Kennedy absences raise concern for health vote

Teh Hill ^ | August 15, 2009 | . Taylor Rushing

[libstripper]

Sen. Edward Kennedy’s absence from two high-profile public events is raising worries that the country’s longest congressional champion for health reform may not be available to shepherd it through the Senate this fall.

Kennedy, 77, who has been battling a particularly deadly form of brain cancer since a diagnosis last May, did not attend a White House ceremony on Wednesday at which he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the country’s highest civilian honor.

He also did not attend a Friday funeral for his sister Eunice Shriver, who died on Tuesday.

The senator’s absences were particularly notable given that he has not been seen in public for several months, since throwing out the first pitch of the Boston Red Sox baseball season at Fenway Park in April.

[Blackhawk]

I'm going to have to stay away from the TV just for my own sanity's sake.

With me it's not so much the sanity, (lost that long ago), it's the gorge and bile that comes up and swirls around in the back of my throat.

[lonestar]

I agree....they love drama!

But....he could already be paralyzed, in a coma or something.

It would be hard for him to vote if he can't move...but the Dems would figure something out.

[Feckless]

Teddy can’t die soon enough, slow enough, or bad enough to suit me. Got my Dead Kennedys t-shirt ready for the blessed event.

[shield]

He’s had two seizures that pretty much paralized him; sounds to me more like strokes.

[MissDairyGoodnessVT]

they’re whining that he’s not around.......waaaaaaa waaaaaa waaaaaa we don’t have Teddy....waaaaaa waaaaa

[goat granny]

Now that is funny in a sick sort of way...boy would the democrats panic........

[goat granny]

I would say brain tumors are not always deadly. My brother had an acoustical neuroma, non cancerous,(they arise from the inner ear and grow out into the brain) Benign tumor, he had 4 crainotomys and a shunt put in and he had to press a button under the skin behind his ear to drain the fluid that collects in the ventricles of the brain, but never lost who he was, just short term memory problems and a balance problem but could still play a mean game of pinochle or bingo...Lived about 10 years with it...but brain cancer is a horse of another color...can leave you a vegetable or kill you quick. I don't think there is any cure for brain cancer yet, but on this I could be mistaken.