Mark Sterkel|Odessa American

State Rep. Buddy West, center, leaves the stage Feb. 26 with Jesse Gore, left, and Randy Rives following the District 81 Candidate Forum at Odessa College. West is facing Tryon Lewis, not pictured, in an April 8 election runoff.

Poll

Buddy's health

Doctor: West's healthy enough to run, hold office

March 16, 2008 6:17 AM

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BY DAVID J. LEE

When Buddy West stood on the State House floor in the last legislative session nearly a year ago, he didn't know if he'd be back.

He told his peers it might be his last time to address them because kidney failure might prevent him from running again.

Since then, he's started dialysis and says it's made him stronger. "Oh yes, it has very much," he said.

Last week, West declined to make his medical records public, but he did offer up his doctor to vouch for his health.

"Let me just say Buddy has chronic renal failure," said Gary Newsom, an Odessa nephrologist and West's doctor. "He's on dialysis. That does not prevent him from doing anything that I can ascertain that involves the responsibilities of his office."

In fact, Newsom said West has dialysis essentially every other day in four-hour sessions at a clinic in Midland.

But even that's just an inconvenience, the doctor said.

"That's in the evening, so it doesn't typically interfere with anything he's doing or had to do with his schedule that I can tell," he said. "If there are conflicts, then he can arrange to have dialysis periodically done at other times."

Indeed, Newsom put it more bluntly.

"I want to make it clear that if Buddy's health is a question in anybody's mind about whether or not he is able to hold office, that should not be a contesting point," he said. "From my evaluation and standpoint, he's able to hold office and do the things he's been doing for several years."

Permian Basin Dialysis Center clinic manager Robbie Smart, who's not connected to West, confirmed that could be the case.

The dialysis center in Odessa sees about 175 patients, who undergo hemodialysis for four hours, three times a week.

He said dialysis isn't necessarily a life-altering process.

"We've got people who work a regular job," he said.

Smart said that like many medical conditions, some dialysis patients have difficulty accepting their condition - to start with.

"Usually at first there is some depression until they get used to the process and accept they're on dialysis and adjust to it and more or less live a normal life," he said.

Dr. Larry Oliver, the center's medical director, said recently that some patients go to work, and "a couple of guys I play golf with always beat me."

HIS VIEW

West is the one who brought up his health.

The eight-term state representative gave an impassioned speech at the end of the last legislative session where he announced eminent retirement and received a standing ovation from fellow representatives.

"Y'all may forgive me if I get a little choked up, up here," he said at the time. "This could very well be the last time I stand at this mic."

But he ended the 5-minute, 56-second speech, desiring a statehouse return.

"I hope everything works out where I can run again and be back here," he said.

A couple of months later, in August, West announced he would indeed seek a ninth term in the state legislature.

At a recent debate at Odessa College, West's health came up again. He vigorously defended his ability to run.

In fact, during that debate, West said his doctor would give him a note saying he was able to run.

Newsom confirmed that.

West said this week that Newsom is his only doctor, and he sees the physician or one of his staff whenever he has dialysis done.

Erin C. Tresner, West's chief of staff, said Thursday that Newsom will be setting up West's dialysis in Austin.

And none of that will affect his job, West said.

"I am in office - I can just continue," West said.

In fact, West said he has no contingency plan for leaving office before 2010.