Home-Bound: Broken Ties

23 - Last Chance

im not a doctor... just pretend google doesnt exist and im educated about preeclampsia

also hypertension/blood pressure wasn't measured during this time (people didnt even know it existed) but i also dont think they knew was preeclampsia was but my story would be a lot more confusing if luneah died to some strange, random cause that nobody knew the name of so I just gave it a modern name.

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"How bad is it?"

"Not good... She's barely six centimeters dilated but she's already exhausted."

Elise collapsed down in the chair, her blood pressure through the roof. She needed to get a new profession. The medical field was just too taxing.

"What's the cure?"

"No known cure... but there are some things we can do to help a little."

"Like?" Saphira asked, lips pressed in a straight line.

"Well, preeclampsia's kind of a tough bitch. If we don't treat it right, the twins could die, Luneah could die, or all three of them could die. I'd prefer none of the above," Elise sighed, using her index fingers to rub circles into her temples. All this stress was making her head spin. Thank God she was sitting down at a table or else she might've fallen over with how much her eyes hurt.

"So? You didn't answer my question," Saphira huffed, impatience oozing out of her pores. She passed a glass of water across the table to Elise, taking note of the tight knot and sheen of sweat collecting in the Elite's brow.

"And you," Elise bopped the young princess on the nose, taking a great deal of satisfaction in her reaction, "didn't let me finish. If preeclampsia develops further, it would raise the blood pressure and could cause seisures. Magnesium sulfate can help prevent the rise in blood pressure. It's seen a lot more in first pregnancies... women often get headaches, nausea, vision problems, abdominal pain, swelling, weight gain... and a few more that I couldn't care to remember."

"...Luneah's had most of those symptoms."

"I know," Elise sighed. She could never get a damn break in her line of work. She took a sip of the water, hoping the taste could clear her mind. It never did but it was always worth a shot. She set the glass down with a light thump on the wooden table.

Saphira huffed and reached over to pick up the cup, sliding a coaster over to place the glass on top. The Elite chuckled and shook her head.

"You never fail to amuse me."

"What?" Sahpira asked accusedly, using her fingers to wipe away the ring of moisture left behind on the table. "We're not savages, Ellie."

"No, you're right."

They sat in silence for a few comfortable moments.

"How else can you treat preeclampsia?"

Elise bit the inside of her cheek. At times, she was like a medical encyclopedia, listing off cures and symptoms like it was her job—well, it was her job but that's not the point—but she was just so damn tired. The night before, an Isunderian sailor had gotten too close to a Nightmare's den and suffered the consequences. Although the burns were not fatal, they still needed to be immediately treated to ward off infection.

"...Magnesium sulfate's the only way I know of. It comes from Monstrous Nightmares. But it's not foolproof," she began hesitantly. "I know of one other treatment, but it's... really risky and hypothetical. I'm not going into this thing blind."

"But it could save them?"

"It could potentially save all three of them. But like I said, I'm not going into the treatment blind."