Doctors: Graham has recovered

After having heart surgery in January the Florida senator says he feels "extremely upbeat and energetic."

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa - Four months ago, surgeons stopped Sen. Bob Graham's heart to make repairs.

They fixed a tiny hole, performed a double bypass and replaced his aortic valve with one from a cow. The surgery forced the Florida senator to delay his presidential campaign for several months, but Graham and his doctors say he has fully recovered.

Lately, he has had a grueling campaign schedule with little time to exercise or relax, but voters at campaign events over the weekend said he looked healthy.

Dr. David Ferguson, one of Graham's cardiologists, said last week that he has "made an excellent and uneventful recovery."

Three independent cardiologists interviewed by the St. Petersburg Times concurred with Ferguson's assessment. Dr. Stephen Glasser of the University of Minnesota said that based on the details released by Graham's office, "He sounds a whole lot healthier than Dick Cheney."

Unlike Vice President Cheney, Graham, 66, has never had a heart attack. Graham's surgery was intended to replace a faulty valve that had reduced the efficiency of his heart. The problem was discovered in 1995 and was not considered life-threatening.

By last January, there were indications that it had worsened. Graham became short of breath after climbing a flight of stairs.

When doctors did the valve-replacement surgery Jan. 31, they discovered "mild obstructions" in his coronary arteries and decided to perform the bypass. They also repaired a tiny hole between chambers of his heart. They said those procedures were not urgently needed, but they did them so Graham would not need heart surgery again.

Ferguson said that recent tests showed Graham's heart is pumping blood at normal levels and that he can handle the stress of exercise. Ferguson said the doctors "have cleared him for a normal and full activity level. He seems to be tolerating things very well."

On Sunday, Graham said he felt "extremely upbeat and energetic."

Some patients suffer from depression after heart surgery, but Graham said that has not been a problem. "If you are running for president of the United States, you don't have any time for anything other than an upbeat, positive attitude."

Graham has been ill at least twice since he began campaigning, once in April after a trip to California and again last week during a fundraising trip in Florida. The first illness made his voice hoarse for several days. The second one made him cough so much that he had to interrupt conversations for coughing fits.

Graham said those were colds he got from campaigning in frigid weather.

Dr. John F. Eisold, the attending physician of the Congress, who oversees Graham's medical treatment, said in a letter to Graham last week, "You are in good health and have greater stamina than you did prior to surgery. No limitations on your activity are recommended."

Graham is taking drugs to lower his cholesterol, keep his heart rhythm normal and prevent his blood from clogging around the new valve. At a recent checkup, his blood pressure was 139 over 79, his resting heart rate was 53 and his cholesterol was 134. Those results are within the normal range, cardiologists said.

He is being treated for an enlarged prostate, which Eisold described as "benign" and "common among men over the age of 60."

Dr. Hugh van Gelder, a St. Petersburg cardiologist, said Graham's recent illnesses could result from his frequent airplane trips. The planes have air circulation systems that can spread infections. But van Gelder said that based on the details provided by Graham's office, it appears his heart has healed well.

"He's at risk, going on planes a lot," van Gelder said. "But from a heart standpoint, he's doing fine."

Voters in Iowa said he looked normal.

"He's not the only candidate who's had surgery," said Linda Nelson, a Council Bluffs elementary school teacher, referring to the recent prostate surgery of Sen. John Kerry.

She said Graham "looks healthy. He's probably healthier than me."

Graham said the hectic schedule of campaigning makes it difficult to follow his doctors' recommendations for exercise and heart-healthy food.

He did not exercise Saturday. He had a hamburger for lunch. For dinner, he stopped at a Wendy's and ate a salad and a cup of chili. He joked that the chili was "the high point of a heart-healthy diet." His wife Adele pointed out that it was high in fiber.

Late Saturday, he stopped at a convenience store called Kum & Go and ate two Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

Graham said he often doesn't have time to exercise on the road but plans to do so today when he returns to Washington. He rides a stationary bicycle for 30 minutes, he said.

The cardiologists interviewed by the Times said it would be preferable for Graham to exercise more and eat low-fat meals, but they said his campaign habits posed no immediate threat to his health.

Dr. Joel Strom, director of the division of cardiology at the University of South Florida, said Graham is likely to need a new valve in about 15 years because the devices wear out, but that "there's no reason why he can't be president."

- Times political editor Adam Smith contributed to this report.

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