Preparations Underway for Johnson's Return to the Senate

Senator Tim Johnson, who suffered the rupture of an Arterio-Venous Malformation (AVM) in December of last year has been recovering steadily, and preparations are being made for his return to the Senate. Those preparations include widening aisles and doorways, a freeing up area around his desk, and in general making his office and personal washroom wheelchair accessible. (Senator Johnson is pictured on the left, reading a newspaper in the rehab facility where he has been recovering since February.)

Motor ability on the Senator's right side was compromised by the event and he is expected to use an electric scooter to facilitate his mobility. A "natural rightie," the Senator is also learning to write with his left hand.

Johnson fell ill on December 13th while conducting a telephone interview, and a capital physician referred him immediately to the ED at the George Washington University hospital, where he underwent emergency neurosurgery later that day.

Johnson spokeswoman Julianne Fisher said Wednesday that the senator would be in the rehabilitation facility "for a while longer" and would undergo outpatient therapy before returning to the Senate. She would not speculate on how long that will take.

Thank a god I am certain doesn't exist for a little good news. My head won't explode today...(but there is always tomorrow...)

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Senator Johnson Update

Senator Tim Johnson, Democrat of South Dakota, has been discharged from the hospital and moved to a private rehabilitation facility. The location of the facility was not disclosed, that the Senator may focus on his recovery.

He is spending a lot of time in Speech, Physical and Occupational Therapy sessions, with a key focus of his treatment being strengthening his right side, which was compromised by the time he reached the hospital emergency department on December 13 of last year.

The Senator underwent emergency surgery to repair an Arterio-Venous Malformation (AVM) that had ruptured. An AVM is a congenital circulatory defect, and most people who have one never know it. Most are discovered when another condition is being treated. An AVM is basically a tangle of oversized arteries and veins. Most don't rupture and cause no difficulty, but some do. Senator Johnson's was a pretty severe case.

In 1988, Senator Joe Biden suffered an aneurysm (different etiology, but very similar in consequence) and was absent from the Senate for six months. He recovered and returned and no one even thinks about it today. We have gotten a lot better at treating these things in the last 20 years, so I optimistically look for the Senator to return to the Senate at least part-time and to cast key votes by mid-April.

Now, the Senator just needs time and therapy, and he is getting both at the rehab facility he has selected.

An aide to the Senator was quoted as saying the Senator was working hard at the physical aspect of his recovery with the intent to run for and retain his seat in 2008. Some time back he began resuming some of his senatorial duties from his hospital bed.

I wish him a speedy and thorough recovery and look forward to his triumphant return to the Upper Chamber.

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Senator Johnson on the Mend

Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) is resuming his role as “Senator” from his hospital bed in the rehabilitation unit where he is undergoing physical and occupational therapy to recover from brain surgery to correct an Arterio-Venous Malformation (AVM) that had ruptured befell him two months ago. “At this point, he has requested more contact with office and is looking for updates from staff.” his office said in a press release on Friday.

The Senator is reading news reports and studying up on issues that the senate is expected to take up, and might be able to return to the Senate and resume casting votes in just a few weeks, said his spokeswoman, Julianne Fisher.

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Senator Johnson Moves to Rehab Facility

Senator Tim Johnson, the South Dakota Democrat who suffered a brain hemorrhage in mid-December has been moved from the Intensive Care unit to a rehab facility, and his condition has been upgraded from critical to fair.

An MRI performed on Wednesday showed the speech center of his brain to be unaffected, he is responsive verbally (although his voice is a whisper because the tracheotomy tube is still in he throat), and able to answer questions.

"It is clear that he understands that people are introducing themselves, he is looking at name badges to try and associate it with the person, he is saying words and responding to commands. It's clear the electricity is on and the system is humming." said one of his physicians.

[SNIP]

"The fact that Tim is beginning to use words is remarkable as is his strength and determination," said his wife, Barb Johnson, in the statement. "He even maintains his sense of humor when I share e-mails about his grandsons' adventures."

When he arrived at the hospital he was experiencing weakness on his right side, and much of his therapy will be geared toward remediating the physical after-effects. Senator Johnson has several months of rehab ahead of him, and the road will be long, but he is doing well and has survived the ordeal with apparently minimal impact on his mental and intellectual faculties.

We wish Senator Johnson much good luck with his continuing recovery and look forward to his return to the senate.

(cross posted from Blue Girl, Red State)

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