New in PJ Media:
The Attending Physician of the United States Congress and the United States Supreme Court, Navy Rear Admiral Dr. Brian Monahan, wants you to calm down and stop telling Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Octogenarian) to go home. On Tuesday, the good Dr. Monahan publicly assured the world that when Mitch has suffered his recent spells of sudden speechlessness and confusion, he isn’t in the throes of a stroke or a seizure. Hey, that’s terrific, Dr. Monahan! But what exactly is McConnell suffering from, then? On that, Monahan was as silent as McConnell himself during one of his freeze-ups.
Slay News noted Tuesday that “in a one-paragraph letter to 81-year-old Sen. McConnell, Monahan said he reached his conclusion after a comprehensive neurological assessment.” This comprehensive assessment included a brain MRI, an EEG, and “consultations with several neurologists.” All this neurological testing was necessary because the savvy establishment Republican mainstay froze up again in the middle of a press conference on Aug. 30, just over a month after he went bizarrely silent in similar circumstances for the first time on July 26.
Monahan wrote happily to the aged controlled opposition leader: “There is no evidence that you have a seizure disorder or that you experienced a stroke, [transient ischemic attack] or movement disorder, such as Parkinson’s disease.” The respected physician reminded the superannuated solon, who after all that he has been through may have forgotten that he had “examined McConnell’s health extensively after he suffered a fall in July.” Monahan added that had used “brain [magnetic resonance] imaging, [electroencephalogram] study, and consultations with several neurologists for a comprehensive neurology assessment.”
Gee, that’s swell, but then what did account for Mitch suddenly falling silent, as well as having “reportedly ‘face-planted’ at an airport shortly before the first freezing episode”? What did lead to the fact that ol’ Mitch “also fell while walking on March 8, which led to a fractured ribcage”? Why does he “use a wheelchair at airports”? On all that, Monahan had absolutely nothing to say. The Attending Physician of the United States Congress is content to leave the American people, and presumably the illustrious senator himself, in the dark about the reason or reasons why his health is so rapidly deteriorating before the eyes of the world.
And when you think about it, it is altogether fitting and proper that Monahan should do this. The members of the United States Senate, after all, are not like you and me. They don’t have the same kind of accountability and responsibility that ordinary citizens have. They must be allowed to feed at the public trough in an absolutely unhindered fashion. The public wants to know why Mitch keeps freezing up like an old Buick on a cold winter’s day. Why, what effrontery! What insolence! What right do we peasants have to know what is going on with those who rule over us and who live so lavishly at our expense?
There is more. Read the rest here.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I normally don’t wish people dead, but if death is the only thing that will get semi-comatose leaders like Biden, Feinstein, Fetterman and McConnell out of their seats, then there it is!
In Biden’s case, don’t give me the line about Kamala. She was chosen by the Dems as the VP in 2020, so let her run the country until the next election, & let us all see how she can achieve the impossible – be an even worse POTUS than Biden
PRCS says
“be an even worse POTUS than Biden”
The problem with that: the nation will suffer even more.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
The nation’s suffering has more to do w/ the Dems being in power than it would be w/ Kamala being the POTUS. The same saboteurs would still be running it
PRCS says
And the nation would suffer even more with her at the helm.
Transmaster says
Senator McConnell is suffering from absence seizures. These can be a result of a earlier brain injury. The problem is to document it you would have to have an EEG hooked up when it happens. An MRI will only show things like a subdural bleed. It isn’t a TIA because that is a stroke precursor an MRI would pick up on that.
There is no downside in replacing Senator McConnell the Governor of Kentucky has to replace him with another Republican that the majority Republican legislature approves of.
James Lincoln says
Transmaster says,
“Senator McConnell is suffering from absence seizures.’
Yes, also known as “Petite Mal” seizures, that is the most likely diagnosis – based upon the very scant info given.
Also, he should also NOT be driving, etc…
somehistory says
James,
as a doctor, you know there are other kinds of seizures besides those most people know about…grand (now called tonic-clonic) and petit mal.
Interestingly, he “suffered a fall.”
‘Head trauma. Head trauma as a result of a car accident or other traumatic injury can cause epilepsy.
Factors in the brain. Brain tumors can cause epilepsy. Epilepsy also may be caused by the way blood vessels form in the brain. People with blood vessel conditions such as arteriovenous malformations and cavernous malformations can have seizures. And in adults older than age 35, stroke is a leading cause of epilepsy.’
the article says that many times, the *cause* and the kind of seizure is unknown.
“Epilepsy has no identifiable cause in about half the people with the condition.”
My guess is, if they know, they don’t want to say. Not much Truth about anything gets out in the open these days.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20350093#SnippetTab
James Lincoln says
All correct, somehistory.
A fall (with head injury) can be a “set up” for not only a subdural hematoma, but also for ectopic foci leading to seizure activity.
somehistory says
It was said that he suffered a concussion when he fell and broke ribs.
Seizures can end on their own, but probably not for him at his age.
If he had a regular job, James, he would be let go. Probably could claim disability.
James Lincoln says
And if confirmed, he should be on anti-seizure medication.
Transmaster says
One of My Senators is in the running Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming. Very much to the right of McConnell.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I hope that Rick Scott gets it, but failing that, Barrasso is a better option than either Thune or Cornyn
somehistory says
Doctors frequently say what it isn’t, but often leave out what it is. Perhaps the doctors don’t know for sure what is happening in the old guy’s brain cells.
A couple of days ago, there was a report that doctors have discovered a different cell in the brain; one they didn’t know about before and don’t know exactly what it does.
There are several kinds of dementia and with various symptoms. There are also many things that can go wrong with the brain besides dementia..
Whatever medical term is used to define his problem, it is obvious that it is not going away. When problems in the brain are not solved, they only get worse.
His wife may wake up one morning to find he will not.
Barbara says
I hope his wife can convince him to retire. Having one puppet (Biden) is more than enough.
Lizabee says
As a Neurologist, the fortuitous public video recordings of McConnell during his 2 episodes is sufficient info to give a preliminary diagnosis of Partial Complex Seizures (now called Focal Onset Impaired Awareness seizures). The last episode showed his eyes deviating to the right which suggests seizure focus on left side of the brain (frontal lobe). Then you proceed with a work-up to confirm seizure possible etiology. I would admit him to an Epilepsy Center like the Cleveland Clinic for inpatient video-EEG monitoring to try to “capture” seizure activity. This is done over a matter of days if necessary. If that’s negative, given his 2 events, I would put him on anti-seizure medications, tell him not to drive, don’t work with dangerous machinery and don’t work at unprotected heights. Then re-evaluate in 6 months. To say that tests didn’t show evidence of “seizure” is meaningless. He can still have seizures.
What we don’t have are actual detailed reports from the Neurologists, the MRI or the EEG. EVEN IF EEG negative that doesn’t rule-out Seizure esp. if it was only a routine EEG. What did the MRI show? Maybe not a stroke per se, but was there ANY lesion such as an injury from previous head trauma?
Just like with Biden…cover-up and lack of medical transparency seems to be the rule among doctors of politicians.
Something tells me McConnell may already be on anti-seizure medication. There’s a risk of secondary generalization from a focal seizure…i.e., grand mal seizure.
He can function if his seizures are “controlled”…but I would say he’s UNFIT to be Leader of the Senate and should step down for the good of the country.