Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) is recovering after undergoing surgery on Friday to remove a blood clot from above his left eye. The procedure was described as a "minimally invasive craniotomy with an eyebrow incision." The clot was discovered during a routine physical.
In a statement from his office, McCain said that he would remain in Arizona throughout the week to recover, on the advice of his doctors.
“Senator McCain received excellent treatment at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, and appreciates the tremendous professionalism and care by its doctors and staff. He is in good spirits and recovering comfortably at home with his family. On the advice of his doctors, Senator McCain will be recovering in Arizona next week.”
This means that the vote on the healthcare bill could be even further delayed, as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said that the Senate will not vote on the bill until McCain is back. While McCain's statement said that he'd be back within a week, doctors interviewed by the New York Times expressed skepticism at that timeline, saying that a craniotomy typically takes weeks of recovery time.
“Usually, a blood clot in this area would be a very concerning issue,” said Dr. Nrupen Baxi, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.
He added, “The recovery time from a craniotomy is usually a few weeks.”
A statement from the Mayo Clinic Hospital said that the senator was recovering well and in good spirits at home, and that tissue pathology reports would come back in several days.
On Instagram, Sen. McCain's daughter Meghan said in a post that her father is the "Toughest man in the entire world, and a freak of nature in how he heals x-men style quickly."
Please keep Sen. McCain and his family in your prayers for a speedy recovery.
