Former President Bill Clinton is having medical treatment ahead of Christmas, and several close friends have shared updates on his condition. A representative for Bill Clinton told CNN that the president was brought to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, on Monday afternoon, December 23, after developing a fever. Despite being monitored and tested, he is “awake and alert,” according to an assistant.
Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said, “The president is fine,” and that Clinton intends to return home by Christmas. “He remains in good spirits and deeply appreciates the excellent care he is receiving.” Days before Christmas, Clinton was admitted to the hospital, and word spread fast among his wide network of supporters. His condition, a longtime associate emphasized, was “not urgent or dire by any means.”
Clinton’s condition required a medical examination when he was at home in Washington. He will most likely spend at least one night in the hospital for additional monitoring. The 42nd president had a history of major health concerns, which contributed to his hospitalization. Clinton underwent quadruple coronary bypass surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York in 2004, after doctors discovered potentially catastrophic arterial blockages.
The four-hour treatment, supervised by Dr. Craig R. Smith, diverted blood flow around four arteries that were more than 90% obstructed. “There was a substantial likelihood that he would have had a significant heart attack in the near future,” said Dr. Allan Schwartz, the hospital’s chief of cardiology, during a press conference following the surgery.
Clinton’s heart had to be stopped during the procedure to allow a heart-lung machine to take over for the next 73 minutes. According to Schwartz, Clinton rejected his symptoms, which included minor chest tightness and shortness of breath, as “not significant” and attributed them to acid reflux and a lack of exercise. Clinton’s family expressed relief after the surgery. “Chelsea and I thank God and the incredible medical team and staff here at New York-Presbyterian Hospital for taking such good care of my husband,” Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton stated at the time.
Clinton’s health problems were exacerbated when he was treated for a partially collapsed lung the next year, in 2005. When a vein from Clinton’s bypass surgery failed in 2010, he required emergency surgery to place two stents. As a result of the fear, he switched to a vegan diet and began living a healthier lifestyle. In a 2013 AARP The Magazine interview, Clinton stated, “I just determined that I was the high-risk guy, and I didn’t want to mess with this anymore. And I hoped to live to be a grandfather.”
He acknowledged the difficulties of the transition: “The main thing that was hard for me—much harder than giving up meat, turkey, chicken, and fish—was giving up yogurt and hard cheese.” I enjoy that thing, but it made a significant impact when I tried it.” Clinton attributed his lifestyle adjustment with helping him shed almost 30 pounds and increase his vitality. ”
I wanted to do it because this health and wellness work I’ve been doing is becoming increasingly important to me,” he said, emphasizing his commitment to promote healthy behaviors through the Clinton Foundation. Clinton’s vegan diet kept him healthy for years, but in 2021, a urinary infection crept to his bloodstream, forcing him to spend six days in the hospital in Los Angeles.
Clinton has remained active in public life despite his health concerns. He waged an aggressive campaign and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last October. The most recent book he has been promoting is “Citizen: My Life After the White House.” The former president’s team’s guarantees to the public during his inspection have fueled optimism for a quick recovery.