Mayor Art Ward is getting better.
Bristol Hospital reported late Friday that is condition has been upgraded from serious to fair and that he is “awake, alert, breathing on his own, and interacting with family and staff.”
“He’s conscious and he’s talking,” said the head of the city’s Democratic Party, Elliott Nelson.
Nelson, a friend of the mayor, said that Ward’s family is “very optimistic” about his recovery.
“Hopefully, things will start moving a little faster” as Ward continues to improve, Nelson said.
Ward went through a rocky period during his first 10 days in intensive care at Bristol Hospital after choking on a piece of steak.
He was put into a medically induced coma to cool his body and give his organs and brain a chance to heal from the trauma of the Dec. 4 incident, officials said, and then was heavily sedated for a time because of the pain.
A number of officials said on background they were told that Ward suffered some broken ribs as caregivers tried to dislodge the meat from his throat. Given the force that is sometimes required, they said, this is apparently a common outcome.
Ward has been in the hospital since collapsing at the Italian Social Club during a tailgate party shortly before a broadcast of the last University of Connecticut football game.
When or even if Ward can return to his official duties remains uncertain, but those around him are said to be “very happy” at the progress they’re seeing.
The hospital said the mayor remains in the intensive care unit but his vital signs are stable.
Its release on Friday also said that Ward’s family has asked that visitors continue to be restricted to family members for the time being.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
21 comments:
I am soo glad to hear the news...I am sure that the mayority of Bristol is praying for him in a positive way.
Wait til the Mayor finds out that Nelson backed a Republican!
C'mon, artie has been playing footsie with the republicans all along.
Sounds like Nelson and Art have been thinking about what's best for the City instead of who's a democrat or republican. Isn't that the way it should be?
Playing footsie and what is best for Bristol are not necessarily the same thing!
since collapsing at the Italian Social Club
~~~~~~~~~~~
Where did the I-talians go after getting chased out of the west end ???
Wait till Artie finds out Block, McCauley and Matthews kicked him under the bus less than twelve hrs he was hospital.
I am confused. If the mayor is interacting with the hospital staff and family, why can't he release a statement through the press to his constituents? Or did I miss something?
- Rick Kriscenski
Say what you want art and the council layed down on the job and the tax payers will suffer even more. Not one of these people are qualified to run the city.
Rick,
Don't talk stupid; we have politicians for that.
Rick,
You sound like someone who's probably easily confused. It has been a little over 2 weeks since the Mayor's accident. He was in a coma for 1 of them. Why don't we give him a chance to recover a little more and get up to speed before insisting on him releasing a "statement." I'm not sure exactly what it is you need for him to state anyway. In keeping with the spirit of the season, wouldn't it be really nice of all of us to just back off and give the mayor and his family a little more time to mend and enjoy the holiday? I'm sure we'll be getting that all important "statement" sometime soon.
Happy holidays!
We didnt miss anything hes been fine for a week now. The problems are coming fast with the buget and he and the rest cant talk themselve out of this one. Hes manage to givew every grou raises and you want him to talk.
8:08 am, At least he and the rest can spell and string a sentence together. The one we really don't want to hear from is you.
Rick:
Good question, albeit I'm glad you asked it (and not me).
12/20/10, 8:02:
I am glad the mayor is well enough to go home and apparently will be back to work. However, We are not a Third World country whose leader controls all information. We are constituents who have a right to know what is going on with the mayor we elected. Any unnecessary delay in the disclosure of that information is a disservice to the citizens. Also, please don't give me the holiday season lecture. When some others on this blog and the press web were criticizing the mayor's job performance, I said it was not the time. When some jerk made an obscene joke, I reported it to the press and it was removed. Your opening insult to me is hardly keeping within the holiday spirit. I am just making a point that information delayed or withheld is bad in a democracy.
- Rick Kriscenski
Seriously Rick, get a grip. We do live in a democracy and we are entitled to certain rights, one of which is the right to PRIVACY, be it constituent or mayor, equal rights. Art's the mayor, not the president. We had been updated all along about his condition. I am still not sure exactly what information you feel entitled to that was withheld, or what disservice has been done?
As for keeping with the holiday season lecture, it's just an honest wish that the good citizens of Bristol will give the Mayor and his family some time, a little space, and a chance to enjoy what I'm sure is going to be one of their best holidays ever.
Once again, Happy Holidays!
December 21, 2010 7:52 AM:
What's with the jabs all the time? Can't you engage in an intellectual debate without these put downs? I ran for mayor in the mid 90s and my personal life was a political issue for the Democratic party because I was staying home taking care of my kids. Ward never condemned it. Also, Ward questioned my patriotism and accused me of avoiding the Vietnam war even though I was 13 when it ended. But apparently when it comes to Ward who is the mayor of this city, privacy is his right. There is no such thing as a small democracy like a city and a big democracy like a nation, it is the same. Maybe the mayor shouldn't have to take an oath then if we are small democratic potatoes. Look, the last city council meeting proved me right that this situation was handled poorly because the citizens were put second behind the mayor's right of privacy, which I contend he gave up when he did take the oath. Keep in mind, I didn't question the family's right to invoke privacy, only the mayor's when he became conscious. He had a duty to speak out to his constituents in some form instead of chatting it up with the hospital staff. I have no ill-will toward Ward for participating in the personal attack on me, it was politics and I knew it was part of the political battle. However, it does influence my opinion on this issue of right of privacy for the mayor.
- Rick Kriscenski
Rick:
This is hardly an "intellectual debate" and I'm truly sorry if I hurt your feelings with my perceived "jabs," but I find your attitude incredibly annoying. How were the citizens "put second because of the Mayor's right to privacy?" The man barely escaped death a little over 2 weeks ago, was in a coma for 1 of them...What exactly is it that you feel the man needs to say???
If you honestly think anyone believes you harbor no ill-will towards the mayor, please think again. I'm sorry, but your comments reflect a totally different story.
December 22, 2010 11:06 AM:
First, my feelings are not hurt. I couldn't care less what you say to me, I am just pointing out that they show a bit of ignorance on your part. Second, I don't harbor ill-will toward the mayor. I get along well with the mayor when I have spoken to him. The point I am making is that the argument that politicians have the same privacy right as a private individual is arbitrary to the mayor. Ward was quite willing to invade my personal life for political reasons. You may think I have some ill-will toward him, but good politicians don't hold grudges, it's not in their best interest. Third, this is an intellectual debate to me. For you it seems that if I don't agree with you, it's stupid. I respect your opinion.
- Rick Kriscenski
Rick,
First, while politicians can expect that some aspects of their personal life will be subject to public scrutiny, i.e. information about their jobs, general health, family, arrest records, military service, etc., they are entitled to keep some things private. The voters may ask about previous employment or military service, but NOT about their last prostate exam. Even the President's personal medical history is PRIVATE.
Second, there is definitely an undercurrent of hostility in your comments, be it ill-will, anger or resentment. In any case, I defer to your psychologist.
Third, I would have considered this an intellectual debate had you stayed on point, instead of wandering off rambling about how the Mayor invaded your personal life. Your comments are obviously just a little tit for tat. Nothing intellectual there.
Lastly, for the above-stated reasons, I give up. You aren't looking for a debate, you're looking for payback. I respectfully decline from playing that game with you any further.
Regards
I don't have a psychologist and I will leave this exchange reiterating Steve's warning above:
Do yourself a favor and remember that somebody can sue you, subpoena records from Google and find out who you are. So don't say something you wouldn't want to defend in court.
You crossed the line my friend.
- Rick Kriscenski
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