There Are Risks

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 11th December 2020

Characters: Cyradis, Urlene
Description: Cyradis finds out why she hasn't been feeling well
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 10 of Turn 10

Cyradis

Urlene

Urlene stepped into the private room, closing the curtain behind her.
"You asked for me, Cyradis? I've been told you're not feeling well."

"Yes," Cyradis smiled wearily. "I've had the headache and dizziness
for days. I don't know what's going on." Cyradis was normally healthy
and tended to ignore minor discomfort in favor of getting her work
done. "Just can't seem to shake it."

"Hm. Let me check your eyes." She carefully checked by gently lifting
Cyradis' eyelids, examining her pupils. "When do you get dizzy? Any
other symptoms?" She pulled out her stethoscope and laid it on her
Cyradis' chest, moving it slowly.

"A little heartburn?" Cyradis had no idea if that had anything to do with it.

Urlene glanced up. "Hm." Her lips pursed. "Can you lay back for me, please?"

"Sure," Cyradis shifted on the table and lay down closing her eyes.
"How's Lorgellen," she asked, not opening her eyes to gauge anything
at all. Just asking the question.

Lifting Cyradis' shirt, Urlene carefully began to press along the
abdomen, then lower, her eyes half-shut as she concentrated on the
feelings of the organs beneath the surface. "He's very well, thank
you. He's growing and getting quite large. I think he has Y'gel
wrapped around his finger." Her brow furrowed and her head tilted as
her fingers pressed along the lower abdomen. "Cyradis, are your
cycles regular?"

"They've been wobbling a bit lately. Pachem had told me to expect it."
She put a forearm over her eyes. "I just can't concentrate on my work
right now."

"Well, yes, they will when you get to a certain age." Urlene readily
agreed, then lifted her hands. "But when was your last one?"

Cyradis shook her head, "I'm not quite sure, five sevendays maybe?"

Urlene fell silent for a long moment before speaking carefully. "Five?
I need to check you, Cyradis. It could be an illness, but I'd like to
confirm. I'll be quick. Bend your knees and hold still, alright?"
Urlene made the exam brief and as comfortable as she was able. "Hm..."
Moving to the wash basin, she washed her hands quickly, then dried
them. "Well, you're not sick." She looked over at the Weyrwoman and
offered a brief smile. "You're with child."

Cyradis gave a very unladylike snort. She didn't have to ask if she
was sure. If there was one thing she could count on it would be that
Urlene would be sure before she pronounced something like that. She
sighed. "Could be K'deren or N'vanik." She shook her head. "This is a
bad time for it to happen."

"Honestly, considering the difficulties with your last pregnancy,
Cyradis, it could possibly be a bad time at any time." Urlene didn't
mince words. "You're reaching an age where carrying to term is more
dangerous than when it was in your twenties and there may be more
complications than there normally would be. You'll need to make a
decision rather quickly on if you are planning to keep this baby."

"What kind of complications?" Her brows drew together. She'd never had
any difficulties before but then she wasn't a healer either.

Urlene moved to stand beside Cyradis and spoke evenly. "Risks of
miscarriage are higher, the baby could be born small or sickly, or
your blood may move at a higher pressure, which in later term can be
deadly, especially during labor. There is a risk that I will have to
take the baby if it gets to that point. but there is also an increased
risk of stillbirth if you deliver naturally. You may also have more
aches and pains in your joints and bones during the pregnancy. If you
do decide to keep this child, Cyradis, you _will_ be grounded
throughout the pregnancy for your safety and the baby's. Exercise will
have to be light and your diet will be healthy and monitored closely."

"Right," she smiled. "I am usually the one who does the scaring around here. "

"Clearly you don't talk to the majority of my patients." Her lips
lifted slightly. "You need to know all of the facts before you make a
decision. I also want you to go to Dolphin Hall and have one of their
dolphins make sure that the pregnancy is seated in your womb properly.
Wrong placement in the womb isn't unheard of after forty turns. If the
dolphins say the baby is seated in the wrong place, you go /between/
immediately until the loss begins If you don't, you will die and so
will Panitath. There's nothing I'll be able to do to help you."

Cyradis took a moment to process but finally nodded, she heard the
wisdom behind Urlene's words. "I believe I need to take a walk down
the coast to Dolphin Hall before anything else." she said. "and then
I'll speak to the fathers and let you know as soon as I can."

Urlene nodded briskly. "Yes, please do. I can't stress enough how
important it is that you do, no matter what decision you make."

"Do you want to go with me," Cyradis invited with a lift of her lips.
"Might be nice to take a walk?"

Urlene mentally went over her schedule for the day; she could
certainly delegate most of her work to the seniors on duty. Nodding,
Urlene easily agreed. "Yes, I would. I'll let you get dressed and
I'll let Silain know I'm leaving for the afternoon. "

"Thank you Urlene," she said and reached out to squeeze the woman's
hand. "let me just grab clothes for the water and I'll meet you on the
beach."

Last updated on the January 13th 2021

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There Are Risks