Plot-Pacing advice?
 

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone would be able to offer me a bit of advice?

Basically, I'm working on a loose-ish sequel to a fic I wrote a few months back and I'm just a bit worried I'm hitting one extreme to the other. The original idea was pretty linear:

--Someone's in the hospital,

--There's two (potential) care-takers waiting and fretting for their wellbeing outside,

--There's a crash (our patient's being non-cooperative)

--Care-takers rush in, scolding, diapering from there.

But now I think I've written in a bit too much tension for a typical scolding to really organically 'solve' that problem and I'm facing a bit of a dilemma as to how to slow it down. Because it's a medical setting, would introducing a sedative be...I guess an 'ethical' option? On the one hand it'd give all characters involved a chance to slow down, maybe elaborate on some things I've kinda started to set up but then on the other, would that just be pointless filler? And then there's the whole idea of the diaper-ee still being loopy when they wake; would that water-down the experience of establishing, y'know, "No, you need someone looking after you, we're doing this now." ?

If anyone's got any advice it'd be really appreciated!

Pacing and filling in blanks between events are what I struggle with too. I'm currently writing a story on my FA if you want ideas for pacing, as I'm trying to do one large event or story development key per chapter. The best thing I found is try to approach with a bit of realism and picture the characters as yourself.