Drawing a smile
DiMaggio improves, makes feisty request to go home
Posted: Thursday December 03, 1998 01:47 PM
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DiMaggio's first words since last weekend sent a clear message to doctors AP |
HOLLYWOOD, Florida (AP) -- Joe DiMaggio drew a smile from one of his
doctors Thursday with a feisty request.
"I want to get the hell out of here and go home," the 84-year-old Hall
of Famer said after his doctor temporarily adjusted the breathing tube in
his throat.
Those were the first words DiMaggio had been able to speak since last
weekend, when he had another setback in his recovery from lung cancer
surgery.
DiMaggio continued to show improvement from his latest lung infection,
which developed Friday, according to Dr. Earl Barron, a cardiologist who
heads a team of doctors treating the former New York Yankees
center fielder.
"Thing are looking up today, but who knows what will happen tomorrow,"
Barron told The Associated Press, adding that DiMaggio had no fever
and his white blood cell count was normal.
DiMaggio, unable to speak because of the tube in his trachea, had been
indicating with hand gestures for days that he wanted to talk, Barron said.
The doctor agreed, and had the tube capped temporarily, allowing
DiMaggio to make his comment. A cancerous tumor was removed from
DiMaggio's right lung on October 14 two days after he entered Memorial
Regional Hospital. A series of setbacks have kept him in the intensive care
unit since.
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