[milwguy]

Yep....Got to give Harry Reid some credit. He said Senator Johnson was looking great right after sugery, and now 3 weeks later, the Senator is still in intensive care, sedated, and had not yet spoken a word. I do hope for his recovery, but if 3 months from now, he has not recovered sufficiently to perform his duties, I think his resignation should be called for by the people of South Dakota.

[fieldmarshaldj]

He should resign as soon as he is coherent enough to sign the papers, he ought to consider what is more important, spending time with family and recovering or stroking Harry Reid's ego.

[JBR34]

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."

The deposition of the Senator would be interesting.

[shrinkermd]

Yes, exactly. What shocks me is the article is by an outside neurologist opining on what the papers have told him. Actually, this is the best kept secret in Washington.

No one reports anything. You actually have no information to go on. He might be reading Shakespeare's sonnets to his wife or be virtually moribund; however, no one will indicate anything.

Poor Senator Allen. He had 15 plus stories in the Washington Post alone on "macaca" and we still have not really decided if that is calling someone a monkey or a racial slur.

We have had only a couple of brief mentions from the Washington Post (note lately) on a seriously ill Senator.

The big power the MSM has is not skewing the news but deciding what is news.

Spare me the usual "we pray for the best...our hearts go out...etc." Of course, but perhaps the incapacity and health of a US Senator is news above and beyond mere sympathy.

[Young Werther]

No resignation required. Once determined that he cannt fulfill his duties a replacement can be named.

I wonder if the Dimbulbs can remember "Schiavo". They crucified the Pubs, including that eminent surgeon Bill Frist, touting their ignorance and emotionalism over truth justice and the scientific way.

They'll follow the Pelosi way to cement their power!

Arrgh!

[meg88]

He could sit there for 2 years with no recourse to do anything about it.

[savedbygrace]

'Sedated' sounds so much better than 'being kept in a coma'.

[Williams]

The real issue is whether the Senate will be reorganized with a clause allowing republicans to take control if the membership shifts. Republicans need to insist on it. Of course they will be called heartless, etc. I predict they don't do it, meaning we could control the Senate and not control the committees, etc. - meaning we wouldn't control the Senate.

[knarf]

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

I'm no physician, but I have 'awakened' after a weekend with at least simular drugs ... if not 'better' .... and I can attest to an oftentimes 2 or 3 day recovery period ... just to bring reality back into focus.

I think Dr. Rossing is saying that Sen. Johnson may have to be re-taught a lot of things and likely may never completely recover.

JMO

[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.

[Miss Marple]

My late mother had brain swelling after brain surgery and remained in intensive care under sedation for a month. When she was finally weaned from the sedation she was unable to talk or even chew her food. She was unable to roll over in bed or speak clearly.

After YEARS of recovery, she finally was able to speak clearly, eat by herself, and write (although shakily). She never was able to walk.

She lived, however, many more years enjoying her family and was able to keep up with the news.

It sounds to me like this was a very serious surgery and that Johnson, indeed, will have a long recovery and will not be able to function as a senator for a very long time, if at all.