Chapter 21
Abbey returned to Bethesda six hours later, clean and refreshed from a brief nap. She had called Dr. Paulter for an update and had been told that Jed had made enough progress to be moved out of ICU. Dr. Paulter had also told her that the bleeding just prior to surgery was a result of the irritation of the colon from the enemas. He reassured her that there was no sign that the cancer had invaded the tissues. That raised her spirits even more.
As she walked down the hall, she heard him before she saw him.
"I want this tube out now!" Abbey smiled as she realized maybe the toughest battle was just beginning.
Pushing open the door, she took noticed the nurse standing by his bedside, trying to calm the President of the United States, who just so happened to be the biggest baby in the world when it came to being a patient.
"This thing in my nose is really bothering me. And I want it out! And while you're at it, take this one out too." He pointed to the catheter in his bladder. "They're both uncomfortable."
"Sir, you can't have them out until much later."
"I want both of them out now." Jed spied Abbey coming through the door and turned to her for support. "Abbey, these tubes are bothering me. I want them out."
By this time she had made it to the side of the bed and placed her hands on his arm. "You can't have them out. Listen to the nurses. Until you have bowel sounds this one needs to stay in and…"
"I don't give a damn. I want both out."
Abbey sighed with already building frustration. His behavior was not that unusual, either for him or for anybody else who had had this type of surgery. "I think the catheter can come out but the NG tube has to stay in. By the way, you know you're acting like a jack…"
"Abbey!"
"You can't have it out yet and that's final."
"How the hell can they take my picture and reassure the American people that I'm fine if I have this god damn tube in my nose? I want it out before any pictures are taken."
"Well, you can't. Can't they take a digital picture and somehow erase it from the picture?"
"That would be a lie."
"Jed, you just had major intestinal surgery and you need the tube in to release pressure. If it's pulled it out, then they would have to put it right back in and I don't think that would feel very good. You were asleep the first time they put it in. But honey, it's your call." Abbey smiled internally. She knew which choice he would make but he certainly wouldn't like the outcome.
"I want it taken out and then, after the picture, the docs can put it back in. It couldn't be that bad."
Abbey knew it was useless trying to persuade him otherwise. Well, he would have to learn his lesson the hard way. "Oookay. Nurse, would you get one of the doctors up here? The President wants it his way. And his way he shall get."
"Yes, ma'am."
Turning back to Jed, Abbey asked one more time. "Are you real sure?"
"Yes."
"Okay. Then don't come complaining to me."