Barbara Bush leaves hospital

HOUSTON, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Barbara Bush, wife of former President George H.W. Bush, left a Houston hospital Tuesday to finish recovering from a perforated ulcer at home.

The former president apologized to reporters at a news conference for his wife's absence, the Houston Chronicle reported.

"Barb's feeling much, much better," Bush said. "I'll be glad to get her home."

Mrs. Bush was taken to Methodist Hospital last Tuesday in what her husband described as "extraordinary agony." Once doctors diagnosed the cause of her pain as a perforated ulcer she underwent a three-hour operation.

Dr. Pat Reardon, who performed the surgery, said Mrs. Bush is already able to get around on her own. She was fed intravenously until doctors switched her to a liquid diet Monday.

Bush said his son, Neal, with his wife and children joined him to celebrate Thanksgiving in his wife's hospital room. He said the entire family plans to spend Christmas at the presidential retreat, Camp David, as another son's time in the White House comes to an end.