Betty Ford ‘Doing Well’ After Surgery; Reagans Send Wishes

Former First Lady Betty Ford was “doing well” Thursday after undergoing surgery to repair a slow-healing incision from her bypass surgery in late November, hospital officials said.

“She really looks good. I’m really relieved,” family spokesman Bob Barrett said, quoting former President Gerald Ford. Barrett said Ford visited his wife for 40 minutes early Thursday, following two hours of surgery that began Wednesday night.

Eisenhower Medical Center spokesman Michael McFadden said the surgery was necessary because an incision that was made during Mrs. Ford’s mastectomy in 1974 and reopened during the bypass surgery was healing poorly.

“She’s doing well,” McFadden said early Thursday.

Under Close Watch

Barrett said the former First Lady was “going to be watched very closely for 48 hours.”

Mrs. Ford, 69, underwent open heart surgery last month. She was readmitted to the hospital Tuesday night, arriving in an ambulance with her husband.

Kathy Daily, a spokeswoman for the Fords, said Mrs. Ford had experienced a sudden weakness just after dinner Tuesday.

The former first lady underwent a six-hour open-heart operation by cardiac specialist Jack Sternlieb and a team of nine other physicians at Eisenhower Medical Center on Nov. 20 to clear four clogged arteries.

She returned to her Rancho Mirage home on Nov. 30.

Reagans Send Wishes

White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said President and Mrs. Reagan “sent their good wishes to Mrs. Ford” Wednesday morning, when they learned she had re-entered the hospital.

Fitzwater said Thursday the Reagans were staying in touch with the Ford family. He said former First Lady Rosalynn Carter called Thursday morning, but all calls to Mrs. Ford’s room were being held.

Known for her candor, wit and courage, Mrs. Ford has at one time or another battled cancer, arthritis, alcoholism and drug addiction.