Read in the WaPo that he had brain surgery overnight and is now in critical condition.  Doctors have done what they can.  It's in God's hands now.

where they at least said the surgury was considered successful. That's something to hold on to. I know a lot of people are praying for him, including me.

Everybody is listed as "Critical Condition" after serious brain surgery.  The fact that the surgery was successful in halting any bleeding is great news.

He was in a coma for a while, came out, and is perfect today, albeit a scar we tell people came from a fight with guys on Harleys.  (sounds much cooler)

Rest up, Senator!  Glad to hear you are doing well.

little things people are born with and which they usually don't know about until something happens like it did with the Senator.  Almost exactly one year ago my 15 year old was hospitalized with what was initially diagnosed as an arteriovenous malformation and was later determined to be a subarachnoid hematoma from an injury to his brain of unspecified origin. The doctors discussed AVMs at length with me.  Sometimes AVMs bleed, which is how the lucky recipients of said bleeds find out they have them. 
This can be very scary stuff, but the recovery rates are  fairly good. 

The thing about a brain bleed is it can cause severe irritation to the meninges of the brain and in my son's case there was even a vasospasm of an arterial branch leading into his brain.  The irritation from the blood can lead to a condition known as chemical meningitis, which apes the symptoms of viral or bacterial meningitis.  The only real cure is to wait for the irritation to subside.  My son was also given a powerful steroid to counter the vasospasm.  It works very quickly, which is a good thing, because the meningitis and vasospasm can cause horrible pain. 

I found this article online which gives a very comprehensive explanation of AVMs.  It's a good thing to know about because plenty of people are walking around with this condition and totally unaware.  They're like little time bombs in the brain.

http://www.answers.c...

I would not wish what my son went through on my worst enemy, so my best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery to Senator Johnson, and my encouragement to his family, as this too, will pass.

I'm sorry for what happened to you son, it sounds quite painful.  But the information you provided sounds very reassuring that Senator Johnson will recover.

Thadd went hrough a period where he thought he was hanging out with Thomas Jefferson, helping with the Constitution.  It definitely affected his brain for a little while afterwards.

Sorry to hear you dealt with this in your family too.  It's never easy to watch a loved one suffer.

Maybe on some deep level Thadd was undergoing an apprenticeship.  What a great place to have spent his time healing.

My son had trouble reading for long periods afterwards due to headaches.  It was also pretty traumatic and we had to deal with the aftereffects of that.  But he feels pretty lucky to have recovered and I think it's given him a perspective he would otherwise have lacked. 

Thanks for your kind thoughts.

Would it be possible for the senator to appoint his wife?  Is there a wife?  I thought it might take a while for him.  So glad your boy made it and is that much richer for it.

but you know, the timing on this isn't half bad.  Much of his recovery will be taking place over the holiday break.  My son's injury happened on December 7th (talk about your dates living in infamy), he was finally discharged on December 21, and was able to return to school full time by January 3rd.  He was a little slow out of the starting blocks and had problems with headaches, but by mid-February he was off the painkillers and even made it to a school dance in late February.  By late March he passed a CT scan with flying colors.  I'm hoping that Senator Johnson will have the same kind of steady improvement.

Adm. John Eisold, the attending physician of the Capitol, said in a statement issued by Mr. Johnson’s office this morning that the operation had been successful and that the senator was "recovering without complication."

More good news.  Get well soon, Senator.

In addition to having a son in the U. S. Army who has served recently in Afghanistan and Iraq, Tim Johnson is a most accomplished leader, statesman, father and husband about whom you can become better acquainted at this link:  http://johnson.senat...

Godspeed, Senator Tim Johnson.

Thanks for your service.

Steve

I'm just so glad that you both shared these experiences. They help ground what's going on in reality.

I thought I was over seeing my son like that, but have been getting misty over the news reports and felt compelled to hug him tight on his way to school today.  He thinks I'm sappy, but the thing is he's himself, the boy I always knew.  Today I heard a woman call C-Span and chew out the media for treating Senator Johnson like some political commodity instead of a man who's fighting to return to who he was before the injury.  Good for her.