Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., ended weeks of silence on the condition of his heath Sunday, confirming that he is in a rehabilitation facility while recovering from a fall. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo
Ending weeks of silence following a hospitalization, Sen. Mitch McConnell on Sunday released a statement on his health in which he said he is recuperating from a fall.
McConnell, 84, the former longtime Republican Senate majority leader from Kentucky, said in the statement he was “briefly unconscious” after the fall on June 14 when he taken to a hospital but did not suffer a heart attack or a stroke, adding that he also does have “any tumors or hemorrhages.”
He has, however, been battling what he called a mild case of pneumonia after being transferred from a hospital to a rehabilitation center, where, he said, “I’ll keep regaining my strength.”
After announcing last month that McConnell had been hospitalized, his office has said little about his illness or condition other than that he was continuing to improve and that he was working closely with his staff.
The lack of specifics led to widespread speculation about his condition, especially after it was learned that audio of emergency services radio traffic indicated that paramedics had been called to his residence for a case of cardiac arrest and that a person there needed to be resuscitated.
On Wednesday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called on McConnell to give his constituents an update on his health.
The health update came hours after longtime fellow Republican senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina died suddenly.
Along with his statement, McConnell’s office also released quotes from his attending physician who said the senator “has experienced several falls throughout the year that have been attributed to his post-polio condition.”
The doctor confirmed McConnell was admitted to the hospital four weeks ago after falling at home and sustaining “minor injuries.”
“A comprehensive evaluation by a multidisciplinary team determined that he had no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage,” the statement read. “Early in his hospitalization, he developed pneumonia, which responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment.
“The remainder of his hospital stay focused on physical therapy and strategies to reduce his risk of future falls. He has been medically cleared to continue fully participating in his intensive physical therapy program.”
The former majority leader, who is set to retire at the end of his current term, said he is “not taking a break from the Senate business that matters to you” while working closely with legislative staff on current issues.
Mitch McConnell’s long history in U.S. Senate
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., leaves the Senate Subway on February 11, 1999. Photo by Ian Wagreich/UPI | License Photo
