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The former President was admitted to the hospital the day after Thanksgiving and has been there ever since.
Doctors had expected to discharge him over the weekend, but a persistent and painful cough will keep him at Methodist for now. Spokesman Jim McGrath says the bronchitis so far hasn’t turned into anything worse.
“It has not become pneumonia, thank God, but the cough just causes him pain. He’s had it now for some time and it’s taken a toll on him. But even his cough is getting better. Just over the course of the last 48 hours his cough has gotten a lot better, but as long as it’s still there, it’s causing him pain and as long as it’s there, he’ll be there at Methodist.”
McGrath says the 88-year-old Bush is still in good spirits and had a good weekend.
“He was joking around the doctors and the nurses. I would say he was flirting with the nurses, but Mrs. Bush might listen to this and I don’t want to get into trouble. He’s in very good spirits. We watched a little bit of the Houston Texans. Certainly their first half performance belied all of our spirits, and so, it was a good day.”
Bush spent time in the hospital earlier last month as well for the same condition.
McGrath says the cough does seem to be getting better, but until it’s completely gone, the former President will stay put.
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