CA State Senator Recovering After Brain Surgery

[Kadie]

Dec 14, 2006 1:49 pm US/Pacific

CA State Senator Recovering After Brain Surgery

snip...
Democrat Alex Padilla, 33, had surgery Saturday at Kaiser-Permanente Hospital in Anaheim to correct an abnormal connection between an artery and a vein in the membrane covering his brain. He was released Monday and said he was busy catching up on his Christmas shopping.

"I'm back on my feet. I'm feeling good. I'm not 100 percent, but I'm getting there," Padilla said by telephone Thursday as he headed to a lunch with state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica.

His condition, known as dural arteriovenous fistula, was diagnosed Dec. 5, the day after Padilla was sworn in to represent the 20th District, which includes much of the San Fernando Valley.

Padilla said he came down with flu-like symptoms that included nausea and a headache Nov. 24, the day after Thanksgiving. When the symptoms persisted and Padilla began experiencing sensitivity to light, doctors ran a battery of tests and discovered the problem.

snip...
Padilla said his condition is similar to the one that afflicted Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota this week. Johnson, 59, was in critical condition Thursday after emergency surgery.

more...
http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_348165027.html