Getty Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) speaks at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol February 24, 2016 in Washington, DC.
A little over three months after a tumor was discovered in his brain, Sen. John McCain said he’s suffered a serious injury. The Arizonian senator announced that he had a “minor tear” in his right Achilles’ tendon and has to wear a walking boot until the injury heals.
“Senator McCain was treated at Walter Reed Medical Center over the weekend for a minor tear in his right Achilles tendon, as well as for other normal and non-life-threatening side effects of cancer therapy,” a statement released by his office said. “Senator McCain has returned to work in the Senate and will be wearing a walking boot until his injured tendon is fully healed.”
McCain tweeted a photo of him standing with a cane and the walking boot on Capitol Hill, saying he already isn’t a fan of the device, but is in good spirits.
I can’t tell you how much I hate wearing this boot! t.co/W6zClDRpFb
The office of the 81-year-old veteran senator didn’t say what the other side effects were, but he’s been undergoing treatment for his glioblastoma diagnosis since it was announced in mid-July. It was found while he underwent a medical procedure to remove a blood clot from his left eye.
Per his office, John McCain had a cancerous tumor in his brain removed last week
McCain is the current chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and made a miraculous return to Senate to vote no on a Republican-led effort to repeal and replace President Barack Obama‘s Affordable Care Act weeks after he started undergoing treatment.
Standing directly in front of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, McCain walked up to the front of the chamber and issued a firm thumbs down. He stared at McConnell after doing so, turned the corner and walked down the aisle back to his desk. Two days prior, McCain made a dramatic return to Senate following brain surgery to remove the cancerous tumor. He was greeted with a standing ovation by his colleagues who were grateful of his return.
“As I stand here today — looking a little worse for wear I’m sure — I have a refreshed appreciation for the protocols and customs of this body, and for the other ninety-nine privileged souls who have been elected to this Senate,” McCain said during his speech in front of colleague on his return.
Rumors of McCain’s deteriorating health have been reported for years. In 2000, McCain underwent surgery to remove a melanoma from his face, and subsequent tests revealed that the cancer had not spread. During his 2008 presidential bid, controversy about his recovery was reported on blogs and in the mainstream media. A poll conducted by CNN in 2008 found that 47 percent of those surveyed said they were concerned that he wouldn’t be able to finish a single term as president in good health.
Three years before his bid, McCain responded to chatter about how he was feeling and said that his health was “excellent.”
In June, when former F.B.I. Director James Comey testified in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee, McCain seemed very confused when asking him a question. His sentences didn’t make too much sense, and many social media users wondered about his health. You can watch a video of that here.
