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Former President Bush spends Christmas in hospital

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    Doctors cautious of 88-year-old's lingering cough

  • Duration 3:33
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This transcript is automatically generated

And former president George H.

W.

Bush he spent Christmas.

In the hospital.

And the 88 year old former president he's actually been hospitalized before war the end of November where they bronchitis like.

Cough doctors say he -- they are cautiously optimistic joining us now -- he'd get.

Who is chairman of the department of medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.

What do you make of well he's eighty years old this is a president who's been an exceptionally good health I mean.

He jumps out of airplanes at the age of 85 which what was it absolutely amazing guy.

I -- can be called his illnesses over his life which included a thyroid problem you remember when he was president.

One worries about an 88 year old who comes -- with trachea bronchitis with a chronic cough.

Perhaps a low grade fever what does that mean -- no money and -- -- could mean pneumonia you know.

Bronchitis is really an inflammation of the troops that go into the long both the small and large tubes and -- somebody who's an older person.

You have trouble clearing mucus.

You have trouble coughing and coughing causes a lot of problems so pneumonia is a possibility.

And then when you're that old with pneumonia runs the risk of blood infection -- really be out and a blood infection can be lethal for somebody who's over the what happened 75.

Well -- see the various organs it'll cause organ failure.

And it is oftentimes fatal.

So I think the doctors are.

Playing it safe put money in -- -- -- -- keep in my bed rest given some oxygen.

Pictures die it is appropriate.

I'm sure of the anybody out -- he's getting through intravenous lines and -- these antibiotics will hopefully a cure him and we wish him well because.

What a wonderful guy yeah this is a great guy.

And really amazing person show it how would you treat him I mean you would treat him cautiously yes well the -- what we do for this is a very straightforward situation.

We would as I'm sure they have cultured him well so you would get -- spewed from which is the flame that he coughs up -- that off for culture.

Do blood cultures.

See if you can grow anything out that is very specific he probably has what we call community acquired infection.

The community acquired infection is fairly straightforward to treat again.

In you or myself we would have no problem fending off an infection like this but a guy who's 88 despite the fact that he's been an exceptional health this could be a problem.

He would hate that we're talking about him -- because if you would really.

He has actually a very sort of bashful.

Person he he he doesn't like attention that's right I agree I've met him on a couple of locations they think he's a great guy and I think he -- He's very robust and Barbara and his wife the First Lady -- fantastic lady she's also had her health problems but they both managed to really.

Fend things off fairly well and -- -- -- role model for all of us as far as health goes it's amazing how old they have lived their lives yes.

In a very graceful fashion.

Fending off as all of us do various infections various you know parts give way hip replacement for the president right knee replacements for mrs.

bush.

Etc.

had -- done very very well over the years and for a guy who's 88 I think I would -- in the hospital for a couple weeks also now be cautious be careful absolutely canceling.

He's -- second national treasure he is I think he is an end.

Probably how to think -- so much for being with us good decision -- -- to -- --

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