Well, President Joe Biden has had his first physical since taking control of the White House, and it couldnāt have come too soon.
As both the oldest sitting president in U.S. history and the successor to President Donald Trump, over whose physical and Mental health much political hay was made, there has been a great interest in Bidenās Health.
Kevin C. OāConnor, D.O., Physician to the President, conducted the physical last week, which included consultations with several specialists from Walter Reed National Military Center ranging from optometrists, dentists, ENT specialists, cardiologists, neurologists and gastroenterologists.
In a memo to White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki detailing the results of the physical written at the presidentās request, OāConnor concluded that Biden is fit for duty and able to execute his responsibilities.
OāConnor did, however, note two observations he found worthy of mention which may surprise you as they are not, in fact, what Iām guessing most Americans are concerned about when it comes to President Bidenās Health.
First off, OāConnor noted that Biden suffers from a pronounced cough.
āThe President has experienced increasing frequency and severity of āthroat clearingā and coughing during speaking engagements. He has exhibited such symptoms for as long as I have known him, but they certainly seem to be more frequent and more pronounced over the last few months,ā he wrote.
āIt is acknowledged that this perception may be artificially confounded by the undeniable fact that, as President, a much greater attention is directed toward his public engagements as compared to that which he experienced in previous positions.
āNevertheless, this symptom is clearly present, and warranted detailed investigation.ā
After consultations with specialists in gastroenterology and otolaryngology and a number of tests, OāConnor concluded that the throat clearing is likely attributed to gastroesophageal reflux. Biden is already taking acid blockers for reflux, so the physician deemed no further treatment was recommended.
Second, Bidenās gait has grown noticeably stiffer.
āThe Presidentās ambulatory gait is perceptibly stiffer and less fluid than it was a year or so ago. He has several reasonable explanations for this in his orthopedic history, but again, a detailed investigation was appropriate,ā OāConnor wrote.
After consulting with specialists in orthopedics, neurology, radiology and physical therapy, OāConnor and the team concluded that significant spinal arthritis and ālimp and compensationā from a foot fracture President Biden suffered last year were to blame for the stiffer gait.
He will continue with physical therapy and exercise.
Now, I know what youāre thinking ā what about the results of President Bidenās cognitive examination?
Isnāt that sort of why everyone was so interested in learning the results of his physical? Didnāt we all wait on pins and needles to find out if President Trumpās mean tweets could be attributed to cognitive dysfunction?
Hereās the kicker ā while OāConnor did consult neurologists, it only seems to have pertained to peripheral neuropathy, i.e. nerve damage, which could have contributed to Bidenās stiff gait, and not, in fact, his cognitive Health.
This is ⦠concerning at best.
While former White House doctor, now-Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas has noted on multiple occasions that President Biden appears to be suffering cognitive decline, OāConnor, doesnāt appear to have been very concerned at all about the frequent bouts of forgetfulness, short temper and slurred speech that our president displays on a routine basis. Instead, he focused on concerns about the throat clearing and dulled spring in Bidenās step.
Even Dr. Sanjay Gupta was scratching his head as to why this important test was missing.
As The Daily Wire reported, Gupta was asked on air if Biden had undergone any tests that āmeasured mental acuity,ā as his predecessor had.
āIt doesnāt seem like it,ā Gupta, CNNās chief medical correspondent, said. āI read pretty carefully through the doctorās report, and there was, they mentioned neurological exam, but that was more in terms of testing motor strength and sensation and things like that.ā
āPresident Trump had something known as the Montreal cognitive assessment. Itās sort of a screening test for dementia. And, you know, that there was no mention of that sort of thing here. It is a constant point of discussion.
āI can tell you within the geriatrics community, I wrote this book last year about brain Health, and one of the things that kept coming up was, should sort of these types of screening tests, cognitive screening tests, be more commonly done? And thereās many in that community who believe starting at age 65, there should be some sort of screening thatās done. Dr. Ronald Peterson, who runs the Alzheimerās clinic at Mayo, has been somebody who talked about that. But as far as we know, for President Biden, we didnāt see any kind of tests like that performed.ā
I donāt think I can find the words to describe how astounding this is.
As Dr. Gupta said, it seems quite reasonable for older patients to be subject to routine dementia screening. So, at the very least, shouldnāt the 78-year-old President of the United States undergo such a test?
Even if Biden was the sharpest-witted man in the world, it seems like a serious oversight to inexplicably omit neurological testing.
To say nothing of the fact that President Bidenās cognitive abilities have been causing serious distress since long before he was elected.
During the campaign, he forgot where he was. While sequestered in his basement, he needed a teleprompter to give live TV interviews, and when he was out and about, he would shout nonsensical insults at skeptical voters ā that is, when he wasnāt simply angrily cussing at them.
Now that heās in office, we can draw on countless examples of Biden zoning out mid-speech, slurring over his words and lashing out at reporters ā that is, when his people let him talk to reporters at all. When that happens, heās usually worried heāll āget in troubleā if he does so for too long.
When you examine the warning signs of early-onset dementia from the Mayo clinic, Biden checks every box.
If mean tweets were a good enough reason for the American people to demand Donald Trump undergo transparent neurological testing, do we not have a rock-solid case as to why Biden should, too?
The fact that he hasnāt is almost more concerning than all the indications that Biden may be struggling with cognitive decline combined ⦠and thatās the really scary thing.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
