mmmorenpcs | DR. RODRIGO HOLT ⥛ contact

DR. RODRIGO HOLT ⥛ contact

❝ Hi--! You've reached the Casa de Holtiday -- that's me, Dr. Holt, and my partner Captain Holiday.
We're either out or busy at the moment, but if you leave your name, number, and a message, we'll get back to you as soon as we have a moment to spare.

If you are a patient of mine, please hang up and dial my office number. ❞

[ Office number: ]

❝ You've reached the line of Dr. Rodrigo Holt of Miami Memorial Hospital of Surgery. If this is an emergency, please hang up and dial 9-1-1.

My office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Please state your name and number and I will call you back once I am available. To cancel or reschedule an appointment please contact me with 24 hours advance notice. ❞

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[Clark stands up and smiles, offering his hand for the Doctor to shake.]

Hello, Dr. Holt. There has been some improvement, actually, but since it kept on hurting I thought it was safer to let you take a lot at it.

[ Dr. Holt nods, smiling faintly and sitting down on a rolling stool so he can open his laptop and type up some notes. ]

Better safe than sorry -- that's what I've always said. Did something happen to cause this pain, Mr. Kent? Do you remember? Or did you just wake up with the pain?

Well... [He'd obviously figured that'd be one of the first questions. For a moment he had considered coming up with a convoluted story that lets him pretend he isn't an imPort, at least for a while. But he likes avoiding lying to people as much as possible, since he believes a liar is always very easily caught... so he'll just try to be as honest as possible.]

You might know I'm an imPort, already. Back home I'd taken a couple months off to help my mother in his farm, since my father had passed away and she couldn't handle all of it on her own. It had bothered me a bit before, but it wasn't until I got here that I realized just in how much pain I was.

[ Holt types up what Clark tells him quickly on his computer, nodding along and pausing occasionally to double-check what he's written; only when he's done does he look back over at Clark to ask him more questions. ]

Ah... an imPort, huh? I don't get many imPort patients. I don't have any, actually. My husband used to think it would be a conflict of interest. [ His lips flatline slightly. ] Now, um, tell me, does this pain come and go, or is it constant?

It's sharp, but the worse of it comes and goes. Like a knife, but it feels better after I rest some. [Again, parroting his father's symptoms of a pulled back muscle.

He tilts his head, raising an eyebrow.] 'Conflict of interests'? Does he work with us imPorts?

Ah... well, used to. He's taking a leave of absence, health reasons. [ Dr. Holt clears his throat briefly. ] He never talks about work all that much.

Now, do you feel the pain around this region?

[ He indicates a chart on the wall. ]

And... after you rest, does the pain come back immediately as it was, or is it a gradual escalation?

Oh! I'm sorry to hear that. I hope he's feeling better then, especially if he worked with us imPorts. [Leave of absence. Hm.]

It's... gradual, sometimes? But it escalates very fast. And it's sudden sometimes. If I force it too much, I suppose. I'm not good at taking it easy, never have been.

We'll find out at some point. I'm not sure when he'll be out of the hospital. Apparently his condition escalated very suddenly.

[ If Dr. Holt is being evasive or seems troubled by this, he maintains a professional manner about it. He examines Clark, pressing his fingers experimentally to the indicated areas and asking if it hurts when he does that. ]

I'm tempted to think you've pulled a muscle, Mr. Kent. You should be fine with some rest, but that will involve taking things easy if you want to feel any better.

[He nods, letting a mask of frustration into his face to look the part of an active kid who's been told to rest while sick.]

A pulled muscle, hm? Well... I will do my best. I wouldn't want to make things worse and end up needing surgery- and it's not like a have a farm to take care of in here, that will definitely make it easier to relax.

I hope your husband recovers quickly, as well. Is it something serious?

Start with that. If the pain continues or gets worse, come back and see me immediately. I don't think surgery will be necessary anytime soon, barring extreme circumstances.

[ He types all that into his computer as he tells Clark, fingers clacking away. He seems hesitant to say anything, but then, slowly: ]

We don't know. Well, I don't. They're trying to rule out psychosis or brain tumors caused by dormant brain damage. He had an... accident in the past, but by all accounts he recovered from it completely. [ Holt shrugs quickly. ] Either way, you shouldn't worry. Whatever happens to him won't have any affect on imPort affairs.

[He hums. That's, more or less, what they gathered from the information they were given. It doesn't really strike him as truth, there's obviously something else going on behind the curtains.

Still, Dr Holt doesn't seem to be lying. Maybe he knows just as much as they do. He wants to push it a little more (an accident before?), but his usual jump-at-the-throat kind of journalism isn't goign to work here. This is more Lois's kind of thing.

He already feels bad for using this man, he must be missing his husband so much.]

I hope they take good care of him, then. We imPorts need all the help we can get, after all- from men like you as well as him. I really appreciate you taking me in, considering the circumstances.

I had a... friend, who suffered from psychosis. I know it can be a scary concept to consider.

It isn't as if there weren't some... signs, but it was never anything as severe as... things got worse in September. I'm not sure why.

[ Dr. Holt sighs, typing a few more things up in that quick, frantic way of his. He seems to do so at length to distract from the gravity of the subject, but after a moment he sighs again and turns to Clark. ]

Truthfully I shouldn't talk too much about it, but I think you all especially have the right to know at least what I know. It was so sudden, I don't think the vacuum filling his position will necessarily be a beneficial one. Either way, you folks have the right to some answers.

I can't say if he'll be back or if he won't. But I'll be happy to have you as a patient for as long as you're interested in seeing me.

[That actually makes Clark feel even more guilty, but the man is only doing his job. So he gives him a smile.]

Thank you, doctor. Both for helping me out and for the information, the relationship between imPorts and the government has been on thin ice already lately with all these changes towards the unregistered, any kind of heads up is useful.

I know I'm asking for a lot, but if you remember anything else that could be useful...?

My thoughts exactly. I'm sorry about this turn of events, I really thought... he was doing all right. Sometimes he'd be a little different, but not very. Sometimes he smokes like a chimney and sometimes he won't touch his cigarettes for days.

[ He shakes his head. ]

Was there anything else you needed?

Really? That sounds... intense. [And not like any kind of symptoms Clark can think of, but he's no doctor. To him it sounds more like nerves than anything else, but ignoring the nicotine craving like that can't be easy.]

No, that'd be all. But I'll be honest, doctor: I'm a journalist, and if your husband worked with us imPorts as closely as you're implying I think we could use knowing a little more about his situation.

I will obviously not write anything without your consent, but I was wondering if you'd be willing to share a little more? [Some people refer to him and his coworkers as vultures. In moments like these he really gets why.]

[ Dr. Holt looks uncertain, frowning in thought. ]

A little more? Well, that's not impossible. It depends on what you have in mind. I can't release any medical information to you, not even speculations.

[ He's already said a little bit too much on that particular front, he realizes, but as Clark says -- imPorts do deserve to know some of it. More than what they've been told so far. ]

Whatever you feel like you're willing to share. I simply want imPorts to be informed about what you've shared with me, not to pry into your private life.

But perhaps a little more on what you noticed before he was taken? Or things about his work he might have shared?

[ Dr. Holt clears his throat and sits silently for a long few moments. ]

I barely noticed anything. There was a change, but it's hard to put describe. He seemed dazed sometimes, like he couldn't pay attention to anything in real-time. His reactions could be delayed is what I mean, but not all the time. His memories seemed disjointed, but not all the time. So you can see how it would be hard to really notice anything serious. Evidently it was affecting his job.

[ A pause. ]

Anything further I might share about his work wouldn't do him or you any favors.

That sounds like it might have been harsh for you to witness. [His hand twitches, as if itching to write it down even though Clark will remember every word. Reporter habits, he guesses- he isn't going to start writing right in front of the man, he's already invading his privacy enough.]

Why do you say that? Private matters?

Well, it wasn't easy. But when you live with a soldier, you come to expect some level of dissonance.

[ He considers his response, then nods and says with a tone of finality: ]

Something like that. Confidential is a better way of putting it.

[Ah, that word. Every reporter's favorite word in the universe.]

I understand, we'll leave the work aside then. You've been of a great help already, Doctors- to the imPorts, and to myself. I still thank you for treating me so quickly.

I'm happy to help. Even if it's just this much.

[ He looks at Clark, then turns to write down one last burst of notes on his computer. ]

Well, if there's nothing else, I could write you a prescription to help with your back pain. Otherwise, you're welcome to schedule a follow-up appointment if you'd like to check back in a couple of weeks.

Unless there's something else that caught your attention about his symptoms, or something you think that might have been related to the suddenness of it all- anything that could help us understand the situation would be helpful. Otherwise...

[He shakes his head.] I don't want to take much of your time.

I'd appreciate the prescription, though. And I'll make sure to have your number handy.

[ Holt smiles politely, but shakes his head. ]

As a doctor, I've probably already said too much. Sorry. I don't know how classified any of this information is. [ He lowers his gaze, then reaches to get his prescription pad and a business card. After another minute he passes Clark the prescription. ] But come in and see me anytime. I'm happy to do whatever I can to make room in my schedule for imPorts.

And we appreciate it.

[He smiles at him, taking the prescription.] To be honest I've never been all that big on doctors and hospitals, but you've been one of the nicest doctors I've met. And you've been terribly helpful as well.

I'll be sure to contact you if I need it.

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DR. RODRIGO HOLT ⥛ contact

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