‘Thank You for Life,’ Barbara Jordan Says on Leaving Hospital

Sporting a “Where was George?” button and flashing a broad smile, former U.S. Rep. Barbara Jordan (D-Tex.) left a hospital Monday, more than a week after she nearly drowned in her swimming pool.

“Thank you for my life,” Jordan, 52, told emergency medical personnel and nurses who cared for her during her stay at Brackenridge Hospital.

Dr. William Deaton said Jordan is “in excellent condition, and she should return to her normal life style within a couple of weeks.”

There is no explanation of what caused Jordan to lose consciousness in her pool on July 30, Deaton said. He said it was most likely a heart rhythm disturbance.

The “Where was George” button refers to a Democratic National Convention speech by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) criticizing Vice President George Bush’s role in the Reagan Administration.