Barbara Bush Has Successful Heart Surgery

(CBS/AP)  Former first lady Barbara Bush was recovering Thursday following 2½-hour heart surgery to replace her aortic valve, hospital officials said.

Family spokesman Jim McGrath said Bush was already up and talking Wednesday night in intensive care only hours after undergoing the procedure at The Methodist Hospital.

Former President George H.W. Bush was at the hospital with his wife, McGrath said. The hospital said the former first lady was expected to be released in seven to 10 days.

"I am very impressed with and grateful to the wonderful team of doctors and nurses at The Methodist Hospital who have helped Barbara," the former president said. "We have every confidence she is in the best hands."

The surgery was scheduled last week after Bush, 83, experienced a shortness of breath, McGrath said. He said doctors determined the aortic valve had started to harden.

Dr. Gerald Lawrie, a heart surgeon at the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center, replaced the valve with a biologic valve, which is made of natural living tissue, the hospital said in a statement. Lawrie said the surgery went "extremely well."

Bush's age may be "a little old for any heart operation," according to CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook, but experts say it's the best operation they do.

"You know, these days it's getting more and more simple. But people do very well. The big risk is stroke. It's only a couple percentage point risk of that and also pump failure," said LaPook.

Bush is expected to fully recover and resume her normal activities soon, Lawrie said.

When left untreated, a hardened aortic valve can result in heart failure or sudden cardiac death, the hospital said. The valve, on the left side of the heart, can harden with age and become less effective. Symptoms of aortic valve disease include shortness of breath, chest pains and dizziness.

Houston television station KRTK reported that Bush almost didn't want her children to know about the surgery because she didn't think it was a big deal. She is the mother of former President George W. Bush and former Florida governor Jeb Bush. The other Bush children are sons Neil and Marvin and daughter Dorothy.

Barbara Bush underwent surgery in November for a perforated ulcer. The hospital said the two were unrelated.

The former Barbara Pierce, daughter of the publisher of McCall's magazine, married George H.W. Bush in 1945 when he returned a hero from World War II.

They had their first child, George, while still at Yale in 1946. A daughter, Robin, died in 1953 of leukemia a few weeks before her 4th birthday.

Barbara Bush disclosed she was suffering from an overactive thyroid ailment known as Graves' disease when she lived at the White House. The disease causes teary eyes and double vision, according to her doctors.

[sruthj]

Ah, Rich people.
When will they ever stop getting the best healthcare.

That being said, I wish her well.
As Barbara Bush might say, "This whole heart failing really paid off in health insurance dividends. Its working out very well for her."

[Huizilopochtli]

Maybe the Stem Cells will reject Her....

[cbsnews]

It is interesting that this family, religous fellows, let the modern medicine take over and save her life by implanting a pig's heart valve in her body. I thought her son was a great advocate of not letting people's kids and loved ones take advantage of state of art science of stem cell therapy.

[iam4honesty]

"The former Barbara Pierce, daughter of the publisher of McCall's magazine, married George H.W. Bush in 1945 when he returned a hero from World War II. "


All the while his father, Prescott Bush, had his assetts frozen by the US government for trading with and suppporting Hitler.

This Bush family is nothing but a nest of traitors and theives.

[cheetah-man7]

Despite my vile hatred for her husband and sons, I do wish Barbara a speedy recovery!

[iam4honesty]

And for the record, promaclaura....I'm an RN...a registered nurse. So I think I might have a BIT better handle on all of this than you.
Posted by jgjbcmi


My wife is an ARNP (MSN), and I can tell you that most of the health care professionals in the US are in favor of universal health care. The ones who aren't are the greedy. So it goes for that element of the general population who oppose universal care. I personally am quiet tired of hearing the lies from the 'greedy right' about the long waiting periods in countries that care for their citizens. If you believe those lies... you haven't traveled. I suggest you take a trip to Costa Rica. Yes, Costa Rica, a little country in Central America. They are light years ahead of the 'Greatest Nation On Earth' in the areas of education and health care.

We can do better!

[omega39-2009]

While I am thrilled that Barbara Bush is doing well folloing her heart surgery, I would feel a lot better if the taxpayers weren't paying for it as part of Bush Sr.'s retirement package. The Bushes can well afford this out of their own funds. Meanwhile I'm preparing for the same surgery while wondering exactly how much (or how little) I can expect my medical insurance to contribute.
Posted by barbaraf4 a

The newest scam is for the hospital to contract to an outside doctor to perform certain tests within the hospital setting. The insurance company then gets a bill from the contracted doctor that it refuses to pay because the insurance company maintains that since the tests were performed within the hospital setting, that its payment of the "hospital bill" included all that. Of course there is no reasoning with the billing office of the contracted doctor, the hospital or the insurance company. My state finally closed this little loophole this year, but not before it cost me several hundred dollars for a three day hospital stay, in spite of the fact I had excellent health coverage.

[promaclaura]

If we have a shortage of doctors perhaps we better start addressing the root cause instead of limiting the number of patients that have access to health care which is absurd. I would also point out that this country had no problems throwing the H1B1 doors wide open so they could flood the market with engineers and Network administrators from overseas. Perhaps actually recruiting overseas talent for which their is an actual need instead of just a desire to drive down a pay scale is the best answer.
Posted by omega39-2009 at 5:51 AM : Mar 5, 2009

You have posted a good point, which I don't mind. Your point also supports what I'm saying about a doctor shortage for univeral healthcare, no matter the root cause it will still be a problem.

[promaclaura]

Main Entry: big·ot
Pronunciation: \?bi-g?t\
Function: noun
Etymology: French, hypocrite, bigot
Date: 1660
: a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices ; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance
? big·ot·ed \-g?-t?d\ adjective


I doubt that promaclaura knows what his/her point is. First of all he/she has already proven to be bigot...and that kind of ignorance just isn't worth arguing with. His/Her comment about me getting more days in the hospital was unfounded because I didn't say anything remotely like that.

And for the record, promaclaura....I'm an RN...a registered nurse. So I think I might have a BIT better handle on all of this than you.
Posted by jgjbcmi at 5:47 AM : Mar 5, 2009


I'd say you were the one that was the bigot. I was merely posting on how the elderly would suffer under universal healthcare and also provided factual articles for you to support my debate.

It is you who has come back with personal insults and the holier than though I'm an RN and know better than you arguement. Who is the bigot again, read the definition. I wished you well in your health, you offer insults to another opinion. I think you should retire as it sounds like you don't have a grip on reality, which is what I'm posting.

[barbaraf4]

While I am thrilled that Barbara Bush is doing well folloing her heart surgery, I would feel a lot better if the taxpayers weren't paying for it as part of Bush Sr.'s retirement package. The Bushes can well afford this out of their own funds. Meanwhile I'm preparing for the same surgery while wondering exactly how much (or how little) I can expect my medical insurance to contribute.