Official recovering from minor stroke

Pinellas Park Council member Patricia Bailey is in "very good spirits,'' said City Manager Jerry Mudd, who has spoken with her.

By ANNE LINDBERG

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 10, 2000

PINELLAS PARK -- Council member Patricia Bailey was released Tuesday from Humana Northside Hospital where she had been since suffering a minor stroke five days earlier.

Bailey, 64, called paramedics about 12:43 p.m. on Friday complaining of tightness in her chest and difficulty speaking, Pinellas Park fire Chief Ken Cramer said. Afterparamedics arrived, they sent her to the hospital.

She was admitted to the intensive care unit, where she remained until Monday, said City Manager Jerry Mudd. He said he talked with her later that day.

"She was in very good spirits," Mudd said. "She verified that she'd had a minor stroke, but she said she was feeling fine. They had put her on some sort of medication for that, and she was doing well."

He added, "As far I know, it sounds like she's doing very well and the prognosis is very good."

Late Tuesday afternoon the hospital said she had been released.

Cramer agreed that Bailey is doing fine.

"She's doing well from what I understand," the chief said. "When I last talked to her she was speaking just as clearly as you and I."

Both Cramer and Mudd said stress was partly to blame for Bailey's illness.

About two years ago, Bailey was injured in an automobile accident that was not her fault. Since that time, she has had numerous surgeries and has, at times, been heavily medicated. While she has missed several council meetings, she's attended most with her neck in a brace.

At times, the pain became so severe that she would lay her head on her desk during the meetings and once or twice had to be helped from the room a bit early.

More recently, her father, who lives in Inverness, became ill and she has spent time traveling to be with him.

"Add all those things up and you get a problem," Cramer said. "You add all that stuff up and that's a lot of stress."

Mudd said, "She's had a struggle the last couple of years. . . . I certainly have great admiration for anyone who can continue with the hardships she's had the last couple of years."

Bailey has had two stints as council member. The first was from 1972 through 1982, although two of those years she served as mayor. She served in the state House of Representatives from 1982 through 1984. She returned to the Pinellas Park council in 1987 and has served continuously since.

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