Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise. This is for fun only, please don't sue.
Chapter 14: Selly Oaks
It was strange being wheeled into a modern NHS hospital with Poppy Pomfrey and Dora Tonks Lupin. Hermione Granger was introduced to the Registrar Joe Fischer who was a squib and together between the four of them they completed her medical history. The plemb nurse came in to complete the scheduled blood work necessary as part of Hermione's admittance to Hospital. The younger woman found herself wheeled off by the hospital porters to have a large number of x-rays before being trapped in a c-scan for a dye imagery comparison. Hermione felt like she had been prodded and poked by just about everyone before Registrar Fischer had her placed up on the secure ward in a private room.
This ward was manned with both NHS and Military personnel. Hermione was in the military section of the ward as it would give her more security and it would mean that they could use the Statue of Secrecy Act more easily to hide the real details about Hermione Granger.
After the diagnostic examination and initial data collection the consultant team then visited her where Registrar Fischer presented her case to the multidisciplinary team.
"Injured in the line of duty 2nd May. Patient received crush injuries from a wall on lower back. There appears to be compression from the L5 to the S5 region. There is a hook on the L4 and misalignment. From the patient history there have been arthritic and rheumatoid issues with a previous diagnosis of hypermobility.
Looking at the x-rays the patient has evidence of potential RA and OA damage but there is no RA factor in the bloods. Patient has classic points of pain consistent with Fibromyalgia.
There are poor standard knee and foot reflex responses so it appears that sciatic pain and nerve damage are present. On the Brighton Criteria she has a historical score of 8 out of 9. She was in a coma for 2.6 months and had been in deep under cover where she had poor nutrition and signs of serious malnutrition for over 12 months prior to the blast that caused the crush injury. There are previous traumatic injuries to the thorax and it appears that hypermobility have prevented some injuries but the latest injury was one to far as a trigger for fibromyalgia. There is scarring on the joints and scar tissue which impacts on the reproductive system.
The patient has classic symptoms of Menorrhagia and the patient's long term physician is here today has previously recorded instances where the blood loss was class three to class four and patient required blood and fluid intervention on more than one occasion. The malnutrition could be a symptom of the excessive bleeding while being on field operations within a very hostile environment and conditions.
According the patient's notes she is getting stronger and appears to have more control over her legs but muscle weakness and conscious control is poor.
The consultant turned to the female operative in the bed and looked at her closely. There was a spark of high intelligence in her eyes and the two attending with her did not look like family. So one was her physician and the other looked like a security detail. Yes we are dealing with one of the secret squirrel branches and she must have been in some shit hole doing something to stop a threat to the UK.
"So what do I call you?" inquired the leading consultant of the multi disciplinary team.
"Hermione, will do since my mother christened me with it," snapped back the young woman lying on the bed.
"Did you understand all that jargon? Care to explain it all to me in simple language?" inquired the lead consultant for the care team.
"Why do you want me to do your job for you?," Hermione volley back to him.
"Just humour me I am the consultant and you are the patient," advised the man getting a little annoyed with her attitude with him. It was always the way with the secret squirrels. They had to have their bit of attitude.
"Might as well list me as a nonconforming patient now. I march to my own drum," advised Hermione. From the tone of the patient everyone was clear that she was not happy about the current situation and how the consultant was speaking to her.
"I thought you were in the military I think we could find someone with the right rank to make it an order," replied the consultant while he didn't have a rank himself he was sure that he could find someone on his team who could do the pulling of rank for him.
"Probably but I could still be a snarky bitch and disobey operational orders," smirked the witch who knew she had the man over a barrel. She was more than a little irritated with his attitude towards her.
"So come on cut me some slack and put it into layman's terms so the Blondie there," pointing to Tonks, "can understand what is going on. Look they stick a security goon on to you so they are going to get you to comply with orders," pleaded the lead consultant changing his approach because he knew he was scuppered in trying to bully this patient.
"I was born with a rheumatic precondition which is now known as Hypermobility. Basically my joints and ligaments move more than they should and as a result of the over movement I have developed rheumatoid and osteoarthritis symptoms. The condition has helped me in the past to avoid other injuries but this time I have not dodged the bullet. I have compressed the disks from the L5 region to my tailbone. Apparently I have a hook on my L4 disk that at times interferes with my spinal cord function. So basically my legs are a little fucked but with physio and occi therapy we will be able to get me back walking.
In addition to the spinal cord and sciatic pain I have developed Fibromyalgia, which is a chronic pain and fatigue condition due to my wonky wiring.
Added to that I am a woman who has been cursed with a heavy red tide. I was out on ops in an environment where I had issues accessing appropriate medical care and nutritional supplements normally so my blood chemistry went even more fucked up and I became anaemic so adding anaemia fatigue to fibro fatigue I was screwed energy wise.
Poppy here has got my blood work back on the straight and narrow and is now working on improving my nutritional needs so the effect is that with support I will be able to get back on my pins but I will always be a bit of a wonky lemon.
If I were a working dog you would have shot me as I am going to need long-term care and regular medical supervision.
Reproductively I am up the creek with out a paddle. I have a Buckley's chance of getting up the duff and that is something that you and your psych people will want to go over with me. I can see that padded couch getting wheeled out for me to discuss how I feel about my disability and how do I feel about the changes for me reproductively and emotionally.
"So I am a little wonky and I am always going to be. I am here so that you lot can look at me develop a rehab plan and to be a good little patient doing her rehab. I have to get on with my life and would like to be out of the limbo state you all seem to be in at the moment so get on with your planning. Time is money!" snapped the young woman showing some of the steel that marked her as a British special agent thought the lead consultant.
Yes just as he thought she was highly intelligent and she would need to be treated as part of the team to develop the rehab plan. The young woman could be defined as the expert patient. The operative had clearly processed what is happening and appears to have moved into somewhere between anger and bargaining although there are hints of acceptance. I am not sure but there could be some underlying depression for more than one cause but that is not unexpected it could be post traumatic stress as she had been in deep operational conditions which sound pretty hairy. "Mmmm"
"Finished with your psychological evaluation yet?" inquired the patient with a raised eyebrow glaring at the lead consultant. Registrar Fischer had to bite his own lip not to laugh at the consultant's facial expression to that sharp comment from the witch.
"Hermione please, remember they are supposed to be helping you it is not good to antagonize your treatment team," reminded Poppy Pomfrey trying to calm the situation down.
"Fischer you have a good one here for me!" Laughed the lead consultant. "By the way my name is Phillip Rappson. The first thing is we have to do is to get your pain manageable. We won't be able to take away the pain but we need to get it so that you are able to do daily functions. We need to develop an occupational and rehabilitation program to strengthen and reconnect the central nervous system messages. You might get the point were you can walk without a stick but you may need crutches as a back up safety option. Basically honey your operational career is over and you know it. You are going to be back office desk based now and we need to equip you for your new life. Sorry but you sound like you want it straight. I won't give you the rosy I can fix you but I will give you what we can try so you can attempt to make your life better," explained the lead consultant, Mr Phillip Rappson.
"Thanks I can't stand pity parties," was the chirpy reply from the young woman in the bed.
"Not the only one," Mr Rappson responded and at that comment all three women started to laugh.
"Sorry about that. It is an inside joke," apologized the blonde security operative.
"You're a little young. Blondie how long have you known the kiddo," inquired Mr Rappson.
"Four or five years now," the obvious security detail replied.
"How long have you had her as a patient?" he asked the older woman.
"About seven years now," Poppy Pomfrey dryly responded
God the specials started training them young was the thought that raced through his brain. It must have been clearly seen on Phillip Rappson's face.
"Don't worry we don't normally get them as young as her but she has always been an overachiever." Advised the blonde security agent. "I am Tonks, just Tonks"
"The quack over there is Dr Poppy Pomfrey and she has had me in her ward more times than I want to remember either".
"I pity you if the unit is all like these two. You must have the patience of a saint," advised Phillip Rappson. Yes the woman must have the patient of a saint to deal with specials and their attitudes.
There were two loud snorts from the younger women who were desperately trying not to laugh out right. "I take that as a no" replied Mr Rappson.
There was a stern look from the visiting physician at the two younger women before the pithy comment of, "I find there are days when a good whiskey is needed to cope with patients like these. When they drive you to drink the whole bottle you know your days are numbered," advised Poppy Pomfrey.
The next month was an interesting one for all concerned on the ward. The mention of female operatives made for some interesting gossip on the ward and the uniformed patients were keen to get a gander at both of them, the security team and the younger patient.
The fit blonde security operative handed over to two men in the evening and there was plenty who managed to be in the ward corridor checking her out. She gave some of the lads some sort of cheeky comment and it was just all they needed to confirm the view that the patient was from a cloak and dagger outfit.
The young woman's personal physician stayed on the ward the whole time crashing on a cot in the private room. The first evening there were a couple of visitors and looking at the reaction from the security detail and manner of talk the visitors appeared to be top brass even though they were dressed in civvies. The reaction of the evening security deployment team according to the military nurses taking the patient routine observations and drug administration gave every indication that the dark skinned man called Shacklebolt was the top brass for their unit. Shacklebolt was a frequent visitor several times each week to the young lass. So obviously she was a highly valued operative or that they were making sure they were getting the full picture from her in her debrief.
The pain management strategy was implemented with routine use of a fibromyalgia drug, pregabalin, along with standard sedation and the development of alternative pain relief treatments. Unfortunately this patient had a prior history of negative reactions to NSAIDs. Additional as per standard procedure the patient was prescribed fluoxetine to help address her mood.
The physical and occupational therapy started the first morning and the female security operative appeared to be stepping into the role of one of Hermione's primary care givers with the unit physician so both women were trained by the physios how to do the movement rehab exercises and gave ready advice in the care of the female patient.
The wheelchair unit came through the second day for a seat measurement appointment and a discussion of what type of workload the chair would have. Apparently the new custom chair needed to be a lightweight manual but also needs to have structural strength and some front loading weights, as it will have to carry weight cause she had a habit of carrying heavy books. The extra weight in the front of the chair would counter act a heavy book bag on the rear handlebars so the chair wouldn't tip backwards. Hermione wanted her chair to be in anodized emerald green.
Through the occupational workshop there where a number devices that were custom made and others photographed for physical adaptions that could be implemented back at base. The occi team where visited by someone called Professor who looked like a very tall sandy haired boffin with just a dash of a hint of danger. Apparently his wife was the female blonde security operative. Lucky man was a common thought.
The lass got on well with the other military patients and soon had the nickname of Firecracker. Some of the visitors from her unit thought it was appropriate. During the open physio sessions there was easy jokes going between the regulars and this special. She had a fast mind and her sarcastic wit belied her youthful age.
It did not take long for them to get her standing but her official walking distance was less than 20 meters. There were good days and there were bad days. If she walked it was highly likely that she would be dependent on crutches cause there was just no telling when the muscle control would go on her right leg and she would develop drop foot. So a pair of anodized calliper crutches was sourced to match her custom wheelchair.
The mental health team where trying to get her to talk and she kept saying sorry you don't have the security clearance. In a patient review with the unit physician Dr Poppy Pomfrey it appeared that this was the case and they were going to bring a specialist team in at the unit level. Poppy agreed with the diagnostic assessment PTSD, depression and anxiety associated with chronic pain. "She is not the only one with PTSD we are bring in a specialist team but it is just getting the patients and the team in the same location as the rest of the unit are still out on deployment." It was a week before the independent mental health professional was coming in to visit the young woman three times a week. Yes they were doing intensive therapy to get her back into the game.
Where possible the squib Registrar Fischer dragged Poppy Pomfrey out to as many different patients,' consults to help improve her trauma management knowledge using Muggle medicine. The range of medicinals were identified and Remus doing a bit of cloak and dagger acquired samples for Severus so he could test and assess if there was a potions based product that could be used instead. The interaction between the Order of Phoenix members and the Selly Oaks Teams would later lead to the development of products that would be beneficial to magical and military medicine but this outcome was not known at the time.
The monthly Motorability vehicles unit visit to the hospital was a highlight for all patients. It was then that the regulars discovered that the baby face lass had a license and she wanted to buy a suitable vehicle. Apparently the young lad with green eyes was her brother and he seemed to be keen on getting her the best whiz bang car there was for her. She had not much in the way of family and it came out that the kids were orphaned.
Hermione had her mind set on an automatic lightweight 4wd. Her reasoning was it had enough room for her chair. She could sit in the seats and swing out into a standing position pretty easily. The wheels of this 4wd would get dirty but not enough according to her to justify going for a Landy or Range Rover. When Harry had pouted about her preference she turned round in a flash of her firecracker temper and reminded him if he wanted a flash car he could get it himself.
There was a longing look at the bikes on the Motorability day by the young woman but unfortunately Dr Poppy put her foot down no way should Hermione get on a motorcycle while in her care. Amongst the Regs you could see that the Firecracker had a thing for bikes and if she wanted to get on one and go for a drag they were going to help organise it for her. With the assistance of the sandy haired Prof, his missus and her brother, the regular boys managed to get the Firecracker out on a short spin of the car park and her laughter was manna from heaven for the men. The moral boost of having this lass and getting up to the skiving helped with the treatment of the regulars.
Dr Poppy gave her people a bit of a tongue-lashing and the military nurse who was the look out got his ears peeled back. The Firecracker explained with asperity that her dad used to have bikes and she just wanted to remember going on a Sunday ride with him and the woman softened.
There was a day when the lass was up early and out off the ward on day release. The Security woman Tonks had brought a special outfit for the lass and had her dressed up to go out in her new customized manual wheelchair. The word on the ward was the young lass had an appointment at The Palace to attend. When the lass came back late that night there was no mention of The Palace and it was just she had a day out. Total stum that the regular lads took to mean as, "yes I had a visit to the palace but I don't want to talk about it and why I went".
It was the last week of August when the lass left the ward and became an outpatient. The honey streaked haired female operative was returning to part time study (cough cough duty cough cough) and would be visiting the gang at QEH once a fortnight to see the various specialists involved in her on going rehabilitation.
The regulars and their families who were on the ward with Hermione along with the others in the various rehabilitation groups in addition to many of the staff who had cared for Hermione during her stay in hospital where going to miss the young girl and her female support staff. The Firecracker had been a well-liked member of the hospital military ward community.