Motion (Sequel to "Collide")

CHAPTER SIXTY ONE

A/N: hey there! sorry for the delay guys, I've been dealing with some issues AND the worst case of writer's block. I'm not satisfied with this chapter because I feel like it's boring, and it probably is when I know what's about to happen in the next chapters. A lot is coming, drama is coming, and dang is it going to be a rollercoaster of emotions. I hope you still enjoy this one nonetheless. I'll try to update soon again, I promise!

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I watched Carl carefully as he drew sketches on the big white board of our hospital's lab. We had been in there for a couple of hours, or maybe more. I lost track of time at some point.

The sound of hammers and drills coming from beneath us barely unsettled me. I was focused, and above all, I was determined to work on Michael's surgeries.

Carl and I promised each other we would meet there at least twice a week, either to work on Michael's case, or on getting me ready to start my residency. It was complicated for him to manage his tight schedule, but he insisted on it nevertheless.

Until the hospital was up and running, he had to keep his job at Cedars Sinaï, not only because he needed the income, but also because he gathered a team there for Michael's first surgery. Although he would be the one performing the surgery, he would need an entire OR crew, and Michael and I entrusted him fully with choosing the right people for it.

Ever since I had that vision, Carl had been working relentlessly on the procedure. His brief yet intense experience as a plastic surgeon was a huge plus for Michael's surgery. First, because he'd require microsurgery skills to perform it, but also because he knew people in that field of expertise who advised him on how to proceed.

"That's pretty much it," Carl announced as he set his hands on his hips. He stepped back from the board to take a look at his work. "This is our plan."

"So we're contemplating two surgeries," I nodded, leaving my stool by the surgery station to stand by Carl in front of the board. "Three if the second one isn't as successful as we hope it will."

"Basically," he nodded, eyeing his sketches carefully. "Once Michael's balloon runs out of saline, that'd be our cue to go on with phase one. From what I saw when I examined him, I believe we accumulated enough healthy skin to carry on."

"The rotation flap," I nodded in understanding, looking at Carl's sketch from that phase. "If there's enough skin, you'll be able able to cover the patch of burnt skin with healthy skin. You'll partially detach that piece of skin, but keep it connected to its blood supply. Then rotate it, and cover the burnt area with it, and since the tissue keeps its own blood vessels, it will heal much better than an entire skin graft."

"Exactly," he smiled proudly, as he briefly looked in my direction. "The initial plan was to take out the extra healthy skin and then do a complete skin graft, which is more invasive and more painful."

"So this is the part that's never been done before?"

"None of it has been done before," he said with a heavy sigh. "Phase two is more known, though. Skin graft on burnt patients is very common. In our case, it'll be used to cover the areas that couldn't be fully covered by the scalp. As I said earlier, unlike a flap, this skin is completely removed from its original location and has to develop a new blood supply where it's placed."

"And if this stage isn't enough and that some areas heal without hair because the burn have destroyed the hair follicles, that's where you could perform sessions of Follicular Unit Excision."

"Yes," Carl nodded, his face suddenly turning worried. "I wish Michael wouldn't have to go through that third stage. It can be extremely frustrating. The follicles implanted can take months to grow — even years, depending on the overall state of the skin and its blood supply. We could have to do it more than once."