G H W Bush's three week stay in hospital is being covered more today

[malaise]

http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/george-hw-bush-hospital-84808.html?hp=l12
<snip>
Former President George H.W. Bush remained Sunday in stable condition in his third week of hospitalization in Houston for treatment of a bronchitis-related cough.

Methodist Hospital spokesman George Kovacik said Sunday there was no change in the 88-year-old Bush’s condition. Doctors have said over the past several days that the 41st president continues to improve but they’re in no hurry to release him.

Bush was admitted to the hospital the day after Thanksgiving.

[hrmjustin]

1. This Episcopalian wishes his fellow Episcopalian Good Health.

[niyad]

2. wouldn't it be wonderful if this statement applied to ALL patients?

Doctors have said over the past several days that the 41st president continues to improve but they’re in no hurry to release him.

[malaise]

13. We can dream

[yortsed snacilbuper]

3. G H W Bush reminds people of,

dubya!

[dballance]

4. He must have good private insurance

Otherwise the hospital would be doing everything it could to kick his ass out the door as quickly as possible. It seems likely in this case they're able to bill a daily rate for each day he's there in addition to any meds, tests or treatments.

[hootinholler]

5. I'm not sure if health care is part of the Presidential retirement package or not

He certainly can afford the best care money can buy in any event.

[dballance]

12. That's an Excellent Question

"Poppy" served as President during a time when all former Presidents still got lifetime Secret Service protection. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they also got lifetime pensions and healthcare like the assholes in congress.

[Mariana]

14. Of course he would have the very best insurance

if he has it at all. When someone is very rich, there really isn't any need for health insurance. He can just pay cash for whatever medical services he needs. The hospitals are only in a rush to kick you out the door when they think they can't get any more money out of you. Someone like him can stay indefinitely.

[backscatter712]

6. Are we sure this is just a cough?

Nobody spends three weeks in the hospital for just a cough.

Methinks there's something more serious going on.

[malaise]

8. I think M$Greedia has finally figured that out as well

You are 100% correct - firstly most people can't afford to stay that long and secondly - hospitals are breeding grounds for infections. No one stays longer than necessary.

[RudynJack]

10. Hell, if I had to go home to Barbara

I'd be faking a cough, too.

[spanone]

7. he's the same age as jimmy carter.....

President Carter just spent a week in haiti building homes

[malaise]

9. Well - Carter is much healthier and has lived a better life

That is all -wink wink!

[amandabeech]

11. "H.W." sounds really sick.

I'm wondering if he will make it to the new year.

They're undoubtedly concerned about pneumonia, as they should be. It is a common cause of death among the elderly. It tends to finish off those who are ill with other diseases, like congestive heart failure. I lost my much-loved uncle two years ago to pneumonia that started with a cold.

H.W. was far from perfect as many posters here have pointed out, but IMHO, he was much better than dimson or Ronnie Raygun. If he'd managed to defeat Ronnie for the nomination in 1980 and had been the one to run against and beat Carter, we'd be in better shape because HW probably would have been much less likely to have employed a "voodoo" economics policy that haunts us to this day. He would have been the lesser evil, but I'd have taken it.

I hope that he has an easy passing.

His wife, however, seems like a totally different story. Can't stand her.

[Panasonic]

15. Time to kick out HW out of the hospital

I don't care how sick he is. He has exceeded the average stay for Medicare patients.

He can go to the hospice and get ready to meet his Maker.

In hell.

Time to bill the Bush family $10,000,000 for HW's hospital stay. It's only fair.

[PCIntern]

16. As I wrote in an OP elsewhere...

These threads certainly are diagnostic...

I'm not sure how I feel about this turn of events all in all. Weird...

[malaise]

18. They aren't meant to be

but who stays three weeks in hospital with a cough?
They should tell people the truth like Teddy Kennedy. What we've been told does not make sense. He is an old man after all.

[LiberalAndProud]

17. I wonder where George and Barbara spend springs and autumns.

Bush and his wife, Barbara, divide their time, spending winters in Houston and summers in Maine.

I wish our former President well.

[malaise]

20. Don't know but someone posted this today

http://www.biography.com/people/george-hw-bush-38066

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=8915064

[UTUSN]

19. So what do Shrub, Jeb Crow, Neill, Dorothy & whoeve else have to say?!2 n/t