Barbara Bush ‘Doing Great’ In Houston Hospital
Barbara Bush remains hospitalized at Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas. However, family spokesman Jim McGrath said the former first lady is “doing great and responding well” to treatment for a respiratory illness.
Bush was admitted to the hospital on Monday. Although she is doing better, her doctors are unsure when she will be released, McGrath said the family hopes it will be “sooner rather than later.” He said she is “receiving fantastic care” and is “in good spirits.”
As reported by Los Angeles Times, George H.W. and Barbara Bush celebrated New Year’s Eve watching the Texas A&M game from the hospital. Early last year, George spent two months in the same hospital for a similar ailment.
On Monday, January 6, George and Barbara will celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary. The former president and first lady are the parents of six children, including former president George W. Bush.
Throughout her husband’s presidency, Barbara was a strong and outspoken advocate for literacy. She eventually created the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, which provided educational programs to the poor and disadvantaged.
In addition to the literacy programs, Barbara promoted numerous initiatives to help the needy. FirstLadies.org reports she specifically supported programs that provided for families and single mothers with limited resources.
Barbara was also a strong advocate for AIDS awareness and funding. She was often outspoken about the discrimination associated with the devastating illness. She made headlines when she attended the funeral of Ryan White, a teen who died of the disease. The former first lady also reached out to the Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays to underline her intolerance for discrimination.
Barbara Bush remains an inspiration. Her commitment to reducing intolerance, discrimination, and poverty was never bound by party lines. She has gained the respect of Republicans and Democrats alike for her strength and generosity.
[Image via Wikimedia]
