U.S. Special Envoy Holbrooke in Intensive Care After Falling Ill at Office

[bigworld]

Source: Bloomberg

Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, is in the intensive care unit at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, according to a hospital official who asked not to be identified.

Holbrooke, 69, has spent the last two years traveling to Afghanistan and Pakistan, and seeking support from allies to help promote economic development and stabilize the neighboring countries that have been plagued by terrorism.

Holbrooke felt ill while working yesterday on the seventh floor of the State Department headquarters, where Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s office is located, said Philip J. Crowley, the department spokesman.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was also admitted yesterday to George Washington University Hospital in northwest Washington for surgery to remove a kidney stone.Geithner’s surgery was “completed without incident,” Treasury spokesman Steve Adamske said in an e-mail. “The secretary is feeling much better and after the procedure spoke with his staff at about 7 p.m. to get a rundown on the day. Geithner’s staff reports that he’s clearly eager to get back to work.”

Holbrooke is a veteran diplomat who, as an assistant secretary of state under President Bill Clinton, was the chief architect of the 1995 Dayton accords that ended the war in Bosnia in the 1990s. He later served as the U.S. envoy to the United Nations

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-11/u-s-special-envoy-holbrooke-in-intensive-care-after-falling-ill-at-office.html

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Doesn't sound good.

[elleng]

1. Thinking, hoping, praying for him.

[YvonneCa]

2. CNN reporting he's critical...

...with a 'torn aorta.' My thoughts and prayers for a full recovery.

[gateley]

3. Good God - what is a torn aorta? I'm hoping for the best for him. nt

[dgibby]

6. Major blood vessel.

The "tear" is probably a ruptured aneurysm (weakness/thinning of vessel wall which produces a bulge). This aneurysm(think hernia) will eventually tear due to the pressure exerted against it by the circulating volume of blood in the aorta.

He's very lucky he lived through the surgery. That tells me it was probably a small tear and small volume leak. A large tear, called a dissecting aorta, would have killed him instantly.

Next few days will be touch and go for him. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Here's a good explanation:

http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec03/ch035/ch035c.html

[gateley]

9. Thank you. I knew what the aorta is - just didn't know how it could be 'torn' -

The aneurism explanation makes sense. I'll check out the info at the Merck Manual link and learn more.

I'll keep him in my thoughts, too.

[WheelWalker]

25. Thanks for that link, I think...

almost too much information. What an unfortunate malfunction.

[Gin]

27. my ex father in law died from that...very very painful before it burst

Get well sir!

[smokey nj]

30. My sister survived aortal dissection. It happened in Feb. 2008.

The surgery went well, but she had a lot of complications after. She's still with us, thankfully, but she hasn't fully recovered.

[dave29]

4. I am guessing he had a blood clot

from so much flying

[dgibby]

7. No. It's an actual tear or leak in the aorta.

see my other post.

[Donyellathon]

5. One of our greatest diplomats

and one who always looks for the peaceful solution. Will pray for him and his family.

[gademocrat7]

8. Wishing Ambassador Holbrooke a speedy recovery.

[elleng]

10. Holbrooke Is in Critical Condition.

Source: nyt/ap

after surgery to repair a tear in his aorta.


Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/12/11/us/politics/AP-US-Holbrooke.html?_r=1&hp

[jefferson_dem]

11. Get well, Mr. Ambassador.

We're sending positive thoughts.

[jefferson_dem]

12. Get well, Mr. Ambassador.

We're sending positive thoughts.

[Dinger]

23. Same Here (nt)

[OHdem10]

13. Get Well, Mr. Ambassador

[dkf]

14. Crossing my fingers and my toes.

I sure hope he is ok.

[jaxx]

15. I hope he does well.

It's a very dangerous surgery.

[The Wielding Truth]

16. Oh no. Good person. We need him. My prayers go to him and his family.

[defendandprotect]

17. Best wishes for recovery ....

wasn't he at least one fair pick Obama made?

[MuseRider]

18. The fact that he even made it it surgery

is amazing, most do not unless they are already in an ICU when it happens.

I wish him well and I hope for a recovery for him.

[tpsbmam]

19. My SIL did -- even argued with my bro about going to the ER! She's doing well

almost a year after the really scary event. Let's hope he beats the odds like she did!

[smokey nj]

32. We had a similar situation with my sister. She argued with her daughter and son-in-law

all day before agreeing to go to the hospital. Her surgery went well, but she had a lot of post-op. She hasn't fully recovered, but she's still with us, thankfully.

[Demoiselle]

21. Fingers, toes and eyes crossed.

I really admire him...his brains, his no-nonsense style. How does an Aorta tear, anyway? Is it damage caused by obstruction?

[FailureToCommunicate]

20. A great diplomat. We're hoping for a good outcome...

He's a diplomat's diplomat:

http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/publication/19987/holbrooke_stresses_international_involvement_in_addressing_the_afpak_problem.html

[caseymoz]

22. Dissected aorta. How awful!

That happened to a friend of mine. He lived, but survival rate is not good.

I hope he recovers.

[SharonAnn]

24. I believe that's the injury that killed Princess Diana

[caseymoz]

28. But that was an injury.

Having your aorta spontaneously rip is something different. If it's what they call a "full dissection" where the hose is totally off the pump, the person will probably die in a minute.

[smokey nj]

31. It's what killed John Ritter.

[CBHagman]

26. Post lists him as being in critical condition - VIDEO

As of 2:01 p.m., EST, that was the report. I really hope he pulls through.

A friend of mine and I met Mr. Holbrooke a number of years ago during a book signing and he was extremely gracious to both of us. One of the most amazing things about the event was that he had brought several members of his team from the Dayton Accord negotiations and asked all of them to weigh in on their experiences.

Thanks to the OP for starting this thread.

On edit: Here's the report from Kirit Radia at the State Department, and there's footage of P.J. Crowley talking to the press corps.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/holbrooke-critical-condition-surgery/story?id=12372833

[MuseRider]

33. I would guess

critical condition would be the only way to categorize someone who has experienced this. I have taken care of them post op in the ICU and it is a very critical condition, he may be doing very well but still, it is critical.

Hope for the best.

[Lefta Dissenter]

29. oh my

wishing him the best. :cry:

[Kolesar]

34. Good luck, ambassador...eom