Senior Bush Holds on to Life

[polychronopolous]

Elder George Bush hospitalized with blood infection, responding to treatment



A day after his beloved wife Barbara was laid to rest, former President George H.W. Bush was admitted to a Houston hospital on Sunday for treatment of an infection that had spread to his bloodstream, his spokesman said. By Monday evening, however, the spokesman said the condition of the 93-year-old Bush was apparently improving.

Bush spokesman Jim McGrath revealed the 41st president's hospitalization on Twitter just before 6 p.m. Monday, following a weekend of events celebrating the life of Barbara Bush.

"President Bush was admitted to the Houston Methodist Hospital yesterday morning after contracting an infection that spread to his blood," McGrath wrote Monday. "He is responding to treatments and appears to be recovering. We will issue additional updates as events warrant."

Less than one day after burying his wife, former president George H. W. Bush is in intensive care

McGrath declined to confirm news reports that Bush was in intensive care and did not immediately clarify why the family decided to wait a day to announce his condition. But the spokesman said Bush was eager to get back to the family's summer home in Kennebunkport, adding, "The 41st president want to go to Maine. Hes the most goal-oriented person on the planet and I would not bet against him."


"There is no prediction, per se," as to whether the president might continue recovering or take a turn for the worse, said Dr. Hana El Sahly, an expert in infectious diseases with Baylor College of Medicine. Blood infections typically come from a specific source, such as a bowel infection, pneumonia or a skin infection — but it's not immediately clear what led to Bush's condition, though he has had pneumonia in the past.

Mild blood infections don't always develop into the more serious condition known as sepsis, said Dr. Coburn Allen, an infectious disease specialist with the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin.

"It sounds like he was septic at first because they said he was stabilized — and generally if they say you're stabilized it means you weren't at one point," Allen said.

"Generally if you get through the unstable part with a blood stream infection, you don't go back to unstable so it's likely he'll recover completely."

As news of Bush's health troubles spread, supporters took to social media to offer their best wishes for the Bush family patriarch.

"Prayers are with President George H.W. Bush and praying God's grace for his recovery," tweeted U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, a Houston Democrat.

Senate Republicans tweeted their support as well.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with former President George H.W. Bush and the entire Bush family at this time," the group's official account, @SenateGOP, wrote on Twitter.

SAYING GOODBYE: Houston dresses in blue and pearls for Barbara Bush

Bush's wife Barbara was laid to rest Saturday after a funeral service in Houston that drew more than 1,500 invited guests. She died at home on April 17 of complications from congestive heart failure and COPD, having forgone additional medical treatment. The Bushes had been married for 73 years and were holding hands thoughout the day she died.

The former president made several public appearances last week, including an unexpected one Friday at St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, where Barbara lay in repose for 12 hours. According to McGrath, Bush decided to go to St. Martin's at the last minute Friday afternoon. He greeted well-wishers for just a few minutes, shaking hands with dozens of Houstonians from his wheelchair.

Saturday morning, Bush attended his wife's private funeral service, where he posed for a now-famous photo with his son, former President George W. Bush, and two other former presidents, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama; along with former first ladies Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama; and current first lady Melania Trump.

After the funeral, Bush made the 90-minute trip to College Station with the family motorcade, where he attended Barbara Bush's burial at the family plot at his presidential library.

The elder Bush's public outings have been limited in recent years, as he suffers from Parkinson's disease and is confined to a wheelchair. But in mid-March Bush attended a bareback riding competition at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, where he shook hands and posed for pictures with a fellow World War II veteran. Months earlier, he and George W. Bush appeared together at a pre-game ceremony at Minute Maid Park during the Astros' World Series run.

Last week, Bush did not attend Thursday's public Celebration of Life for Barbara Bush outside City Hall, but he sent a letter to be read to the crowd.

"Barbara would be so moved you came out to honor her tonight," he wrote. "Barbara and I have been in love with Houston since we moved here in 1959. Nowhere are people's hearts more generous than here, something we saw after Hurricane Harvey."

In January 2017, a case of pneumonia landed Bush at Houston Methodist for 12 days, five of them in the intensive care unit. He missed President Donald Trump's inauguration — "My doctor says if I sit outside in January, it likely will put me six feet under," he wrote in a note to Trump. But by early February last year, he and Barbara Bush were at NRG Stadium for Super Bowl 51, where they oversaw the coin toss.

In April of last year, Bush was back at Methodist for two weeks with another case of pneumonia. By June, he was celebrating his 93rd birthday with family in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Bush has a long history of defying the odds, dating back to when he survived his torpedo bomber being shot down over the Pacific Ocean by the Japanese during World War II.

As McGrath remarked last year, "There's no one more resilient."

[Agnostic007]

The best hope is to go peacefully at that age. 92 was a good run

[Las Vegas]

GHWB must feel as though his insides have been torn out right about now, after all those years with Barbara.  It seems men usually suffer more after losing a wife, than the other way around.  Women appear to deal with it a little better.

[Agnostic007]

GHWB must feel as though his insides have been torn out right about now, after all those years with Barbara.  It seems men usually suffer more after losing a wife, than the other way around.  Women appear to deal with it a little better.

You think so? I hadn't thought about it much. I always assumed it depended on the relationship. I don't know it's accurate but I seem to notice more widows than widowers. While women tend to live longer, men tend to marry them a little younger. But in my Dads case, he was a widower at 69 and there was no shortage of women stalking him   

[chaos]

93...old boy had a good run. Wouldn't blame him if he hung it up.

[Irongrip400]

The best hope is to go peacefully at that age. 92 was a good run

No shit. Long healthy life. World War Two veteran and president of the United States, and had a great marriage that lasted forever. I'd imagine he may be giving up the fight a bit now that Barbara is gone.

[Agnostic007]

93...old boy had a good run. Wouldn't blame him if he hung it up.

Nor would I. I'm a little irked at his handlers/caretakers for allowing him to pose with women for pictures well past the time it was clear he was showing signs of dementia by touching them and saying inappropriate jokes. help the man keep the dignity he had for 99% of his life

[TheGrinch]

they all sure seem a little too happy in that pic ... just sayin'

[Las Vegas]

You think so? I hadn't thought about it much. I always assumed it depended on the relationship. I don't know it's accurate but I seem to notice more widows than widowers. While women tend to live longer, men tend to marry them a little younger. But in my Dads case, he was a widower at 69 and there was no shortage of women stalking him   

Yes, good points.  I think maybe it's truer in traditional marriages, with the two joining early in life around the same age.  But (like you point out) with men exiting sooner as a general reality, perhaps the woman has slowly braced herself over the years while the man's allowed himself to avoid thinking too much about it.  Then, if it happens, he's old and he just can't take the shock.

[andreisdaman]

The rich never want to leave all that money behind

[Agnostic007]

The rich never want to leave all that money behind

I've been ( I would say fortunate but that doesn't really fit ) in a position to know a few rich people in my life. I am not one of them but I know some. They are as different as you and I. Some, their goal is, and they say this half joking, is that their last check they write before dying bounces. Others are intent on leaving their offspring set up. Not a single one cares about hanging on to life for the money they have. But I only know a half dozen so my limit exposure may not be the norm. I know some that have relatively little, that want to hang on to life for all the people they know and love, and are reluctant to let go because they truly enjoy life. Others are ready, as they have lived their life, and are not in a good place and welcome whatever comes next. I know that is a little deep for your comment but pigeon holing a group who has money just doesn't seem right

[Las Vegas]

I've been ( I would say fortunate but that doesn't really fit ) in a position to know a few rich people in my life. I am not one of them but I know some. They are as different as you and I. Some, their goal is, and they say this half joking, is that their last check they write before dying bounces. Others are intent on leaving their offspring set up. Not a single one cares about hanging on to life for the money they have. But I only know a half dozen so my limit exposure may not be the norm. I know some that have relatively little, that want to hang on to life for all the people they know and love, and are reluctant to let go because they truly enjoy life. Others are ready, as they have lived their life, and are not in a good place and welcome whatever comes next. I know that is a little deep for your comment but pigeon holing a group who has money just doesn't seem right

Yes, if they have any wits at all, and have lived long enough: some know it's really nothing after all.  Not a thing in the big picture.

[Agnostic007]

Yes, if they have any wits at all, and have lived long enough: some know it's really nothing after all.  Not a thing in the big picture.

so true

[Las Vegas]

so true

But we MUST have our Kardashians!! 

 

[Agnostic007]

But we MUST have our Kardashians!! 

 

The lord loves a good Kardashian story

[andreisdaman]

I've been ( I would say fortunate but that doesn't really fit ) in a position to know a few rich people in my life. I am not one of them but I know some. They are as different as you and I. Some, their goal is, and they say this half joking, is that their last check they write before dying bounces. Others are intent on leaving their offspring set up. Not a single one cares about hanging on to life for the money they have. But I only know a half dozen so my limit exposure may not be the norm. I know some that have relatively little, that want to hang on to life for all the people they know and love, and are reluctant to let go because they truly enjoy life. Others are ready, as they have lived their life, and are not in a good place and welcome whatever comes next. I know that is a little deep for your comment but pigeon holing a group who has money just doesn't seem right

you killed my joke...LOL..but interesting read....thanks!

[Agnostic007]

you killed my joke...LOL..but interesting read....thanks!

Man I'm sorry! 

[SOMEPARTS]

GHWB must feel as though his insides have been torn out right about now, after all those years with Barbara.  It seems men usually suffer more after losing a wife, than the other way around.  Women appear to deal with it a little better.

JFK's wife must've felt pretty bad. HW knows a little about that fiasco...

[Las Vegas]

JFK's wife must've felt pretty bad. HW knows a little about that fiasco...

Your post made me look at that.  Are you sure it isn't George William you mean?