Project Lia Ch. 06

Waiting in a small room next to the lower floor of the lecture hall, Lia paces back and forth nervously while trying to listen to the presentation.

While some of it is really advanced, most of the talk is basically explaining how this whole situation got so out of hand. The researchers are hoping to escape with their careers not totally destroyed after keeping this under wraps for so long.

Her part is at the end, and she figures they're planning on having her come out there to hopefully earn some sympathy from the crowd.

She takes a seat in the corner of the small room, basically a closet to store extra chairs and A/V equipment.

Pulling out her phone and navigating through her text editor, she debates making any last minute changes in her speech and decides against it - by the time she gets through the text with her phone slowly reading through every word it will likely be time to head out there anyway.

She thinks to herself "I really should turn up the speed on this thing."

In the huge concrete bowl of a lecture hall, one of the senior researchers is at the podium, speaking into a microphone, although most of the crowd is in the front few rows.

"... Patient's paradoxical reaction to the treatment gave us pause, but the continued improvement of test scores created some doubts about the accuracy of our scan results....the test scores kept improving while all of our scans pointed to less neural activity taking place. We determined that the best course was to continue treatment and monitor for any delayed changes..."

John, attempting to blend in as much as possible while sitting in the audience of mostly older people in lab coats with notepads, hears the story for the second time but with the gaps filled in.

Most of it is way over his head, but the basic story is the same - the docs wanted to help someone and their whole plan went off the rails. Hopefully they'll be able to prepare the audience enough to make her debut a little less crazy, although who knows once the media gets a hold of it.

The researcher continues, "Here's the final MRI before we discovered the source of our confusion."

The slide changes to a cross section of what looks like a scan of Lia's head. "It's obvious at first glance that the course of neural degeneration has continued unabated, the loss of tissue and increased fluid volume is overwhelming - normally a patient with this level of damage would be on a ventilator, not walking around and passing high level writing and problem solving tests. Actually, her scores were steadily increasing..."

The audience seems to be split between concern, confusion, and disbelief as they go deeper into the lecture, and he's only just begun.

"After making sure the scan results were correctly coming over from the machine and the scan was set correctly...

The members of the audience who clearly know this stuff are leaning in closer to try to get a better look as the scan comes up, and they appear to be really shocked as the doctor continues.

"...scanned to verify metabolic activity levels. Next slide please."

"Obviously we were scarcely able to believe it when we saw this. By all appearances the patient we had down the hall was dead, or at least completely brain dead. One of our team members commandeered the scan room and ran a scan on our patient's whole body, and the next slide confirmed his suspicions."

A murmur moves through the crowd as the next slide comes up, the scan lit up with activity everywhere but the brain, and basically going off the scale with the amount of activity.

"It appears that the trial drug did produce a result over the course of treatment, but the neural regrowth was redirected somehow...

"...over time the new growth throughout the patient's body seemed to make up for the gradual loss in function and even caused an increase..."

One of the crowd raises a hand, and the organizer quickly says "Please hold your questions to the end, we will have a follow-on question and answer session after the presentation.

"...minimal effects on the patient's personality and functionality are likely due to the long timeframe of treatment and the ongoing physical and cognitive therapy."

John tries to blend in, being the only person who clearly doesn't belong, but his nervousness seems to be impossible to hide. Hopefully the audience is distracted enough.

"Loss of cranial and optic nerve connectivity caused the sensory deficits to progress.... "

"...Although compensating well with assistive technologies, some of which the patient developed herself, the consequences of the degeneration eventually caused the onset of a series of massive infections. That brings us to the next phase of treatment. The patient didn't report any issues until it progressed into advanced sepsis which was spreading rapidly...

Some members in the crowd start whispering to each other, and others are writing furiously. John thinks he sees a camera pop up from one of the back rows for a moment.

...started removing all affected tissue and were forced to a decision point. Next slide please."

The surgery photos are pretty rough, and the audience reacts in shocked silence. The audience, mostly composed of seasoned professionals, remains silent as they flip through the photos of the deconstruction of Lia, from a pretty but obviously unwell woman to a mass of bandages, tubes, and machines. The doc describes in great detail the grisly details.

"Although this would appear to be a totally nonviable end result, Lia's vitals returned to a normal range almost immediately after the surgery." The doc catches himself, realizing he said her name instead of "the patient", although it probably doesn't matter once the information leaves the walls of the lecture hall.

"Within two days the patient was progressing well, and returned to a normal routine within a week. She was fully healed and working through a therapy course a few weeks later." The next slides are of the now greatly abbreviated Lia taking assisted steps around the room, trailing a cart full of machines behind her; then some photos from therapy.

The agitated crowd's background noise increases as they become even more unsettled and one of the audience stands up, saying "You expect us to believe that you gave a patient an untested drug, she survived brain death somehow, then you cut off her head and she's healthy now? These bizarre photos and a couple fake scans aren't going to cut it. Is this a shitty prank? I'm reporting this to the board, if only for wasting my time!"

The crowd clearly agrees with the audience member, shaking their heads and murmuring amongst themselves. As the volume level increases, most begin to stand up and some head out of the lecture hall.

The doc replies "I saved her life and found a completely new way to treat literally thousands of diseases! Don't believe me? Ask her yourself! Lia, it's time to show these folks the truth!" He stomps over to the side door and throws it open.

Lia, sitting in the darkened corner of the room, startles at the door slamming; and the doc forces himself to calm down. "Sorry about all that, I think once they ask you a few questions they'll relax a bit. I'll try to keep the situation, and myself, under control. You'll do great, I know it. Let's go."

Lia stands up and hesitantly follows the doc into the basin of the lecture hall. As she steps out of the darkened side room, the audience takes a collective breath.

A woman steps out of the darkened side room, who looks like any other business-casual wearing office person with a massive difference. She decided to not wear the fake head in order to get the message across as clearly as possible, her neck ending in one of her protective caps. The doctor leads her to the podium and she leans her cane against the heavy wooden structure of the lectern.

Standing next to Lia, the doctor leans toward the microphone and clears his throat. "I suppose now is a good time for the Q and A. This is Lia, our patient."

Lia waves slightly at the stunned crowd.

"She has been working to adapt and create her own assistive technology as part of her graduate studies, and has been cooperating well given the circumstances. I believe she prepared a small speech, then you can ask myself or her any questions afterward. Lia?"

She takes her phone out and feels around for the aux cord. She plugs in her phone and hits play, and her synthesized voice fills the hall.

"Hello everyone, I'm Lia. I prepared this ahead to save us time, as it would take me far too long to type it out in front of everyone."

"I started under the care of this team after finding out that I was destined to a future of a fast decline and a short life. The doctors thought there might be a way to help me, so having no other real choice I signed up.

Obviously things got pretty strange along the way, as you can see, but with their help I have been able to continue my studies, perform some original research, and be the beta tester for my own assistive technologies. Although I lost a lot I gained much in the process, and am working toward gaining my life back as much as I can.

I hope that everyone here can overlook any issues in this study, as the result is almost certainly going to change a lot of things in your community. Of course this bears further research - the possibilities are massive if this research is developed much farther and with better controls.

I developed some assistive technology before the last of the surgeries to make up for lost hearing, and to give me back a voice; so as long as you speak one at a time and not too quickly I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Of course, please direct any medical questions to the docs as I am definitely not qualified to answer those.

I'd be happy to speak one-on-one afterward as well if anyone wants to, especially if you have any projects I could help on. I'm also on the lookout for my next gig, so if any of you need to hire a software developer I'm just about to graduate. I'm sure these guys will give me a letter of recommendation - they seem to think I have a good head on my shoulders... well, sorta."

A few in the audience chuckle at the bad joke, and the audience now seems much less hostile. "Thanks for your time."

The audience seems hesitant, having just had their reality broken slightly and trying to process the fact that Lia is standing right there in front of them. One of the people in the audience raises his hand. The doctor points at him and says "Go ahead".

"Hi, Lia, right? I'm a neurologist, and I have around 15 questions I've thought of so far, but I'll keep it limited to one for now. How is your memory? The presenter noted that you were largely unchanged, but I'm not sure how that's really possible given the circumstances."

Lia takes a moment to think, picks her phone up again and starts typing. "I know I have lost some pieces of my past here and there, but overall I was able to keep most of it. I would guess that the memory exercises I was doing before all this probably helped move those memories to wherever they're stored now, but at this point it's anybody's guess."

Another person in the audience raises their hand. "Do you think your other senses compensated for the loss? If so, can you describe your experiences?"

Lia responds, "Absolutely, I think my sense of touch has easily doubled. A good example is my balance, with no inner ears I have to feel the pressure on my body to tell which way down is. It took a little bit of training, but I get around pretty well now."

The questions continue on for a while, with almost everybody in the crowd wanting to ask something. The time runs out for the conference, and the presenters wrap up the event and hope they didn't just annihilate their careers.

A group follows Lia to the side hall for a more one-on-one chat. John hangs back to watch from a distance. He waits until most of the crowd has dispersed, many handing off business cards or exchanging contact info before leaving.

John texts Lia, "Hey, that was really great, if a bit over my head on the technical details."

Lia responds, "It would be over mine too if I still had one lol. I think I got about 30 business cards just now, so you are going to need to help me with some data entry."

"Sounds good, my place or yours?"

Lia replies "That's a little complicated now, I have some bad news and some good news. Bad news: with the project ending I'm getting kicked out of my room at the clinic. Good news: I'm getting paid in a couple days for the whole thing, and it's not a small amount of money. Like, live off it for a year or two and travel the world kind of money. Of course I'm lame so I'm going to invest most of it and take you out to an expensive dinner to celebrate, but I also have to pack my stuff and find a place to live."

John quickly responds, "You should stay at my place. Even if it's just until you find somewhere else, I would be more than happy to have you stay with me."

"John, that's amazing, but I don't want to get in your way - are you sure? We've only known each other for a little while and that's kind of a big leap."

John texts, "It's not a problem, I would be glad to. If it doesn't work I'll help you find a nice place and we can try again later. I don't want you to be stressed while you figure out your next move."

Lia replies, "Thank you so much, you're the best!"

John texts "So, want me to hang around your place while you wrap up?"

Lia replies "Sure, that's cool. Oh by the way, the door code is 4242."

John makes his way back to Lia's room, checks that the coast is clear and heads inside. He takes a seat on the couch and idly scrolls through his phone. As he is working through his news feed, not really paying attention he nearly drops his phone.

Photos of the conference have already hit the internet along with social media commentary - things like 'Headless Girl Shocks Medical Researchers' and 'Has Science Gone Too far?'.

John texts Lia "You aren't going to believe this, but photos of you at the conference are already on the internet. I think you're trending on social media..."

Lia replies "Well shit, I guess I better hire an agent soon. I figured this would happen pretty quick. I guess if the job thing doesn't work out I can always be an influencer... I better update my profile with a good headshot. Upper torso shot? I dunno."

After only a few minutes Lia enters the room, and sets her bag on the floor. She waves in the general direction of John, who heads over to meet her. He gently touches her hand, and she wraps him up in a huge hug. They head over to the couch and sit beside each other. Lia takes out her phone and starts excitedly typing, showing John the screen.

"After the conference a lady came up and said that she is working on brain-computer interfaces. She thinks that I'll be much easier to work with, what with the whole no drilling into someone's head thing. After I get plugged in, I might be able to connect to stuff like my phone which could really help.

No promises, but they might be able to help me get some senses back. They also want me to jump in before stuff gets too crazy, so they want me in their office ASAP. Pretty sweet, huh?"

John says "That's really cool, as long as they're legit that's a great opportunity. What do they mean by ASAP?

"They want me to check in tomorrow if possible, and I'll have to be there for 4 days for the implant and calibration. They already got a bunch of data from the docs, apparently they were slipping info to them this whole time." Lia types, her body language both nervous and excited.

"I bet there are going to be a ton of folks trying to get a hold of you in the next couple days. It might make sense to lay low for a while and go for it before it gets too crazy. I'll miss you, but we can keep in touch pretty easy. We'll have to celebrate afterward if it all works out." John says.

"Sweet, I'll let her know we're on board. I'll have to pack, but I was starting to prep for the move and I only need like one suitcase to empty this place out. Want to help out?" Lia pulls out a pair of suitcases from her closet and they start packing.

Late that evening Lia's apartment is packed up into 2 suitcases, a duffle bag, a laptop case and a couple trash bags.

While John is moving the bags Lia's phone speaks up "Hey, there's usually a cart in the closet next door, we can load this stuff up in it. You probably shouldn't be lifting much and I can only really use one hand to carry stuff with my cane."

John says "Oh cool, I'll check on it." He leaves and comes back with a giant laundry cart, and carefully loads up all of Lia's stuff. Before they leave, John asks "Do we need to check out or something? Also, don't you usually wait until after the place closes before heading out?"

Lia's phone says "Naah, screw 'em. I'm already in the news and they'll be back in the morning to evict me anyways. It's like 'you can't fire me, I quit'."

She grabs the last thing left to pack, her fake head, and tosses it on the top of the pile. "Hopefully I won't need this thing anymore - I'm done hiding."

They both head out, Lia holding onto the back of John's shirt as he wheels the huge cart out to his car. Although it's the weekend, there are still a handful of people wandering the halls. Most of them are people from the conference, but the few people who are unawares react as expected. Some in disbelief or thinking it's a prank, most confused, nearly all shocked.

Lia doesn't really care anymore, if they don't find out now they would have eventually.