“It was really painful for these people, and in the end all we did was try to make them comfortable. But before we figured that out, we wasted a lot of time trying to help them, when we could have been helping someone who was going to survive. It sounds heartless, I know, but that was the point we were at. We were just trying to get the greatest number of people to live through the day. The radiation patient’s biological systems failed, one after the other in a sort of cascade effect. If there is a treatment method either known, or one that could be developed, that would be good. Either that, or somehow allow the use of far more potent painkillers to be administered by a nurse when we are under such extreme ratio of medical personnel to patients, without an ingrained professional fear on the part of the nurse. Especially in the case of national disasters or attacks” she said softly.
The more she thought of that day the more the memories of now deceased patients came back. All of which she would much rather forget. Frank picked up on it and put his arm around her. She barely noticed his arm, or that there was now a growing groups of people listening in. Instead she was laser focused on the President and Frank.
“Honestly, the other thing that surprised me was that out of those people who lived and made it to the ER was the normality, I guess you would call it, of their injuries. When it happened everyone working in the ER heard all these crazy stories from the people coming in about a nuclear weapon or an airplane crash, and even some people saying there had been an alien invasion. None of us working could believe that it might have been nuclear, but we were obviously just in denial. No one wanted to believe it,” her voice finally cracking. She realized she was rambling and no longer answering the question that was asked. It was like she had been in a trance for a moment.
Tears were coming down her cheeks one at a time. She didn’t notice and made no attempt to wipe them away. As she spoke she felt as though she was re-living a dream. It was almost like it had all happened to someone else, “But as the patients kept coming in, I think we all knew deep inside ourselves what had really happened. None of us would say it aloud. This was not a natural disaster, like an earthquake or something. If it was a natural event I guess we could have at least been emotionally prepared. But with this it was just different.
“I guess you could say, Mr. President, that the part which surprised me the most was that last part. The normality of the injuries and the sheer volume of them,” she knew she was repeating herself but said it anyway.
“There were so many broken bones, so many crushed limbs, and so many people needing stiches. It was just so damn hard to know where to start. We just reverted back to a triage form medical practice. People had to wait for HOURS to get any help.
“I helped with so many patients who were bleeding that my scrubs changed from blue to deep red. I had to change clothes more than once because they were saturated with blood and started to stick to me. I wasn’t the only one this was happening to either. Sandy turned her face up and had a distant look in her eyes. She no longer saw the President or Frank, but the inside of her E.R. and all the people from that horrible day.
“The stress was incredible. Everyone that worked that day went numb. It was either that or lose your mind. Mostly we just worked on auto-pilot, we let our training take over. We were so tired. We ran out of supplies. We had no way left to set bones properly.
“People came in expecting modern medicine and got, essentially, civil war era treatment. At one point I used broom handles and medical tape to immobilize a patient’s arm after a doctor flipped out and refused to treat him at all without AMA certified supplies. He was just going to let this man sit there and wait until we got a shipment. I think he had been treating patients for 15 hours, and was exhausted from the stress. But, it could have been days, we had no idea at that point,” she sobbed a bit remembering how much pain the man had been in.
She looked up and remembered where she was standing and whom she was speaking to, “Mr. President, oh God sir, I apologize for rambling. Let me give you one final thought. We worked as hard as we could, as fast as we could. Four people who could have been easily saved had we gotten to them faster died in our waiting room. Four Americans died in chairs hoping for help, and finding none.
“You want to know how we can be better prepared? Simple. Never let an attack like this happen again. No one could be ready for it. Ever. The only thing someone who would attack us like that understands is force. Use it wisely, but let them know you will follow through and only then, when they are convinced we will fight them with everything we have, will they quit. It was how the police in Dallas kept the drug gangs from ruling the streets a few years ago, and I am sure it will work in this case,” she realized was digging her nails into Frank’s hand so hard that she hoped he wasn’t bleeding. Frank didn’t appear to care.
The President looked at her sympathetically, “Well Ms. Cooper I wish people here in Washington spoke with your kind of clarity. Captain, if I could order you to marry this woman I would. She is a true American heroine. She gave her all, asks for no special treatment, no vengeance. She just wants the safety and security to live her life freely and without harm. She only wants to use force as a last resort. But she is willing to get to that last resort. She wants to never again be attacked just for being an American, and to be able to go about her life without harm. She wants to enjoy her freedoms. Ms. Cooper, keep close to the Captain here, and I hope I can live up to your desires in the coming months.”
Frank squeezed her tightly, then kissed her, despite the audience.
AP NEWS FLASH: The private dinner at the White House had at least 10 members of the US military were seen arriving in civilian cars and were assumed to be in attendance. No photographs or names were made available to the press. There is speculation that this is one of the elite Special Forces teams perhaps responsible for some classified action yet to be announced as part of the ongoing War effort against Iran. None of the guests are thought to be part of the process of Vice Presidential nominations. Speculation as to the identity of the soon to be announced Vice Presidential nominee are still running wild. There is pressure from members of the Senate to provide a name soon in order to fill the post.
AP ECONOMIC NEWS FLASH: The market finished the week significantly lower. News reports caused a weekly decline of almost 500 points for the Dow Jones Industrials. Economists and investors who were available for comment know of no safe havens for investment at the moment, with the possible exception of the defense sector. There are calls for further government controls on the economy. This may stabilize fears, and allow the market to start on the long road to recovery. No comment on further legislative efforts from either the White House or Congress to stabilize the economy other than broad statements that the President does not believe in centralized economics. However, in times of War even Presidents who do no like government intervention have been known to alter their opinion.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Frank woke up with his arms around Sandy. He felt more comfortable here, with her in his arms, than he had anywhere in a long time. This relationship just felt right to him.