Former President George H.W. Bush discharged from Houston hospital

Former President George H.W. Bush was discharged from Houston Methodist Hospital on Monday after recovering from bacterial pneumonia and respiratory problems, spokesman Jim McGrath said in a statement.

"He is thankful for many prayers and kind messages he received during his stay, as well as the world-class care that both his doctors and nurses provided," McGrath said Monday on Twitter. 

Bush, 92, was admitted to the hospital Jan. 14 for shortness of breath. By the following Wednesday, he was stable but remained in ICU for observation. The former president suffered a lingering cough, but his lungs continued to clear up, according to McGrath.

The former president took his last round of antibiotics in preparation for discharge on Thursday. 

Former First Lady Barbara Bush was also being treated at the same hospital as a precaution after experiencing coughing and fatigue. She was discharged on Jan. 23 after recovering from viral bronchitis. Doctors previously said she was "back to her normal self" and remained by her husband's side during his recovery. 

The Bushes' ages and medical conditions prevented them from attending the inauguration of President Donald Trump. However, Bush wrote a letter to Trump to let him know that "I wish you the very best as you begin this incredible journey of leading our great country."

Bush, who uses a wheelchair, suffers from a form of Parkinson's disease that leaves him unable to walk. In July 2015, he was hospitalized in Maine after falling and breaking a bone in his neck. In 2014, he was hospitalized for shortness of breath. He also contracted bronchitis in November 2012, which kept him in the hospital for several months. 

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