(Notes and Warnings found at the beginning of Chapter 1)
Chapter Seven
St. John's Memorial
11 pm
As soon as the doors to the elevator opened to reveal the 7th floor, Cragen stalked out and headed for the Nurses station. He saw Fin standing there with his head down.
"Fin, how is he," Cragen asked softly.
"He's sedated as of now," Dr. Huang is in there with him.
"What happened?"
"I don't know Captain one minute he was fine, well good as can expected. We were talking and then he got a little upset and said he was going to go lay down and I went to go check on him before a left and I found him seizing." Fin shook his head, "I just don't know Captain. This is insane." Fin rubbed his face with both hands.
Huang walked out of Munch's room and approached Cragen and Fin.
"How is he," Cragen, asked immediately.
"Well, they are going to keep him over night and run some neurological test to see if the source of his seizures are physical."
"What do you mean physical, what other cause could there be," Fin replied.
Huang turned to Fin and answered, "There is a chance that the cause of Munch's episode was due to some type of mental trauma."
"Trauma?" Cragen replied, "Do you mean PTSD?"
"That's possible" Huang replied, "but there may be another cause, one that I'm not at liberty to say since I am currently Detective Munch's acting psychologist."
"Doctor, may I see Munch now," Fin asked.
"Sure, unfortunately he is unconscious at the moment but you're free to go in."
"Thanks."
Fin, walked into the darken hospital room. He approached Munch's bed cautiously.
"Hey partner," he whispered. "You hang in there, okay. We will get through this. You can count on me. I got your back."
He pulled up a chair to the bed and reached for Munch's hand and started rubbing his thumb over the back of Munch's hand soothingly.
ooooooooooooooooooooo
Dr. Robinson, the head neurologist on staff walked into the room to find his patient sitting up and reading what looked like some type of tabloid. Munch immediately looked up when he noticed the entrance of the doctor.
"So doctor what's the story? Am I dying from some mysterious ailment or am I just going slightly insane."
"Well Mr. Munch, we have found nothing seriously wrong with you physically besides you being about 20 pounds underweight and borderline anemic," Dr. Robinson said disapprovingly, "you are physically fit."
"You keep putting emphasize on physically, so what do you think is wrong with me?"
"Well we would like to keep you here for one more day under observation but after that we will release you into the care of Dr. Huang. It has been found that what you may have suffered from is a psychogenic non-epileptic seizure, PNES, a seizure brought on by some emotional trauma in your past. I must admit that I'm not an expert in this area and I will have to leave you in the capable hands of Dr. Huang."
When Dr. Huang walked into the hospital room he found Munch standing at the sole window in the small hospital room and immediately sensed that Munch was waiting for him and back to his usual defensive self. No more "open" Munch. Huang was in for a battle.
"So Doctor, it seems I have finally lost it, huh? Am I going to lose my shield? I have a feeling that if I hadn't talked with you yesterday no one would have had a clue that there was a possibility of something being mentally wrong with me."
Dr. Huang opened his mouth to begin to speak but Munch was having none of it and continued.
"So, Dr. Robinson said that they wanted to keep me here for another day under observation. So are they going to transfer me to the Psych Ward because that's just going to do wonders for my career."
"John, we are not completely sure of your diagnosis as of yet. It is possible that you may have suffered…….."
"PNES, yes I was informed by the wonderful Dr. Robinson."
Dr. Huang frowned for a moment then continued, "Yes it is possible that you suffered a Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizure. What we need to do now is do some routine psychological tests to assess the problem. I have to tell you Munch that I know that you do not trust psychiatrists and I know that you have been hurt by some members of my profession in the past, but I must say that I'm here to help you and I can only help you if you are willing to help yourself."
Munch snorted and turned to face the window again.
"Munch, please."
"Fine Doctor, I'll do whatever it takes. I don't want to lose my shield. I don't want to lose my life," Munch whispered so that Huang had to strain to here him.