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 ...
Only 9 posts before St. Terri was mentioned. What took you so long.
That it is. But they will do anything to hold onto power.
I agree. I hope he makes it and fully recovers.
The tough part will be his chairmanship responsibilites...
I have zero problems and I do mean zero problems with injured or disabled lawmakers being replaced.Dem or rep,it is the rules and a strategery one needs be aware of in the event , well like now. He ,most likely,will live and not be replaced but never will cast another vote.
The problem is there's nothing in the rules about replacing an absent or incapacitated senator.
Everyone can get sick and be absent. That's not grounds for removal.
This is an extreme case, to be sure, but there's no mechanism for removal other than by a vote of the Senate, and that ain't gonna happen.
ditto to the reasoning and the results.he could lay comotose with bed sores for years and not die and never be replaced
I am sure if his vote is needed that they can wheel him into the Senate Chamber and he could blink once for yes or twice for no.
It has been done before in the Senate. Some ailing Sen. was only able to point to his eye when he voted Yes.
Jesus...what a country.
What a stupid comment.
It has various settings depending on how much assistance the patient needs.
"I am sure if his vote is needed that they can wheel him into the Senate Chamber and he could blink once for yes or twice for no.
It has been done before in the Senate. Some ailing Sen. was only able to point to his eye when he voted Yes."
Yes, Senator Clair Engle (D-CA) had suffered a stroke and was carried into the Senate chamber on a gurney to vote for the 1964 Civil Rights Act. He could not walk or speak but he signaled his aye vote.
More recently, another South Dakota senator, Karl Mundt, a Republican suffered a stroke and he wanted the governor to appoint his wife to take his seat. The governor wouldn't appoint Mrs. Mundt so Senator Mundt held on to his seat for three years till his term was up without ever showing up.
But he will not resign and the full story will not be told.
We'll have to work to take this seat at the next election. And maybe that's as it should be. In the meantime, if the people of South Dakota feel they're being shortchanged, they can always make an issue of this.
In the meantime, if the people of South Dakota feel they're being shortchanged, they can always make an issue of this.
Good point. South Dakota can remove him if they feel their interests aren't being represented - we cannot tell them what to do.
I haven't seen Mike Farrell yet demanding that Johnson be allowed to live.
This but a small obstacle for the Dems.
I mean, if you can get a dead man to vote....
Yeah, I know what you mean. OTOH, I'm starting to get the sense that not too far down the road the Dems may end up releasing a short video equivalent to waving balloons in front of his face to show that "See, the Senator can communicate"....
I wish we could say the same thing about Republicans...Republicans seemingly will do NOTHING to hold onto power.
That's really up to the people of South Dakota. They can petition Johnson's office if they want, but I'm guessing they won't.
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