CNN: Ted Kennedy rushed to hospital

Agreed. No fan of his politically, but he is a titan of American politics. Here's hoping for a speedy, sound recovery.

 

I have a lot of respect for Ted Kennedy, and I hope he gets well.

Illustrative story: When I was working on my first McCain piece, his immigration bill with Kennedy was just coming through. So, I called up Kennedy's office and asked whether he might have time for an interview in the next couple weeks. I go out to do something -- I really wasn't expecting a call back, at least not right away -- and the phone rings. My wife picks it up, "Hello?"

"Yes," said this strangely familiar voice, "this is Ted Kennedy calling."

My wife was like, Holy shitballs, told the good Senator that I wasn't in, and then had a nice long chat with Kennedy -- long enough that I walked in the door before the conversation was over, got on the line, and enjoyed my own very pleasant chat with probably the most important member of the U.S. Senate.

In an era when you can't get five minutes with a scrub middle reliever, I was really impressed at how casual and kind-seeming Ted Kennedy was. And the fact that he didn't have some assistant making his phone calls for him. Imagine that.

And Dyno, I'm really sorry about your dad.

 

I'm not sure whether they're saying he had a seizure or a stroke, but I can't help but wonder whether alcohol might have contributed. I say that only because of Ted's past and the fact that this happened following a Friday night in May rather than a blistery January Tuesday.

 

Agreed. I may not like the man's politics, but he is the Senate. You can't name an important piece of post-Vietnam legislation that doesn't have that man's name and/or support attached to it.

Why do you think there aren't any Senate giants? It can be explained in the House by gerrymandering -- districts are set up to be polarized to favor incumbents, so there is no political advantage to be gained by reaching out. But Senators go up statewide and have to appeal to many different constituencies. It seems counterintuitive that the two most productive Senators -- Teddy and Hatch -- come from the safest seats in the place (it ain't hard to be elected as a GOP Senator in Utah or a Dem in Massachusetts).

 

Other than Kennedy, the only really strong senators I can think of are Chuck Hagel (who's retiring), Russ Feingold and possibly Dick Durbin. At least, those three are who I think of, other than Kennedy, when I think Senate.

 

My read of newspaper websites is that Sen. Kennedy had a seizure.

There are many reasons to have a seizure, especially in the elderly, but a single seizure is not uncommon and many times no cause is found for that initial event. The major problem occurs after the dust settles, the tests return and it's time for the person to go home. Most states restrict driving until the patient has a three to six month seizure free time period to allow them to drive again.

Interestingly, I fear that the NY Times has their medicine wrong online this evening:

The tests the hospital says Mr. Kennedy will undergo will aim to determine which of the many ailments caused his seizure. The range of causes is wide -- from brain tumors to strokes to abnormal heart rhythms to infections to chemical imbalances in the body to reactions from drugs. In addition to standard tests like a physical and mental status examination, blood sugar and electrocardiograms, doctors often perform CT scans and other images of the brain and other organs for such patients. Injection of chemicals and thin tubes into Mr. Kennedy’s blood vessels may also be done in an angiogram or as part of scans to elicit more detailed images.

While a history and physical examination is always a good thing to do and many times will direct the testing that need to be done, blood tests other than a glucose will be helpful. for example, is a patient with high blood pressure (like Sen. Kennedy) is often prescribed diuretics or water pills that can cause alternations in the electrolyte in hte body. A low sodium can cause seizures, as can abnormal calcium and magnesium levels.

CT scans and MRIs might be useful, but angiography isn't necessarily indicated (and CT angiography has replaced the angiograms that they mention: less invasive with fewer side effects). An EEG (electroencephalogram) or brain wave tracing will be done to look for a seizure focus in the brain but there is no rush to get that done. In normal people who aren't senators, it may take a few days to arrange.

Unless, something abnormal is found, most patients with a single new onset seizure are released from he hospital rather quickly. Some are not even admitted, though the elderly tend to be watched more closely. The question to be asked is whether Sen. Kennedy will be started on an anti-seizure medication.

 

awesome story. some old-timers believe in doing things themselves, the old-fashioned way. sweet.

still amazes and disappoints me how so few of the newer generation of power brokers -- whether they be politicians or sports execs -- find it so beneath them to let the media see them as approachable human beings. too few "get it" and understand how small gestures like professional courtesy can pay off in the long run.

 

Jack liked the press, as well -- obviously.

 

Senators I've heard of ...

Kennedy, Feingold, Kohl (only because I'm from Wisconsin), Lugar, Bayh, McConnell, Obama, Grassley, Hatch, Byrd, Inouye, Clinton, Schumer, McCain, Mikulski, Kerry, Specter, Levin, Feinstein, Boxer, Dodd, Lieberman, Biden, McCaskill, Nelson, Hutchison, Alexander, Hagel, Hatch, Leahy, Warner, Reid, Domenici, Rockefeller, Dole, Bunning, Conrad, Voinovich, Shelby, Stevens, Harkin, Graham, Baucus, Sununu, Durbin, Dorgan, Craig (!). I'm sure I'm leaving a name or three out.

I'm a huge Feingold fan, but the only senators on that list that even come close to Kennedy in terms of meaningful service are Lugar, Kerry, Dodd, Warner, McCain, Biden, Hatch, Leahy, Domenici, Byrd, Harkin and maybe Levin and Reid (I know he's the Majority Leader, but he hasn't been in a position of Senate power for very long).

From there, it comes down to Kennedy, Byrd and Lugar. And Kennedy is the winner.

 

Hagel doesn't make your list of meaningful service?

 

Titan of American politics?

No... Not even close...

He's the brother of two titans of American politics...

I hope he has a speedy recovery, but if his name were anything other than Kennedy, he would have been sent to prison for what happened on that bridge.

 

I think it's part of the family legacy to be 'real' and connected to people..do a lot and expect a lot. I knew Maria when she was at NBC, still a Shriver, and she was very determined to not come off as royalty. Very 'to whom much is given, much is required.'

But intensely demanding. She said she always required herself to do A+ work, and expected the people around her to be A+ as well (as the B- assistant on the hot seat left the room in tears).