On his last Walter Reed visit, president becomes a patient

WASHINGTON — Visiting injured troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, President Bush on Monday sought some medical treatment of his own.

The president has been feeling pain in his left shoulder and received an MRI scan upon his arrival in the early afternoon.

After looking at the results, doctors gave the president a shot of cortisone, an anti-inflammatory medication, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

As he left the medical center, Bush, the former part owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team, told reporters he could still hurl an “80-mile-an-hour” fastball.

“It’s related to the wear and tear of daily use and exercise, and it’s not uncommon for someone with an active lifestyle at age 62,” Johndroe said.

The occasional pain Bush feels has not impeded his daily activities, Johndroe said, but added that if the symptoms persist, the president may seek more treatment.

For much of his presidency, Bush has exercised hard. Four years ago he fell off a bicycle after riding for 16 miles. He suffered cuts to his face, right hand and knees. Clearing brush has been a staple of his vacations in Crawford, Texas. And he has been an avid jogger.

In 2002, he passed out briefly while eating a pretzel and watching a pro football game, bruising his left cheekbone.

Lesson? “Always chew your pretzels before you swallow,” the president said at the time.

Bush’s trip to Walter Reed was his 16th and most likely his last as president.

He met 13 patients who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, awarding seven Purple Hearts during his approximately two-hour visit.

“I oftentimes say being commander in chief of the military is the thing I’ll miss the most,” he said. “Coming here to Walter Reed is a reminder of why I’ll miss it.”

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