It was now early evening in Lima. The attendees had broken from their small group discussions and were gathered in a larger ballroom, mixing with each other and helping themselves to the open bar and appetizers.
The President and Secretary of State were caught in a discussion with the President of Columbia. Leo watched the interaction between the three men from a distance and wondered what they were saying to each other. From the expressions on each of their faces, Leo could see it wasn't all roses and cotton candy. Over the last two months, Jed had been rather upset at Columbia for not clamping down on the drug cartels in their country and Leo bet that the discussion had something to do with that.
Looking elsewhere over the room, he noticed that CJ and Toby were in a very agitated discussion with two people Leo had seen earlier in one of the small groups. Thinking hard, he realized that the two people, a man and a very attractive woman, were the invited representatives from Cuba. He wondered what CJ and Toby were discussing with those representatives. He doubted if it was the weather.
Leo had walked over to the appetizer table to get some more cheese and crackers when he saw Ron coming toward him. The expression on Ron's face told Leo instantly that whatever news Ron had wasn't the good kind.
Leo moved away from the table and the crowd and tried to get into a more secluded area.
"Okay, Ron, I can tell whatever you have to tell me isn't good so just say it."
"Mr. McGarry, I just got word that Mrs. Bartlet collapsed right before she was to give her speech in Los Angeles and has been rushed to the hospital. I have no other news right now."
"What?" Leo looked around quickly to determine where the President was. "Can you tell me anything more?"
"Just that she had not been feeling well all day and then, just before she was to go on stage to give her speech, she collapsed. Her agent was right by her side and immediately summoned help. They got the paramedics and, according to the last message, were on their way to the emergency room at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Mrs. Bartlet's Chief of Staff is being driven to the hospital by one of the agents on the scene."
"Oh, hell." Leo didn't know whether to tell the President or not. He knew Jed's first instinct would be to leave and fly to Los Angeles, but that really wasn't politically practical. He still had the concluding speech to be given tomorrow, and then the State Visit to Mexico.
"Thanks, Ron. Keep me informed. Right now I'm not telling the President until you get more information. Let me know immediately when you know more, okay?"
"Yes, sir." With that, he turned and walked away.
Leo sighed. He hoped that he had made the right decision.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the ambulance pulled up to the Emergency entrance at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Two agents had managed to get there just ahead of the First Lady and was just finishing the initial sweep as the stretcher holding the still unconscious First Lady was brought in and rolled into a private trauma room.
The nurses scrambled to hook up the cardiac monitor, the IV pump, and change over the oxygen tubing. Then they took off her red suit and put on a hospital gown. They pulled up a sheet to her chin and stepped back for the physicians to begin their examination.
"Anyone know her medical history?"
"No. Her Chief of Staff is on her way. She should know."
"Okay. Until then, we'll have to guess."
Vitals signs were taken. BP 150/ 110. Temp 102. Pulse 105. All elevated. They drew several tubes of blood and ordered stat tests. They checked pupil responses which were normal. Her skin showed signs of dehydration, which was being treated by the IV fluids started at the Convention Center. No evidence of a neurological deficit so they tentatively ruled out a stroke. However, when they palpated her abdomen, she whimpered. Even unconscious, there was a response indicating pain. So the doctors concentrated on that area.
"Get me an ultrasound machine, now!"
"Yes, sir."
"Her Chief of Staff has arrived."
"Get her in here now. I have to have a history."
Lilli was escorted into the trauma room. She was shocked to see her boss lying unresponsive on the stretcher in the middle of the room, with tubes and wires coming and going all directions around her. She certainly didn't look like the confident, all together First Lady Lilli was used to working with.
"Ma'am, we need a medical history on Mrs. Bartlet and you're our only source. What can you tell us?"
"I don't know that much. I know she takes medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I don't think there's anything else."
"How has she been feeling today? Anything different going on today?"
"Yes." Lilli went on to describe how Abbey had been throwing up all day and unable to keep anything down. "That's all I know. I don't know when it started. She seemed fine yesterday when we flew out."
"Is she allergic to any medications?"
"Not that I am aware of."
"Thank you. It's better than what we had. Now, if you'll go back to the waiting room, we'll call you when we know something."
"Sure." Lilli turned and left.
The ultrasound machine had arrived. One of the doctors lifted Abbey's gown and after squeezing gel on her skin, placed the wand on her abdomen. It didn't take long for the problem to appear on the screen.
"Yes, just what I thought. Abscessed ruptured appendix. Call surgery. Get an OR ready."