Jerry Tarkanian remains in intensive care with no set timetable for his release

By Taylor Bern

Friday, March 23, 2012 | 10:30 a.m.

Legendary UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian is slowly getting better, according to his wife, Lois, but he remains in intensive care at MountainView Hospital with no set timetable for his release.

Tarkanian, 81, was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday night after suffering a mild heart attack. The problem now is focused on his lungs as one has partially collapsed, Lois said.

Tarkanian came down with bronchitis last week and was wheezing when his daughter, Jodie Diamant, took him to a dermatologist’s appointment on Tuesday. They went from there to the ER at MountainView to get a breathing treatment, during which doctors performed an EKG and discovered the heart attack.

While scary, the heart attack wasn’t a major concern and the original expectation was that Tarkanian may be released the following day. However, he was still having trouble breathing and has remained under observation in intensive care ever since.

He has been receiving oxygen and was being tested for pneumonia and other conditions.

Despite all the concerns, Tarkanian is still responsive and in good spirits. Lois said the outpouring of support from the city has been remarkable, and on Thursday Tark took a call from Kentucky coach John Calipari. They both wished each other luck with their current battles, and Calipari told Tark if he’s released from the hospital and the Wildcats make it that far, he’ll have a couple of Final Four tickets waiting for him.

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.