Former U.S. First Lady Barbara Bush is now in failing health but she will not seek additional treatment, according to the family spokesperson.
Family spokesman Jim McGrath has not provided the details on the status of Mrs. Bush's health. However, he explained that the family has decided to focus on comfort care. She has been hooked up to oxygen and members of the immediate family have frequently visited her.
"It will not surprise those who know her that Barbara Bush has been a rock in the face of her failing health, worrying not for herself - thanks to her abiding faith - but for others," McGrath said.
Deteriorating Health
Mrs. Bush, 92, had multiple medical problems in the past including a surgery for a perforated ulcer and another open heart operation in 2009. She has also been undergoing a long-term treatment for Grave's disease, a life-threatening thyroid condition.
It was also reported that Mrs. Bush had suffered from a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that led to a series of hospitalizations last year. She was readmitted to Houston Methodist Hospital on March 30 due to shortness of breath.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House press secretary, announced on Sunday that President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have offered prayers for Mrs. Bush's health and her family.
Quirky Side
Mrs. Bush has become popular for wearing pearl necklaces during her public appearances. In her past interviews, the wife of the former U.S. President George H.W. Bush admitted that the necklace was meant to conceal her neck wrinkles. Eventually, the pearls become synonymous to Barbara Bush, who is also hailed for her humble image.
She also authored C. Fred's Story and Millie's Book, two anecdotes that are based on the life of her dogs. Mrs. Bush donated the proceeds of the books to her charity, which is aimed to improve the lives of American families through literacy.
In an article published in the Smith College's alumnae magazine, Mrs. Bush revealed the reason for her long life.
"I am still old and still in love with the man I married 72 years ago. I am very active in my foundation, the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, as is George in his Points of Light," Mrs. Bush said.
Mrs. Bush married George H.W. Bush on Jan. 6, 1945 when he was still a naval aviator. Shortly after the war, they had moved to Texas and invested in the oil business. The couple had six children, namely George, Jeb, Dorothy, Neil, Marvin, and Pauline Robinson. The youngest, Pauline, fondly called Robin, died of leukemia when she was three years old.
