Collateral Damage Chapter 1

Rotation Day 1

Jon had experienced many things during his 4 years of medical school and 2 year residency. He had been assailed by the most terrible sights and smells. But, there was one thing he could not stomach. The stench of adult diapers. This was his last rotation ever. He counted to 10, took a deep breath and keyed in the code on the locked ward. It hit him immediately, the smell of old people.

Jon stood in the hall and texted Dr. Martell to let him know that he had arrived. That bought him a few minutes before he would seek out the head nurse. He reminded himself that he had to have this experience to be a competent general practitioner. He wanted to open his own practice back home. Young doctors were not attracted to the North. In fact, the only hospital in the region was Winterfell Memorial Hospital, which had been started his grandfather Rickard Stark. 

He came from a family of physicians, his 3 uncles and 2 of his cousins. Robb, who was in the Army Medical Corps and Sansa who had one more year of medical school. Even, his mother Lyanna had been destined to be a doctor.  She had taken the year after medical school off to volunteer with Doctors Without Borders. That was where she met and married his father, Dr. Rhaegar Targaryen. He convinced her to stay in Iraq in 1985. There Jon was born in 1986. There both his parents had died during the Iran-Iraq War.  Sadden Hussein has been on a rampage against his own people. He had blown up the field hospital where his parents worked. 

Jon didn’t remember his parents. He was 6 months old at the time and in a childcare facility run by the British Embassy for the doctors and other civilians serving in Iraq. His Uncle Eddard and Aunt Catelyn had taken him in to live with their young son as a sibling and he had grown up at Winterfell with the rest of the Stark clan.

Dr. Martell, texted him back to say he was delayed by at least an hour and to begin rounds without him. Not what he wanted to do, but….. standing in the hall, was not such a good idea either, so he walked directly to the nurses station to introduce himself. At the circular station, sat two CNA’s charting and the head nurse, Ms. Tyrell.

“You must be Dr. Stark. I’m Marg Tyrell, head nurse. I dispense medication, monitor chronic conditions and see to smooth daily operations.”

“Yes, I’m Dr. Jon Stark. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Tyrell.”

“Yeah, we’ll see how long that lasts. What time will Dr. Martell be arriving? He has a bad habit of dumping residents off in our cozy locked quarters and disappearing.”

“His text estimated an hour.”

“Yeah, uh huh. I won’t hold my breath. Anyway, you are here. We just received a new admission. A patient transfer from Bravvos. She needs a comprehensive examination and chart check. I’ll be checking her medication levels. This must be accomplished ASAP as she is quite disoriented from the move. She was very agitated when she arrived. We don’t have an hour. I’m not having her stroke out on my watch.”

“Then, let's get to work.”

“Follow me, please, Dr. Stark. Our new patient’s name is Mrs. Anna Gary. She is 55 years old and has been experiencing symptoms of early onset Alzheimer's for approximately 5 years. Her records are sketchy and read like a patchwork quilt.”

Jon followed Ms. Tyrell into a dim quiet room. Facing away from the door was a slight woman rocking back and forth in a wooden rocking chair. She was humming to herself and appeared to be holding something from her posture in the chair.

“I’ll review her records again, while you introduce yourself. Go ahead.”

Jon was grateful that she didn’t smell like old piss. And she was younger than expected. The woman had her eyes closed and her head was resting on the back of the chair. Jon noticed that she had dark brown hair with streaks of grey. He also noticed that she had burn scars on her arms, hands, neck and the left side of her forehead trailing down to her cheek. She seemed so content and calm, he felt terrible that he was intruding on her world. And what an intrusion. He took a deep breath and forged ahead.

“Excuse me. Excuse me, Mrs.Gary.” He stooped down in front of her in hopes of appearing less intimidating. “Mrs. Gary, I’m Jon. I’m here to help you settle in.”

She did not seem to hear him and kept rocking and humming. She held a stuffed animal furry dog in her lap. She did smile, ever so slightly as if enjoying a dream.

“Mrs. Gary? How are you feeling today?”

“Oh, quite fine. Today is the day my husband arrives and we can finally be a family.” she explained opening her grey eyes and looking straight at Jon. He blinked hard. Grey eyes.

“That's wonderful, Mrs. Gary.” replied Jon going along with her delusion.

“Oh, yes! And he will be bringing the baby with him. That’s what's taking so long. All the paperwork. I hope this apartment has enough space for the crib.” she continued looking around the room as if for the first time.