I don't have a photograph of King Harald, so this one of his father King Olav V (1903-1991) will have to do.
Posted on 03/17/2005 4:03:48 PM PST by franksolich
King Harald faces new operation
Norway's King Harald will undergo heart surgery right after next week's Easter holiday, to correct a defective valve. Crown Prince Haakon will take over his father's duties as regent while the monarch is on sick leave.
The 68-year-old King Harald is expected to be off work for at least two months, but palace officials hoped he would be able to resume his duties as quickly as possible. The royal family is in the midst of a busy program of public appearances tied to Norway's centennial celebrations.
King Harald underwent surgery for bladder cancer in December 2003 and was off work for several months. His current ailment, known as aortic stenosis, is not directly tied to the cancer episode.
Aortic stenosis is the narrowing or obstruction of the heart's aortic valve, which prevents it from opening properly and blocks the flow of blood from the left ventricle to the aorta. Aortic stenosis occurs in approximately 5 out of every 10,000 people, and occurs 3 times more commonly in men than women.
Symptoms often do not appear until middle age or older.
Doctors said the monarch's heart trouble has progressed slowly for many years.
The valve problem was present during his cancer ordeal and has steadily worsened, even though palace officials said the king hasn't felt ill. His last routine physical exam indicated that the monarch's condition was "considerably reduced" and that surgery was necessary.
He's expected to be in the hospital for two weeks.
The announcement of the king's pending surgey came after palace officials called in reporters to a hastily arranged press conference Thursday afternoon, without saying what the theme would be.
The press conference was supposed to begin at 4pm but ended up being delayed.
King Harald isn't the only member of the royal family expected to be in the hospital next month. Princess Martha Louise is expecting her second child in mid-April and likely will deliver her baby at the same hospital where the king will be admitted, the National Hospital (Rikshospitalet) in Oslo.
I don't mean to make Norway dominate the front page, but again, this is "breaking news."
How is a King supposed to get any rest???
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1364945/posts
His father looks like an actor whose name I am not recalling. Kurt something perhaps? I hope the King will be fine, btw.
I wish him well.
One supposes it's the antics of his daughter-in-law's father, the wizend old geezer who married the big upper-shelved exotic dancer half his age last week, that brought on these heart problems.
Now...
2 words...teeth whitening.
I hope the surgery goes well.
I don't know if this was covered while I was out of town or not (if so, I apologize). He and Sonja visited a school in DC last week. There was a little write-up in the Post. I didn't realize he had lived in the White House for a few months and gone to school in Bestheda.
The 68-year-old King Harald is expected to be off work for at least two months
Uhm... What does the king do?
Kurt Jurgens.
YES. Thanks, I couldn't get it out of my head.
Hello.
What's your view on the growing the Alliance between Germany and Russia.?
It does not surprise me, the bonds between Germany and Russia; history moves inexorably in one direction always, with only superficial interruptions or detours.
If I were Poland, I would ask to be admitted as the 51st state (or as one of the states in Australia, or something), because that would be my only chance for survival against the two barbaric dinosauric behemoths.
It is the fate of smaller states to be "dominated" by larger states--but as the Lithuanians have pointed out, better to be "dominated" by someone faraway, than by someone right next door.
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