Yesterday, we learned that Hillary Clinton had been diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday but that this news had been kept secret by the candidate and her campaign. It was only her fainting spell at the 9-11 memorial that forced the news out. So Hillary was being secretive. No surprise there, right?
Today, the story has moved on. Now, the question is what kind of pneumonia did Hillary contract. She could have disease that she caught from someone while on the campaign trail. That sort of pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics and, while potentially dangerous, it should not have any long term consequences for Hillary's health. On the other hand, she may have aspiration pneumonia. That is pneumonia that develops from a person not being able to swallow properly so tiny bits of food or liquid get into the lungs and pneumonia results. Given the rumors that Hillary has Parkinsons or some other neurological problem, it is hard to rule out aspiration pneumonia as a possibility. If it is aspiration pneumonia that is afflicting Hillary Clinton, then there are serious problems ahead for her healthwise. The swallowing difficulties that lead to aspiration pneumonia do NOT go away and they are not treatable to any meaningful extent.
It is not enough for Hillary to release a statement from her doctor that she has pneumonia. She is running for president and voters have the right to know about how healthy she really is. Whether or not Clinton likes to keep secrets, the campaign needs to produce both her medical records and her doctor for a full news conference. If there is a neurological deficit that caused this pneumonia, it cannot be kept secret.
Today, the story has moved on. Now, the question is what kind of pneumonia did Hillary contract. She could have disease that she caught from someone while on the campaign trail. That sort of pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics and, while potentially dangerous, it should not have any long term consequences for Hillary's health. On the other hand, she may have aspiration pneumonia. That is pneumonia that develops from a person not being able to swallow properly so tiny bits of food or liquid get into the lungs and pneumonia results. Given the rumors that Hillary has Parkinsons or some other neurological problem, it is hard to rule out aspiration pneumonia as a possibility. If it is aspiration pneumonia that is afflicting Hillary Clinton, then there are serious problems ahead for her healthwise. The swallowing difficulties that lead to aspiration pneumonia do NOT go away and they are not treatable to any meaningful extent.
It is not enough for Hillary to release a statement from her doctor that she has pneumonia. She is running for president and voters have the right to know about how healthy she really is. Whether or not Clinton likes to keep secrets, the campaign needs to produce both her medical records and her doctor for a full news conference. If there is a neurological deficit that caused this pneumonia, it cannot be kept secret.
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