(CNN) -- Former first lady Barbara Bush was moved out of the intensive care unit of a Houston, Texas, hospital into a regular room Thursday after surgery to repair and seal a perforated ulcer, a hospital spokeswoman said.



Ex-first lady Barbara Bush has been moved out of ICU and into a regular room.



Bush, 83, was in good spirits and was joking with hospital staffers, the Methodist Hospital spokeswoman said. She was being fed intravenously.



Her doctor said earlier she will be allowed no food by mouth for about a week, to avoid possibly stretching her abdominal area.



The former first lady showed up at Methodist's emergency room Tuesday night complaining of severe abdominal pain, Dr. Patrick Reardon, who performed the surgery, told reporters Wednesday.



Doctors determined Bush had a perforated ulcer in her duodenum, the first portion of the small intestine after the stomach, he said.



In the operating room, doctors thoroughly cleaned her abdominal cavity of any contaminants that had leaked through the hole, described by the hospital as being one centimeter in diameter.



Then, doctors repaired the ulcer and sewed a piece of the fat tissue in the abdomen, on top of it to seal it, Reardon said.



Bush's husband, former President George H.W. Bush, was with her Thursday morning, but was leaving to attend Thanksgiving dinner with his son Neil, the Methodist Hospital spokeswoman told CNN.



The ulcer was biopsied and is benign, Reardon said Wednesday. He suggested it might have been caused by anti-inflammatory medications.



CNN's Sean Callebs contributed to this report.
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question: How is she being fed?, answer: intravenously. | question: What medical procedure did Barbara Bush undergo?, answer: surgery to repair and seal a perforated ulcer, | question: How old is Barbara Bush?, answer: 83, | question: What was the result of the biopsy?, answer: benign, | question: What did Barbara Bush have surgery for?, answer: to repair and seal a perforated ulcer, | question: What precaution was taken to avoid stretching abdomen?, answer: she will be allowed no food by mouth for about a week, | question: How was the former first lady being fed?, answer: intravenously. | question: What did tests reveal about the ulcer?, answer: The ulcer was biopsied and is benign, | question: What was the biopsy result?, answer: benign, | question: Why did Bush have surgery?, answer: to repair and seal a perforated ulcer, | question: Who is Barbara Bush's husband?, answer: former President George H.W. | question: What was benign?, answer: The ulcer | question: Why did Barbara Bush have surgery?, answer: to repair and seal a perforated ulcer, | question: What is the state of the ulcer?, answer: perforated | question: What did Bush have a surgery to repair?, answer: a perforated ulcer, | question: Who was 83 and in good spirits?, answer: Barbara Bush | question: How old is Barbara Bush?, answer: 83, | question: What is Barbara Bush's age?, answer: 83, | question: What health problems did Barbara Bush have?, answer: a perforated ulcer, | question: Why was the first lady fed intravenously?, answer: to avoid possibly stretching her abdominal area. | question: What was biopsied and benign?, answer: The ulcer | question: Who had surgery to repair and seal a perforated ulcer?, answer: Barbara Bush