Senator Ben Ray Luhan (DN.M.) has spoken publicly for the first time since undergoing surgery after suffering a stroke last month, releasing a video Sunday reassuring voters that he is on the verge of recovery.
The video shows the senator sitting between two neurologists from the University of New Mexico Hospital, Dr. Michelle Torby and Diana Green Chandos. Luhan said he was grateful to the providers at UNM Hospital and Christus St. Vincent for his treatment, as well as for “pouring out the support that my family and I received from all over New Mexico and all of America.”
“I am doing well, I am strong, I am back on the road to recovery. And I will recover completely, I will get out of here, I will overcome this and I will be stronger after I get out, “he said, adding that he would be sent to an inpatient rehabilitation facility after being discharged from UNM Hospital.
“It will take a few more weeks,” he continued. “I am proud to announce … I will return to the floor in the United States Senate in just a few short weeks to vote on important legislation and consider a nomination for the Supreme Court. Now rest assured that the new Mexicans may know they have a voice and a right to vote during this process. That has never changed. “
The 49-year-old is registered with Christus St. Vincent in Santa Fe on January 27 after he began to feel dizzy and tired. The senator was then transferred to the UNM Stroke Center in Albuquerque, where he was treated in the critical care unit for stroke in his cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance.
“I want to emphasize how important it was for the senator to act quickly and be able to receive health care, medical care immediately and be brought to a comprehensive stroke center,” Torby said in the video. “As the first comprehensive stroke center in the country, it is extremely important for us to work and educate the community about the signs of stroke. Identifying these signs and acting quickly on them can save your life and the life of a loved one. “
According to Green Chandos, further tests show that a rupture of Luhan’s vertebral artery caused the stroke. The senator began taking blood thinners before doctors decided he needed to undergo decompression surgery to relieve the pressure in his brain. The operation was successful and the swelling in the brain was controlled, the doctor said.
Luhan “did very well after his operation and continues to make significant progress. “Our team of doctors, nurses and therapists in the critical care unit in neurology worked with him every day to prepare him for rehabilitation,” said Green Chandos. “At every stage of his treatment. Sen. Luhan was actively involved in all decisions. He always appreciated our work and our cutting-edge program. “
