The Surgery Commences (1/2)

Writers: Avery, Heather, Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 15th April 2019
Series: The Wingleader's Surgery

Characters: Y'gel, Urlene, Kapera, D'hol, Solmon, Reptin, Silain
Description: D'hol undergoes surgery
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 25 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: Cyradis (Not by name)
Part 1 of 2

Y'gel

Urlene

Kapera

D'hol

---

Settled by Riyanth, Yumath knew the moment that the fellis they had
given his rider began to take effect. The bond between them was
slightly dimmed, making him shift from side to side nervously. He had
experienced such before, he knew, but this time it was coupled with a
deep seated fear both within himself and his rider.

Urlene looked up at the three others as the apprentices began to place
heated blankets around D'hol. As they stepped away, she glanced at
Reptin. "Keep an eye on his breathing and heart beat, Reptin. Let us
know the moment they get worrisome." Focused and completely calm,
Urlene made a small line indicating the incision area. "Are you all
ready?"

Y'gel stood next to Urlene, with redwort stained hands, ready to hand
her whatever instruments she needed, He also had Redwart ready to
sterilize anything that might need antiseptic rather than the more
powerful antibiotic that was in short supply. But he was mindful of
keeping it away from any skin or other pain receptors that might need
numbweed which was in another nearby pot. Of course, that was just
standard for a dragonhealer since fellis was poison to his normal
patients.

Solmon stood across the table. He nodded approvingly at her mark, then
he tied a mask around his face and handed them to the others. "Protect
yourselves. If we nick a bowel while we're in there it could infect
all of us."

Reptin, mask over his face, was seated on a stool right at D'hol's
head, monitoring pulse and sedation. The senior journeyman gave a nod
to Urlene that D'hol was under and they were ready to go. "He's
steady," he assured her, as he watched the first cut being made.

Urlene's hands were steady as she made the incisions, first through
the skin and then through the abdominal muscles. Knowing the
approximate size of the mass and its location allowed her to keep the
incision less than the length of her hand. Asking Y'gel to use the
suction bulb and gauze to clean the bleeding as she worked, Urlene's
focus narrowed to encompass only the incision and the careful
spreading of the abdominal muscles. "Clamp that, please. Master Solmon,
can you take over for Y'gel with the bulb so he can keep the muscles
spread?" Her brow knit; the process was steady, but not rushed;
mistakes of any kind weren't an option. "Reptin, keep a close eye on
his temperature. Now that his abdomen is exposed, it may drop
quickly."

Solmon and Y'gel moved smoothly as one to switch tasks as she asked.
The maneuver looked almost practiced for it was. Solmon had been the
one who'd taught Y'gel his surgical technique. Y'gel smiled for he
doubted Urlene even noticed as he spread the muscles and his uncle
kept her field clear.

Solmon peered into the opening but couldn't quite see the mass yet.

"Temperature stable, pulse holding." Reptin updated Urlene.

She hadn't noticed anything more than that Y'gel's hands now held open
the incision. "Reptin, I'll need to to soak away some of this blood
seepage with the gauze. Get what Master Solmon can't. Silain, we need
fresh blankets and more gauze." She directed them as she carefully
pushed back a section, then paused, glancing up at Solmon quickly.
"It's pushing on a section of his large intestine and attached at
another." Her brow furrowed as her mind worked quickly. The mass was
perilously close to perforating the bowel; how had the man been able
to stand much less ride a dragon? "Can you tell what it is? "

Solmon leaned over and took a very good look it was mostly smooth and
yellow with little to no mottling or outgrowths. "Fatty tissue," he
pronounced. "Not wasting disease. But it's englobed part of that
intestine." He pointed exactly where he thought the most dangerous
portion of this surgery would be. "Get the rest out of the way first."

Y'gel smiled and relayed the information to Aughashyth to give to the
Weyrleaders. He wasn't out of danger but the worst prognosis was now
discarded. If they could get him through the surgery he could fully
recover.

Silain turned out of the room where apprentices were warming blankets
in an oven and pulled two more of them. "Make sure you put more in
there and keep the coals hot. I want at least six warm blankets at any
time. Get more from the Headwoman if you have to. He returned to the
room to pull the cool blankets and replace them quickly with the warm
ones. And he refilled the gauze.

Reptin's face was a mask of concentration. The Wingleader's
temperature had been beginning to dip, but the addition of the warm
blankets stabilized it once more. He gave a nod of affirmation to
Silain before checking D'hol's pulse, which was still pumping along
steadily. "Pulse and temperature normal," he informed Urlene and
Solmon.

Yumath began to shift more nervously and rumbled a low complaint. The
bond that he focused so closely on had begun to waver and pulse
unsteadily as the candlemark progressed. He rose from under Riyanth's
protective wing and began to weave from side to side, eyes beginning
to whirl with sickly yellow tinges.

The removal took great care and time; each cut of connective tissue
had to be delicate and nothing could be rushed. Urlene let the outside
world fade only to focus on her task. Her fingers never trembled,
though she did, occasionally, shift her weight on the heavy pads that
Solmon had suggested. Finally, there was a final cut and with a
delicate touch on clamps, she removed the mass from the abdomen. It
had grown since D'hol had last visited the Dolphins, but not so much
that it couldn't be removed in one piece or she had to enlarge the
initial incision. Exhaling carefully, she placed it on a large piece
of gauze and handed it to Solmon to examine. Now she only had to close
the abdominal membrane and the abdominal muscle wall.

"Pulse and temperature dropping," Reptin gestured for more warm blankets.

Last updated on the May 3rd 2019

[Prev: Before Surgery, There are Goodbyes] Series: The Wingleader's Surgery [Next: The Surgery Commences (2/2)]

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

The Surgery Commences (1/2)