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Sen. Kirk upgraded to ‘good’ condition, watched Super Bowl
Sen. Mark Kirk. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
Updated: October 24, 2012 10:09PM
Sen. Mark Kirk’s condition has been upgraded from “fair” to “good.”
Doctors hope to be able to re-attach the 8-inch-by-4-inch section of his skull that had to be removed after he suffered a stroke two weeks ago.
Then the Highland Park Republican can begin physical therapy.
“Sen. Kirk is making good progress in his recovery,” said Richard Fessler, his neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “He is visiting with family and even watched the Super Bowl last night. He has been upgraded to good condition, and we anticipate he will be able to start the rehabilitation phase soon.”
Fessler has said he believes Kirk can make a full mental recovery from the stroke, though he may not regain full use of his left arm and leg and may have some facial paralysis.
Kirk saw President Barack Obama act on one of his signature initiatives Sunday night, freezing all assets of Iran’s Central Bank.
Legislation pushed by Kirk that took effect this year requires the president to seize assets of financial institutions judged to be aiding Iran’s nuclear program.
The legislation not only requires financial institutions here to seize Iranian assets, but also allows the president to sanction financial institutions in other countries that do business with the Iranian government.
Kirk campaigned on a platform of using economic sanctions to force a halt to Iran’s goal of nuclear weapons.
The Obama administration opposed Kirk’s bill, but Kirk led the Senate last year in adding the legislation to the Defense Reauthorization Act over the administration’s objections.
The administration agreed to the bill when language was added allowing Obama to exempt some foreign financial institutions.
