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Doctors say first lady's condition remains unstable

First lady Wu Shu-jen's (吳淑珍) condition remained unstable as her blood pressure continued to fluctuate after being rushed to National Taiwan University Hospital a day earlier, hospital spokesman Lin Ho-hsiung (林鶴雄) said yesterday.

"Her blood pressure has been fluctuating, and her body temperature is still relatively low, so she needs to stay in hospital," Lin said.

Wu's body temperature was slightly lower than normal in the morning, and was recorded at 36oC, Lin said.

Lin added that a team of doctors in charge of Wu's care advised that the first lady stay in hospital for a longer period of time, owing to her long-term suffering from malnutrition and spinal injuries.

Wu was indicted on Nov. 3 on charges of corruption and forgery in a scandal involving the "state affairs fund" budgeted for the president's discretionary use.

Wu almost collapsed during a short recess in the court proceedings on Friday morning, and was carried out of the Taipei District Court building and into an ambulance, which ferried her to the hospital.

Lin yesterday also rebutted remarks made by some opposition lawmakers, who said that Wu pretended to be ill to avoid the trial proceedings. Lin stressed that Wu was indeed in bad shape.

Wu's recent legal woes have been compounded by her poor health in recent years.

Wheelchair-bound since she was ran over by a truck and sustained spinal injuries in 1985, Wu has recently suffered from bouts of low-blood pressure and malnutrition, resulting in a drastic weight loss and frequent hospital visits.

Lin said Wu's blood pressure was recorded yesterday morning at 69mm Hg systolic pressure and 36mm Hg diastolic pressure, while her pulse measured 54 beats per minute.

The medical team responsible for Wu's treatment said it was necessary for the first lady to continue staying in the hospital for further observation.

The court has scheduled its second session in the case for Friday, but Lin said it was too early to tell whether Wu would be fit enough to attend court.

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