Bush 41 in intensive care with 'stubborn fever'
(CNN) - Former President George H.W. Bush remains in an intensive care unit at a Houston hospital with a "stubborn fever that is slightly elevated," his spokesman told CNN on Wednesday.
He has been in the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital since Sunday, spokesman Jim McGrath said, and has been hospitalized there for over a month.
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McGrath said earlier Wednesday that Bush had spent Christmas with members of his family and was in good spirits.
Bush was in guarded condition and on a liquid diet that took effect with his transfer to the ICU, but McGrath could not offer more details about the reasons for the liquid diet.
Doctors were initially treating him for bronchitis and a lingering cough. More recently he had been undergoing physical therapy in preparation for returning home. He developed a fever mid- to late last week and began experiencing other complications that McGrath described as "a series of setbacks."
Bush, who at 88 is the oldest living former president, was visited yesterday by his family, including his wife Barbara, son Neil, daughter-in-law Maria and grandson Pierce. His daughter Doro is visiting him today.
"His mood is relentlessly positive and includes humorous banter with his doctor," McGrath said Wednesday morning.
McGrath said Bush's condition is slightly better today than it was yesterday.
He told CNN affiliate KPRC in Houston that Bush is "surrounded by his family, that is the best medicine and that's not the ideal way to spend Christmas, but he's playing the hand that he's been dealt."
Bush was first hospitalized November 7-19, and then was readmitted to Houston Methodist Hospital on November 23.
McGrath told KPRC that doctors' optimism he would be home before Christmas came after "he had strung together a couple of good days," but that the fever and other complications had interfered with that.
Bush said "I'm determined not to be grumpy about all of this," McGrath told KPRC.
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That sucks to be in the hospital at Christmas. Hope Mr. Bush makes a full recovery and can be back home soon.
See, he is human after all. Apparently he is not a shape-shifting reptilian alien that so many of you libs claim he is.
I'm a "lib" Jon, and I wish the elder Bush well. Even though he wasn't my guy......I wasn't alarmed when he was our president. He was well prepared and knew his stuff......and he did the right thing when he went against his own promise and raised taxes. It was needed at the time and he was willing to risk his political future to do what needed to be done for the good of the country. I wish more people in today's GOP were more like him.
If he had been an ordinary American, Medicare would have had him thrown out of the hospital within 28 hours.
that's too bad. this doesn't bode well for him. i hope he can shake whatever it is he has but at his age it's tough to do. hnag in there george, hang in there. he's such a good person.
California Gary
I'm a "lib" Jon, and I wish the elder Bush well. Even though he wasn't my guy......I wasn't alarmed when he was our president. He was well prepared and knew his stuff......and he did the right thing when he went against his own promise and raised taxes. It was needed at the time and he was willing to risk his political future to do what needed to be done for the good of the country. I wish more people in today's GOP were more like him.
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as opposed to our current president who refuses to cut spending and wants it increased when we are running trillion dollar yearly deficits and accumulating record amounts of debt that will eventually crush us.
It is sad that we can't have him arrested for corruption and war crimes before he passes. It is also a shame that we can not have his son George arrested as well for War crimes and Fraud. Would have been the best Christmas ever.
Disgusting Alumanate Builderburg members
none of the bushes is not well like but mr bush is human we are praying for mr bush and the entire family lets just give the man a break
Most libs had no huge issues with "41"; he was a decent human being, raised taxes when it was needed to care for the less fortunate and ended his war with Iraq where it needed to be left ... outside of its borders. He was a lot smarter and better equipped than his foolish offspring. Though I voted for "the Duke" and Clinton, I always admired him. Hope he responds well to his treatment and sticks around a while longer.