[ghporter]

I strenuously disagree with everything the guy stands for, but did the man have a stroke or something at that press conference?

Press Conference

[subego]

Yeah. That was scary.

[OreoCookie]

For all the age-related Joe Biden bashing and FUD spreading, it is important to keep in mind that this is a bipartisan issue. The ages of Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi, Mitch McConnell plus a whole host of top politicians from both sides of the aisle are functionally identical.

I think McConnell's decay might have started with his fall last (?) year.

[Gregg]

Yes, McConnell had a concussion from that fall. I wish him well, health-wise, but I hope he retires. I imagine that there are worse politicians, but what are the odds he'd be replaced with a Trump clone?

[ghporter]

Last year McConnell suffered a concussion from a fall. If you’re 25, you might be able to shrug that off - but don’t because these things are not just technically brain injuries. If you’re 81, even a “mild” concussion can be far worse. The structures of the brain, not just the neurons, but especially blood vessels, become far more sensitive to damage with age.

I’ve had patients who went from 100% functional adults to nearly completely dependent after a very minor (seeming) fall. I’ve also had patients whose declines were not really noticed until months or years later, and only after they finally were totally unable to do for themselves. I’d ask “any history of strokes or head injuries?” And the family would sometimes say “Ya know, two years ago, mom bumped her head getting a pan out of the cabinet - she was a little dazed after that, but in a few minutes she was fine.” Yep, that’s where it happened.

So it’s entirely possible that McConnell had a seizure. In front of the press, the public, and everybody. For someone who’s life has been in the public, to have that sort of very public problem, has to be devastating.

I hope he gets thorough treatment right away. I honestly want the man’s politics to bring him down, not just his age.

[andi*pandi]

a lot of career politicians are hanging on to keep the seat for their party - and the committees.

[ghporter]

…and not at all to serve their constituents. But that’s a different issue.

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by ghporter 

Last year McConnell suffered a concussion from a fall. If you’re 25, you might be able to shrug that off - but don’t because these things are not just technically brain injuries. If you’re 81, even a “mild” concussion can be far worse. The structures of the brain, not just the neurons, but especially blood vessels, become far more sensitive to damage with age.

I’ve had patients who went from 100% functional adults to nearly completely dependent after a very minor (seeming) fall.

When I googled “McConnell fall” I got results indicating he fell repeatedly recently as well. I know from cycling that once you are concussed, a second concussion thereafter can have severe consequences even in otherwise healthy people. When you are an octogenarian I can only imagine how much more sensitive you are.

Originally Posted by ghporter 

I hope he gets thorough treatment right away. I honestly want the man’s politics to bring him down, not just his age.

Independently of his politics, I think you can say that people in politics should retire much earlier and that the average age of politicians should not start with a 6. Many top politicians are unable or unwilling to retire when it is their time. If your party line-up does not include people who are capable of taking the place of someone like McConnell, I think your party is to blame. You need to grow talent in such situations, ideally more than one person. Then there will be a short period where two, three contenders duke it out until one emerges victorious.

In the US that seems to be a problem in both parties. E. g. Dianne Feinstein should have long gotten the memo that she should not seek re-election and let someone else take her seat.

[Laminar]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Grassley

[ghporter]

Age is only one factor. Just looking at him, McConnell hasn’t “taken care of himself.” Not great diet, old (maybe current? I don’t know) smoking habit, alcohol, absolutely zero exercise, all of these add up. And one thing they do is reduce what’s known in health care as “resilience”.

Add apparent chronic problems (obesity at least) to fairly advanced age and a history of a traumatic brain injury, and I believe (professionally, but I’m not allowed to diagnose anything) that McConnell should have given himself a lot more time to recover from last year’s fall than he did. The result is that he probably hadn’t really recovered, just got back on his feet, which set him up for repeated falls, more head injuries, and a pretty bleak outlook - on a scale of months rather than years.

[Gregg]

And yet, he says he will finish out his term - 4 more years! I'll be shocked if we don't hear about another health issue for him before this year is done. Seeing how much trouble Sen. Feinstein is having at age 90 and not having had serious health issues that were made public (hard to hide) in her early 80s, I would expect McConnell to be in as sad of shape as Feinstein is now very soon.