Rep. Hultgren: Kirk’s recovery going well

Rep. Hultgren: Kirk’s recovery going well

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Illinois U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk is still recovering after suffering a stroke in January, but information about how he’s doing is hard to come by.

Reporters gathered in Sen. Kirk’s downtown Chicago office Wednesday for a news conference on the state’s debt crisis. But it wasn’t Kirk, or even a member of his staff, who was there - it was Rep. Randy Hultgren.

Hultgren said he hasn’t spoken to Kirk directly, but he has heard positive things about his recovery.

“Everything I hear is very good, it’s going to be a long process, but I know he’s a fighter,” he said. “We need him back as quickly as possible but we also need him to do everything he needs to do to be back to full health.

When asked if there was anyone on Kirk’s staff that has actually spoken to or seen the Senator, Hultgren replied:

“Okay. We’ll put that request in, any other questions while we’re waiting? I don’t have anybody in the room to be able to respond to that.”

Hultgren said he wasn’t sure when the senator would be back to work.

Kirk’s staff later said updates on the senator’s condition can only come from his doctors at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The RIC referred to a progress report from February 24th, a statement that reads, “Senator Kirk is fully engaged in his rehabilitation program and making improvements in walking and other activities.”