World-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, 88, is resting in the hospital in fair condition after being admitted this past Saturday for intestinal bleeding. He was stable after undergoing an upper endoscopy and a bleeding scan at the Mission Health & Hospitals in Asheville, N.C., near his home. On Monday he experienced a second episode of intestinal bleeding in which he remained conscious and quickly stabilized. Graham’s doctors said that the intestinal bleeding could be attributed to diverticuli, small pouches that can form in the lower intestine. When irritated they can suddenly begin bleeding. The physicians said the illness was not life-threatening, and Graham’s staff noted that the elderly evangelist was alert and visiting with family members in the hospital. There is currently no date set for his release, as he will remain in the hospital for ongoing care. Graham experienced intestinal bleeding during a 1995 crusade in Toronto, according to The Associated Press, and because he now suffers with Parkinson’s disease and age-related macular degeneration, Graham has been mostly confined to his North Carolina home in the mountains.
