Working Out The Kinks

Writers: AL, Heather K
Date Posted: 13th May 2011

Characters: E'ril, Vandor
Description: E'ril goes in for a checkup
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 1 of Turn 6
Notes: Mentor Approved

Vandor

It was that time of the Turn again for the bluerider and none too soon. His
shoulder had been tight lately and E'ril presumed it was because of how he
slept on it. One night of rough sleep and for the rest of the sevenday his
shoulder ached. He was also just about out of the soothing creme the Healers
had given him last time to ease the ache. Stretching and hot baths helped
but only for a little while. E'ril entered the infirmary, checked in, and
waited for an available Healer. He paced the room, arms crossed, while he
waited thinking about the relief he would soon be feeling.

"E'ril." Vandor's deep voice needed little effort to carry and almost make
the room shake even though he did not raise it. His eyes fell upon the
bluerider and he smiled as he motioned to the man. "Come on back." The big
healer turned and passed down the way that led to the areas curtained off
for patients to be seen. Through one of those curtains he slipped and held
it aside for E'ril, then indicated the table. "Have a seat. How can I help
you?"

Perching himself near the end of the table, E'ril went ahead and removed his
tunic. He was used to these sorts of checkups and he didn't see any sense in
waiting to be asked. "Oh, nothing much. Just the usual look at my shoulder
here. I will say though it has been a tad stiff lately but I'm pretty sure
that's due to a rough night of sleep not too long ago. I had some creme that
helped before with a bit of numbweed in it I think but I've run out."

"Is it aching at all, not just stiff?" Vandor stepped closer, reaching out
to gingerly guide the dragonrider's arm upward. It was a slow motion,
careful not to go too far and watching for any sign of pain in E'ril's face.

Thankfully, E'ril had stretched out just this morning as well as given
Dawenth a bath so his arm was much more limber and there was no pain. "Not
much aching during the day just when I wake up in the morning. The stiffness
happens in the morning and if I use my muscles a lot that day, like on 'Fall
days. Today's fine because I've been fairly active thus far."

"You've been in here a few times." Vandor had seen E'ril once or twice, but
he was not the healer who normally saw him. "I see some of the treatments
they've done but therapy seems to have slowed down." He ran his hands over
the man and began to manipulate skin and muscle with his fingers, gently but
firmly pressing. "How often does it hurt?"

E'ril nodded along as Vandor went over his history. "Yeah, it has. It really
doesn't hurt that often. Just caught me on a rough week is all." As the
Healer kneaded his skin, E'ril found himself focusing more on the parts that
weren't there instead of the muscles that were. Not one to wallow in self
pity, he reached out to his lifemate. **I hate these appointments.**

}: They're for the best and besides they give you things to make you feel
better later. We were lucky that day.:{

His blue was right. They could have lost their lives, he could have lost
Dawenth forever. They had been lucky indeed that Dawenth had gone /between/
when he did, otherwise...who knew. He could always count on his dragon for a
solid reality check.

"Hm." Vandor could feel the knots and they were larger and harder than they
should be. "I'm going to do some manipulations." He explained. His fingers
began to press harder, concentrate on certain spots. "There's a lot of scar
tissue, of course, but it can cause pain. I'm going to try and break it up,
but I want to start seeing you. Think you can come in again some time later
this sevenday?" There was more they could do to help him and make his arm
feel better and he would do just that. "I'd like to see you a couple of
times a sevenday to be truthful."

E'ril gripped the side of the table, concentrating on keeping his breathing
steady, as Vandor worked his fingers in and around his shoulder.
"Uhmm....hmm," he murmured as the other man spoke. The last thing he wanted
to do was to come back several times a sevenday but he supposed it would be
for the best in the long run. He would have to remember to stay more on top
of things in the future so the scar tissue wouldn't build up as much. "I
think I can manage that. I generally am needed more later in the day for
lessons and things so I'll try to make it in in the mornings. Should I ask
for you specifically or will any available Healer do?"

"I'd like to see you if I may." Vandor had some specific techniques he
wanted to try and not every healer did things the same way. "I'm sorry it
hurts, I know, but the more we do this, the better it will be. Eventually
your visits will be less and less, but you'll feel better." There was a
particularly nasty knot and Vandor carefully and as gently as he could
worked it out before letting his fingers go lower.

"Oh, the pain's no problem. It could always have been worse," this last
sentence was rushed a bit as Vandor's skilled hands worked through a
particularly rough spot deep in the muscle. Once it was over E'ril
continued, "Right, so find Vandor in the mornings every other day or so? Got
it. In the meantime, think I'd be able to get any more of that creme from
you? It really does help."

"Let's start with twice a sevenday." Vandor chuckled softly. "See how that
goes. I might ask you to come three times, but we'll see how twice a
sevenday works." Vandor released the man's arm once he'd done what he could
for the moment. "Of course. Just a moment."

The big healer turned and swept through the curtain. He was back but a
moment later with a pot of the cream. "Use it as needed. You might need some
tonight but hopefully tomorrow or the next day you'll feel a bit better. It
can take a day or so for you to really feel the full effects of working out
the knots."

"Little over zealous I guess," E'ril explained before Vandor walked away.
The Healer returned as he pulling his tunic over his head. He nodded along
as he listened to the ever so familiar instructions about the creme. Having
heard this bit several times over the last few Turns, he could practically
repeat it in his sleep. When the Healer was finished E'ril said, "Alright,
that all sounds just fine. Thank you for time, Vandor. I'll be seeing you
soon then."

Last updated on the May 18th 2011

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Working Out The Kinks