Jimmy Carter 'Deathly Afraid' During Wife's Surgery

But Rosalynn Carter, 91, is expected to fully recover
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Feb 19, 2018 3:50 PM CST
Jimmy Carter 'Deathly Afraid' During Wife's Surgery
A 2015 file photo of President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn.   (AP Photo/Branden Camp, File)

Former President Jimmy Carter said Monday he was "deathly afraid" as his 90-year-old wife underwent surgery over the weekend. Rosalynn Carter was recovering at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta after surgeons removed scar tissue from a portion of her small intestine early Sunday, per the AP. Meanwhile, her husband of 71 years kept his scheduled appearance Monday at a President's Day event at the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Carter addressed concerns about his wife's health and surgery in remarks to several hundred people attending the event. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Carter said his wife had suffered problems for years that appear to have been caused by scar tissue from an operation she had long ago.

"Saturday night they operated and found the scar tissue from the old operation about 50 years ago had strangled almost 2 feet of her small intestine," Carter told the crowd. He said doctors "didn't give me a lot of hope" until the operation concluded hours later. "I was deathly afraid," Carter said. "I prayed for three hours." He said a doctor finally came to him about 5am Sunday and "told me she was going to be OK." The Carter Center said in a statement Sunday the surgery was successful. It said Rosalynn Carter was expected to remain hospitalized for several days as she rests and recovers. (Jimmy Carter has been battling brain cancer.)

(More Jimmy Carter stories.)

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