. I would be greatly pleased to hear of any serious medical problems--and even moreso to read his obituary.
Art
A really sad thing, is that you could apply that to just about any of our current crop of politicians, and not be too far off.
We may yet get that chance....
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/09/27/kennedy_rushed_to_cape_hospital/Kennedy rushed to Cape hospital
Suffered seizure; is treated, released
By Milton J. Valencia and Stephen Smith, Globe Staff | September 27, 2008
Senator Edward M. Kennedy was briefly hospitalized yesterday after suffering a seizure, triggering worry throughout the political world as the nation's leading liberal battles a malignant brain tumor.
Kennedy was rushed by ambulance to Cape Cod Hospital after authorities received an emergency 911 call at 5:12 p.m. from the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port reporting he was feeling ill, said Barnstable police Sergeant Ben Baxter. He said Kennedy was alert and conscious when emergency crews arrived.
Kennedy's representatives released a statement last night, saying, "Doctors believe the incident was triggered by a change in medication. Senator Kennedy will return home tonight and looks forward to watching the debate."
Kennedy was adamant about returning home in time to see last night's presidential debate, which began at 9 p.m., said a Kennedy associate who asked for anonymity because of the sensitivity of Kennedy's illness. The senator returned home by 8 p.m., according to Melissa Wagoner, family spokeswoman.
The associate said that Kennedy received a brief phone call last night from Senator John F. Kerry expressing concern and that they discussed the debate and the preparations for it in Mississippi. Kennedy was one of the first high-profile figures to publicly endorse Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination.
Last night, Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, mentioned Kennedy during the debate, saying, "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the lion of the Senate."
The associate said that doctors told Kennedy that seizures will become more common as he battles the brain tumor and that they were adjusting his antiseizure medication.
The associate said Kennedy was now feeling better, and "everything was mild."
It is not uncommon for patients with brain cancer to suffer seizures intermittently, said Dr. Deepa Subramaniam, director of the Brain Tumor Center at Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C.
"Even for those patients whose tumors have been completely taken out, you still have an area of their brain that remains abnormal for the rest of their lifetime," Subramaniam said.
The region of the brain where Kennedy's tumor was located - pivotal to speech and movement - is especially prone to seizures.
Subramaniam, who does not have direct knowledge of Kennedy's condition, said seizures can be triggered by a number of factors. After surgery, the brain can be left susceptible to the electrical malfunctioning that is the hallmark of a seizure.
Additionally, changes in medication can spark a seizure.
A seizure most often manifests as trembling of the hands and legs; in other cases, it can result in a sensation of blinking lights or cause an abnormal smell sensation.
"The seizure by itself in the brain doesn't cause permanent damage," Subramaniam said. "They are usually temporary events."
Once the immediate medical problem has subsided, doctors typically adjust a patient's medication to reduce the prospect of future seizures.
The 76-year-old senator, who championed for reforms in healthcare and education in his 46 years in the Senate, has been more visible recently, and his health seems to have added prominence to his appearances. Although he has completed radiation treatments, Kennedy is being treated with chemotherapy. He was diagnosed in May after suffering a seizure.
He made a poignant public appearance last month at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, delivering a dramatic address even as he was undergoing treatment.
On Tuesday, Kennedy welcomed President Michelle Bachelet of Chile to his compound to receive that nation's highest honor bestowed upon a foreigner.
During the visit, Kennedy looked well rested and relaxed but was somewhat unsteady on his feet. He later needed assistance up the porch stairs. It was his first public appearance since his speech at the Democratic National Convention.
The senator did not address questions from the media, but in passing said he was feeling well and flashed a thumbs-up to photographers.
Several of Kennedy's friends in Congress who have seen him recently have said in the last week that he looked much improved. He participated in a teleconference call with Democratic members of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee - which he chairs - for about a half-hour.
Kennedy has also addressed the country's fiscal crisis, saying it "threatened the economic security of the United States and other countries." He called for "accountability and full disclosure" on Wall Street.
Yesterday, the Senate unanimously passed legislation - which Kennedy had pioneered - giving aid to state and local law enforcement to help address the needs of nonviolent mentally ill offenders. The law authorizes $50 million in grants to law enforcement agencies.
In July, in the middle of his treatment, Kennedy stunned the nation when he flew to Washington, D.C., for a critical vote to battle scheduled cuts in Medicare payments to doctors.
Kennedy underwent a three-hour operation June 2 by a hand-picked surgeon, Dr. Allan H. Friedman, at Duke University Medical Center. A week later, he returned to his Cape Cod compound. He has since been seen by doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital.
His aides have said that he has been in daily contact with colleagues in the Senate and that he plans to return to Washington in January.
Susan Milligan of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
