Chapter 25
"I need to make arrangements to take her home. Where's her doctor?"
"Sir." A thirtyish female stepped forward. "Mr. President, I'm Dr. Walls. I've been assigned as Jane Doe's, I mean Mrs. Bartlet's physician. Let's go over to the conference room where we can talk."
Ron led the way, checking out the room prior to the President and the rest of the group entering it.
Dr. Walls motioned to the President and Leo to have a seat. She opened the chart and was reviewing it, trying to clearly tell the President just how sick his wife was. And if the rumor was true, it would take a lot of persuasion to have him leave her here.
"Sir, I first want to say how much of an honor it is to have you here. I can assure you that your wife will receive the best of care."
Jed nodded. "Thank you. All I want to know is when I can take her home."
"Sir, that may not be possible for some time."
"Some time? Define that Dr. Walls."
"Sir, it might take several weeks for her body to get strong enough to tolerate the trauma of flying her cross country. And even if we could pull the chest tube today, I would want to wait a week before she flew."
Jed shook his head. "I don't understand. We transport our most seriously wounded military patients almost immediately so what makes my wife's case that special?"
"Yes, sir. But Mrs. Bartlet has suffered multiple system traumas and as such is still very unstable. She lost a lot of blood before we could get her into surgery. If she flies before she stabilizes, I don't know if she would survive. In other words, even now, we could still lose her."
Jed's face paled at the words the doctor had just spoken. "But I thought after the surgery…"
"Yes, sir. We removed her spleen, temporarily set her femur, and inserted a chest tube because her broken ribs had collapsed one of her lungs. But she's unstable and still very critical. She's not at all ready for the effort it would take her to fly across the country."
"But I can afford the finest air ambulance. I want her back in Washington, with me and our children."
"I understand, sir, but as her physician, I'm telling you she's not stable enough to do that."
"Well, when will she be stable enough? I can stay here a…" Jed noted Leo shifting in his chair but he continued anyway. "I can stay here a couple of days. Will that be long enough?"
"No, sir. She'll need at least a week before I would feel comfortable releasing her. Like I said earlier, she's still critical and unstable."
"Sir?" Leo got Jed's attention.
"Yes?"
Leo turned to the doctor. "Can we have a little bit of privacy?"
Dr. Walls stood. "Of course. I'll be right outside if you need me."
As soon as the door closed, Leo turned to Jed. "Jed, listen to me. You have to go back to Washington by tomorrow at the latest. There is just too much to do back there for the people here and elsewhere. The best place you can do that is from the White House. I know you don't want to leave Abbey but she'll have the best of care here. You know that. Maybe one of the girls can come out here. But you need to return to work."
"Hell, Leo. You're talking about me leaving Abbey just after I found her. I really thought she had died. Finding her alive gives me a second chance."
"Jed, I understand that. But you know Abbey would tell you the same thing. You have a responsibility to the country and that responsibility requires you to be in Washington."
Jed shook his head. He knew Leo was right. He had to return to Washington without Abbey. He really didn't have any other choice.
Dejectedly, he answered. "I'll leave in the morning. In the meantime, I need to call the girls and CJ will need to issue a press release afterwards. I'm sure the press is ready to kill her for information."
"Yes, sir." Leo knew better than most of the emotional trauma that the President would go through separated from Abbey but there was really no other choice.