xp_logs | Stoker and Stalkers: We're All Fine Here

Kitty goes to get the promised checkup.

Jamie shot another worried look over his shoulder at Kitty before heading out to the waiting area. Kitty smiled at him, wishing he wouldn't worry so much, but getting the distinct impression that that wasn't going to happen. Instead she transfered the smile to Dr. Bartlet. "Really, I feel ok," she said. "Had a bit of a dizzy spell or thing yesterday, but it's just stress."

Madelyn gestured at the exam table with a slightly ironic smile. "Well, the last time it was 'just stress' Jamie ended up with a psychic clone trying to take over his brain. On the table, kiddo."

Kitty snorted. "That? So not just stress. This? Stress. It's midterms, you know how I get during midterms." But she hopped up on the examination table, then enjoyed kicking her feet back and forth like she was six for a few seconds.

"Indulge my paranoia, hmm?" Madelyn picked up Kitty's wrist and felt for her pulse, timing it on her watch. "So, when did this start? Yesterday? Were you doing anything out of the ordinary?"

"Does being an ordinary college student and going to parties count as unusual?" Kitty flashed a little smile. "Wait, this is me, yes, it does. Yeah, Jamie and I were at this Halloween party in the city some school friends were throwing and I think I may have not eaten enough, what with the midterms thing and the crowd and what not. Guess I came over a little faint. Possibly even swoony."

Madelyn chuckled a little as she reached for the blood pressure cuff. "Swoony, huh? How have you been eating? You haven't been skipping meals too much?" Unlikely with Jamie taking care of her, but it was a good idea to cover eventualities.

"I swear I mostly do the three meals thing," she said, wincing slightly as the cuff inflated. "I mean, lunch is a given, cause Jamie and I go to one of the eight billion cafes and diners and delis in walking distance to the campus, and we usually get something resembling breakfast for the train ride. And we're back for dinner unless I've got work or anything I need to hang around the city for. Which, ok, may have been more often than usual this week."

"Blood pressure's a bit low," Madelyn told her. "I'll take a sample check how your blood sugar's going - it might be the skipping meals."

Kitty did not stick out her tongue, but there was a definite air of tongue-outness about her. "I do this, midterms come and I work myself to the bone." She shrugged. And that could easily explain the dizzy spell.

"Far be it from me to lecture you the badness that is running yourself ragged," Madelyn said with an ironic smile as she moved the stethoscope to listen to Kitty's chest. "Breathe in for me, okay?" As Kitty did, she listened, and then continued. "If you're having dizzy spells, it's usually your body telling you it needs a break. Breathe in again."

Kitty did as she was bid, a look of contrition crossing her face. "Yeah, I know," she said more softly as Dr. Bartlet finished. "It was definitely not what I wanted out of my first college party. Although there were no demons. That's a plus, right?"

"No demons is definitely a plus. Well, doesn't seem to be any harm done - reducing your schedule a bit might be a good idea. How are you feeling generally? Any fatigue, weakness, that sort of thing?"

"Normally?" Kitty shrugged. "Nope, I'd been feeling fine before this. Today... Well, I was way exhausted last night and wasn't real keen on getting up, but other than that I feel fine."

"Hmm. Doesn't sound like vitamin dificiency, that usually builds up over time..." Madelyn stuff her stethoscope in her pocket and moved to the instrument tray. "I'll just take that blood sample, run it through all the usual checks to be sure. Can you roll your sleeve up for me, hon?"

"Sure," Kitty said, suiting action to words. Then wrinkled her nose at the needle Madelyn brought over. "As Lockheed would say, 'meh'." But she made no other protest.

"You'll just feel a prick and then some pressure," Madelyn told her - she didn't believe in telling her patients 'this won't hurt' when she knew full well it would, even a little. "And squeeze your hand a few times for me. How's school going, besides the whole mid-term madness?" she asked, to distract Kitty from what she was doing. Which was swabbing the crook of her elbow with antiseptic.

At least she wasn't actually afraid of needles, like some people. But really, nobody likes having blood drawn. "It's been good. People are starting to accept me, more, and my TA's hilarious. Such a dork. He's also one of my main supervisors at work, which is great, cause... well, there are a lot of grad students who are kind of less than happy with me having that job."

"I can imagine. They'll come 'round eventually - no-one can resist the combination of unpretentious genius." Madelyn carefully slid the needle into the raised vein, glad for the long hours of practice that meant she was rather good at not inflicting unnecessary pain on her patients. Blood flow was a little more sluggish than usual, but it was possible Kitty hadn't had much to drink today. "Once they realise you've gotten the position purely on merit, they'll adjust."

"I don't know, I think some of them are cranky because they know I've got the spot on my own merits. I admit, if I were twenty four I probably wouldn't be real happy with a seventeen year old getting a job over me." Which kind of stung. It had been a while since she'd been in public school and had to deal with that sort of thing.

"Unfortunately there's always someone out there who resents our success - it's the nature of the competitive society." Madelyn filled one tube, and switched to another. "Don't let them get you down, kiddo. How are your professors? Struggling to keep you in work?"

How much blood did she need? Kitty wondered, feeling that slight dizziness that came with having blood drawn. Of course, it didn't usually come this fast. "Yep," she said, smiling. "Well, the math and science ones are. My advisor insisted I take at least one humanities course, and that's actual work. Without being real work, since it's all intellectual wankery. Oh, but the dance instructor is letting me audit the class I'd have been taking if I hadn't had to drop it for, you know, missing the first month. That one I couldn't exactly just send a Jamie to to take notes in."

There, that should do. Madelyn removed the needle and laid some cotton wool over the puncture. "Hold onto that for me," she instructed as she set the tubes down and reached for the tape. "Yeah, I can imagine Jamie sitting in on that one would have been a bit problematic... hey, you okay? You look a little pale."

"I'm okay," Kitty said, blinking as her vision blurred slightly. But it was gone in an instant. "Um, Jamie sitting in on that one would have been very funny, I think."

"Humph. Let's lie you down for a little while. I don't want you passing out on me when you stand up." Madelyn pushed Kitty's shoulder gently but firmly until the girl accepted the inevitable and lay back with a sigh. "I think it's overwork, really. Maybe a bit of vitamin deficiency - when we're under stress, our bodies demand more of our diet, and of course, that's when we don't tend to remember to eat as regularly as we could. It generally explains the weird food cravings during mid-terms." Madelyn grinned a little nostalgically. "I'd have these unholy cravings for large piles of toast with butter an inch thick at three in the morning."

"Mmmm, toast," Kitty said, grinning up at the doctor. "My late night snackage always involves cocoa. Since coffee at midnight is generally considered to be a bad thing."

"It tends to be if you want to sleep before four am, yes," Madelyn agreed. Kitty's colour was returning, and some life was coming back into her voice. Just a dizzy spell - it happened sometimes when you drew blood, and she'd taken a bit more than usual because she wanted to run the whole range of tests. Better to be safe than sorry this time. "How about water? Are you drinking plenty of that? Sitting in front of a computer a lot, all that caffiene... it tends to dehydrate you, and the symptoms of dehydration include fatigue and dizziness."

Kitty wrinkled her nose again. "Um, possibly not? Not an aqua fan, so unless I think about it I tend not to drink enough. That could be it, pretty easy."

"Could be," Madelyn agreed. It would explain the slightly sluggish bloodflow too. "Try and drink at least a couple of litres a day, okay? It'll help." She grinned. "I can ask Jamie to follow you around with a water bottle."

"Hmph, you sound like I can't take care of myself. Which, ok, clearly been dropping the ball here, but still!"

"Wouldn't dream of suggesting it, kiddo. I know how easy it is to get caught up in what you're doing, though. And I like it much better when you're not swooning, as Jane Austen as the image is." Madelyn patted Kitty's shoulder sympathetically. "Okay, you're looking better, you can sit up now. Slowly," she cautioned, as Kitty started rising. "I'll let you know the results of the blood tests in a day or two, but in the meantime, more water, eat regularly and try and sleep a bit more, hmm? I know it's mid-terms, but crashing and burning won't pass them either."

"I'll be good," Kitty promised, sitting up carefully and swinging her legs back over the side. No head rush, that was good. "Definitely not wanting to blow my midterms. But hey, holiday weekend here, I've got an excuse to eat and sleep and so on. Also, candy. Feel free to tell me the tests say I've got low blood sugar and need to eat lots and lots of Halloween candy."

Madelyn chuckled. "I could write you a prescription, if you like."

"Hey, that's like, doctor certified excuse to eat the candy. I'd be for that. Can you make a special note about how I get all the candy corn? Jamie always tries to steal mine."

"Only if you score me some peanut butter cups in return," Madelyn offered. Satisfied Kitty wasn't about to fall over on her, she nodded at the door. "Go on, enjoy the rest of your break. Thanks for coming in with a minimum of complaining and claiming we're oppressing your right to be ill." The last was said with a melodramatic roll of her eyes. "You'd think people didn't like doctors or something, huh?"

"Peanut butter cups I can fully manage," Kitty promised, not quite hopping off the table. "And hey, I'm a fan of the doctor cabal with your fuzzy blue leader and his harem of pretty redheads. Glad to provide a lack of angst, whining or need for instant miracles." Kitty smiled. "Thanks, Dr. Bartlet. I'll try and take better care of myself."

"I'm glad to hear it. We're not nearly the villains people make us out to be. You'll be greatly honored when we take over the wor... oops, did I say that out loud?" Madelyn waved Kitty towards the door. "Go on, scoot. Come back if things don't change or get any worse, okay?"

"Will do," Kitty said, heading for the door. "And hey, feel free to take over the world. Will add your plot to the other seven I know about and open book..." She grinned. "Catch you later."