Former President Ford Has Stroke

P H I L A D E L P H I A, Aug. 2 -- Former President Gerald R. Ford, who suffered at least one mild stroke early this morning, is being treated with anticoagulants in a Philadelphia hospital and is expected to recover fully, his doctors said today.

The 87-year-old Ford is in serious condition in the neurological intensive care unit at Hahnemann University Hospital, but had improved markedly since the morning, said Dr. Robert Schwartzman, head of the hospital’s neurology department.

Though his speech was slightly slurred and his balance unsteady, the former president felt well enough to lament jokingly that he might not have suffered the stroke if he had worn a fiberglass helmet instead of a leather one in his football-playing days at the University of Michigan.

“That should give you in indication of his state of mind,” said Calvin McDowell, a member of the Ford family staff. “He wants to go home.”

Ford will have to stay in the hospital for at least five or six days to allow the anticoagulants to take effect, his physicians told reporters at a late afternoon news conference.

Ford came to Philadelphia to take part in the Republican National Convention, where he was one of three living former Republican presidents to be honored in video presentations Tuesday night. Ford, who was joined by his wife, former first lady Betty Ford, appeared deeply touched by the video that documented his own presidency.

Had Visited Hospital Earlier

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Early this morning, Ford, accompanied by his wife and Secret Service agents, went to the hospital with symptoms of a sinus infection, including pain on one side of his face. He was released an hour later, waved to reporters and told them he felt fine.

Hours later, shortly after 9 a.m., Ford returned to the hospital with new symptoms.

Ford, according to Schwartzman, “probably had a stroke maybe two days ago and had another little one” sometime after midnight Tuesday.

The former president is thought to have had a “brain stem” stroke and may have suffered damage to the balance center in his brain, the doctor said. Ford suffered from weakness in his left arm, and was experiencing some dizziness and lack of mobility, Schwartzman said.