Interesting ...PHOTOS Show George W. Bush Seriously Ill Physically

I don't know if this is true but ....the dementia part ....

"George W. Bush apparently is wearing a medical device for "persons at risk of cardiac arrest." It is a LifeVest wearable defibrillator. He started using it sometime after his January 2002 fainting spell, which was attributed to choking. Based on photos showing him wearing the device, one can conclude the fainting was due to atrial fibrillation (AF), which his father also had. His father's AF was caused by Graves' hyperthyroidism, which his mother also has. Bush likely has AF and less likely Graves', based on his family history and symptoms. The AF may have caused a stroke or TIA (mini-stroke), of which physicians watching the debates detected symptoms. Observers have noted psychological symptoms consistent with this and with Wernicke-Korsakoff disease."

more...

http://nyc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/136872/index.php

thats ether true or a cover up.

Below are some of the problems associated with dementias, including vascular and alcoholic (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome). Some of the things in this list were observed by Dr. Franks in Mr. Bush. Other items exist further along in the progression of the disease.

- progressive loss of memory
- inability to concentrate
- decrease in problem-solving skills and judgement capability
- persistence in failed problem-solving modes, "staying the course" at all costs (perseveration)
- confusion
- hallucination, delusions
- altered sensation or perception
- impaired recognition (agnosia) of familiar objects or persons
- altered sleep patterns
- MOTOR SYSTEM IMPAIRMENT
-----gait changes
-----inappropriate movements
-----other impairments of motor system
- disorientation
- inability to generalize, learn, think abstractly, or perform calculations
- MEMORY DEFICIT
----- short term (can't remember new things)
----- long term (can't remember past) Persons with this may make up stories to cover up nothing but the memory lapse itself. (confabulation)
- IMPAIRED LANGUAGE ABILITY
----- inability to comprehend speech
----- inability to read (alexia)
----- inability to write (agraphia)
----- inability to find words (aphasiia)
----- inability to repeat a phrase
----- persistent repetition of phrases or words (Much has been made of President Bush's use of the word "fabulous.")
- PERSONALITY PROBLEMS
----- irritability
----- poor temper management
----- anxiety
----- depression
----- indecisiveness
----- self-centeredness
----- inflexibility
----- no observable mood (flat affect)
----- inappropriate mood or behavior
----- withdrawal from social interaction
----- inability to function in social or personal situations
----- lack of spontaneity

it progresses just like any other dementia ... for it is a type of such. My dad has it, and is now in the stage right before death. He hasn't recognized us for years. He now just stares blankly and grunts. He has to be cared for like a newborn. He drank like a fish for about 50 years, ever since he was in his teens. It caught up with him. Now in a locked-down nursing home. To me, he passed many years ago. He had to be hospitalized 8 years ago. Now, the body lives on, and the most basic part of the human brain (regulating breathing and such), but that's about it.

But I've dealt with it.

That would be a surprise, wouldn't it?

I can tell.

Good luck, and godspeed your dad.

God bless you, OldLeftieLaywer!

Excellent article. I had heard on an earlier blog about a month ago, that someone was speculating it was a "heart" device he was wearing. Never heard anything more about it, but it makes sense in terms of his having such a low heartbeat, previous fainting, and his refusal to take a physical until AFTER the election.

Isn't failure to disclose a President's medical condition, grounds for Impeachment? (re: "West Wing's" Presidential M.S. scandal)

bush was declaired in very good health. yeah, right. well, at least that horrible buldge on his back has gone away (it was last seen during the debates--remember? the mysterious growth that always comes with a newly tailored, expensive suit) and before that the buldge was in his crotch as evident by the "mission accomplished" fly-boy suit he wore. i wonder where the buldge will appear next? anyone like to guess?

...one of the contending theories of what it was, was that it was this defibrillator. Enhanced photos of the bulge during the debates and in miscellaneous other * pics were compared with photos of this machine. It was discussed extensively, with "experts" taking all sides of the arguments. (The other leading contender for the identity of the "bulge" was the main body of a device for receiving encrypted voice transmission from a prompter.)

I suspect this story of Bush needing a defibrillator is an outgrowth of the earlier extensive coverage of the "defibrillator bulge" speculation. Without clear independent verification, I would file it away in the category of "intriguing but unproven."

n/t

an idiot. He used to be a good speaker; a good debater. It's not at all unprecendented to have a president cover up an illness while in office, so it wouldn't surprise me.

"Persistent repetition of phrases or words." Hard work?

* to be judged as mentally and physically incompetent for war crime trials...they are trying something out of the Pinochet handbook.

Trust me. It will never happen.

We hit a record high trade deficit of $55.5B in October and with a devalued dollar. We are being boycotted globally. The corporate world has no loyalties and is willing to sacrifice anybody in order to bolster their bottomline.

This is a cover. Oh, poor Bush, people will say, how brave, etc. No, this is not our Christmas present, dear friends!

Also, as I posted at that site,

This is a diversion. It still looks more like a wire: The middle box of this bulky would be much larger than whatever Bush is concealing. In any case, I don't see a rectangular device of those dimensions creating a triangular, tent-like crease in his clothes. Besides, it would have shown up as such in that NASA scientist's analysis, which you can see at http://www.thiscantbehappening.net.

And how fast we forget the valiant efforts of Mr. Robert Nelson! See the full article at http://www.motherjones.com/news/update/2004/11/10_407.html

Also, a few days ago people were mumbling about how Bush had trailed off during a public appearance, mumbling into his tie.

A few weeks ago I remember reading about a government translator to Indonesia (? not sure of country) who got fired because he refused to sign some crap security documents. And he was saying how Bush acted as if he were wired. Then, of course, there are the famous debates.

As far as the dementia, well, it's apparently "common knowledge" around DC that he's back to drinking. And some time back CapitolHillBlue.com had a bit about how he was popping some heavy-duty psychoactives.

So this is definitely a cover.

And the man is a certifiable loon, anyways.

Merry Christmas!

During the debates and at other times I do think the available analysis supports the theory that he was wearing a wire. Comparison of him today and, say, 10 years ago shows what appears to be a cognitive decline and perhaps also a physical one. (All those falls, for example.) No wonder everything he does is so choreographed. The puppet needs those strings more all the time.

The way he's been acting for quite awhile, such as his extreme arrogance, I just knew he was back to drinking. Since he never went through rehab in the first place, it was just a matter of time. I'm not in a location to hear the DC "common knowledge" talk. Do you have any sources or references??

And to answer your question, yes I do, but only because Santa owes me a good present for what I had to put with this year.

Also, while a transmitter can be so tiny as to be invisible, can you miniaturize a scrambler?

Either way, in Texas, he's still eligible for the death penalty....

Perhaps more clues about the creep's well-being might be gotten from that insipid wife of his. How's she holding up? Haven't heard about her being in public lately.

You've obviously done a bit more research than me, but this is pretty much my take, too.

He's an extremely narcissistic selfish idiot and it a testimony to the world that this creature holds the highest office in the land.

I think it's the work that's killing him, all that "getting up in the morning" and "having things read to him while he tries to do the Jumble puzzles over coffee (forget the xword).

Then he has to call some guy he doesn't like and pretend to like him.

but that picture of the poor cat is a real bummer... I hope
that is just a photoshop??

the story is a bum knee; yeah sure

Let me explain.


1) I think that there is no doubt he is wired. But my hubby, a technonerd of the highest magnitude (chemical engineer, internet expert) says that he could be wired with the smallest of devices and we probably wouldn't be able to tell.

2) I do believe that he could have that mechanical device.

3) There is no reason, in my humble opinion, why engineers could not fashion a medical device that also had a protective component, like a flak jacket (or whatever).


Why limit ourselves to just one choice? He has the best engineers available to design stuff for his needs.

No doubt he is displaying symptoms just like my dad did. I notice the phrase repetition and the skin blotches.

How long from now do you think it will be before * will need to wear a diaper and be put in a nursing home?

If it is the same disease, will he likely become fully incoherent before 2008?

that assclown has been "fully incoherent" since he was my governor

tee shirt photo fit in? That photo shows the
bulge

and it seems to have been forgotten now.

He has his share of medical problems including failing mental capabilities. The doctors did pronounce him fit...whether that is the entire story or not...who knows. I think he was wired during the debates..maybe as a result of his physical and mental decline. The media just blew the bulge thing off.

Did you EXPECT them to do anything but pronounce him completely fit to complete his second term?

Have you guys been watching the West Wing? Congress threw a hissy when it was found Bartlett didn't disclose. Don't we deserve to know that the next president of the United States could be Dennis Hastert? Congress should immediately move to impeach Bush and the Senate must immediately remove him from office.

Yeah, right.

His condition slowly worsened from 1933 1935 to 1940 when he started making blunders such as telling his Generals HOW to do things.

The Point is: If the Leadership is flawed, the decisions could very well be.

I have 2 family members w/ Graves disease and I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Many doctors have no clue how to actually treat the symptoms of these diseases. I actually think they are probably the same underlying defect and have had a few doctors agree with that assumption. So you know, I can describe the dementia to a tee and so can the other members of my family that suffer from this disease. The dementia is at times profound and very frustrating! I believe * exhibits some of the symptoms. Alcoholism can make these symptoms far more pronounced. One of the members of my family has that issue compounded to his Graves disease and he seems to be the most unable to control the progression of the disease. It does cause some stuttering and mispronunciation of words, and it can cause memory loss when your medication is not at the right dose. It also can cause drooling, and dry eye syndrome, which then causes you to blink excessively. Graves disease in particular causes that bulging eyeball look you see in GWB's mother. That is a classic symptom of sever disease. It would be interesting to get a good look at GWB's fingers up close because these diseases can cause finger clubbing and skin rashes that are fairly distinguishable from other rashes and bone conditions.

With regards to *'s speech patterns and thyroid disease, I have had some similar problems with speech and what may appear to the person talking to me as dementia but inside me it is more like the words are there, but they can't seem to be put in the correct order. Mood swings are often difficult to control for us when our dosage of medication is not exactly right for us. I'm not sure I've seen or had the severe dementia that can be associated with this disease, but I can say my deceased grandmother, who also had the disease, was diagnosed with a host of mental problems which, I believe, may have been the result of the lack of proper treatment in the early stages of her disease. As for the AF (atrial fibrillation) All of the members of my family with thyroid disease, including the deceased, have had this problem. None of us have had such a severe case of it that we needed a defibrillator. I think if you had that kind of money though it might be wise to have access to something like that. My grandmother did die as a result of heart problems.

http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/g43.htm

"In the second debate Bush was blinking his eyes at a furious rate. Rapid eye blinking has been associated in the medical literature <15> with mental tasks such as memory use and speech, as well as with clinical states such as dry eyes, tardive dyskinesia, Tourette syndrome, schizophrenia, autism, and combined depression and sleep deprivation <10>. (More generally, eye blinking has been described as a useful clinical sign of central dopaminergic activity <15>.) Eye blinking can also increase when a person is lying or when in uncomfortable or unpleasant situations <14>. (For further examples, see Richard Nixon and George H. W. Bush.) Eye blink "storms," which Bush certainly had, have been described as "the mind's way of shutting out unpleasant stimuli" <14>.
Bush made repeated lateral to-and-fro movements of his jaw during the debate. Such movements are also noticeable in video made on the campaign trail (e.g. 29 October 2004). It is unclear whether this is just a habit or whether it results from an underlying physiological condition.
Comment: Given Bush's decision to defer his annual physical examination until after the 2004 election, these observations evoke greater than normal concern."

He also mentions the drooling/spittle thing (evident in the 3rd debate) -- taking your observations into consideration, it may be significant ...

I have long believed some of his word pronunciations mimic my own when my medication is off. My famous word is un-indated, rather than the correct inundated. My kids and husband laugh at me all the time about this kind of stuff. I also switch words around, like instead of saying armband I will say band-arm. I have seen him do the same. The other thing I recognize is his forgetfulness in the middle of speaking. I have had the same problem. Having said all that I DO NOT believe that is ALL that is wrong with him, and if it is ALL that's wrong with him his doctors are horrible. Simple up or down adjustments in medication can help these problems immensely.

As I said, in my earlier post, compounding this problem with drinking reeks havoc on thyroid disease. Thyroid disease is an autoimmune disease and drinking weakens the immune system even more. There is also some belief that weakening the immune system in a profound enough way can cause thyroid disease, sort of the chicken or the egg thing. Anyway, what I've read and witnessed from Bush and family does make me think there is a thyroid connection.

Yes -- for somebody who's had lots of practice at public speaking, and access to professional expertise, he does seem to drop a lot of spoonerisms and other bloopers!

Re: a possible thyroid condition, you mentioned mood swings. Bush seems to have emotional outbursts -- I've noticed that he seems to be inappropriately jolly at some times, and visibly ill-tempered at others. Not sure whether they're evident because they are intense and he simply can't cover them up, or because he doesn't bother trying. Is there a linkage with Graves or other maladies? (Both his parents were diagnosed with Graves, within a two-year period. Apparently this is unusual enough that the Secret Service tested the water at the White House, Camp David, and the holiday compound in Maine, in case of abnormal mineral levels.)

The problem is a lot of doctors try anti-depressants and things of that nature. THEY DO NOT WORK for people with underlying thyroid disease. In fact, in a lot of cases they, like alcohol, compound the problems. Thyroid disease is really underestimated by a lot of medical professionals. As someone who suffers the consequences of the disease I don't take my symptoms lightly. Not treating it can, IMHO, lead to the type of mental illness that my grandmother suffered from. Part of that may come from the various mix of drugs these doctors try and put you on to treat the symptoms. Some of us have learned that when someone we love tells us we're not right we better consider getting our TSH levels checked, but if your not told of these potential side effects, or just plain don't want to be seen as ill or whatever, I could definately see how the mood swings could lead to the inability to control yourself in a public situation.

It's funny you should mention the bit about investigating the water. My mother is ALSO a government employee and several people in her building were diagnosed with Graves disease at exactly the same time the Bush's were. They had asbestos issues, but were told that it was not related. Several of those people either switched buildings or left the government completely. With the history of rampant autoimmune disease in my family, other than Graves disease, I have to conclude, for us, it is genetic predisposition. But there are a VERY large number of people in America being diagnosed with various forms of thyroid disease. It does at times seem to be an epidemic.

A researcher in my department specializes in disease "clusters" and environmental triggers for illnesses. He's seen a number of situations where rare diseases suddenly afflict unrelated people in the same location -- I don't know how much work he's done on thyroid diseases but I'll ask him. Anyway, what he's been finding consistently is that it's well worth investigating clusters and not dismissing them as coincidence -- as the government tried to tell your mom and her colleagues. (Interestingly, the Secret Service were thinking along similar lines when they decided it wasn't very likely that Poppy and Bar would BOTH be susceptible to thyroid conditions.)
http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/g41.htm

My colleague's worried that some agencies are trying to blame everything on genetic predisposition rather than focusing on what kinds of things in the environment might be making matters worse. (One of his analogies is that if one out of ten people in the room is fainting because of a genetic sensitivity to poor air quality, dismissing their complaints because the other 90% haven't passed out yet is ignoring the fact there's an air quality problem!) And in the meantime, there's a subtle implication that it's somehow their fault, because of their "faulty" genes that make them get cancer, asthma, etc.

Which kind of relates to something about Bush himself -- he gets rather defensive when people ask him if he has dyslexia (as Gail Sheehy did, even though it was a reasonable question given that one of his brothers has been diagnosed). Then there was the time after the anthrax attacks when a reporter asked if he was taking antibiotics as a precaution -- Bush blurted out "I don't have anthrax", more than once I think, which wasn't really answering the question.

Other DUers have mentioned that Bush's brand of piety assumes that ailments, including addictions, are inflicted as punishment -- and if you're unwell, it's your fault ... doubly so, for not having the initiative to do things that will make yourself better. (I thought it was farfetched at first, but not after finding out that the same mindset also assumes this about poverty!) This might explain why he willingly makes use of public sympathy, but wouldn't be caught dead admitting that he actually did have a drinking problem, or needed his mom's tutoring because of a learning disability. As a result, any Democrat who questioned Bush's educational record or past indiscretions was made to look like a bully! Yet Bush has never gone to AA himself, or addressed why he had problems in school. Kind of a win-win situation there -- ironically, a lot of conservatives accuse liberals of "coddling" kids who need extra help, or addicts who are having trouble staying clean.

You make quite an important point, about how ignoring symptoms could make things worse. From what I've seen, Bush dislikes even conventional criticism ... he once collided with his own garage, after Laura tried to give him some speechmaking tips on the way back from an event. He even gets cross with longtime staff like Karen Hughes if they offer suggestions about how he could make improvements. And he nearly lost it during one of the 2000 debates when he accused Gore of questioning his morals (when the VP had asked for a policy clarification). Being told "there's something wrong with you", even by someone close, would be like a personal insult to him. I imagine it would have to get pretty bad, before he agreed to be tested for a thyroid condition, or ADD, or anything else. The link above has some info on what happened when his father was treated for thyroid problems -- Bush Sr. seemed more open-minded about discussing medical issues.

views disease as a weekness and possibly a God given punishment.

Bush Sr. actually does have a look of Lupus to me and didn't that article mention something regarding a titer elevation. His deeply sunken eyes and somewhat weak appearing body structure is very characteristic of the people in my family with this condition. My family also has THIS lovely autoimmune disease in our history, as well as diabetes type I. As I said we are, to say the least genetically defective. I sometimes think, if I knew now, what I didn't know before I had children, I might have considered adoption as a better option. I love my kids, but who knows what they face in the future.

While I do go through regular cycles of hyperactivity, my biggest complaint is always fatigue, like Bush Sr. I have had very serious episodes of syncope when I was younger I missed 2 weeks of school due to the fact that I was constantly passing out almost every time I tried to get up. My daughter suffers from sycope every now and then as well.

Really, everything I see leads me to beleive Bush may indeed have some autoimmune disorder and it certainly could be thyroid related.
If that is the case, it is really quite sad that he has to endure ridicule. The episodes of "dementia" as I said are able to be controlled, for the most part. It seems to me that if he explained this to people they would be less inclined to attack him every time he makes an error in speech. As for the mood swings that is something that I don't think can be taken lightly in a President. If he has compounded this disease with alcoholism or drug abuse either past or present, I'm not sure that can be overlooked either. Those of us that suffer the disease and know the consequences of stress on our condition would NEVER want that job. One day on that job would probably land me in bed for weeks!

Some of the hard right extremists already are accusing him of not being tough enough!

As you say, if he is indeed afflicted, "it is really quite sad that he has to endure ridicule". Especially when he could simply come forward and talk about it. I'm highly critical of the decisions he's made, and his habit of brushing off issues which a lot of people care about -- but for all the damage Bush has done, if the man stood in front of me and admitted he didn't feel well, I would feel sorry for him. I'd hope that he would follow through on that, though, and not just use it as a ploy to get sympathy.

I suppose it's possible that he might have a change in heart due to health concerns -- I wonder if he's any more liable to listen to his dad, now that they're both feeling the effects of age? -- but for now, he'll likely remain consistently stubborn, denying that there are any problems. And unfortunately, the way his job is structured, it's not easy to get honest criticism unless he makes an effort to seek it out. He's created his own reality, and there are plenty of folks willing to help prop it up (as we're seeing with his policies).

Even I could not muster up much sympathy for this man. Disease does not excuse someone from being an utter ass! I doubt Bush can ever make up for the mess he has created in this country and he certainly cannot use thyroid disease or any other disease as an excuse for his behavior.

It has been interesting speculating about his potential disease though.

Great analysis. Bush shows all the symptoms of anxiety; arrythmia and a host of other symptoms goes along with the problem. He has plemty of reason to be suffering with high anxiety as well as his past history of drug abuse.

NT

I want to know what kind of drugs he is taking several times a day.


Happy Holidays!

Gin

and can remember when he could actually speak halfway normally, I have LONG suspected a medical condition or conditions that is being kept from the public.

that went on over the "bulge" noticed during all 3 debates.

Personally, I think he is usually wired, to help him talk (just recently he mumbled into his tie). A receiver/transmitter setup could be very small. There were some reports about Secret Service sweeping for certain frequencies, eye witnesses who said he was wired, "pickups" of the tranmissions in France, pictures of a receiver in his ear, etc. Since he is known to be dyslexic, he can't use a teleprompter very well. I think it wasn't working very well in the first debate - some kind of interference.

In addition, if you look at a drawing (not the photo) of the lifevest defribrillator, it seems to have the same triangular shape that Dr. Nelson observed. The White House went through various stages of trying to laugh the bulge off, denying there was a bulge, getting his poor tailor to say it was bad tailoring, or that it was a bullet-proof vest. I had felt that the defibrillator was the only thing that made sense, otherwise, why would he continue to wear it, after it had been noticed in the first debate. However, the article presents the defibrillator as FACT, not as speculation: why? Bad journalism, or is this a plant to try to guage public reaction?

The odd jaw movements are known as "geeking" and are characteristic of cocaine use: I don't know whether it means only prior use or if it implies current use of cocaine.

The difference in his speech and ability to think on his feet from 10 years ago to now is remarkable: something has happened to the man. Not too long ago we saw a picture of him trying to get out of a vehicle in a way that indicated either extreme pain or lack of control of his legs - another indication of physical decline. In addition, there have been reports of extreme anger (July 2004 press conference) and other mood changes. Certainly his inconsistency in the 3 debates was remarkable, especially compared to Kerry.

Those docs ain't telling the truth. What I really want to know is who is behind this current article: noting in it is new. Why is it out now?

I might need a tad more proof before I believe it, however.

Why don't they like to vote for people who are all there?

You know, TIA and Echelon and all...

I am approx the president's age, in good health and there are days when it is obvious that my mental capacities have faded some. It is part of the aging process....a few less brain cells or lazy brain cells or whatever. Throw in the fact that he is heartless and not terribly bright to begin with and Oh my!........I don't wish to think about the next four years.

I too was thinking about how age has ravaged my brain and ability to think on my feet, and I am only 41. Bummer.

After seeing some of the recent photos of Bush, like the one when he was at Camp Pendleton, he looked so pale and confused that I tend to believe he has been on a decline since the beginning of his presidency. Comparing photos, then and now, he really does not look like the same man that took office in 2001.

I always wondered about that fall with his bike. Remember? It was released that his slipped off his bike because it had rained in Crawford and the trail was muddy, but a quick check of the weather channel told a different story, it hadn't rained in Crawford in three weeks. Why lie about something that is so easy to cross reference? Maybe someone close to Bush wants the media to pick up on his condition?

Maybe Cheney wants to be Prez?

Source:
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/10829-2.asp

Atrial Fibrillation Causes

Primary or lone atrial fibrillation is atrial fibrillation without evidence of underlying heart disease. This is more common in younger people, about half of whom have no other heart problems. Some of the causes include the following:

* Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)

* Pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the blood vessels of the lung)

* Alcohol use

snip.....

Then it will be President Cheney?

If bush has a progressive serious illness, he will be a liability to the neo-cons. After a certain point he will be uncontrollable.

He does not listen to the UN, to Germany, France, China, Russia, or 49.99999% of the American people either.

Goddamn mincing tyrant