Former President George H.W. Bush has left a Houston hospital where he spent nearly two months recovering from an illness that began with a bronchitis-related cough.

Bush spokesman Jim McGrath says the 88-year-old Bush was released Monday from Methodist Hospital.

He was admitted Nov. 23, the day after Thanksgiving, for treatment of complications resulting from bronchitis. He'd spent about a week at the hospital earlier that month for the same ailment.

Doctors said the most recent extended treatment was intended to avoid yet another hospital stay.

Antibiotics and steroids were prescribed to treat the cough. Doctors consistently said the illness wasn't life-threatening but that they wanted to prevent it from worsening to pneumonia.

Bush also spent a week in intensive care in order to knock down a fever.

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Statement from Methodist Hospital in Houston:

Former President George H.W. Bush was discharged today from The Methodist Hospital in Houston after being treated for bronchitis, a bacterial infection and a lingering cough.

“Mr. Bush has improved to the point that he will not need any special medication when he goes home, but he will continue physical therapy,” says Dr. Amy Mynderse, the internal medicine physician in charge of the former President’s care.

“I am deeply grateful for the wonderful doctors and nurses at Methodist who took such good care of me,” says President Bush. “Let me add how touched we were by the many get-well messages we received from our friends and fellow Americans. Your prayers and good wishes helped me more than you know, and as I head home my only concern is that I will not be able to thank each of you for your kind words.”