DEARBORN (WWJ) Michigan Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) has been discharged from a hospital in Washington D.C., seven days after undergoing emergency surgery for a perforated ulcer.
She was released from George Washington University Hospital Friday afternoon.
“This week in the hospital is an experience I hope to never have again. No one should ever underestimate the potential harms of NSAIDs, and I am urging everyone to take care and caution while using these drugs,” Congresswoman Dingell said in a statement. “This incident taught me, and now I hope others, that even everyday medicines can have serious consequences.”
She said her doctors warned her to “be particularly careful over the next few weeks.”
Per the advice of her doctors, she will be working virtually for the time being. She also said she’ll give up Diet Coke and eat more vegetables.
“But don’t worry. I won’t change too much, and I’ll still be the same Debbie.”
According to Very Well Health, a perforated ulcer is when an "untreated ulcer burns through the wall of the stomach, allowing digestive juices and food to seep into the abdominal cavity." In some cases, it can lead to sepsis, an often fatal condition when an infection spreads throughout the body via the blood stream.
“It’s difficult to express how grateful I am for the support of so many caring people in the last week, which quite frankly, has been one of the most challenging weeks I’ve ever experienced,” Rep. Dingell said.
She was elected to congress in 2015 to fill the seat of her now late husband, Rep. John Dingell. Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn) served for nearly 60 years, the longest serving member of Congress to date. He passed away in February of 2019 at 92.
In the meantime, she said this hospital stay brought some enduring lessons she hopes to apply to policy decisions going forward.
“This experience has reinforced the tackling several major issues in our health care system, including supporting nurses that are stretched to the limit, helping people afford the price of visiting the doctor, and ensuring our healthcare system can support every American.”
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