'He's remarkably better'
DiMaggio improves as fever breaks, lungs begin clearing
Posted: Tuesday December 08, 1998 09:07 PM
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DiMaggio remains in intensive care AP |
HOLLYWOOD, Florida (AP) -- Joe DiMaggio made a dramatic turnaround from a
serious lung infection just after doctors told his family and friends to
prepare for the worst.
"We called the family because, frankly, we thought we were getting down
to the last road," Dr. Earl Barron said Tuesday in an interview with The
Associated Press. "Today, there's a little more hope."
DiMaggio, recovering from lung cancer surgery, fought off a 102-degree
fever, pneumonia in his good lung and an intestinal infection that
developed during the weekend.
His condition was so grim at that time that doctors gathered DiMaggio's
family, including his brother, Dom, and even discussed signing a "do not
resuscitate" form for the 84-year-old Hall of Famer.
"We talked about that, but they did not feel comfortable with that,"
Barron said.
The former New York
Yankees center fielder has shown a remarkable ability to fight back
from several serious setbacks since the cancerous tumor was removed from
his right lung on October 14.
"He's going to be here a lot longer," Barron said.
But he also cautioned: "Don't walk out of here and say 'Joe DiMaggio's in
great shape.' Everything is relative. You and I are in good shape. He's
hanging in there."
His improvement began after doctors inserted a tube into DiMaggio's
trachea on Monday to suction the infected material.
"He perked up immediately," Barron said.
Barron denied a broadcast report that DiMaggio had lapsed into a coma.
"His level of consciousness has been down because he was sedated. But he
is not in a coma. He is up and moving and opening his eyes," he said.
DiMaggio entered Memorial Regional Hospital October 12, with Barron
heading a team of six doctors treating him.
Since his surgery, he has suffered recurring pneumonia in his left lung.
Besides treatment with three antibiotics, he also has had fluid drained
from his lungs several times. His blood pressure dropped so rapidly on
November 16 that a Catholic priest was summoned to administer last rites.
The past weekend was particularly frightening.
"I thought he was near death," said friend and attorney Morris Engelberg.
"We're playing this day-by-day. Today is good. Tomorrow, who knows?"
Even if DiMaggio is eventually discharged from the hospital, he will
never have the same quality of life, Engelberg said.
"Machines are keeping him alive. He's been in the ICU for 58 days. He's
got every hookup known to man. He's being fed through tubes," Engelberg
said. "If he recovers, he won't be the same. He'll never have the quality
of life he did."
Barron refused to speculate on whether DiMaggio would ever leave the
hospital. "He could go sour in five minutes and he could walk out of the
hospital six weeks from now. I would certainly not want to predict," he
said.
Doctors anticipate other problems and must treat any complications as
they occur, Barron said.
"They've done a sensational job with him, I don't think he could have
gotten better care," Barron said. "The proof of it is when he walks out of
the hospital, God willing."
Barron, who has treated DiMaggio for five years, is keenly aware of why
so many people admire his patient.
"He's an icon. He's an amazing person. He's the greatest player that ever
played," Barron said, sitting in an office filled with baseball, football,
hockey and basketball memorabilia.
"He may not have hit 70 home runs, but he did just about everything
else," he said. "I lose an awful lot of sleep. I'm constantly thinking
about it and discussing it with my peers."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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