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Subscribe to RSSFormer President George H.W. Bush is currently in the intensive care unit where his doctors have prescribed him a liquid-only diet. NBC's Natalie Morales reports.
Updated at 7:08 p.m. ET: Former President George H.W. Bush was battling an elevated fever Wednesday and was in "guarded condition" in a hospital intensive care unit, a family spokesman said.
"The President is alert and conversing with medical staff, and is surrounded by family," said a statement from family spokesman Jim McGrath. Bush, 88, was moved to the intensive care unit at The Methodist Hospital at the Texas Medical Center in Houston on Sunday, McGrath said.
Bush has been in the hospital since Nov. 29 for treatment of complications related to bronchitis. After initial expectations that he would be hospitalized for only a few days proved to be wrong, doctors said through a hospital statement on Dec. 13 that they expected Bush would "be able to celebrate Christmas at home."
But the 41st president remained at The Methodist Hospital -- where he was visited on Christmas by his wife, Barbara, his son, Neil, Neil's wife, and his grandson, Pierce -- all of whom brought him a meal of Chinese food for Christmas dinner, The Houston Chronicle reported.
He also received gifts, emails, and telephone calls from family members and close friends, NBC's Janet Shamlian reported.
On Wednesday, McGrath told NBC News that the former president's fever was elevated from the previous day, although he said that he did not know by how much. Earlier, McCrath had said that doctors saw a "slight improvement" in Bush's condition that morning.
McGrath said that Dorothy Bush, his daughter, visited Wednesday, and George W. Bush, the 43rd president, would be visiting soon.
Bronchitis is a common condition in which the bronchial tubes in the lungs become inflamed and produce mucus, which creates the need to cough, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can turn serious in people with weak immune systems, including children and the elderly. Symptoms such as chest pain, weakness and coughing typically last two weeks, but can linger for as long as two months.
In the weeks since he was admitted, Bush has had a low-grade fever, but doctors have said they are "cautiously optimistic" he will recover, Shamlian reported.
George Kovacik, a hospital spokesman, said in a statement earlier this week that Bush was in stable condition.
“His doctors feel he should build up his energy before going home. They remain optimistic about his full recovery and are being extra cautious with his care,” the statement said.
Robert Sullivan / AFP - Getty Images
Leader of an American political dynasty, George Bush's influence was felt beyond his terms as president and vice president. Take a look back at his life and career.
Bush was elected president of the United States in 1988, the capstone of a long career of public service.
He was a Texas Republican member of the House of Representatives in the 1960s and 1970s and head of the CIA in 1976-1977. The organization’s headquarters in Langley, Va., was later renamed the “George Bush Center for Intelligence.”
Bush lost his first bid for the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency in 1980, at which time Ronald Reagan chose him to be his running mate. He went on to serve two terms as Reagan’s vice president before winning the presidency. He was defeated for re-election in 1992 by Bill Clinton.
In late 2004, Bush teamed up with Clinton to raise money for the victims of the Asian tsunami. That effort was so successful, the two former presidents did the same for Katrina victims in 2005.
President George H.W. Bush remains in the hospital. NBC News' Janet Shamlian reports.
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Last Rebel....Thank you for trying....Some people don't want the truth....My family always loved the Kennedys..I know bush was responsible for his death (Dark Legacy)...there is a video on u-tube called .."the president who told the TRUTH."..JFK tried to warn America....about NWO...media propaganda...that our beautiful USA that so many gave their lives for....is in peril...there should not be parties...(republican or democrat) just Americans ...that would unite more than divide...anyway..Thank you for your faithfulness...
You wouldn't recognize the truth if it bit you in the rear. Any idiot can post garbage on the internet. It doesn't mean there is one iota of truth to it. Your family always loved the Kennedys? The Kennedy patriarch was ruthless and evil. For goodness sake, he had his own daughter lobotomized because she was an embarrassment to him. He didn't even give his wife any opportunity to object. He just did it. How many people died because of JFK involving us in Vietnam? Teddy murdered his extra-marital girlfriend, Mary Jo K, and because he was a Kennedy, he got away with it without consequence. JFK and Bobby Kennedy had Marilyn Monroe murdered. Your comments are hypocritical at best. Pathetic.
By the way, I know for a fact that a conspiracy set in place by Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Great Pumpkin and the Tooth Fairy is really responsible for JFK's demise.
Smart man - he AVOIDED the Veterans and military health care systems and is getting premium private care.
Most other disabled veterans do not have the same choice!
I wish him well. I hope if the good Lord takes him home (and it's his cal not ours), that the family decides that a multi-billion dollar state funeral is not in the best interests of the United States of America, especially right now. We can't afford another pompous state funeral the likes of Ronald Reagan's.
To all haters (regardless of political party, etc.) trolling about former President George H.W. Bush on this post:
"...send not to know for whom the bell tolls.
It tolls for thee."
-John Donne
Most of us would sacrifice ourselves to end a monster like this, except that this monster has already done his damage. Director of the CIA during the bloodiest era in human history.
President Bush (41), I pray for your speed recovery and may your family be strong in these difficult days. Thank you for your service to our nation.
Amen.
God Bless you, President Bush. You are a true American hero.
They really turned the world upside down if destroying human rights world wide makes you a "hero".
wow i cant believe some of the horrible comments about hoping he dies.....yo people call yourself a human???? i might not like what he did as our president but i would never wish any ill fate on any human being. i really hope you dont have any children cause they will be exposed to so much hatred and evil.....
We call ourselves human. It's the Bush DNA we have questions about regarding being "human".
No huxle, it is your DNA in question. Perhaps you were the by-product of some scientific monkey experimentation gone bad. They did well in training you how to write, but blind following of internet myths that suit your fancy are your downfall. I bet if you contact the major world zoos you can find out who did this to you.
ursofakingfunny, you are suspended for a day for violating rule # 1 of the Code of Honor.
Now that's bad! Funny, but bad
So when a frothing leftist makes a foul personal attack like the one in post #451 above, Sally suspends them for a day.
But when I used a word that Sally was unfamiliar with, she incorrectly assumed it was a racist term and suspended me for a WEEK.
That's MSNBS.
He is too evil to die. They will probably just retrovirus deage his DNA, if he even had human DNA.
One thing that GHW did was to set up the influence chain that got his son into the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam era.
W escaped the draft by being placed way ahead of many more eligible and more qualified applicants to the Air Guard.
W's service in the Guard was to solo his airplane and never fly again or renew his flight qualifications.
W was AWOL for 18 months of his six year enlistment term of which he served only 5-1/2 years.
Miraculously, all records, good or bad of W's Air Guard service disappeared when he ran for political office.
Only one record exists, that of a visit to a military dentist.
I believe something is defective ibn your math. 6 year minus 18 months would not equal 5-1/2 year. Thing is though he was kicked out for refusing drug testing as he was using cocaine at the time. Bottom line is we have some pretty deplorable peopl serving in Government. And you lft out the part whew W was drunk and bewat up hios dad when he was head of the CIA. It is all well documented. That event happend at his home in Maine. But all the Bush's claime Texas residence as there is no State Income Tax there
Bush only "served" 5-1/2 years of his 6 year "enlistment" in the Texas Air National Guard.
He left early for whatever reasons were convenient to him.
Of those 5-1/2 years, he was AWOL for 18 months, or 1-1/2 years, leaving 4 years for "service".
Actually the country was serviced in the manner of a bull servicing a cow, especially when he conned the supreme court into selecting him as president.
Someone is overly zealous. I saw someone reported someone to authorites for Wshing the exPOTUS dEAD. tHERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. pARTICIPATING IN CONSPIRACT TO KILL HIM WOULD.. I mean I I wished a coment woukld fly up the persent PotusUIS but how likely is that. Do you think I am god or something and can asctuually make that happen. You are simply wasting time and tax money reporting ridiculous thisng. Get a life. The First Amendment protects the right of free speach and anyoine can hate anyone they want as long as they don't actually cause harm. How about this though . When Bush dies I hope he rots in hell. Haha, but I am an Atheisrt and don't even believe in the place.. Gee this is even better thamn a half a dozen people repor6ting me to police for leavingf my dog in my car on a 61 degree Feahenheite day with the windows open and it was 62 degrees inside. No dealing with stupidirty though.
I suppose they should track the responsible party down that gave him that cold that could cost his life. Could that be his wife Barbara or one of his kids?. I am ashamed of my military service, especially Vietnam protectibng the rights of such idiots.
God bless you, President Bush.
FYI~he's going straight into the Pit!
Try this, folks: Get well soon, 41. Get well soon, Madame Secretary of State Clinton.
Sheesh, we live in a great country where politics is NOT a literal blood sport, folks.
By the way, for those who are wondering about payment---Mr. Bush is 88---that means he is on MEDICARE, folks. Rich and poor elderly are on Medicare. If the docs treat him privately, they can't bill Medicare for a patient for two years. Note the title after my name. I'm not guessing.
We all should have known, the moment his family said that he was doing well, that his condition was deteriorating.
It's just not in their nature to be honest... about anything.
The bastardo of all bastardos is about to meet his maker and the Dr's better reveal his last words when he croaks. I've known for a very looooong time that his legacy is what has happened to this once great Nation because of his complicity and treachery which is treasonable. The death of JFK occurred because of the CIA and his organization was involved. Prescott, his father, was doing business with Hitler right up until FDR called him into the Oval and told him the government would seize everything he owned and put him in jail for treason if he didn't cease and desist from his dealings with the Nazi's! He would have been charged with aiding and abetting the enemy in times of WAR. That was an order executed in 1942 and is easily verifiable for all of you numbnutz who are ignorant of the facts!
WAKE UP SHEEPLE!!! Do alittle research online of who these people really are and what there agendas are for the populace of America and the world. It sickens me of how misinformed or ignorant people are when they say " Get well, we love you, your in our prayers" These are very, very evil in-humans part of the NEW WORLD ORDER and there agenda is to genocide and depopulate the planets population down to 500 million. Don't believe me? Google NWO. Learn for yourself. Take the RED pill. An see how far the rabbit hole goes down. I double dare ya.
Get well, President Bush, we love you, you are in our prayers.
Are you kidding me? This bunch of murderous thief's the Bush family have killed and robed countless number of people over the years.
His Grandfather was financing both sides of WWII with the Germans. He and his family belong the the Illuminati an Scull an Bones. Part of the World Banksters. and NWO. The NWO has planned to de populate the world down to 500 million people an im sorry to say your not included.
Old Bush was the director of the CIA when Kennedy was murdered. Kennedy was trying to abolish the Federal Reserve and end the wars. So they took him out. Between the Bush's, Clinton's and Obama they have almost ruined this country and our freedoms. Wake up Sheeple!!! Do some research online. Educate yourself and stop following the Masses. Take the red pill. See for yourself? Dont take my word for it? We need to rid ourselves of these kind of in- human's. the world will be so far better off with out them. I say good riddance to old George and the rest of them! May he Burn in HELL for what he's done.!!!!
I'm thankful that President Bush is doing so much better.
I hope President HW Bush gets well very soon, and wish him a comfortable and speedy recovery.
-Lifelong Dem and human being