Novas offered explanations. She said hospice has seen an uptick in patients with dementia, conditions in which a patient can wax and wane for months or even years. Another factor one she said could explain Jimmy Carters endurance is sheer grit.
Novas said Jimmy Carter has proven those distinctions with his public announcements and, in November, his determination to attend Rosalynn Carters funeral, physically diminished, reclined in a wheelchair, his legs covered in a blanket.