George H.W. Bush still in hospital with rising fever [1]

The Washington Post [2] Posted by Rachel Weiner on December 26, 2012 at 3:11 pm

President George H.W. Bush and wife Barbara attend the premiere of HBO’s new documentary on his life.(Charles Krupa/AP)

Former president George H.W. Bush spent Christmas in a Houston hospital with a rising fever, his office confirms. 

Spokesman Jim McGrath told the Houston Chronicle that doctors have put Bush in the intensive care unit and on a liquid diet. 

The 88-year-old has been in and out of Methodist Hospital since early November, battling a severe cough. Doctors expected he would be able to go home for the holiday, but in recent days Bush developed a fever.  

On Christmas, the former president and the father of President George W. Bush ate Chinese food with family in the hospital.

“The president has made very slight improvement, but still no discussion of discharge and doctors remain cautiously optimistic,” McGrath told CNN.