Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut left the hospital Friday, nearly a week after a stroke, but he will be absent from the Senate for several weeks of votes while he rehabilitates.
Murphy, 53, said doctors found a small bleed in the thalamus of his brain. Dr. Jose Suarez, who leads neurosciences critical care at Johns Hopkins, where the senator was treated, described it as a small hemorrhagic stroke and said he expects Murphy to recover fully after rehabilitation.
The thalamus, positioned just over the brainstem, serves as a relay station for sensory signals moving up from the spinal cord, the Cleveland Clinic says.
Murphy said he sensed something was wrong with his body last Saturday afternoon and dialed 911 as a precaution. His office disclosed on Sunday that his arm had gone numb during his son's hockey game, that a local hospital identified the stroke and that he was then moved to Johns Hopkins.
This has been a scary experience for me and my family, and I appreciate the continued respect for our privacy
Chris Murphy, Democratic senator from Connecticut
The senator plans to spend several weeks at a rehabilitation center so he can return to work as fast as possible. In the meantime, he said, he is in touch with aides and fellow senators remotely, and his staff is still handling legislation and constituent services.
Murphy has been mentioned as a potential 2028 presidential candidate.
