misdial...or not (3.20 morning)

[overfivethousand]

[It started with what he thought was food poisoning the day after the St. Patrick's Day party. Made sense, even if it was unpleasant, and after calling out of work he tried to take it easy. The next morning, the nausea was worse, and his body had added the fun new symptom of tingling, like his hands were going numb. Even his healthy wariness of the hospital didn't keep him from going in, but the doctor agreed with him--just a bad bout of food poisoning, nothing to worry about, but he can stay for observation if he wants--but of course, he was halfway out the door already before that offer was made.

Now it's been a solid two days, and the tingling is worse. He's starting to have trouble breathing, and there's a suspicion that's growing along with the dizziness every time he stands up. So he tries to call the only doctor he knows isn't really from here--Dr. Gray. Only with the way he can't really feel his hands, and the way the numbers are kinda blurring together, it's anyone's guess who actually gets his slurred, slightly disjointed message.]

Hey--it's...10K. Ten Kay. [Said again, with careful enunciation.] I'm sick. Sicker than...I dunno. Dogs. Puppies and kittens...Doc said it was food poisoning, but I could...use a second opinion. I think. Missed work again today.

Could you...come by? And tell--tell Cassandra I'm...sorry.

[Whoops. That noise would be this discombobulated kid dropping the phone instead of hanging up.]

Comments

[overfivethousand]

[There's some fumbling on the line as 10K reaches for the phone, trying to judge which one he's seeing is actually the real phone. He comes back on the line about halfway through Jack's words, and his response, while feebly witty, has no heart behind it.]

Well, I feel worse than I sound, so...least I probably have something going...sorry. I was trying to call Doc--the doctor. Gray. Emily. You know her?

[comic_relief]

Nope, sorry!

_{[No one manages to make a no sound quite so cheerful as Jack.]}

But you got me! Did you eat something funny?

[overfivethousand]

[Damn. He was hoping...well. She's at least not one of the doctors at the hospital, so he was thinking maybe she'd be safer to go to. Because this isn't food poisoning. Not at all. Answering the guy on the other end of the line is a little tricky and fraught with pauses while he wheezes, trying to breathe, but he manages.]

Mostly canned stuff. From the grocery store. No dented cans, though. Just stuff. Thought maybe the docs were right, the first day...not so much now. Hands and feet feel weird. Asleep. And breathing is...hard. Can't get my lungs full. Don't think food poisoning does that...right?

[comic_relief]

<sub>[What's that sound? The sound of 10K's hopes for a knowledgeable medical practitioner evaporating? Orrr... is it someone struggling to catch their breath?

Jack's certainly not knowledgeable, but that rattle in 10K's lungs is clear as a bell--and worrying.]</sub>

I don't know that it's supposed to get that bad. Maybe actual poison. _[Er.] I mean--hahaha, what are the chances of that happening? You could have allergies! That happens. How about going back to the hospital?

_{[He's trying, bless his heart.]}