Life on the Balance

It had been a few hours since 18-year-old Ali Moonbeam was transferred from Earth to Gamma Centauri, a space station orbiting the Moon; her illness had worsened and now, she had more darker bags under her eyes, she was much more pale than on Earth and she looked much worse. Her vitals were even bad; her blood pressure was 55/15 and her oxygen saturation was at a low 62%. A trash can was by her bedside in case she threw up, she was given intravenous medicine to ease her symptoms and she was asleep with an oxygen mask on at fifteen liters per minute.

Just like on Earth, she was encased in a plexiglass booth in which her immune system couldn't fight any infection. Even though her illness worsened, Ali had a 80% chance of survival which was good, considering the fact that her heart stopped a few times which also resulted in her malfunctioning pacemaker replaced with a more functional, improved one.

As if divine intervention decided to pay a visit, Marc Bolan walked into the medical wing. As soon as he walked in, Ali was struck by an asthma attack; causing Bolan to frantically reach into a pair of black gloves protruding from Ali's bubble (which was the only way he could touch Ali, so he couldn't actually touch her). Once the gloves were secure, he turned off the flowmeter, he helped Ali remove her mask and he handed Ali her inhaler. Once the Pulmicort relieved Ali's lungs, Bolan gently rubbed Ali's back.

"You alright, baby?" Marc Bolan asked worriedly, as he placed the inhaler on Ali's tray table.

"Ever since I came to Gamma, my lungs have been bitchy lately." Ali Moonbeam replied, plopping her head onto a pillow.

"Well, we figured that Gamma Centauri would help improve your health. Keifer was even nice enough to put you in a sterile bubble with a majestic view of the Moon." Marc Bolan said in a worried tone.

"Speaking of whom, Keifer's bringing my medications, food and other things. Come to think of it, you were kind enough to safely sterilize my manga and anime DVDs." Ali Moonbeam said, before a coughing fit struck her.

"Thanks." Marc Bolan nodded, looking at a screen displaying Ali's vitals, "You sound a little congested, but not too serious. If it gets worse, we'll have to ask Keifer about doing an extra nebulizer treatment today. I'll let you sleep while Squire and I get you set up for your monthly blood transfusion."

"I see," Ali Moonbeam nodded in agreement, as she laid back down to take a nap.

As soon as she fell asleep, Bolan turns the flow-rate back to fifteen liters per minute and he makes sure the mask has a flow to it. A light hissing sound from the flowmeter fills the air along with the gentle bubbling of the water inside the humidifier bottle. Bolan takes the mask and he places it gently onto Ali, starting with her nose and lowering it into place. Bolan's black-gloved hand holds the mask in place as he places the green strap over Ali's head, securing it on either side and adjusting the nose clip.

Ali wasn't sure how long the blood transfusion would take, but she was too tired and dazed to really care. She knew she couldn't stay awake, so she decided her best option was to zone out and let sleep take over. The last thing she could remember seeing before letting herself drift into the blissful ignorance of sleep was Bolan leaving the room after taking his arms out of the black gloves.

"...Ali? Can you hear me? Wake up, please."

Ali's bloodshot hazel eyes flickered and she saw Tom Keifer, softly stroking her feverish forehead with his black-gloved hand. There was an IV needle in her arm and a unit of A-Positive blood hanging on a wall hook. Chris Squire was also checking Ali's vital signs.

"Good girl, Al." Tom Keifer smiled softly, "While you were asleep, Squire and Bolan got you set up for the transfusion and we're getting started."

"Bolan told me that you were anemic after we drew some blood and injected you with Procrit." Chris Squire stated.

"I see..." Ali Moonbeam nodded, closing her eyes to sleep, "At least I was asleep when you did the blood draw on the way to Gamma."

The blood transfusion begins, but then, a realization hits Keifer as he takes his arms out of the black gloves, "Oh! I almost forgot; Bolan told me that you had an asthma attack when he came in here to check on you. While Squire inserted the IV needle into your arm for the transfusion, I checked your breath sounds and there was crackling in your lungs. Bolan and I agreed to give you a breathing treatment while the transfusion is going."

"That's fine..." Ali Moonbeam replied sleepily.

Squire goes to get Ali's nebulizer equipment and medicine from a medicine cabinet and he brings them to a sterilizing chamber. After Ali's equipment was sterilized, Squire uses the black gloves get the right dosage of Albuterol into the nebulizer chamber, he hooks it back onto the mask and he hooks up the tubing to the bottom of the chamber.

Afterwards, Ali was having blood transfusion and a breathing treatment at the same time. A medical recovery in a space station orbiting the Moon was the perfect solution to her worsening condition.