Tuberculosis Patient Leaves Hospital

Andrew Speaker Released Week After Having Lung Surgery

(AP)  Andrew Speaker, the tuberculosis patient who sparked an international public health scare in May, was released from National Jewish hospital on Thursday after successfully completing inpatient treatment, hospital officials said.

Speaker, 31, an Atlanta attorney, left Denver in an air ambulance and is now at an undisclosed location in Georgia to recuperate, said William Allstetter, a spokesman for National Jewish Medical and Research Center.

Allstetter said Speaker is not in a hospital but he would not provide any other details.

"He arrived there safely, and he is happy to be home," Allstetter said.

Speaker has multidrug-resistant TB. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially thought he had extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, or XDR-TB, which is much more difficult to treat.

Speaker will continue antibiotic treatment for about two years, the hospital said.

The doctors who treated him at National Jewish don't consider him to be completely cured, but a lung operation and antibiotic treatments "have eliminated any detectable evidence of infection," the hospital said.

He had been at National Jewish since May 31.

Speaker is not contagious and could have flown by commercial airliner, but "everyone involved in the case" decided the air ambulance was a better choice because of the attention the case has attracted, the hospital said.

[erasmus6]

"Q!:did anyone get hurt or infected because of his actions?" posted by D1191962

It could take a year for anyone to find out if they are infected. Meanwhile the major stress of not knowing could very well hurt them!

"At the very least he should be disbarred." posted by greeneyes

That's right! But you know, I doubt if anyone is going to want his services any time soon, if ever!

[agnim]

"The weeks-long stay in hospital would drain any ordinary person of resources,
Posted by D1191962 at 05:01 PM : Jul 26, 2007"
But this inconsiderate person is not an "ordinary person": HE IS A LAWYER.
He will quickly steal back any monies paid for his treatment, and then some. LOL

And again, you don't get your lungs chopped up for not reason. The guy was a potential danger to others.
He was a walking disease carrier who could infect others.

He's like one of those with AIDS and go on mating without any concern for others health.

He should have his freedom taken or his lungs!

[d1191962]

I am serious. The weeks-long stay in hospital would drain any ordinary person of resources, in this ludicrous profit-before-health system. Add the inevitable frivolous lawsuits of I-smell-money-let's-sue him type of sallivating plaintiffs and Andrew is likely to be facing a pile of debt, now or later. Bottom line - Q 1: did anyone get hurt or infected because of action? A1: No. Q2: If not, then why the heck do some fools sallivate over the prospect of suing him? A2: Because too many in this society act like dogs passing a *** in heat when smelling money. Amen.

[agnim]

"which cost Andrew tons of money and mental anguish. As the very least they should apologize to him.
Posted by D1191962 at 04:11 PM : Jul 26, 2007"

LOL

You can't be serious?

That VERY SICK person just surrendered 'a pound of flesh', surrendered part of his lungs!

That is proof that he was a sick man; and he caused others mental anguish if not physical problems, should they contracted his disease.

Andrew was lucky he wasn't lynched for playing the selfish, self-centered and cute lawyer with other people's health! LOL

Anyway, let's hope he has a full recovery. LOL

[d1191962]

Now it's time for the level-headed public (as opposed to hysterical media-believing-no-matter-what-they-say characters) to weigh in. Numerous public individuals showed callous disregard for facts and gobbled federal govt. ludicrous , ever-changing claims, which cost Andrew tons of money and mental anguish. As the very least they should apologize to him.

[greeneyes222]

Now it's time for the law to step in. This man showed callous disregard for the welfare of others and the law, and cost everyone a ton of money and mental anguish. At the very least he should be disbarred.