Matters of the Heart

Chapter 3

Abbey rushed over to where the paramedics were wheeling Jesse's unconscious body on a stretcher to a trauma room.

"Jesse Soffer, 36, GCS 11, BP 75/50, Heartrate is 128, He's definitely having a cardiac event. EKG confirmed no MI but he's tachycardic and throwing out PVCs every few seconds. In and out of consciousness, complained of shortness of breath and chest pain and tightness. "

"What happened" Abbey demanded as Jesse was moved from the stretcher to a hospital bed.

"Filming over at Chicago PD. Crew called it in. His costar found him collapsed in his trailer. We believe possibly the arrhythmia caused him to collapse. He was in and out in the ambulance but never conscious for very long. It's obvious he was in pain and he kept calling out for Abbey"

The second paramedic weighed in as well "Yeah the costar that found him obviously his best friend, Patrick said for us to bring him here that you would know what to do that you know what his normal vitals are"

Abbey nodded as the nurse was hooking up EKG leads on Jesse's bare chest hooking up the EKG.

"Yeah his normal resting rate is in the 50s, his extremely fit and athletic and has always been healthy. Hes always had a low resting rate. 120s for him I can't imagine"

"What about his BP" asked Abbeys colleague Ryan Tenney

"Usually 100 -110 over 75 to 90. Hes always had a low end of a normal blood pressure spectrum"

"What about cardiac issues?"

" No never. "

"He's never had issues with chest pain, or arrthymias "

" No he's always been healthy. He did have an issue with his thyroid years ago, long before we met. It was highly overactive and they found a small tumor so they just removed his thyroid but that was years ago. He was in his early 20s then"

"What about family history?"

"No not that I know of. I can contact his family. His mom is a nurse practioner but Ive never heard of cardiac issues in the family"

"What about the Dad? Didn't his dad die at a young age?"

"Yeah he did. But he was a firefighter for the FDNY. He died in the World Trade Center in the first bombing in 1993"

Everyone looked at Abbey, then down at Jesse, then back at Abbey again

"He was young. It was 2 months before his 9th birthday. He doesn't talk about it often. It's been 17 years. "

The nurse, Lexi looked at you

"Is that why he took the role -"

You nodded. "Yeah he was on fire first, and that's why he took it. He just doesn't like to talk about it"

"Ok Does he smoke"

Abbey shook her head. "He's smoked a cigar with Paddy and Jason on the set a few times but no he's not a smoker"

"Drinks? I know everyone drinks but in excess?"

"No Yeah sure he drinks but not excessively. When he's filming, he'll come home and drink a beer at night. When he's not filming, he'll drink occasionally and socially but he doesn't go crazy."

"And you said for the most part he's pretty healthy, he takes care of his health? Works out?"

"Yeah absolutely. He's 5'10" and the last time I knew he weighed between 165-170"

"Ok yeah thats well within the ideal weight for his height"

"He works out at the gym at least 3 times a week and during his off days he runs so yeah he's in really good shape, he always has been but especially since he's been on PD"

"Well to have a resting heart rate in the 50s would suggest an athlete's heart."

By now Jesse was hooked up to an ekg machine and the heart monitor monitoring his heart rythym, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, and pulse ox reading and the room was filled with the erratic beeping of Jesse's heartbeat and now he already had ivs hooked up in his arms.

Dr Tenney looked at Abbey "ok Dr Cooper I've got this, you're too close to this, wait outside and I'll come talk to you when I know something"

Abbey looked at him " that's fine Ryan you can be his Dr. I'll back off but I am not leaving this room. I am not leaving him"

"Abbey you know protocol especially when it comes to cardiac cases"

" I do but I'm not an hysterical family member and when he wakes up he's going to need and want me here"

Dr Tenney nodded. "Ok lets get some blood work, a complete CBC, metabolic panel, we'll do an EKG, I want an echo, and depending on those results we may rush him up to the Cath lab but lets see what we find."

Suddenly a low groan came from Jesse's hospital bed. Abbey snapped her head towards Jesse. His eyes fluttered open. Abbey grabbed the stool in the corner of the room, and slid it to Jesse's bedside. She grabbed his hand and held it in between hers.

"Abbey?"