Neurologist: Johnson in for a long recovery

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/articles/2007/01/03/news/state/state04.txt ^ | 01/03/2006 | milwguy

[milwguy]

SIOUX FALLS (AP) - U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson may be in for a long recovery from brain surgery, according to a Sioux Falls neurologist.

Dr. William Rossing said he bases his belief on the length of time that Johnson has been sedated.

Doctors used prolonged sedation to minimize swelling after Johnson's emergency surgery for bleeding in the brain.

Recovery for someone who has been sedated as long as Johnson, 60, is likely to be "significant and lengthy," Rossing said.

It usually takes only a few days to wean a patient from sedation, Rossing said. Johnson has been sedated since Dec. 13 and is being weaned gradually

[Michael.SF.]

You actually have no information to go on. He might be reading Shakespeare's sonnets to his wife

I think we can safely assume that if he was in reasonably good health, considering the circumstances, that we would know it and they would trot him out for us to see. The fact that they remain silent is a very strong indicator that he is not in good shape.

[Texas Songwriter]

Is the breakdown like this:

49 democrats (-1 Johnson)

49 Republicans

1 Socialist (Vermont)

1 Independent - Leberman

Does this make the vote breakdonw 48 dems, 49 republicans. I realize the socialist and Lieberman will vote comm, I mean democrat. Is this the breakout on the actual vote as long as Senator Johnson is debilitated. If he cannot resume duties, the Republican Govenor of S.Dakotal makes the Senate turn Republican? No? Is this politically incorrect, or as Gretchen Wilson says 'politically uncorrect?"

[LonePalm]

I was an advocate for the monkeys when I was a young skull full of mush.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[milwguy]

I think in this case, no news is bad news as far as his health goes. Once he is not sedated and talks, THAT will surely be news, no matter if he is coherent or not.

[LexBaird]

Citizens of a state have no say over the matter after election. ONLY the Senate has a voice as per the Constitution.

Actually, different clauses of the Constitution are in conflict, and it is silent in the case of incapacity to serve.

For reference:

17th A: "When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct."

Art.I, Sec. 5:"Each House shall be the Judge of the Elections, Returns and Qualifications of its own Members,...

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member."

Art. V: "...and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate."

The question then arises: does a Senator who is incapable of providing "equal suffrage" constitute a "vacancy" per the 17th A., or can the Senate judge an incometent member to be "qualified" for membership? Are the grounds for expelling to be only "disorderly behavior", or is incapability grounds?

If this is pushed, it will be a USSC case.

[justshutupandtakeit]

A vacancy is not created by illness of a Senator only by actual death or resignation. Thus, the "equal sufferage" clause does not come into play. Effective representation does not apply either. There is precedent for long terms of absence by ill Senators.

[shrinkermd]

Here is the only real information I could findof the last 7 days that is not a result of pinging earlier information:

Senator Still Critical After Three Weeks

Three weeks after emergency brain surgery, US Senator Tim Johnson remains in critical condition.

An official in Johnson's office says doctors will do tests this week to determine the outlook for his recovery. The US Senate convenes tomorrow without Johnson, but his staff will work on his behalf.

Johnson was rushed to a Washington hospital on December 13th with a brain hemorrhage.

Although he's still in critical condition, doctors at George Washington University Hospital say Johnson is stable.

The URL is: HERE

Thus far no one has even located his lesion. Is it on the Left or Right? Does it involve Broca's area? Just give these two facts to a panel and they will give you ball park estimates of chances to speak and function as a Senator.

Anyone asking basic information that is easily given is immediately accused of being unsympathetic to Senator Johnson. The only people kept in ignorance are those in the public. This could not contiue without the collaboration of the MSM. We are talking basic neurology here that has been known and studied at least since 1861.

[milwguy]

I remember how the MSM howled when Laura Bush did not tell them about the skin lesion she had removed in Novemeber. They were appalled the White HOuse kept the first ladys cancer from them. Of course she is not an elected official, the procedure was as close to routine as possible given the cancerous nature of the lesion, and her prognosis is excellent, with no further treatment required. Contrast that with the Senator and if is obvious what the MSM agenda is.

[shrinkermd]

If the doctors and family would locate the lesion we would be actually informed of what the issues are.

See HERE. For a simple basic understanding of what a right hemiparesis (weakness or paralysis) might mean.

This is very basic stuff. Medical students learn it by rote and every doctor attending this man actually knows what his chances to speak are. It is grotesque that this information is concealed from the public because it is "unsympathetic" to Senator Johnson. It is time we received new, better and more information on this man's condition regardless of anyone's feelings.

[FastCoyote]

"Yep....Got to give Harry Reid some credit. He said Senator Johnson was looking great right after surgery, and now 3 weeks later, the Senator is still in intensive care, sedated, and had not yet spoken a word."

Well, funeral parlors do great things with corpses. Hate to be macabre but it's almost time for someone to leak some pictures and a medical chart.

[linn37]

What right does the public have to know when this is a private medical matter?

I think only his wife can decide what information is allowed to be released.

[LexBaird]

There is precedent for long terms of absence by ill Senators.

But has it ever been adjudicated? Lots of things "have precedence", but that doesn't mean they are Constitutional. There is clear conflict on this within the document, and a fiat declaration that a comatose or permanently disabled Senator that cannot ever hope to fulfill his duties is NOT a defacto vacancy is not for you or me to decide.

Someone with standing has to file suit. Maybe an official of the State of S.D.

I'd love to see them win, and then some States pass laws on what constitutes a "vacant" Senator. Romney to Kerry:"You've missed 87% of the Senate votes while running for President. I'm declaring your post vacant and appointing a successor, unless you stay there and work."

[firewalk]

I agree with you

[NeoCaveman]

Yet the Senate acted on unanimous consent. Not one of them would block that effort for fear of their careers.

[shrinkermd]

This is not a private medical matter. He is a US Senator with Constitutional duties. If he is no longer capable of exercising those duties this should be a matter of public knowledge.

If POTUS had the same lesion, same history VP Cheney would be in office and within a few weeks a panel would meet to determine POTUS's chance to return to office.

Now the Senate does not have such provisions and the only recourse the public has is accurate information and public opinion.

By the way, when you run for office you lose a good deal of what is often thought of as "private life." The public wants and deserves to know things about high elected and appointed officials because of their position and the implications of that information.

Those not wanting to submit to this, need not run for public office.

[LexBaird]

What right does the public have to know when this is a private medical matter?

The right of informed decision in vital public policy issues. Johnson isn't a private citizen. He is currently the tipping point of half of the legislative body of the most powerful nation on earth in a time of war. Every American deserves to know if he is capable of doing his job for the next two years. Nations all over the world are making policy decisions based on what they think the U.S. Senate will be doing until 2008.

Imagine if Reagan's medical condition had been kept a closely guarded secret when he was shot?

[Dog Gone]

It would be remarkable if he returned to the Senate at all. However, if he's in no danger of dying, there's also no chance of replacing him.

That's the political reality.

It would take a Supreme Court decision, and there's no chance that could be rendered prior to the expiration of his term in 2008 anyhow.

My guess is that his political career is over, and he might not even be able to physically sign his candidacy papers for the 2008 election. But we do have a medical blackout (which is the current law), so we're reduced to speculation.

[linn37]

Show me the law that says Mrs. Johnson has to comply.

I'm not being belligerent I'm just trying to find out how you can make them give over private medical info.

[Non-Sequitur]

I waiting for a few citizens of South Dakota to file a law suit claiming that they are not getting their "Right of representation as guaranteed by the Constitution."

They have two senators, just like the Constitution guarantees them. If they don't like the job that one of them is doing then they can vote against him in 2008. Till then, Johnson is their senator.