DOCTORS CONSIDER REMOVING GEORGE H.W. BUSH'S BREATHING TUBE

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Jan 20, 1:05 AM EST
BY MICHAEL GRACZYK
ASSOCIATED PRESS


HOUSTON (AP) -- Doctors treating former President George H.W. Bush for pneumonia considered whether to take out a breathing tube inserted two days ago to clear his airway.

His wife, Barbara, diagnosed with bronchitis, was feeling "1,000 percent better" on Thursday after a dose of antibiotics and rest.

The 92-year-old former president and the 91-year-old former first lady both were being cared for at Houston Methodist Hospital.

Family spokesman Jim McGrath said the 41st president remained in stable condition. Bush was hospitalized on Saturday and has been in the intensive care unit since Wednesday, relying on a ventilator to breathe. Removing the tube - a procedure known as extubation - would allow Bush to breathe on his own. He was struggling to breathe when he was admitted to the hospital Saturday.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GEORGE_HW_BUSH_HOSPITALIZED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-01-20-01-03-05

[hedda_foil]

1. He's on a ventilator. That's not a good indicator of his condition.

[Rural_Progressive]

2. At his age the longer they leave him on it

the less likely it is they will be able to wean him off it. Lord knows I'm not a fan of anyone in that family but I do hate to have anyone suffer unnecessarily.

[LeftInTX]

3. What W said:

"Your prayers are working: 41 and Mom are doing much better today and fighting on,"

--------------------------------------------------------------

When someone is improving they just remove them from the ventilator and make an announcement later.

The fact that doctors are "deciding" doesn't fit with the W's narrative.

Who knows, maybe W doesn't want his father to overshadow Trump's inauguration.

[llmart]

7. W...

Even in this, what most people would call a dire situation, Dumbya refers to him as "41" instead of like a normal person who would say, "My father"...

Once a jackass, always a jackass.

[cstanleytech]

22. Ya but if it came down to choosing that jackass as president or the one coming into office atm I'll

choose the Bush jackass and ya I never thought that the Republicans would nominate and win the office of president with a human being that was worse than Bush is.

[Ilsa]

28. ITA. At least W pretended to respect people and

tried to show a little class. Donald acts like he was raised on a pirate ship. Hell, even pirates are supposed to have a code of honor.

From Supernatural:
CROWLEY: There's a reason we don't call our chits in early – consumer confidence. This isn't Wall Street! This is Hell! We have a little something called integrity. This gets out, who'll deal with us?

[Jake Stern]

38. Truth be told I would much rather have Shrub

sitting on the nuclear launch codes

That we have a president that makes Dubya look classy and level headed is tragic.

[cstanleytech]

39. "That we have a president that makes Dubya look like classy and level headed is tragic." That is an

understatement.

[MrScorpio]

4. The less I say about GHWB, the better

FDT.

[Coventina]

15. I'm with you. Don't know why people remember him with fondness.

[MrScorpio]

17. I was stationed in DC during his entire four year term

To say that it was a mess is an understatement.

[Coventina]

18. You have my deepest sympathies.

[politicat]

21. Because death doesn't discriminate between the sinners and the saints.

And neither does grief or loss. (Thanks, Lin-Manuel.)

Having just gone through the death of a very close relative, someone with whom I had extremely complicated relationship, and for whom I did a lot of grieving before her death -- when she lost abilities and memories and personality -- neither of those make it easier for those closest. And having had to enforce and interpret her end of life decisions... I don't wish that on my worse enemy, because there is no good decision.

My relative was not a good person for most of her life, but I can empathize with GHWB's family on an extremely human level right now.

[Ilsa]

29. I don't think it's fondness. It's more like

Nostalgia for a time when a president wasn't planning our national security around Putin's five year plan.

[Coventina]

32. It is true. I'd take Poppy Bush over His Orangeness any day (any term).

I may have disagreed with his policies, but at least I knew he wasn't going to make us a wholly-owned subsidiary of Putin, Inc.

[Kali]

20. It may be the comparison to what we are facing now...

or the general tendency for our side to be compassionate...but yeah I hear you.

[Skittles]

5. wishing him well

I've never been a great fan but I accepted him as my president

[Raster]

8. agreed.

[Kittycow]

27. + 1

[Tanuki]

6. I wonder if Jeb! will appeal that all the way to the Supreme Court?

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/the-audacity-of-jeb-bush-a-governor-goes-all-in-on-the-terri-schiavo-case/2213997

That said, I wish the former president the best possible outcome and hope that whatever time remains for him is peaceful, comfortable, and free of any pain or fear.

[riversedge]

19. Gosh, I remember that issue--week after week and Hannity sitting watch with his show

outside of the Hospice. The whole issue was a farce and assault.

[Dorian Gray]

9. The lengths

they'll go to in order to avoid today's inauguration!

[NBachers]

10. I'd always hoped he'd confess and lay out everything he'd done to deceive and betray this nation.

[leftynyc]

11. A vent - especially at his age

is painful and uncomfortable. They don't even mention if they think he's able to breath without it. I just hope they keep him comfortable.

[Vinca]

12. If the man is dying, they should let him go in peace.

My worst fear is being hooked to machines when I should be making a graceful exit. No one lives forever.

[Delphinus]

13. My Mom

died in December after not being able to breathe. We tried one thing - after that, hospice was called and she died two days later. Tough decision to have to make, but glad it was one we had the option to do. She did not want to be hooked to a machine to live.

[Vinca]

14. I'm so sorry for your loss. It is a tough decision, but you did the right thing.

[Delphinus]

36. Thank you.

[MFM008]

26. My mom

Is going through a lot as well.
5 hospitalizations since Sept 16 for AFib.
On Tuesday she needed blood transfusions
For anemia. One thing after another.

[Delphinus]

37. I so feel for you.

Be well through this, take care of you. Good luck - I hope she finds health soon.

[csziggy]

33. My mother in law died last week from COPD and pneumonia

She went in the hospital New Year's Eve. She was intubated on January 4th, extubated on the 9th. On the 11th the doctors admitted there was nothing more they could do and the family moved her into hospice. She lasted less than 24 hours.

I wish they had not put her through the pain and hassle of the intubation and had let her go in peace.But she was aware enough to give consent and the family felt like they needed to give her that chance. She had been in the hospital a year ago and recovered enough to have time to spend with her sisters, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

[Ilsa]

34. It must have been one of the hardest things to do,

Yet you put her needs before yours, and that says a lot about you. Peace to you.

[Delphinus]

35. Thank you.

My son told me he was proud of me for being strong enough to do the right thing - and every time someone tells me, You were such a good daughter, I still well up with tears. Thank you for your kindness.

[Ilsa]

30. I wish they would have pulled

The tube last night, just to fuck with Trump.

[Ligyron]

16. This would be the perfect day to pass on.

Steal some of that narcissistic, ego maniacal, puppet's thunder.

41 was a liberal in contrast to what's coming.

[GliderGuider]

23. "Vladimir Putin considers removing America's breathing tube."

Wait, that was the news from two months ago. National life support has now been disconnected...

[Lil Missy]

24. Today would be a good day, if he were to pass. Take the focus off of our New Pres Shithead.

[Percy Cholmondeley]

25. Optimistic, but I hope this works out

I hope these medical issues don't bankrupt this family. That used to happen an awful lot. I guess it will again, as soon as the predatory Koch-owned majority in our national legislature acts out the owner's wishes. Making America great again only means great for the weathy and powerful.

[yurbud]

31. the title is a little misleading. It sounds like they're pulling the plug on him instead of him

recovering.

If he died the day of Trump's inauguration, people would miss the chance to re-examine his record and see how he contributed to getting us where we are today.

[wordpix]

40. he doesn't have a living will?

maybe the Bushes think they'll live forever b/c they're so far above it all.