crystal & medical questionnaire.

[portalling]

FORM: Sending crystal + blank questionnaire available at the infirmary
SENDER: Stephen Strange
RECIPIENT: Everyone
NOTES: The form is below! Submit your character’s response as a reply to that sub-thread, and this will also be linked from the Riftwatch orientation & infirmary wiki pages for posterity, so you can edit/submit a new one if details change. Your character does not have to take this super seriously. Strange might just come nag if they don’t.

What with the new faces recently, I’ve been working on the medical curriculum and refreshing the infirmary’s recordkeeping. It’s high time to establish some better-kept patient files.

To that end, we’ve provided a written questionnaire at the infirmary — thank you to Amsel for her neat penmanship — and I’d appreciate it if you could fill out a form for yourself and drop it off. The records will only be referenced by healers in the course of their duties, and otherwise locked away; your personal details will remain private. Having as much information as possible will only help the healers take care of you properly.

If you don’t read Trade or otherwise require assistance filling out the form, say as such and we can have someone sit with you. Any other questions, let me know.

— but also, fill it out.

Comments

[aberratic]

If no one else takes the leap, it will always remain a theory, and anyone else like me will have to just sit and hope they don't disappear back to the Fade. All science requires risk, and someone willing to suffer in order to learn.

...still, no reason to be hasty. Science requires patience, too.

[portalling]

Better you lose the hand than me, ( is a joke, perpetually unserious, but somewhere beneath it is some actual gratification that she’s willing to commit to the scientific method. )

Seriously though, don’t rush it. But if there were a proven way to anchor ourselves here, that’d be fantastic, and you’re right: the only way to learn is to try. Keep me posted as your thought process progresses, and if the day comes that you do want to go that far, we can do it safely under sterile conditions.

[aberratic]

I don't intend to chop it off tomorrow, certainly—like I said, a year or two. I want to remain as independent as possible with one hand, and that requires practice and training.

Truthfully, [ somewhat embarrassed to admit this, ] I'm most concerned about my penmanship. I worked hard to write beautifully, and I think that no matter how hard I work now, my off hand will never look the same.

[portalling]

( He had been flippant, perhaps too flippant, as he always is; but then this particular topic makes Stephen Strange finally stop. She sounds sheepish, embarrassed, but in turn his tone shifts and becomes more serious instead. )

It might not ever be to the same level, but you can hone and practice that.

The injuries to my hands— I wasn’t ever able to get back to legibility. But as long as your off-hand’s fine, it can get better.

( Despite the context, there’s no audible bitterness in his voice; it’s as straightforward and frank as he can make it sound. )

[aberratic]

[ ah—this would be something he could understand, wouldn't it? the embarrassment leaves her voice in response, replaced by what might be gratitude, and a genuine, prepatory curiosity—what should she expect? ]

Does it ever hurt less? Being unable to complete a task that feels like it should be simple?

[portalling]

( He considers lying outright and simply pretending that this isn’t a problem. This young woman— what is she, in her late teens, early twenties? His problems aren’t Ennaris’ problems to bear. But. If it is a thing that she’s worried about, for herself… )

At the risk of falling back on a trite aphorism: time heals all wounds. So, yes, over time. The years scar, wounds scab, you grow accustomed.

I suspect it might always be frustrating, but it does hurt less.

[aberratic]

[ softly, to herself more than him: ] Less. That's good.

[ to stephen this time: ] Thank you for your candor. I imagine it's not an easy subject to speak on, especially not with someone you know as little as you do me. I appreciate the openness you show, and what it may cost you to show it.

[portalling]

( A pause. Allergic to sincerity, still, so there’s that squirming unease to fob off her gratitude with another joke, evasive. This is so much easier if you just never look at it head-on and never accept what it costs. Pretend that it’s easy, pretend that you never showed your bare throat.

In the end, Strange manages a simple: )

You’re welcome.

and that's a wrap 🎀

[aberratic]

[ it'd be hard not to miss the discomfort; while ness stands entirely by her gratitude, best not to belabor it. ]

I'm sure you've a lot to do with the rest of the responses to the questionnaire, Doctor, I won't keep you. Thank you for your time.