Chapter 16
Nicola and Trevor want to get some embalming fluid and introduce it to the parasite and see what happens. Embalming fluid is supposed to kill some infectious organisms, but will it kill this one? Derrick, Dane, and I decide to go into Darwin to a funeral home to obtain some embalming fluid since you can’t buy it without a license. All we really need to tell the Funeral Director is that we are with the CDC and need it for decontamination purposes. The Funeral Director doesn’t ask any questions and gives us a gallon of fluid.
“Do you think we have enough?” I ask as we exit the Funeral Home.
“Well, if it’s not, we can always get more,” Dane says.
“So what is the plan for the fluid, Kobi?” Derrick asks.
“Nicola wants to mix the fluid with samples of infected blood to see if the parasite can be killed. If it does kill the parasite, she and Trevor will try and make an antidote out of it. That’s easier said than done. Obviously, embalming fluid can’t be injected into humans, but maybe it can be done in small doses like arsenic. They used arsenic to kill syphilis, remember?”
“Oh yeah, that’s right. But how will they know how much to use?” Derrick replies.
“That’s why they are doing the tests and not me. I have no idea how to tackle this task. Let’s get going. I want to get this back to Nicola and Trevor.”
I walk in the lab, give the fluid to Nicola, and ask her if anyone has checked on our patients in quarantine today. She told me she hadn’t been back there yet, so I decide to go visit them and see how they are doing. I’ll stop and see Marci first.
“Hi, Marci.”
“Oh, hi Kobi, how are you?”
“I’m fine. How are you feeling today?”
“I’ve had better days; that’s for sure. I’m having a lot of pain in my lower back and in my upper thighs. It is getting harder and harder to walk.”
“Do you mind if I take a look?”
“No. Not at all.”
I lift her gown, and am shocked to see her entire stomach bruised like she has an internal bleed. I roll her over slightly so I can have a look at her back. It is massively bruised as well. When I roll her back over, I notice the whites of her eyes are discolored. I think the reason she is deteriorating so much faster than the rest of the people infected is because of her small stature. She is only about five feet two inches and weighs about 110 pounds compared to the guys who are twice her size. They are all showing signs of the parasite too, but not like Marci. They are giving her morphine around the clock for the pain, but I don’t think it is working anymore.
“Marci, how would you rate your pain on a scale of 1-10?
“It comes and goes, but on average, it’s about a 7 or 8.”
“Is the morphine controlling the pain well enough?”
“It is for now, but believe me, there are some times when I wish they would give me the whole bottle. Are they any closer to having the antidote?”
“They have had a few brilliant ideas, but no success yet.” I grab her hand and give it a light squeeze and say, “Please let us know if you need anything or something stronger for the pain, okay?”
“I will, Kobi. Thanks for stopping by.”
“Sure thing. I’ll see you later.”
“See ya,” she says cheerfully.
I see Marcus in the hall and he informs me that the dingoes died this morning around 10:00 a.m. The bodies were wrapped and taken down to the incinerator for disposal. I am not surprised that they died first, since they only weigh about 50 pounds.
Sevi, Evan, and Stolz are showing the early stages of the parasite infection. They have minor discoloration on their chest and abdomen. Cole has no symptoms at all other than the parasite showing up in his blood. Trevor asked me to take a blood sample from each of the guys, because we need to check the progression of the parasite. I’ll start with Stolz.
“Hey Stolz, how’s it going?”
“It’s going. What’s up with you little lady?”
“Not much. Just here to collect a little blood from you. Trevor wants to check everybody’s blood today.”
“Okay. Here use this arm.” He holds out his right arm for me to use and says, “Why don’t you let me collect blood samples from the other guys. There is no reason for you to be subjected to this little parasite unless you have to. Where should I bring them after I’m done?”
“There is a cabinet right outside of the vault where Nicola and Trevor are working. You can put the vials in there, and we will check them later this evening Thanks for doing this.”
“No problem. So, how’s everything else going?”
“It’s going well. Geoff has asked me to stay on and become part of his team during this crisis, and I have agreed. Derrick will have to go back to the states in a few weeks, but he’ll be able to help out until then. Nicola and Trevor are working around the clock trying to find an antidote. Still, no luck. They are working with some embalming fluid right now to see if it will kill the parasite.”
“I guess we are your guinea pigs, huh?”
“I guess, but not yet.” What a terrible thing to call a brilliant doctor/scientist like Stolz. But in fact, he is probably correct. The folks infected here at the lab will be the first people we try the antidote on, when we find one.
I am on my way back to the command post when I hear someone call my name. I turn around and see Cole at his quarantine room window motioning for me to come over and visit. I have already removed all of my protective gear so I will have to stay outside of his room.
“Hi Cole. How are you feeling?
“I am doing fine. I heard that Geoff has asked you to stay and work with
the CDC until this crisis is over. I think that’s great.”
“Yeah, I’m excited about it. Excited seems like the wrong word to use, but you know what I mean. I love a challenge and I want to help. Seriously Cole, how are you feeling?”
“I’m a little scared, Kobi. I knew a long time ago when I took this job that there was always a risk of catching some infectious disease, but you don’t think it will happen to you. It always happens to someone else. Well, not this time. Here I am infected and there is no cure. I have a wife and a beautiful little girl at home. She is three years old, and I really want her to grow up with her father. I’m not ready to give it all up.”
“Cole, I’m so sorry. I know there is nothing I can say to make you feel any better, but you know that Trevor, Nicola, and the rest of the CDC staff are working around the clock, using everything from toilet water to embalming fluid, trying to find a cure for this thing. I really think they will find one and you will be fine. You have to stay positive and keep that brain busy. You may have a brilliant idea for the doctors to try, so don’t give up. I know it’s easy for me to say because I am out here and you are in there, but you can’t give up.”
“Thanks Kobi for cheering me up. See, you are a tremendous help already. How is the lady, Marci, doing?”
“She is not doing well. The parasite is working its way through her tiny little body quickly. Do you have any discoloration on your belly yet?”
“I noticed one spot right here this morning,” he says and lifts his shirt to show me.
“Turn around Cole, let me check your back.” He turns around and I don’t
see anything on his back. “You are clear back there, buddy.
“That’s good. I wonder if being infected directly with the parasite versus being infected with bodily fluids, like I was from the dingo, makes a difference?”
“I don’t know Cole, but that is something we haven’t mentioned yet. I am going to talk to the team about that right now. You hang in there and I’ll keep you posted.”
Cole puts his hand up to the glass, and I put my hand up to the glass, smile, and head toward the hazardous area. What an awesome thought. The parasite might not be as aggressive as it was right out of the fluid that Dr. Elliot had them flo
ating in. We need to check Cole’s blood first to see if the parasite is as active in his blood as it is in the rest of the infected people.
I put on my protective gear, buzz Nicola, and go inside the vault. “Do you have Cole’s blood here?”
“Yeah, it’s right here. Why?” Nicola asks.
I told her about the conversation that Cole and I just had. She directs me to the microscope station and tells me to have a look. I take a small sample of Cole’s blood and place it on a slide. I look at it under the microscope and see something moving. I confirm with Nicola that it is the parasite.
“That’s it,” Nicola says.
“Okay, now let me look at a sample of Stolz’s blood.” I suggest. “Is it my imagination, or is the parasite in Cole’s blood moving a little slower?”
Nicola comes over, bends down, and takes a look. “I think you are right, Kobi. I think initially when the staff at the facility was infected by Dr. Elliot, the parasite was extremely aggressive, probably because of the chemical it was soaking in. The parasites in Cole’s blood are the transmitted parasites and appear
to be less aggressive. This is interesting.”
“I’m going to go back to the command post. Do you want me to mention this to Geoff?”
“Yeah, I think he might want to know. Ask him to come back here if he doesn’t mind. I’ll show him what we saw.”
“Okay. See you later.”
I walk into the command post and see Derrick sitting at the table reading a magazine. I walk over and put my arms around his neck and say, “Hi Baby.”
“Hey there, Sweetheart. You look tired.”
“Yeah, I am a little bit. Hey Geoff, Nicola wants to see you in the lab.”
Geoff exits the command post and I turn my attention back to Derrick.
“What time is it?” I ask.
“It’s almost 6:00 o’clock. Dane is going to take Monti back home today. There isn’t anything more he can do here, so he is ready to go back. We’re going to miss him around here.”
“I know. Where are they now?”
“They went to pick up dinner for everyone. They should be back in a few minutes.”
“Sound good. Geoff suggested we move into a hotel here in Darwin, compliments of the CDC. It is a lot more convenient than driving 45 minutes one way back and forth to Dane’s house. Dane has been offered a room as well.”
“I think that is a great idea. I can hang out in the room instead of here in the command post if I want to.”
“I’m sorry. I feel bad now. This is our honeymoon and I am ignoring you.”
“Don’t be silly. This is exactly where you need to be right now. What a
great opportunity for you. Don’t feel bad at all.”
Just at that moment, Dane and Monti walk in with dinner. “Excellent! “I am so hungry, I could eat a horse,” Dane says as he flips the box open and grabs a huge sandwich.
“When are you guys heading out, Dane?” I ask.
“Well, the plan is to go back to my house tonight. Derrick and I need to pack up everything so we can get settled into the hotel tomorrow. We will leave my house in the morning, drop Monti off, and go back to my house and load up the car. After all, you do have a mountain of suitcases, don’t you?”
“Yeah, we sure do. I guess the smart thing for me to do then, is check into the hotel tonight.” I suggest.
“That would probably be the best thing. You can get here bright and early in the morning, and I will be in around noon,” Derrick says.
“Well, okay,” I say getting up after dinner, “you be careful and I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you.”
“I love you, too!”
I am just starting down the hall when Geoff calls me into his office. “Listen, Kobi, I really need you to fly to Perth and meet up with the CDC Director there. I want to exhume the body of Thom Smithton and test the septic tank for the parasite. Do you feel confident in your ability to correctly identify the parasite?”
“Yes, I do. When do you want me to leave?”
“Tomorrow afternoon, if you can swing it. The CDC has a plane at Darwin International you can use. Take Dane and Derrick with you.”
“Really? That would be great. Thanks. What kind of airplane is it, if you
don’t mind my asking?”
“I’m not sure, it’s a big business jet, that’s all I know. That’s a strange question for you to ask.”
“I am interested because I am a pilot.”
“You’re kidding? Tell me how this came to be.”
“I started flying when I was 16 years old, soloed on my 17th birthday and received my Private’s Pilot License a few months later. I got my Instrument Rating and Commercial Certificate within the next year, and my Flight Instructor’s Certificate when I was 18 years old, and taught flying full-time until I went to college. There is a little airport south of St Louis where I teach flying on the weekends, when I am not at the Medical Examiner’s Office.”
“Wow, you are an amazing woman, Kobi.”
“I don’t feel amazing, but thanks for the compliment. I need to call Derrick and Dane and let them know what the deal is for tomorrow so they can get an earlier start. May I use your phone please?”
I pick up the receiver and call Derrick’s cell. They agree to get an earlier start and will be here by 10:00 a.m. My work is done here for the night, so I decide to walk with Trevor to the hotel and check in. We agree to meet at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast and then walk to the lab together.