FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The ER only seemed to get busier as the day went on, furs rushing to and fro with every conceivable medical apparatus we had. I wasn't able to spend much time with our mystery patient, not with the commotion going on everywhere. He still hasn't come to, but that's not really troubling. Some patients can stay unconscious for several days after a head injury, even a minor one like his. He just needs some time. God knows we both do, that's for sure.

He is one lucky kid though, given everything that's happened to him. It really could have been much worse and he'd be fighting for his life right now, if not even worse than that. Lucky for him that someone found him so quickly. He would not have survived very long in this weather with his injuries. He was barely even hypothermic when he got here, very strange, my guess is that he was outside for less than an hour before he was brought in.

Bad thing is that the furs who found him have never seen him before and don't know anything about him. But that seems to be the norm with him. He didn't have any personal belongings or contact information on him. Neither does he have RFID implant and his fingerprints aren't in the city' database.

That rules him out as a city resident, Vectra keeps close tabs on everyone who lives in Morgan City, for reasons like this among others. Plus most employees and their families end up getting RFIDs because the company offers them for free. Both Peter and I have one, they make my job so much easier since you can just scan it and pull up a patient's medical history and contacts. Not as easy with outsiders, usually more traditional means are needed.

"Doctor Fowler?" I jumped at the voice behind me, I quickly recognized it as being the familiar voice of my polar bear coworker and stood down from my fight or flight reflexes.

I quickly turned around to face the woman. "Oh! Yes? Can I help you?"

She smirked and giggled a little at my response to her startling me. The staff love trying to sneak up behind me and scare me, because it's so easy. I'm a very skittish wolf. As long as it's them I can usually overlook the teasing. Unless they go to far, then I'm pissed at them for a while.

"Doctor Clay is hear and has requested to speak with you Doctor Fowler. She is in Bay four." She pointed the way to the bay, as if I didn't already know the way. I could tell she was still trying to hide the vestiges of a satisfied smile.

I blankly nodded, "Thank you for telling me."

I slowly got back up to my foot paws and paddled over to the trauma center across the ER wing. I've been avoiding that area. Focusing all of my attention on a stable but unconscious patient isn't the best thing for anyone's health, considering we do have other patients.

I noticed Doctor Clay standing outside of one of the trauma bays doors, talking to an orderly. She was of comparable height to me, maybe a little shorter. Her brilliant white and black spotted Snow Leopard fur almost reminds me of Peter's, but she doesn't have the same pink nose and paw pads that Peter does.

Peter has such a cute nose. He'd probably growl at me for saying so. Peter doesn't like to be called things like cute or pretty, apparently they're to _feminine_for him. He'll always be cute to me though. Especially his nose, hehe.

"Cait?" I called out to get her attention, "You wanted to talk to me?"

The orderly she was talking to politely excused himself, and the fine doctor looked back at me with her typical smile.

"Yes. hello Benjamin. I heard about your mystery patient from Gina." Her voice was as friendly, yet professional as always, "Poor kid... How are you feeling?"

How many times am I going to be asked that today? It's not like I passed out like Ian did. And yes he did actually pass out, halfway to the reception counter. Kara had to carry him to one of the beds. That is one scarily strong lady. Poor Ian, passed out on the job and got to be graced by Doctor Kahn's bedside manner. She got in shortly after he had his spill.

"I'm fine. No worse for wear. Wish furs would quit acting like suddenly not able to function properly." I told her, knowing it really wouldn't offend her, but I was getting sick of it. I don't like furs doting over me, "I may be a sociophobe and an anthropophobe among other things, but I'm still as capable of working today as any other."

"Sorry." She said, bowing her head a little, "I thought you might be a little upset. Gina and I picked a bad day to leave you alone. Unfortunately she got here before me, that must have been pleasant. You know how much she loves to fill out paperwork. The amount from the police report alone will keep her complaining for weeks." She giggled.

"I followed protocol." I said, defending myself.

"I didn't say you that you didn't follow protocol. Relax I was only joking Ben." She said. I felt her paw pat me on the shoulder.

"Excuse me Doctors Fowler and Clay?" a female voice addressed us from behind me. I recognized it as nurse Jackson.

"Yes?" Caitlin and I asked in unison.

"The patient you asked me to apprise you about, Doctor Fowler, he's awake." She said quietly and politely.

"Ah thank you." I said with a small smile. "Now let's see if there's anything we can find out." I said turning to Caitlin. She only smiled and nodded, and briefly placed her paw on my shoulder

Trama bay three was only just across the hall from us so it was only a matter of walking through the door. I was particular to close the door behind me for privacy. I looked over at the patient, he was trying to sit up in bed but seemed to be struggling under his own weight. We did give him some pretty strong meds.

"Hello I'm Doctor Benjamin Fowler." I extended my paw to shake his. His paw pads felt soft on mine as our paws connected. "Can you tell me your name?"

The Canine just laid there, motionless in his hospital bed and stared up at me with his innocent wide eyes. His head turned towards the sink on the other side of the room. He looked like he was trying to say something but wasn't able to.

"Thirsty?" I asked with a smile.

He nodded his head slowly in an affirmative response. I walked to the big sterile stainless steel fixture sunken into the counter. Taking a cup from the cabinet above my head, I filled it with water from the tap and returned to the Shepherd. He slow extended his arms and took the paper cup from my paws.

"Slowly, don't drink to fast. Don't want you to choke." I advised him, smiling a bit like Caitlin.

He slowly sipped down half the cup before lowering it from his muzzle and resting if in his lap. He was partially sitting up now. I guess nurse Jackson raised the bed up for him when she was here. His muzzle began to move like he was trying to say something, but again, nothing came out.

"Are you in any pain?" I asked him.

He once again nodded in response. I didn't expect him to say no, but it is protocol to as the patient if they're uncomfortable before dispensing pain medications, if they're conscious.

"I'll see what I can do." I beamed at him, trying to make him feel comfortable.

It doesn't take long to find the pain medication in the trauma ward. Usually there's a cabinet in most of our trauma bays with a stock emergency medications. I walked right over to the locked cabinet once I discerned it's location. I inserted my key and unlocked it. My paw quickly found its way to the pain meds shelf. I pulled the bottle labeled, alaphine, a drug made by Vectra just as powerful as morphine but much safer and easier to use. I pulled a syringe from the drawer where we keep them, and carefully measured the proper dosage.

"Can you tell me your name?" I asked. I tried to distract him with the question as I walked over to him with the syringe so he wouldn't get scared. He still had an IV tube in his arm so I didn't need to stick him with another needle. I carefully injected the medication into the bag of saline hanging next to him and made sure the drip rate was correct.

"The pain should begin to go away in a few minutes. If it does help or starts to come back, leg me or one of the nurses know." I told him, as a doctor and not a friend this time. I quickly swapped back to my more kids friendly tone as I crouched down to his level. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

He began to move his muzzle again. This time I hear some small noises come out. His eyes scrunched up a little as he focused on getting his words out.

"A... a..." He tried.

"Take your time." I placed my paw comfortingly on his shoulder, in an attempt to provide the smaller canine some comfort.

"A-are you a doctor?" I smiled at his question. His voice was deep and coarse, but it was definitely a relief for me to hear.

"Why yes I am." I said with a big bright smile, showing him a little friendly teeth.

"Wh... what about the woman in here earlier?" he asked, cautiously turning his face to me. Some of the small wounds stood out against his fur, catching my attention for a brief moment.

"That was nurse Jackson. She was here to check on you." I explained. I took note of the small butterfly stitches, closing the cut on the poor boy's forehead.

"M-my names Buck." He said weakly but with a little confidence.

"I'm Doctor Fowler." I told him again, not sure if he understood earlier or incase he had forgotten since. Despite there being merely minutes from now and then. "You were found lying on the street. Can you tell me what you were doing there?"

He looked away from me, he almost looked embarrassed or like he was in pain. Not in the physical sense, but rather in the more psychological or... emotional. My smile instantly lost its strength and a flat face took over. I still remember being in his position once.

"I... I don't remember much..." He started, partially returning his gaze to me. "There was a man, bigger than I am, he... he hurt me and..."

He winced and clamped his eyelids shut. He fidgeted in the bed and squeezed the paper cup in his paws. I must have whined or something, I don't really know, but his eyes looked straight back up to me.

"We know." I said in a soothing voice, my paw found its way back on his shoulder, "It would really help us if you could tell us more about him. You don't need to right now if you don't want to. The police and social workers will be here later to get your full statement if you want to wait until then."

"I can't remember." He said with a touch of anger in his voice, shaking his head and nearly spilling his water.

"Can you tell me what you're doing in Morgan city?" I asked to try and change the subject. "We know your not a resident here."

"My father works for Vectra." He said, "He brought me with him while he was visiting. How do you know I don't live here?" he looked at me cocking his head curiously.

"Your fingerprints aren't in the city's database and you don't have an RFID implant." I explained turning my attentions to the monitors for a moment. "Can you tell me your father's name?" his eyes darted back and forth, almost like he was worried about something, or avoiding it.

"Carson. Carson Smith." He said, looking at me.

"I'll let the social workers know." I informed him, standing back up at full height and taking my paw off his shoulder. "They should be able to track him down and we can take it from there." I grabbed his chart from the end of the med and made a note of the name and the medication I gave him. It's probably best if I bring in the social workers before we continue. They'll be able to help him as far as family goes at least.

"...okay..." He mumbled and looked down at the cup, which was a bit crumpled and bent from his fidgeting by now.

I walked back to the head of the bed and placed my paw back on his shoulder. "I'll be back in a few minutes." I placed the remote that was on the table, next to him. "If you need anything just press the big red call button and a huge will come to help you."

All he did was nod his head in response, not breaking eye contact with his lap. I gave him a soft pat on the shoulder before walking towards the door. I took one last look back at him before walking out into the hall.

I walked all the way back to the hall with our locker rooms and went into the small staff lounge. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the first number on my recent calls list. The phone range a festival times before I heard someone pick up.

"Hello, love!"