Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky, is still not cleared to return to his Senate duties, his office confirmed on Monday, six weeks after he was hospitalized following a fall at his home. The 84-year-old former Senate majority leader has been absent and unseen in public since mid-June.
Update on McConnell's condition
An update released alongside a new photograph of McConnell stated he is undergoing "intense physical therapy" and working hard to resume his full schedule. "I'm still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors' orders," McConnell said in a statement.
He noted he would miss the annual Fancy Farm picnic in Kentucky on the first Saturday of August. "There's no place I'd rather be on the first Saturday in August than with the good people of western Kentucky, feasting on pork and mutton," McConnell said. "I hate that I'll miss the fun this year, but I'm sending my best wishes to the St Jerome community for a successful picnic."
Absence and health details
McConnell has been absent from the Senate and not seen in public since mid-June when his office said he was hospitalized but provided no details. After weeks of silence, on 12 July his office revealed he was admitted to the hospital on 14 June after a fall at his home that left him "briefly unconscious" and that he was recovering at a rehabilitation center. He also disclosed he had a mild case of pneumonia and explained the silence by saying "folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older."
Impact and future plans
McConnell has missed 38 Senate votes since his hospitalization. He announced last year he would not seek re-election and is set to retire at the end of his term in January. His office released a photo of McConnell with his wife, Elaine Chao, dated 26 July.
A statement from the Office of the Attending Physician (OAP) in Congress said: "OAP physicians visit with the Senator every day, discussing all aspects of his rehabilitation care. Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls." The OAP added, "His bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility. He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office."
