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Tweak says, "We built this city!"

Dr. Maura Isles (drmauraisles) wrote in omega_reality,
@ 2013-05-15 17:38:00

Entry tags:

*complete, 2013 05, character: april kepner, character: maura isles

RP: Maura and April
Who: Maura Isles and April Kepner
Where: Safehouse
When: Wednesday, May 15 2013 -- morning
Summary: Aprils gets Maura's measure

The safehouse was a less than ideal place to work before the earthquake. After it, well, the idea of being up there during a major aftershock with all the mines in the area, after what happened to TJ and Savannah and the others was unsettling. But, you just had to work through these things. Working conditions here were still better than in some of the places she'd seen during her time with Doctors Without Borders, even if she was quarantined off in one part of the house while the young men working on the machine worked in another and the eastern exposure made the room overly warm despite the slightly cooler temperature after several days of melting heat.

And, at least for the time they were here, she had access to proper equipment. When they left, there was no telling how primitive it was going to be.

"You must be Dr. Kepner," she said briskly, by way of greeting, when the younger woman came in. "I'm afraid we don't have a proper examination table. So, I'll have to ask that you sit on the spare sleeping bag for the examination. It's been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Just be careful not to flip it over to expose the side that's been on the floor now."

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april_kepner
2013-05-17 08:30 pm UTC (link)

"I go by Spencer now, or you can just call me April, most people here do, or did, I suppose," April answered with a smile. "But yes, and you're Dr. Isles. It's nice to meet you," she said offering her hand as she balanced Eve on her arm.

"And don't worry about the conditions, after treating people on the floor of a parking garage and stitching people up in a moving van, a sleeping bag isn't too bad, although I'm not used to being on this side of things."

"I have to say I'm impressed that you managed to get the Director to agree to this at all. I could barely get people to agree to examinations when they were hurt, even less so when they were fine."

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drmauraisles
2013-05-17 09:36 pm UTC (link)

That was a first. Maura had never met a surgeon, fully trained or resident, so eager to drop their title on a first meeting, particularly with another doctor. But, she supposed things were different enough here and they would be April and Maura to each other outside the safehouse after all. "Very well then, April." She took the other woman's hand politely for a moment before turning to put on her gloves. "The pleasure is mine. Please, have a seat so we can get started. I'd like to have the blood work done before lunch so we can get you and your family vaccinated this afternoon and destroy the samples."

Maura picked up a clipboard with her list of required vaccines and a blank medical history form, beginning to fill it out as she spoke. She was using shorthand, writing in her own variant of the usual cryptic medical codes and in Old Norse, to take working notes she would destroy along with the samples. "Oh, I'm not worried, merely apprising you of the situation as the conditions do make a difference in how one is able to do the job."

The idea that Dr. Kep- April was not used to being a patient was curious. Surely, as a medical professional, she knew enough to have had regular exams during her life? "Have you not had a physical exam before? I'm afraid there's really nothing impressive about it. Circumstances as they are, it was imperative the people here be in peak condition before we leave and, as the only doctor present at the time, I was simply the one responsible for pointing it out to the Director. There truly is not much to it. I had much of the necessary tools with me when I arrived and there were other pieces of equipment in storage I could utilize. As the physical exams and vaccinations are mandatory, there really is no way for anyone to refuse. Now that we have it straightened out that I am the final word on medical clearance for field work, there are few difficulties when anyone is seriously injured, either."

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april_kepner
2013-05-17 09:51 pm UTC (link)

April took a seat, letting the other woman do her job, nodding at the comments about destroying the samples.

"Not since coming here," April answered her question. "I was the only doctor and even if I hadn't been, examinations were not allowed." As the woman kept talking she thought about what difference time made. She had been the only doctor, now Dr. Isles had that role and she was... well she wasn't sure what her role was any longer. She had made her decision when they left, and she knew she couldn't expect to have the position returned to her. It didn't make it easier to have it thrown in her face that someone else now held the place that had been hers, using the equipment she had made sure was there.

"What field of medicine did you practise back home?" she asked instead, deciding nothing good could come from talking about what had been before. To Dr. Isles she was simply a new arrival. Not someone with two years' of experience.

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drmauraisles
2013-05-17 10:16 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, I hadn't realized. I was informed that blood tests were forbidden. But, as Agent Callen requested one of the other agents see me for an examination shortly after I arrived, I never assumed there had been a time when all forms of examinations were forbidden." Not that Maura ever assumed much of anything. Assumptions and guesswork were the hallmarks of error.

"I was the Chief Medical Examiner for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts before arriving here," she answered simply, perfectly comfortable with allowing a short time for her new patient to ask a few questions about her professional background. While she was adjusting to the military way of doing things here, Maura still believed it was important for a person to feel comfortable with their doctor. "I did my residency at Boston Cambridge in Anatomical and Clinic Pathology and my Fellowship with the Medical Examiner's office in Boston. After that, I spent a couple years working in Dakar and other parts of Africa as part of a team from Doctors Without Borders before returning to the Medical Examiner's office. I was appointed Chief Medical Examiner in 2009.

"And you were in the middle of your surgical residency, if I recall what I was told correctly, yes? That must have been difficult for you, to arrive here in the middle of your schooling and have to do the work of a fully trained doctor."

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april_kepner
2013-05-17 10:52 pm UTC (link)

"No, not all forms, obviously some were necessary, injuries, pregnancies and such. This is new however."

"You were in Doctors Without Borders?" she asked. No wonder they trusted her. It was as close to a field medic as you could get. "As a doctor or medical examiner?" she asked.

"I can't say it was easy, especially once realising that I'd never get to finish, but you adapt. Most of what I practised here wasn't in my field anyway, but then that part must be familiar to you too."

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drmauraisles
2013-05-19 04:14 pm UTC (link)

"I suppose that makes sense," Maura replied. "Living on a military base, surrounded by soldiers who could be ordered to secure the samples and results. It would have been too risky. And, I understand that much. But, when I arrived that danger was no longer an issue and with the current plan for our departure, the chances of having access to any real medical aid are almost non-existent and it's imperative we make sure everyone is in the best health we can before heading into that environment."

She looked quizzically at the other doctor for a moment. "I was, yes. Why is that surprising. Many, many very talented and dedicated medical and non-medical professionals give their time. I'm not sure I understand your question, however. A medical examiner is a doctor. If you're asking whether my specialty while there was anatomical, clinical, or forensic pathology, the answer is all three as needed, much as I have been doing here for the last few months."

Maura shook her head. "As of yet, I can't say that I've actually been asked to do anything that I don't have at least some experience with during some portion of my career," she said matter-of-factly. "Granted, I've had to brush upon some disciplines that have gone used for a time. But, I've found that as long as one remains calm under pressure, the solution will generally present itself."

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april_kepner
2013-05-20 08:01 pm UTC (link)

April didn't add that with G and Sam gone two of those most set against testing of any kind were gone, but instead smiled. "Of course."

"Many do, but many also don't. It's not that common. We had a couple of surgeons who had been deployed with the military at the hospital back home, but I never met anyone who was in Doctors Without Boarders before. It's impressive," she said. She could also see why it would be useful in a setting such as this.

"True. So should we get on with the examination?" April asked. "Who do you want to start with, me or Eve?"

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