A Broken Heart - Part 2

[DrDMatthews 0]

J'untar Shamor was an unusual case. Very few known species possessed two hearts. It was a safe bet most of the medical staff currently serving on the Reaent would ever see another patient like Shamor. So Debbie decided to bring the entire staff into the discussion of how to proceed with J'untar's therapy. This was a unique opportunity for all of them.

 

      The Zemun was in no immediate danger of death. His second heart was functioning perfectly, for the moment anyway. That wouldn't last long unless they were able to reverse the damage to heart number one.

 

      The CMO huddled with Smith, Abrams, Studly and Eckert. Linkowitz was on third shift. Debbie would brief him later. The decision was unanimous to begin with the least invasive treatment possible. The first step was to move J'untar to a quiet area of Sickbay. Once there, Debbie would inform the Security Chief of their plan to restore him to good health.

 

      The CMO had treated J'untar in the past for broken bones and other minor injuries. He was an extremely stubborn man, not inclined to give in to such mundane inconveniences as fractures. But this was quite different. Debbie had to impress upon Shamor how important it was that he follow doctor's orders. His very life could depend on it.

 

      Even though he had a second heart, it was now under a good deal of stress. The Zemun body contained approximately 30% more blood than that of a human of comparable size and weight. Both hearts kept blood circulating through out the body which included considerably more muscle than found in most species. It took both hearts to provide an adequate blood supply to the Zemun body.

 

      At the moment, Shamor's right heart was functioning at about 55% capacity while the left heart was operating at 112%. The added stress on the left heart was acceptable in the short term. But damage to the organ was a very real possibility if the stress was not reduced within a two to three day period.  

 

      Even with the left heart at 112% capacity, J'untar's circulation was still below normal. The doctors calculated his body could withstand the deficiency for no more than 96 hours before systemic damage would occur. In the meantime, J'untar would feel week, lightheaded and possibly nauseous. He might also experience some discomfort because his hearts were no longer beating in unison. The right side was out of sync with it's healthy partner on the left.

 

      Within a couple of minutes after the consultation, Drs. Eckert and Studly moved Mr. Shamor to his new spot in Sickbay. The IV was re-hung and a new imaging scanner was mounted on the biobed. The doctors had just activated it when Debbie approached, notes in hand.