© 2024 WEMU
Serving Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, MI
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Congresswoman Dingell Says Medical Emergency Was A Wake-Up Call As She Heals From Emergency Surgery

Debbie Dingell
Lisa Barry
/
89.1 WEMU

Michigan 12th District Congresswoman Debbie Dingell says her recent emergency surgery and eight-day hospital stay was a wake-up call for her and her inside view as a patient of our medical system.

She talks with WEMU's Lisa Barry now that she is out of the hospital and on the road to recovery.

12th District Congresswoman Debbie Dingellhad surgery for a perforated ulcer doctors believe was caused by taking over-the-counter painkillers. The congresswoman had previous jaw surgery and was trying to avoid taking prescription pain medications by using Motrin.

She says, being in the hospital, she got a close-up view of the impact of the pandemic on those trying to provide good medical care.

She said, "The nurses and the doctors and the technicians, quite frankly, the housekeeping, the food preparers in the hospital are the heroes of the front line during COVID, and they want to help take care of people, but they are burned out,"

Congresswoman Dingell says as she continues to recover from her medical emergency, she plans to eat healthier and drink water instead of diet soft drinks. Dingell says Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmerhas been checking in on her and vows to get her to eat more vegetables! 

She adds she still has plenty of pep and fight in her, and she hopes to be back in the community in mid-June.

Non-commercial, fact based reporting is made possible by your financial support.  Make your donation to WEMU todayto keep your community NPR station thriving.

Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu

Lisa Barry was a reporter, and host of All Things Considered on 89.1 WEMU.
Related Content