Diary Entry - 07/12/1985
Key Facts
President Reagan undergoes surgery at Bethesda Naval Hospital to remove pre-cancerous polyps from his colon.
President Reagan attends a birthday celebration for Assistant for National Security Affairs Robert McFarlane.
Oops!!—I forgot that yesterday Sens. Thurmond, Laxalt & Hatch came in to see me about a most important bit of legislation: Strom has authored an amendment to the Const. requiring a balanced budget for the Fed. govt. We discussed how to frame it to have the best chance to get it past liberal Democrats. I’m very hopeful that in todays climate maybe we can get it. Now back to events of today. Economic news is good on inflation—no increase and retail sales for 2nd Q. stayed at what would be an 111⁄2% increase annually whereas it was only at 6 1⁄2% rate in the 1st Q.
A little birthday cake session in Bud McFarlane’s office for him.
Sen. Grassley Repub. Iowa—continues to make his campaign for re-election 86’ an attack on me—mainly on defense issue. He shamelessly plays on the farmers unhappiness over their ec. plight which he has directed toward blaming me. Lebanon Govt. has named 3 hi-jackers of TWA 847 and claims going to take action.
I’ve had 80 ounces of Golightly fluid since 9 A.M.—it’s now noon and I am drained.
Fri. afternoon and on to Bethesda Naval Hospital. We were supposed to go on to Camp D. Sat. morning but plans changed. They had removed the small polyp from my colon & examined the entire colon. Far up in the colon they found a large flat polyp—the kind that with time can become cancerous. So we held a strategy meeting. Did I go home & then have to go through the whole preparatory business again or do I go back in & get it over with. That of course was the decision we made.
I left the world—Sodium Pentothal, and awoke hours later somewhat confused. I had an incision that ran up past my naval to my chest. I was laced with tubes & very much a patient in for a stay.
