“Interesting thing there lassie, may I ask what you’re doing.” A smile
“Something that’s technically bad practice. Procedure is to cauterize the artery if you can’t stop the bleeding, or if a part is missing and the ends won’t join. Something my mother showed me in practice that if given time you can essentially glue a tube in the gap. “ Almost set.
“That a bad thing?”
“Uhhh well we have time. Patient is still alive, not bleeding and given I take the tourniquet off correctly it’ll do. If not it pops, I reapply tourniquet and cauterize “ Carefully she let go of the fragile vein, slowly unwinding and watching the tube, blood started running through at a steady pace. It took a while to remove the whole thing, she had Eoghan keep pressure on as she prepared a healing mix for inside the wound.
“Well I’ve managed to save his leg but he is not to walk until I give him the clear. Otherwise it will rip and internal bleeding is very hard to fix. “ The boys noded, she got to work applying the paste, finished up sealing away the bone and artery. Then stitching up the cut with ease. Something she had practiced over and over again on pig skin then on real flesh and patients. Never yet making a mistake on a patient.
She stood clear of the man, checked his pulse again still weak. The shirt was ruined and her ebony skin contrasted with blood.
“And?” She almost forgot the boys. She considered her words before answering.
“Stopped the bleeding, fixed the bone and saved his leg. He will be under observation for the next day. Once I am satisfied that the pseudo artery is holding I will cast up his leg then move him somewhere probably to your home. Uhhh bones heal fast, muscle not so much. He’s probably down till Rebirth” They noded, quietly. A smile from Rita.
“Go home and tell your mother he’ll be fine. Actually, “ she got a gold nel out her coin purse, “go get something nice for lunch while you’re here.”
“Thank you Ms Rita.” she noded to them as they headed out. Carefully, putting her tools into the boiling pot. Cleaning her skin.
“Very pale” Satisfied she turned back to her friend, removing the cloth from her face. “Anyone looks pale compared to me,” she joked, “Shock and blood loss, when he’s up I’ll give him fluids and something to help speed up recovery. His in safe hands anyway. “ Another knock on the door.
Slithering over with curiosity there was a young woman at the door.
“Can I help you? “ A smile and slight tilt of the head.
“Yes please.” Her voice weak, throat swollen slightly. Standing out the way and beckoning her in.
“Of course mind the mess.” She was a little shy.
“Oh my is he okay” and a little uneasy on her feet. Rita offered a chair, getting her to open her mouth. Tonsils.
“He’s fine now. Get really badly hurt though, took me a while to get him better.” Picking the right medicine and sampling the right amount. Eoghan nowhere to be seen.
“As for you my friend, what you have is what we in the medical profession call tonsillitis” A friendly smile as she made her way back, “I say it’s a fancy name for a very bad throat. Non dangerous infection really. Take a measurement of this in water a day till it’s empty, no skipping please, and you’ll be right as rain, if not come back to me. Also avoid contact with the mouth, especially young children “ Words were delivered with authority but also friendliness.
“So no kissing babies”
“No kissing babies” A bright smile, a knock at the door and the next patient. An old lady with stiff bones. Rock moss and a little bit of leechbane for the old lady. She barely got a chance to sit down with plenty of patiences asking for her help from cuts and bruises, coughs and sneezes, with anything in between really. Checking on her patient monitoring his conditions, more painkillers more patients. A smile and energy in her all the way till early dusk. With no less than fifteen people needing her help.
“I can make it sure but you have to be careful with it. Maiden's kiss is a powerful aphrodisiac. You take a dose about an hour before sex and let your partner get a good smell of the bottle. You are in time so you might get pregnant, no guarantee naturally. These things don’t always work and sometimes take time.”
“What If i’m barren though Ms “ A reassuring smile and a slight yawn.
“You aren’t. If you come in uhh next week I can do the tests and give you another dose. Next cycle I can make sure you have all you need to conceive with high success. If not then it may be something with you husband. Diet is said to be a factor and I have some guides. But still mostly trial with these things.” The patient looked reassured, Rita reminding her one last time to be incredibly careful with the mixture. A long yawn and a rumble from her stomach.
“We’ll someone has been busy” rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
“And not eaten and dealt with uhh ten people in the last eight hours.” A cunning smile spread across her friends face.
“Well in those eight hours I’ve prepared a feast with enough food to feed a large army. With an Ithecals favorite dish. Selection of fresh game slow cooked and also roasted in spice. With mead pudding for sweat.” She smiled and laughed happily, not knowing what she’d do with her friends to look after her.
