great favor to the community.

[notrosesshadow]

[Martha smiles sheepishly.]

Oh well. I like to help people. 's'why I'm a doctor. I'll see you in a few minutes?

[bluesrat]

Best reason there is.

[He shows up a few minutes later, an absurdly tall, lanky, shabbily-dressed figure that ducks in the doorway a little. He's middle-aged, a little too skinny, and with the worn-down look of somebody fallen on hard times, but he's got a friendly smile.]

I'm sorry, I... don't think I even caught your name. I'm not up to snuff, I guess.

[notrosesshadow]

[Martha doesn't look much better. It's clear hard times have befallen her very recently too.]

Yes, I sort of didn't mention that bit. Thought most everyone saw my disaster of a first video.

[She smiles and holds out a hand.]

Martha Jones.

[bluesrat]

I've been... well, a friend of mine thinks I was abducted... I might've missed some stuff. [He shakes his head a little, and offers out a very large hand.]

Markus Rathbone. Or just Rat. It's nice to meet you.

[notrosesshadow]

Marcus... Or Rat if you really prefer.

[Introductions done, Martha then offers him a chair as she pulls out a stack of paper she'd been using as patient files.]

You said you've been having trouble shaking off a cough?

[bluesrat]

[He drops into the chair, and rubs his face a little. Since he woke up back in the alley, after possibly being abducted, he's felt like he got run over by a train, but saying so to a doctor seems less useful than specifics. He probably looks a little like he's been through the wringer, anyway.]

Yeah... ever since- well, I guess maybe a month ago, I was in the woods when there was a fire. I got out okay, but there was a lot of smoke. I only have about one cigarette a week. They're in short supply around here, anyway. I guess... it would do me good to drop the habit completely, but... [He smiles weekly, apologetic.]

[notrosesshadow]

[Martha takes down some notes. It sounds to her that it's some sort of irritant caused by the smoke, but she has some other questions.]

When did it start? The cough I mean.

[bluesrat]

I didn't notice it until after the forest fire. Were... you here for that? It was weeks ago though. [He gives a few wheezing, rattling coughs, a kind of accidental demonstration.]

[notrosesshadow]

[It is a rather awful sound. Martha pulls out the stethoscope she had found and fits it in her ears.]

Mind if I take a listen?

[bluesrat]

[He grimaces and looks sheepish, but really, it's silly to be embarrassed about coughing at her when that's what he came here for. The question gets a nod, and he sits up straight helpfully.]

It's not so bad I can't sing, but it's getting annoying.

[notrosesshadow]

Coughs are annoying, and exhausting if they continue for a long time.

[She puts a finger to her lips to warn him to be quiet so she can listen. It's a simple matter of listening to both lungs from the front and back.]

((OOC: What type of cough am I looking for? Don't want to tell him he has some illness when that's not what you want him to have!))

[bluesrat]

[He sits up straight, and tries to breathe slow and steady, but his back aches when he straightens, and he's clearly trying not to cough by the second deep breath. There's a rattling there, but it's all upper respiratory and fairly mild. Still, trying to breathe through a bunch of mucus is no fun.]

((OOC: Wasn't thinking anything too awful, but he could have an upper respiratory infection or something. Also, smoking is bad for you kids!))

[notrosesshadow]

[She steps back after a moment, considering her supplies.]

It definitely sounds like an Upper Respiratory Infection. Lose the cigarettes. They'll only make it worse. You could probably get something good as a trade for them. As for meds, I don't have much but...

[She rifles through a cabinet and pulls out a bottle of pills. She parcels out four of them.]

Take one of these a day. They should help with the symptoms and get that cough to be more productive. Keep drinking water, and if you can, get moist air. Hot showers, boiling water and breathing in the steam, that sort of thing. If it gets worse or you get a fever, then give me a call.

[bluesrat]

I don't... smoke that much... [He starts, then sighs and coughs with a grimace, relaxing into a slouch again. Rat is one of those tall people who's learned to be a little apologetic about it, at least in his body language.] Yea-yes ma'am. And thanks...

[He gives a lopsided little smile.] Haven't had a hot shower in years. That part doesn't sound bad at all.

[notrosesshadow]

[She lifts an eyebrow at his smoking comment, especially when he starts coughing again. It's nearly impossible to get people to quit even with the technology available in her time. She doubts it'll be easy here. But Martha will still try.]

It's been a while for me too. The shower bit. The water here does warm up decently though. Take advantage of it. [She smiles a little more kindly then as she looks up into his eyes even though he's slouching.]

Anything else I can do for you?

[bluesrat]

[It's hard to quit in any day and age, but it's true that he smokes as little as he can bring himself to, just because cigarettes are a luxury when you can barely afford food.] I'll try it after I leave here. Uhm...

[He rubs the back of his neck, and looks a little sheepish.] I don't know. Just... there's nothing else weird about me, right? A friend thinks I was abducted by the scientists who run this place...

[notrosesshadow]

[Martha knows what it's like to go hungry...]

The withdrawal period might be hell. If you can find something to take your mind off it, that'll help.

As for the rest of you, I could give you a more thorough physical if you'd like.

[bluesrat]

I've run out before... [He shakes his head and sighs, because he knows just quitting completely is long past due.]

You know, when I was a kid, doctors used to recommend some cigarettes when you had a cough... If you're willing, I guess it might be a good idea. I haven't seen a doctor in a long time. [He's apologetic and sheepish about that.]

[notrosesshadow]

[She laughs.]

Doctors tried very hard, but they just didn't have the technology to know the things we do now. Cigarettes don't show their damage until much later in life. And of course, the old ones people rolled themselves were... well, they had less additives then.

Well, let's do height and weight first.

[She walks over to a scale. Good thing these have stayed pretty much the same for a long time.]

[bluesrat]

I've... noticed a lot of people here seem to be from a later time... [He's not sure how he feels about that, still.]

Should I take my shoes off? [The soles are worn down so far it probably doesn't matter, anyway.]

I'll leave his height and weight up to you.

[notrosesshadow]

[Martha glances down at his shoes and shakes her head.]

Any difference in weight or height with them on will be negligible.

[She waits for him to step on before fiddling with the scale.]

When are you from, Rat?

[bluesrat]

[Getting an accurate read on his height may be tricky, as he comes in around six-foot-eight, or 2.032 meters. At 182 pounds, he's definitely on the skinny side for his doorframe-ducking height.]

It was nineteen-forty-nine, where I came from... I guess I have met a couple of guys from an earlier date, but everyone else here seems to be either ahead of me, or from some alternate dimension...