Former President Bill Clinton is undergoing medical treatment ahead of Christmas, and numerous close acquaintances have provided updates on his health.

A spokesperson for Bill Clinton told CNN that the president was admitted to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, on Monday afternoon, December 23, following the onset of a fever. Despite being under monitoring and testing, he is “awake and alert,” an assistant said.

Clinton’s deputy chief of staff Angel Urena stated, “The president is fine,” and that Clinton hopes to be back home by Christmas. “He remains in good spirits and deeply appreciates the excellent care he is receiving.”

Days before Christmas, Clinton was admitted to the hospital, and word quickly got out among his extensive network of supporters. His condition, a longtime associate stressed, was “not urgent or dire by any means.”

Clinton’s condition necessitated a medical evaluation while he was at his home in Washington. For additional monitoring, he is anticipated to remain in the hospital for at least one night.

The 42nd president has a history of serious health issues that led to this hospitalization. At Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, Clinton had quadruple coronary bypass surgery in 2004 after medical professionals found potentially fatal artery blockages.

The four-hour procedure, led by Dr. Craig R. Smith, rerouted blood flow around four arteries that were over 90% blocked. “There was a substantial likelihood that he would have had a substantial heart attack in the near future,” said Dr. Allan Schwartz, the hospital’s chief of cardiology, at a press conference after the surgery.

Clinton’s heart had to be stopped during the procedure so that a heart-lung machine could take over for 73 minutes. According to Schwartz, Clinton dismissed his symptoms, which included mild chest constrictions and shortness of breath, as “not significant” and blamed them on acid reflux and a lack of exercise.

Clinton’s family expressed relief following the surgery. “Chelsea and I thank God and the incredible medical team and staff here at New York-Presbyterian Hospital for taking such good care of my husband,” said Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at the time.

Clinton’s health issues were made worse when he was treated for a partially collapsed lung the following year, in 2005. When a vein from Clinton’s bypass surgery failed in 2010, he needed emergency surgery to implant two stents. He changed to a vegan diet and adopted a better lifestyle as a result of this scare.

In a 2013 AARP The Magazine interview, Clinton explained, “I just decided that I was the high-risk person, and I didn’t want to fool with this anymore. And I wanted to live to be a grandfather.”

He acknowledged challenges in the transition: “The main thing that was hard for me actually—much harder than giving up meat, turkey, chicken and fish—was giving up yogurt and hard cheese. I love that stuff, but it really made a big difference when I did it.”

Clinton credited his lifestyle change with helping him lose over 30 pounds and improving his energy levels. “I wanted to do it because this health and wellness work I’ve been doing is increasingly important to me,” he added, highlighting his commitment to promoting healthier habits through the Clinton Foundation.

Clinton’s vegan diet helped him stay healthy for years, but in 2021, a urinary infection that spread to his bloodstream sent him to the hospital for six days in Los Angeles.

Clinton has continued to be involved in public life in spite of his health issues. He ran a fierce campaign and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last autumn. The most recent book he has been pushing is “Citizen: My Life After the White House.”

The former president’s team’s assurances to the public during his observation have sparked hopes for a speedy recovery.