Posted on 12/13/2006 12:46:10 PM PST by leadpenny
Edited on 12/13/2006 2:04:33 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
http://capwiz.com/c-span/bio/?id=537&lvl=C&chamber=S
Sen. Johnson suffers possible stroke
12/13/2006, 4:53 p.m. ET
By MARY CLARE JALONICK
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota suffered a possible stroke Wednesday and was taken to a Washington hospital, his office said.
Johnson became disoriented during a call with reporters at midday, stuttering in response to a question. He appeared to recover, asking if there were any additional questions before ending the call.
If he should be unable to continue to serve, it could halt the scheduled Democratic takeover of the Senate. Democrats won a 51-49 majority in the November election. South Dakota's governor, who would appoint any temporary replacement, is a Republican.
Johnson spokeswoman Julianne Fisher said he had walked back to his Capitol office after the call with reporters but appeared to not be feeling well. The Capitol physician came to his office and examined him, and it decided he needed to go to the hospital.
He was taken by ambulance to George Washington University Hospital around noon, Fisher said.
"It was caught very early," she said.
Johnson's office released a statement saying he had suffered a possible stroke.
"At this stage, he is undergoing a comprehensive evaluation by the stroke team," the statement read.
The White House issued a statement wishing him a speedy recovery.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Senator Johnson and his family," said spokesman Alex Conant.
If the two-term senator, 59, is unable to serve when the 110th Congress convenes Jan. 4, South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds would appoint a replacement. Johnson had surgery for prostate cancer in 2004. He is up for re-election in 2008.
South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson said there are no special restrictions on such an appointment and a replacement would not have to be from the same political party.
Johnson turns 60 on Dec. 28. The centrist Democrat was elected to the Senate in 1996 and has been one of the more reserved members of the chamber, rarely taking center stage at news conferences.
He served in the House for 10 years from 1987 to 1997. His focus has been on committee assignments important to his state's interests — Indian Affairs and Energy and Natural Resources — as well as a spot on Appropriations. The latter allows him to direct funds to South Dakota.
Johnson has worked as a lawyer and county prosecutor and served several years in the 1970s and 1980s in the South Dakota state Legislature.
Concerning the no-stroke announcement from a Dem "spokesperson": We know the Dems lie. As my wife always says, why would you believe a liar?
Harry Reid had a minor stroke this summer and it hasn't kept him from being an utter nasty, spiteful fellow. It's too soon to talk about him stepping down, but then again Christmas is almost here and I did wish for 3 dem senators in R governor run states to step down?
CNN made it sound very bad.
Surgery probably means it's more serious than a "normal" stroke.
Coworker's sister came out of a stroke that left her not speaking. Between the drugs and the surgery, they brought her back with "minimal" damage (some problems with short term memory.) He should have the best of care there. But whoever let him sit in the office for that long after the first episode was no friend to him if this was a stroke or aneurism.
Johnson is undergoing "brain" surgery according to KELO news Sioux Falls.
A ruptured aneurysm was my first thought as soon as they said it wasn't a stroke. An aneurysm can produce very similar symptoms.
1988*
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/011554.php
Found this on the DU site:
However, CBS now has a report out which repeats that statement and then follows with this: "Sources close to the situation tell CBS News the situation is definitely not good."
I'm way out of my depth here in terms of what other conditions could be in play if it's true that a stroke has been ruled out. But the additional line from CBS is both troublingly ambiguous and ominous.
Bipartisanship, Schmipartisanship. That's what I always say. ;)
--Thune should have won when he ran again but he didn't fight the frau.--
Frau Hitlery?
My dad had a stroke which left him without speech and use of his right side, but he came back fairly quickly.
I think they've ruled out stroke though in the case of Senator Johnson. They seem to be reporting it wasn't a stroke, but not really saying what it is, only he's in surgery.
I get those (migranes with auras) all the time. Hard to see...makes me sick to my stomache. HOWEVER, RIGHT when the aura begins, if I take 500 mg of Ibuprofen, 500 of Acetamenophen and drink a strong cup of coffee, the whole thing goes away. Poof. If I miss that window on the front end, I get the headache, the nausea...all of it.
An aneurysm?
Here's the medline page on brain surgery:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003018.htm
Here's the reasons for brain surgery from this site:
Brain surgery may be needed to treat:
brain tumors
bleeding (hemorrhage) or blood clots (hematomas) from injuries (subdural hematoma or epidural hematomas)
weaknesses in blood vessels (cerebral aneurysms)
arteriovenous malformations (AVM; abnormal blood vessels)
damage to tissues covering the brain (dura)
pockets of infection in the brain (brain abscesses)
severe nerve or facial pain (such as trigeminal neuralgia or tic douloureux)
trauma to the skull and repair of skull fractures
We know it's not a tumor, injury, trauma or tigeminal neuralgia...the rest would be anybody's guess.
My grandmother had a massive stroke. She was paralyzed after that. The doctors never brought up surgery. The main treatments for strokes are blood thinners, low fat/salt diets and therapy.
If they are doing surgery it sounds more serious like an aneurysm.
Prayers for the Johnson family.
Thanks for the local updates. I grew up in Sioux Falls and still have many ties there. Friends I knew in college were very close to the Johnson family.
I'm praying for his recovery.
Bush owes his re-election to Zell Miller and the Swift Boat Vets IMO.
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