Reagan, ‘Good as New,’ to Leave Hospital Today : President Told to Curtail Schedule for a Few Days but Is Expected to Resume Normal Activities Soon

President Reagan received a green light from his doctors Friday to return to the White House early this afternoon from the Bethesda Naval Medical Center, where a cancerous section of his colon was removed a week ago today.

Doctors told the President “to plan on an abbreviated schedule for a few days, but other than that, he’s as good as new,” presidential spokesman Larry Speakes said in announcing that Reagan would return to the White House shortly after he delivers his weekly five-minute radio talk from the hospital.

When the operation was performed, doctors estimated the 74-year-old President’s hospital stay at seven to 10 days.

Reagan probably will remain in the family quarters of the White House for a while after he returns, Speakes said. But he predicted that the President will be working in the Oval Office again before he flies to his ranch near Santa Barbara, Calif., for a vacation next month. He said that he does not expect Reagan’s life style to change “one whit” after the recuperation is completed.

Speakes set no detailed timetable for Reagan but said he intends to go through with plans to receive Chinese President Li Xiannian on Tuesday. He will “probably have a congressional meeting, maybe later in the week,” Speakes continued, and make some telephone calls to Capitol Hill to rally Administration forces in the fight over reductions in the deficit-laden federal budget.

Daily Morning Appointments

After “a couple of days” back at the White House, Speakes predicted, Reagan will have daily morning appointments with Chief of Staff Donald T. Regan, national security adviser Robert C. McFarlane and Vice President George Bush. In addition, he will have his customary weekly meeting with Secretary of State George P. Shultz.

According to Speakes, when Reagan got the word from his wife, Nancy, that he had been cleared to leave the hospital, his response was: “Great, I’ll sleep in my own bed tomorrow night.”

Later, Speakes said, the President bantered with his wife about her visit Wednesday to the aircraft carrier America, saying: “Since you spent the day with 5,000 men, I think I’ll ask you to marry me.”

“She replied, ‘I thought you’d never ask,’ and that prompted a kiss,” Speakes said.

He said the President’s appetite is “rapidly improving” and that Reagan had a breakfast of fresh papaya, poached eggs, buttered whole wheat toast with honey, coffee and skim milk.

Then, Reagan settled down to business in his hospital room with a morning of paper work, newspaper reading and appointments with Regan, McFarlane and Shultz. During the meeting with Regan, Speakes said, the President reached a final decision to name James C. Miller III to succeed David A. Stockman as director of the Office of Management and Budget.

No Follow-up Treatment

When asked if doctors will put Reagan on a special diet, Speakes said that he expects some recommendations but knows of nothing specific. Although the physicians probably will recommend “a post-operative type of schedule” of physical examinations, he said, “no follow-up medical treatment is anticipated.”

Speakes denied a report that Reagan’s examination for intestinal polyps had been prompted by a telephone call from his older brother, Neil, who underwent an operation for colon cancer 10 days before the examination that uncovered the President’s condition.

Reagan’s visit to the hospital initially was scheduled for June 7 and he talked to his brother only “a few days” before Neil Reagan’s operation on June 29, Speakes said. The talk “did not have any bearing” on the President’s decision to have an examination, he said.