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For Scalise, Les Bons Fleur-de-Lis Flair

Hospital upgrades condition of Louisiana Republican

Reps. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, right, and Mike Conaway, R-Texas, leave a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the Capitol on June 21, 2017. Members wore fleur-de-lis stickers to honor House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., who was injured in last week’s shooting at the Republican baseball practice. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
Reps. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, right, and Mike Conaway, R-Texas, leave a meeting of the House Republican Conference in the Capitol on June 21, 2017. Members wore fleur-de-lis stickers to honor House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., who was injured in last week’s shooting at the Republican baseball practice. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Was it the fleurs-de-lis?

On a day when his GOP colleagues donned Louisiana fleur-de-lis flair, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise’s condition improved to fair and he is beginning an extended rehabilitation process, MedStar Washington Hospital Center said in a statement Wednesday.

The statement comes exactly one week after Scalise was shot in the hip  during Republicans’ congressional baseball practice in Alexandria. When Scalise arrived at the hospital last week he was in critical condition; the bullet fragments led to hemorrhaging, organ damage and broken bones.

On Saturday the hospital moved Scalise from critical to serious condition and on Wednesday they further upgraded his condition to fair.

“Congressman Steve Scalise continues to make good progress,” the hospital said in its statement. “He is now listed in fair condition and is beginning an extended period of healing and rehabilitation.”

House Republicans during their weekly conference meeting Wednesday were given laminated cardboard cutouts depicting the fleur-de-lis, depicting Scalise’s Louisiana roots. Most members leaving the conference meeting worse the French lilly symbol on their lapels.

Many members have been visiting Scalise in the hospital.

Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Tuesday that he saw Scalise on Friday and he was doing a lot better. “He’s responding, breathing on his own,” the Wisconsin Republican said.

The hospital’s Saturday statement said Scalise was more responsive and speaking with his loved ones.

House Minority Whip Steny H. Hoyer visited Scalise on Tuesday.

“We had good conversation,” the Maryland Democrat said. “He was interested in what was going on. And we discussed, briefly, how our office would try to help in anything we could do, that we could help his office.”

Even Bono wished Scalise well at Tuesday evening’s U2 concert at FedEx Field in Maryland. “We are so glad that Congressman Scalise and his comrades made it through. So grateful.”

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