More medical stuff in here, once again taken mainly from ER and probably with more glaring mistakes! :-)
Thanks to Naliza, I'd be totally lost without your excellent betaing skills!
Keep all the feedback coming in, it makes me write faster and if I don't get feedback I won't keep writing, you have been warned!
*~*~*
Janet Fraiser rushed through the doors of the Emergency Room of Memorial Hospital.
"My daughter was brought in, Fraiser, Cassandra Fraiser", she said frantically to the young woman behind the desk.
The desk clerk checked the computer in front of her and directed Janet to the busy waiting area. As she was taking a seat her trained medical eye swept over the other people waiting for treatment. It felt weird for her to be on the 'other side'; she was used to being involved in treatment, not waiting for news. The rational side of her brain was telling her that the doctors could not allow her to be involved in the treatment. The part of the brain that dealt with the love she has for her daughter (no comma) however was screaming at her to get involved.
She waited quietly, ignoring the second looks she received from those around her. They obviously were not used to seeing people in military uniform. After a long and anxious half-hour wait a doctor approached her, she was slightly younger than herself, her long hair was tied roughly back and she looked tired and harassed. Janet recognised the 'look' from her own stints working in the ER.
"Mrs Fraiser? I'm Dr Julia Richards, I'm treating Cassandra."
Janet did not bother to correct the doctor's assumption.
"How's Cassie, is she okay?"
"She stable, she still quite ill though. She's running a fever and having some difficulties breathing. She had a seizure shortly after she was brought in, probably due to her high temperature. We're still waiting for her chest X-rays to come back but she's holding her own."
The description given by the doctor seemed to confirm Janet's worst fears, that Sam and Cassie had possibly been infected with the same virus.
"What's her pulse ox?"
Dr Richards did a double take on this medical question from the parent of her patient.
"You're a doctor?" she asked cautiously.
"Yeah, with the Air Force."
The ER doctor looked slightly surprised as she took note of the uniform for the first time.
"Pulse ox is 95 on O2, BP 100 over 60, pulse 90."
Janet nodded. She was slightly reassured though still a bit troubled at her daughter's blood oxygen level, but it was not that serious at the moment.
"What about her temperature?"
"It was 107 when she came in, we've brought it down to 105 with ice."
"Can I see her?"
"We're not sure what has caused this, so I need to get some information from you first if that's okay?"
Janet nodded her acquiescence.
"Does Cassandra have any allergies. Is she on any medication? Did she have any serious illnesses or injuries during her life-time?"
Janet paused slightly in deep thought. She obviously could not tell about the naquadah bomb that had been put in Cassie by the Goa'uld, Nerti.
"No, nothing", she answered calmly.
"Has she been ill recently?"
"No, nothing like that. Please can I see my daughter now?"
"Sure, follow me."
"Thanks."
Janet followed the doctor to a small room, before she could enter she had to scrub and put on a surgical mask. When she entered the room she saw her adopted daughter looking much the same as Sam did when Janet had left the base. Ice packs were stuffed under her arms, knees and behind her neck. Her face, behind the oxygen mask was flushed.
"Oh God", Janet muttered and went to hold Cassandra's hand. She sat for a few minutes in silence, after which she looked up at the doctor.
"Is there a phone I can use? I need to make a call."
"Sure."
Dr Richards grabbed the phone from the holder on the wall and hit a couple of buttons before holding the receiver out to Janet.
"I'll just be outside if you need anything."
"Thank you", Janet said taking the offered phone. She shot a furtive glance out of the door before dialling.
"General Hammond please."
"General, it's Dr Fraiser."
"Yes Sir, it's Cassandra, it would seem she is infected with the same disease as Major Carter."
"She's stable, for now Sir."
"Sir, I think we need to transfer her to the SGC."
"Yes Sir, thank you"
"Sir, if this disease is contagious then it could have already spread into the general population. We need to find out if that's the case."
"Yes Sir, thank you."
Janet sighed deeply and hung up the phone before sitting back down next to Cassandra's bed and taking hold of her hand.
*~*
General Hammond put the phone down on his side and sighed. The possibility of an alien contagion within the SGC was bad enough. The idea that it was busy spreading outside the confines of the base was even more chilling.
There was an established protocol for this situation. Cassandra's school would need to be contacted, as would the hospital where she was being treated. A plausible cover story would have to be constructed. There was no evidence to show that this disease had spread any further than Cassandra but on the other hand there was nothing to say that she was an isolated case.
Hammond made the necessary phone calls before going to the infirmary to check on Major Carter's condition. As he entered the observation area O'Neill, Daniel and Teal'c looked up.
"General", Jack said, partly in greeting, partly as a request for information.
"I had a call from Dr Fraiser, it would seem Cassandra is infected with the same illness as Major Carter. We're taking appropriate steps to see if it's spread any further and to stop it if it has."
"How's Cassie doing Sir?"
"Dr Fraiser says she's stable. Dr Warner is arranging her transfer back here."
Jack nodded, Daniel switched his attention back to Sam and Teal'c raised his eyebrow in acknowledgement slightly.
"Is there any change in Major Carter's condition?" Hammond asked in a concerned tone.
"No Sir", Jack replied tiredly.
Hammond hesitated for a moment before taking a seat next to Teal'c, joining SG-1's vigil.
*~*
Janet left Cassandra's side and went in search of Dr Richards. When she tracked her down, the young woman appeared more harassed than before.
"Dr Richards, I've arranged Cassandra's transfer."
"Transfer, to where?"
"Cheyenne Mountain, where I'm stationed."
The ER doctor looked shocked.
"It's not common practice and besides is a military hospital the best place to treat Cassandra? We are no closer to finding out what is causing Cassandra's illness. Her blood tests show a number of unidentified factors."
"I have received permission from the base CO, we're fully equipped to treat Cassandra effectively I assure you."
"Not to sound accusing but is there something you're not telling me about Cassandra's condition?"
"No", Janet answered. She attempted to feign an insulted tone but she was not sure if she pulled it off. She was too tired and concerned for both Cassandra and Sam. The doctor did not press any further though Janet could not tell if she believed her denial.
General Hammond had promised he would send a team to the hospital to check for further infection and deliver a plausible cover story if it was necessary. The fact that an ER doctor might think that Janet was concealing information about Cassandra's illness was not high on her list of priorities.
*~*
Jack stretched in his chair. He looked around as the door opened but turned his attention back to Sam as he saw it was only Daniel entering precariously carrying three cups of coffee, one cup was handed to General Hammond.
"Any change?" he asked as he handed the second cup to Jack.
"No", Jack responded flatly.
As the door opened again, Hammond, Jack, Daniel and Teal'c all looked up. Seeing Dr Warner enter Jack was immediately concerned.
"Doc, what is it?"
"I'm concerned about Major Carter's blood oxygen levels. They are much lower than I would like. If they continue to decline then we may have to intubate her."
Jack's face fell, he knew it had to be serious for them to be considering intubation.
"No medication seems to be helping, she hasn't responded to anti-virals or anti-biotics. Frankly Sir, I'm at a loss. We're treating the symptoms as best as we can but we are nowhere close to finding a cure. It would seem that Sergeant Martin is also infected. He is showing similar symptoms and his blood tests reveal the presence of the organism. Thankfully the disease is not as advanced as it is in Major Carter's case. We're running blood test on all the base personnel."
"But how is Sergeant Martin infected? None of us are ill."
"True and your latest blood work shows no presence of the organism."
"That's good right?"
"There may be some reason why you three remain uninfected, something we can use."
"What's the connection between Martin and Carter?" Jack asked.
"Apparently he was in the infirmary at the same time as Major Carter during her post-mission physical yesterday."
"So it's contagious."
"It would appear that way Sir."
Dr Warner just gave them some of the worst news they could have received. They had all been hoping that it had not spread any further than Cassandra.
Just as they were contemplating the idea of this disease spreading, alarms suddenly starting sounding in the isolation room. Jack and Daniel immediately jumped up and rushed to the glass divider.
Dr Warner turned and left, running to the isolation room. He gave one look at the shrilly-beeping monitors before starting shouting orders at the medical personnel around him.
"Okay, we're going to have to intubate, intubation tray please."
Jack watched in muted horror as the doctor expertly inserted a tube into Sam's throat in a bid to increase her worrying low oxygen levels. The intubation seemed to help. Dr Warner turned to the observation area, a slight smile evident on his face.
"She stabilised Sir."
Jack exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair. Daniel closed his eyes, opening them suddenly as more alarms sounded.
"She's in V-tach, prepare the crash cart. Lidocaine please", the doctor ordered one of the nurses next to him.
Jack put his head in his hands as he watched the doctor treat his critically ill friend.
*~*~*
Okay, another note from me: V-tach, the proper name is ventricular tachycardia, which is a dangerously unstable heart beat and must be treated quickly before it becomes V-fib, or ventricular fibrilation. (I almost sound like I know what I'm talking about here, don't you think!!!) I crave feedback in all forms so please tell me what you think.