Posted on 01/05/2007 8:15:15 AM PST by shrinkermd
Sen. Tim Johnson's recovery from brain surgery is expected to take several months, the senator's office said Wednesday.
A test performed on the South Dakota senator Wednesday showed that he no longer has a tangle of arteries and veins in his brain that caused cerebral bleeding last month. Johnson underwent an angiogram at George Washington University Hospital, where he has remained in critical condition since emergency brain surgery Dec. 13.
His long-term prognosis is unclear. Dr. Vivek Deshmukh, head of Johnson's surgical team, said in a statement Wednesday that the tangle, called arteriovenous malformation, appears to be gone and the senator "continues to be responsive to both his family and physicians — following commands, squeezing his wife's hand and understanding speech."
The statement from Johnson's office said the senator had developed fluid in his lungs as a consequence of the initial hemorrhage and has been on a ventilator to assist in his breathing.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Whether he is able to speak will be determined next week.
This was posted two days ago on Fox but contains the new information given.
Sharon from Israel is still "recovering".
The people of SD elected a representative for them in DC and deserve someone there for their interests.
This is shameful.
Ariel Sharon.
If he can 'understand' what is said to him and respond is some manner he will be able to vote in the Senate.
Does that make sense? I thought you were either on or off the ventilator, how does he breath on his own during the day with the tubes inserted?
I just finished reading an email sent to me from a Dallas Dr. of long friendship who said," Johnson is done,in that his thinking and motor skills are likely permanently damagaed. Being on the ventilator and an induced coma is
a recovery move,not a rescue move............for what it's worth.
However, it is one less vote the Dems will have on key issues but they can always depend on Specter, Snowe and Collins to join their ranks when the votes are counted.
Here's wishing Sen. Johnson the best in '07.
Why are they feeding him? Terry Schiavo was in better shape than he is.
My dad didn't have a brain hemorrage, but he was placed on drugs to keep him quiet for 2 weeks and it took another 3-4 weeks for the atrophy in his limbs to be restored. He worked very hard to get back to a normal state, but the longer Johnson goes the more unlikely it will be that he could return to full health. I feel that the story is being suppressed for political reasons and this is very disturbing.
And what do you consider should be the deadline before deciding whether or not a given legislator is incapacitated enough to make it necessary to replace them?
Did the Senate do a roll call vote for organizing itself and was everyone present except for Sen. Tim Johnson? I haven't seen any articles on this exact point (i.e., whether there were 99 senators voting and the vote came out 50-49).
It sounds like the docs (and his wife) remain hopeful about his recovery. Maybe once they have him fully off the vent, he'll be able to speak; but it appears that he will have a tough physical therapy regimen to get back use of his right side. He's a very lucky guy to have a staff that acted quickly when he began to have symptoms.
like the national sportcasters always say " no doubt about it"...........lol
Well, for anatomical reasons right sided hemiparesis can be associated with expressive aphasia. It all depends where the lesion was. They have not told us where it was, but since they repaired it they must know where it is.
somehow,my Dr. friend knew the specific details
He'll almost certainly live, and he'll almost certainly never visit the Senate floor again.
It's just one of those things. Those here who are hoping that he'll be replaced by a Republican governor are going to be disappointed in all likelihood.
As are those Democrats who think he'll cast another vote.
About the only thing that would change things is if he gets one of those infections hospital stays are notorious for spreading.
By all accounts, Johnson is a decent guy, even though he's in the wrong party. I'd like him defeated fair and square, not incapacitated. But that's what we get, and I don't think it's likely to change.
Watch the Rats try to pull a "Weekend At Bernie's".
Are you sure they acted quickly? The impression I had was they waited too long before calling the doctor.
But can he GO to Washington..NO...what kind of nonsense is this? Only in the government.
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