BOSTON, May 18, 2008
Ted Kennedy Recovering After Seizure
Doctors Work To Determine Cause Of Illness That Hospitalized Mass. Senator
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Ted Kennedy, 76, Hospitalized
Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., is being hospitalized in Boston after having a seizure at the age of 76. Jeff Glor reports.
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Kennedy's Health Analyzed
Sen. Ted Kennedy is reportedly awake and alert but, as Dr. Emily Senay reports, he is not out of the woods yet. Senay explains how seizures differ from strokes.
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Senator Edward Kennedy fell ill Saturday morning and was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. (Getty Images/Patrick Chatelain)
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Kennedy Dynasty
Learn more about the powerful family's political successes and personal misfortunes.
The 76-year-old Massachusetts Democrat spent a peaceful night at Massachusetts General Hospital, a top aide said, and few details of his condition were expected before a battery of tests was completed by Monday at the earliest.
"Sen. Kennedy had a good night's sleep and we expect today to be a very quiet day," said the aide, who requested anonymity because of hospital practices concerning the privacy of patient information.
The lone surviving son in a famed political family was flown Saturday morning to Massachusetts General after becoming ill and being treated at the emergency room of Cape Cod Hospital.
His physician said he did not suffer a stroke, as was first suspected, and he recovered enough by Saturday afternoon to watch a Boston Red Sox game on television and eat takeout food from the city's famed Legal Sea Foods. His wife, Vicki, his five children and stepchildren and his niece, Caroline Kennedy, were among those to visit him.
"Over the next couple of days, Senator Kennedy will undergo further evaluation to determine the cause of the seizure, and a course of treatment will be determined at that time," said Dr. Larry Ronan, who added Kennedy was "not in any immediate danger."
In October, Kennedy had surgery to remove a blockage in his left carotid artery - a main supplier of blood to the face and brain. This type of operation is performed on more than 180,000 people a year to prevent a stroke. The blockage was discovered during a routine exam.
The doctor who operated on Kennedy said at the time that surgery is reserved for those with more than 70 percent blockage, and Kennedy had "a very high-grade blockage."
Distinguishing between a seizure and a transient ischemic attack, TIA, often called a mini-stroke, can sometimes be difficult.
Seizures are little electrical storms in the brain. They tend to be brief; an occasional one can happen to anyone even without a prior history of seizures, especially if there has been some prior brain trauma.
A stroke is either ischemic - a clog in a blood vessel - or hemorrhagic, bleeding in the brain. Kennedy had the carotid artery surgery to try to prevent the ischemic type.
A stroke kills brain tissue; how much depends on how big it is and how long it lasts.
"Sen. Kennedy was at high risk because he had surgery for an artery in his neck," said Dr. Wendy Wright, an assistant professor at The Emory Clinic, Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery.
But she said there are a lot of things that can cause seizures, such as an infection or medication.
"Certain medications are known to cause seizures. A stroke can cause a seizure, a brain tumor or a head injury, or something in the brain itself," Wright said. "Common symptoms that we know about are falling on the ground, shaking and having confusion."
Kennedy, the second-longest serving member of the Senate and a dominant figure in national Democratic Party politics, was elected in 1962, filling out the term won by his brother, John F. Kennedy, who was elected president in 1960.
His eldest brother, Joseph, was killed in a World War II airplane crash, while President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. A third brother, Robert, was assassinated amid a presidential campaign in 1968.
Kennedy is active for his age, maintaining an aggressive schedule on Capitol Hill and across Massachusetts.
He has been vocal in both his opposition to the Iraq war and support for Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama, who is trying to become the first senator elected to the White House since John F. Kennedy.
Kennedy made several campaign appearances for the Illinois senator in February, and most recently another in April.
Last week, he and Caroline Kennedy awarded the annual "Profiles in Courage" award commemorating President Kennedy. And Friday, he attended a ribbon cutting at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.
He was preparing to host the annual Best Buddies Challenge event on Saturday afternoon, a fundraiser for the Best Buddies organization founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver that helps people with intellectual disabilities.
The event attracted celebrities, including New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Olympian Carl Lewis.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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See all 139 CommentsI wonder if you would feel that I made a hateful statement if that was YOUR daughter or son left to die while that coward ran around to save his *ss ? Think about how they would be trying to suck any air that they could get to just stay alive. Or better yet put yourself in that car hurting,trapped and not being able to get out,trying to get any air to stay alive. And hoping this man was getting help for you. But instead he was out there trying to save his own *ss ! GREAT MAN !?!?!? A '' GREAT MAN '' would NOT have left that young girl to die !!! He''s NOT a '' GREAT MAN '' !!! He''s a '' MURDER '' and got away with it because of his families money. Any other drunk driver that did that to YOUR family,you would most likely be crying for that drunk driver to pay for the rest of his life in jail. Or would you stand out there and call him a '' GREAT MAN '' !?!?!? I have a son in jail now because he also is a drunk driver. I have talked to him until I get blue in the face trying to get him to see how he''s going to kill someone or himself someday driving like that. I love my son dearly. But I could NEVER call him a '' GREAT MAN !! '' if he should kill someone. My heart goes out to that family that has to watch this '' COWARD '' rise to power and have people like you praise him. God help you that this doesn''t happen to your family.
I''m not a left,right or any other wing. I just feel he should have paid the price for leaving this young girl to die !! I''d love to see how you would feel if that was YOUR child left to die in that car. Or maybe you would be the kind that would give this man a big hug and kiss for killing your child !!!
Posted by jeannec3 at 03:08 PM : May 18, 2008
Maybe you should have raised him better? Oh and I thou8nhgt Christians were supposed to be about forgiveness, not condemnation. Guess you missed that part in your bible studies. Not to worry though, in my experience most self-proclaimed christians always seem to ignore that part. A real christian would be praying for Ted Kennedy''s speedy and full recovery.
And they all seem to convienantly forget that this man, who could have sat on his backside living the life of the idle rich off from the family fortune, has instead been one of the longest serving and hardest working fighters for the common man. He and his service in the areas of healthcare and jobs is deservedly legendary. Yes he''s had personal problems, but also tragedy in his life, like the deaths of 3 brothers while they were serving their country and a sister in a plane crash, to say nothing of another sister gripped by mental retardation. The man is a giant among Senators in his service to the people and this nation.
Sorry but I''m not a church praying christian either. I just feel people should pay for their crimes !!! But then if someone should kill a member of your family,I''m sure you''ll just pat them of the back and say '' awwww that''s okay. You just run along. I love you for killing them.
I raised my kids as best I could. His father was an alcoholic. I was forced to marry him when I was very young. And tried to get away from him with my kids many times. But the law back then was hard to get a divorce when you had no money back in the 50'' and early 60''s. My husband beat me and would slid me up a wall with his large hand choking me with my feet hanging,not touching the floor. He would throw me on the couch and put a gun to my forehead and pull the trigger and laugh like crazy when there was not a bullet in that hole. He would take me to his parent''s woods and make me walk in front of him while he shot REAL bullets at my legs and laugh because he would miss them. All the while his parent''s were taking care of my kids and I guess didn''t hear the gun going off !!! One time when I put the kids to bed,he came home and started to shoot at me. That was in the city. The neighbors called the police and they came. They patted him on the back and sent him back in the house. And left me and my kids there with this drunk. So you know NOTHING about me and how I had to raise my kids. This is only a small part of what we had to live with. I only hope you never had to live like that.
Posted by SgtRDS-E4
your comments prove that THIS kennedy has made a nice living, if not a phony "legacy", off the family name while actually doing NOTHING noteworthy.
your confuse teddy''s achievements (or lack thereof) with those of his 3 brothers, as teddy has virtually nothing positive to show in the area of health care and jobs--unless unfulfilled campaign promises count as reality in your world.
in teddy''s case, most people would agree that the life of the "idle rich" (whatever you think that is) would better suit him than the life of the "meddlesome politician" (everyone but teddy knows what that is).
Posted by jeannec3
exactly. and i forgot all about that, having been brainwashed by the kennedy family propaganda like so many others posting here.
thanks for the reminder. there is nothing that counterbalances a criminal who has not paid for his crimes like anyone else.
it''s like saying that oj simpson is a "great man". as if what he did on the football field counterbalances his murders.
same mentality. pathetic!
Wah wah wah, so it sucks to be you. That doesn''t give you the right to throw your bitterness at others here.
Posted by FlangeSqueal
is that you teddy? typical kennedy!
You are a hate filled right wing toady and troll and are not worthy of serious discussion. Begone vermin. Back to your corner of the basement by the sump pump with the other creepy crawlies.
Posted by jeannec3 at 01:49 PM : May 18, 2008
Well, what can you expect from the people of Massoftwoshits?
Posted by Greybeardvet at 02:24 PM : May 18, 2008
Well, I guess we know who''s got Alzheimers. He is scum, always has been and always will.
Posted by SgtRDS-E4
blah, blah, blah. poor teddy! poor poor little teddy, such tragedies!
he''s not responsible for his personal problems, and he gets credit for what happened to other members of his family. how nice!
and even some brainwashed supporters who really want to believe his load of *** excuses.
*** that girl he killed! without that insignificant unfortunate little mistake, he might have had a shot at being great. let''s all pretend it never happened. focus on the dead brothers and morn for little teddy. wah, wah wah! and pretend that he actually accomplished all the false promises that his dead brothers made to the gullible public.
excuse me, master troll, for trip-trapping across your bridge. looks like i''ve hit another big fat nerve here. i''m smiling, randal ;^)
now take your meds and do something to relieve the stress--maybe take matters into your own hands. don''t squash it too hard, though, and make sure you have a picture of a smiling teddy to get the full effect and relief. good luck!
As I recall I was stating my point of view about Kennedy. I don''t recall putting YOUR name in that statement. Your the one that felt you needed to jump on me about how I '' didn''t raise my son right '' and that I was some '' self-proclaimed christian ''. In as much as you don''t know me,you should have kept to the subject. Not jump on someone for NOT agreeing with Kennedy''s right to kill someone and getting away with it.
Posted by kittybud420 at 04:18 PM : May 18, 2008
That only applies selectively to those they feel are worthy of their forgiveness, like family members and those they agree with politically. Very very very few christians actually practice what they preach. A true example of a group that does would be the Amish that held prayer vigils of forgiveness for the madman that shot and killed several of their young children in Lancaster county PA in October 2006.
Posted by kittybud420 at 04:18 PM : May 18, 2008
That only applies selectively to those they feel are worthy of their forgiveness, like family members and those they agree with politically. Very very very few christians actually practice what they preach. A true example of a group that does would be the Amish that held prayer vigils of forgiveness for the madman that shot and killed several of their young children in Lancaster county PA in October 2006.
teddy got his start riding on the back of his brother jack.
"Last week, he and Caroline Kennedy awarded the annual ''Profiles in Courage'' award commemorating President Kennedy."
And that''s how he''s finishing up his illustrious "career" at the public trough: riding on the back of brother jack.
good, but not "great".
No, I Jumped on you because you seem to think the fact that you had a supposedly cr*appy life gives you the right to turn your anger and bitterness ion others like Ted Kennedy who, if he had been actually guilty of a murder (and he was not) has certainly redeemed himself through his good works. Something which you apparently know nothing about. I can promise that my step-father put my mother through a nightmare that would make your past look like a dream of paradise, yet she has become a fine and wonderful and forgiving woman and not let it turn her into a bitter shrew!
Posted by SgtRDS-E4
such a whining little baby! you feel free to dispense judgement (along with a nice little temple tantrum) to those who disagree with you--everyone, basically.
if you want to jack-off on ted kennedy (like he jacks-off on jack), that is your own business, but do it in private, please! you''re embarrassing and disgusting yourself.
Whatever happened to forgiveness and compassion? Is that not what Christians espouse?
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Just because I can forgive him, it doesn''t mean he''s fit to hold public office.
Obviously, he can''t function under pressure of a life-threatening accident. OR HE WAS DRUNK AS A SKUNK.
Either way, A PERSON THAT UNRELIABLE ISN''T FIT FOR PUBLIC OFFICE.
In His infinite wisdom, He has given us the Kennedy family to show us what WE would be like if He gave us every blessing we could imagine.
If we lived the Kennedy life, we, too would become reckless, irresponsible, reprehensible crooks who routinely disregard the rules of decency, the law, and human life itself. They are so accustomed to being exempt from every law that occasionaly they start believing they are exempt from the laws of physics. Which is why they frequently crash airplanes into mountains and oceans, get shot, get blown up in their own airplane, ski into trees, and all the other calamities that happen to them because of their own recklessness. All because THEY''''VE NEVER BEEN FORCED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR OWN ACTIONS. Until one day, that consequence HAPPENS TO THEM. But by then it''''s too late.
Praise the Lord for the Kennedys! And thank God I''''m not one of them.
AMEN!
I''m not a bitter shew. I live a very happy life now. I''m close to my son and daughter & son-in-law. We all feel ( including ) my son,that you need to pay for what you do in your live if. He''s not complaining that he''s in jail for drinking and driving. He knows he did wrong. And he knows he needs help with his drinking. But he needs to go and get the help. Anyone that has been through ''H*ll'' like your mother or me,will always remember the bad times. But when it''s all over,you can move on and be happy. And I hope your mother is happy and not a '' bitter shrew '' like you. As it seems YOU have not moved on as you grew up to be a VERY unhappy person. I feel sorry for you. Because life goes so fast to live in the past. But on the other hand. Kennedy killed that young girl and has never paid the price.
Posted by jeannec3 at 05:30 PM : May 18, 2008
I have most definitely moved on and have a wonderful life. I only no reserve my anger for the self-righteous like you. What happen back then was an ACCIDENT! And it''s not up to you to decide if he has or has not paid enough of a price for it.
If Teddy had CALLED FOR HELP, Mary Jo Kopechne could be - well - she could have survived THAT accident.
Kennedy defenders will quickly point out that THERE WAS NO AUTOPSY, so we''''ll never know HOW or WHEN she died.
NEITHER DID TED KENNEDY when he WALKED AWAY from the accident. HE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING IF SHE WAS STILL ALIVE when he abandoned her in the sumberged car.
And it was JULY, NEIL ARMSTRONG WAS ON HIS WAY TO THE MOON, the water was NOT FREEZING. It was very murky and VERY DARK, and there was a strong current, which is why Kennedy and his lawyers all tried and failed to get into the car. It took a professional diver with SCUBA gear to reach the body and pull her out.
When he did, he noted that the body was bouyant, which indicated that SHE DID NOT DROWN, she died from BREATHING ALL THE OXYGEN OUT OF THE AIR POCKET that was trapped in the car.
When the body was brought out of the water and placed on the ground, only a small trickle of water came from the mouth and nose, not the large quantity of water that normally pours out of a drowning victim. MORE EVIDENCE to suggest that she LIVED FOR AN HOUR OR MORE after the accident.
Oh ? Apparently you feel only your opinion counts. And your opinion is it''s okay to get away with murder and no one should ever disagree with your opinion. If they do,they are self-proclaimed christians or bitter shews or left-wings.....goodness this could go on forever !! If your a '' happy person '' why do you turn so fast to name calling ? Could it be your not as ''happy '' as you say you are ? Everyone has an opinion on things on here. But there are only a few like you that take to name calling or trying to degrade people on here.
But Kennedy himself testified that he returned to his hotel room on an island by SWIMMING ACROSS SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET OF OPEN WATER, apparently fully dressed and with his shoes on.
The island was still busy with people outside at that time of night, yet NOBODY REPORTED SEEING A SOAKING, DRIPPING WET TED KENNEDY walking from the water to the hotel.
So apparently, Teddy is either VERY SNEAKY or HE HAD A CAR WAITING and he paid the driver well to keep his silence.
At 2:30 am, a hotel clerk was walking in the hall of the hotel when he was approached by Ted Kennedy, neatly dressed and groomed and
Puzzlingly, Kennedy made it a point to ask the clerk for the time, saying he lost his watch. That''s why the clerk remembered the time so clearly. Kennedy went on to complain about noise from a lovemaking couple in the next room, then he asked for the morning newspaper to be deliverd to his room. KENNEDY SAID OR DID NOTHING TO INDICATE THAT HE HAD JUST ESCAPED FROM A CAR ACCIDENT, nor did he give ANY INDICATION THAT A PERSON HAD DIED and that Kennedy had not reported it.
In the morning, Kennedy was seen socializing casually, neatly dressed as usual. He did not call the police until his frantic lawyers found him and FORCED HIM TO A PAY PHONE to report the accident and the death. By then, Kennedy had taken a ferry back to the mainland, and his lawyers had to catch up with him.
IS THIS THE WAY *YOU* WOULD BEHAVE IF YOU HAD JUST BEEN A FATAL CAR ACCIDENT LAST NIGHT, AND *NOBODY HAD REPORTED IT TO POLICE*??? WOULD YOU????
The problem with your premise is that he did NOT commit murder! It was an accident! Yet you have decided you have the right to appoint yourself cop, prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner! And then while you''re being so blood thirty over him, you completely ignore the good works he''s done for 5 decades for the working men and women of this country when he didn''t HAVE to! He''s rich and always was! He could have sat on his backside and done nothing with his life. Instead he CHOSE to enter public service and has been a giant of a Senator and a hero in the areas of help for the poor, help for mental illness and retardation, health care, social security, jobs and wages. you don''t have the right to judge him and to dismiss he decades of good work based on a lie! He''s not a killer and you whining that he is doesn''t make it the truth!!
From what I''ve heard, Jimmy Carter is a very nice and wonderfully gracious man. BUT HE MADE AN AWFUL LEADER, and he is wholly unfit to lead a nation.
No matter how I feel about Ted Kennedy as a man, I must evaluate the KNOWN FACTS regarding his fitness to lead. HIS APPARENT COMPLETE AND CALLOUS DISREGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE, including the life of a close acquaintance, makes him COMPLETELY UNTRUSTWORTHY AND UNFIT FOR ANY PUBLIC OFFICE.
The problem with your premise is that he did NOT commit murder!
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The technicalities of law have a variety of labels that are applied to a person who behaves so recklessly AFTER THE ACCIDENT by failing to report it to authorities EVEN THOUGH THE PASSENGER MIGHT HAVE SURVIVED by breathing a trapped air pocket in the submerged car.
ONCE AGAIN, LIBTARDS: IT''S NOT THE ACCDIDENT, IT''S HIS CONDUCT *AFTER* THE ACCIDENT THAT''S THE ISSUE.
Unless you''re willing to entertain the possibility that he was driving drunk, THEN THE ACCIDENT ITSELF IS WORTHY OF CONDEMNATION because he was driving drunk.
HE ABANDONED THE GIRL IN THE SUBMERGED CAR WITHOUT HAVING ANY WAY OF KNOWING IF SHE WAS ALIVE OR DEAD. Evidence found at the scene the next morning suggest that IF KENNEDY HAD NOTIFIED AUTHORITIES, MARY JO MIGHT HAVE SURVIVED LONG ENOUGH TO BE RESCUED if help had arrived quickly enough - within 45 minutes, for example.
MINUTES COUNT. Kennedy spent the night DOING WHAT???
Whatever it was, it didn''t include CALLING THE POLICE. As it was, the police were first notified after daybreak when a passerby saw the car in the water and called it in.
Oh poor out of touch person. I guess you can''t read any big words or you would have read up on what was posted here on the accident or looked it up on the web. And there is a book on it also.
As far as I could tell on his votes,he hasn''t done THAT much. And MOST of anything done,was NOT his ideas.
Posted by SgtRDS-Pussyface
little teddy was never rich--his family was, and he was just along for the ride. As a typical politician, he HAS sat on his backside and done nothing with his life but enrich himself at the public trough.
the kennedy-worshipers really didn''t get their money''s worth with little teddy, so they invented this myth (similar to the bible stories that you love so much, randal) that he was some kind of "great" man.
what a laugh! and you poke fun at religious people. you are much more ridiculous than the bible-thumping christians with your own false kennedy religion.
pathetic!
teddy got his start riding on the back of his brother jack.
"Last week, he and Caroline Kennedy awarded the annual ''''Profiles in Courage'''' award commemorating President Kennedy."
And that''s how he''''s finishing up his illustrious "career" at the public trough: riding on the back of brother jack.
good, but not "great".
such a whining little baby troll! you feel free to dispense judgement (along with a nice little temple tantrum) to those who disagree with you--everyone, basically.
if you want to jack-off on ted kennedy (like he jacks-off on jack), that is your own business, but do it in private, please! you''re embarrassing yourself.
Oh poor out of touch person. I guess you can''t read any big words or you would have read up on what was posted here on the accident or looked it up on the web. And there is a book on it also.
As far as I could tell on his votes,he hasn''t done THAT much. And MOST of anything done,was NOT his ideas.
Oh poor out of touch person. I guess you can''''t read any big words or you would have read up on what was posted here on the accident or looked it up on the web. And there is a book on it also.
As far as I could tell on his votes,he hasn''''t done THAT much. And MOST of anything done,was NOT his ideas.
Posted by jeannec3 at 06:26 PM : May 18, 2008
I have read much on the accident over the years and even clearly recall the day it happened. It was and still is an accident. Also the idea that he is not a gaint among Senators is petty right wing GOP BS. Even McCain sings his praises.
You still here troll? You''re like a gnat. Mildly irritating, but no real threat. LOL!
Shoo little troll, shoo.
Instead he CHOSE to enter public service and has been a giant of a Senator and a hero in the areas of help for the poor, help for mental illness and retardation,
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OH, GOLLY! GET OUT THE VIOLINS!
Yah, it was purely out of the GOODNESS OF HIS HEART that he CHOSE to be ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL SENATORS for OVER 35 YEARS.
As for his work on retardation and mental illness, THIS IS A GUILT OFFERING BECAUSE OF THE BOTCHED LOBOTOMY THAT WAS PERFORMED ON HIS RETARDED SISTER in her 20s that left her mute and unable to care for herself.
It was and still is an accident.
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IT ISN''T THE ACCIDENT - IT''S HIS OUTRAGEOUSLY CALLOUS BEHAVIOR afterwards.
WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT???
Now I know you can''t read ! I''m still NOT right or left or ANY wing. And I don''t care if Obama,Hillary or McCain or even YOU praise Kennedy. A killer is a killer.
Shoo troll. You dirty the clean air with your lies and hatred. Shoo. Go join cpaide over in the basement corner. You are unworthy of being taken seriously. Shoo now.
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