Yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had a sudden change in his mental status while delivering remarks on Capitol Hill. McConnell was hospitalized with a concussion and rib fractures in March of this year, and per reports, has suffered both some physical challenges and an apparent slow-down in some of his work.
The senator had a transient alteration of brain function that caused him to stop speaking, likely affecting his awareness and gait. At the very least, he should have had an evaluation by a medical professional ( I assume that was available) who could decide whether he needed to go to an ER. Also, with transient events with a broad differential diagnosis, an evaluation at the time of the event may provide the best chance of arriving at the correct diagnosis, as sometimes subsequent extensive testing does not solve the problem.
After the episode, Senator McConnell appeared frail. Frailty: “the condition of being weak and delicate, the increasing frailty of old age."
The senator had a transient alteration of brain function that caused him to stop speaking, likely affecting his awareness and gait. At the very least, he should have had an evaluation by a medical professional ( I assume that was available) who could decide whether he needed to go to an ER. Also, with transient events with a broad differential diagnosis, an evaluation at the time of the event may provide the best chance of arriving at the correct diagnosis, as sometimes subsequent extensive testing does not solve the problem.
After the episode, Senator McConnell appeared frail. Frailty: “the condition of being weak and delicate, the increasing frailty of old age."
You’re 100% right that the further out you get, the less likely a definitive diagnosis becomes.
Why is the last post to have commenting open? Last few posts have it turned off - thought at first just a mistake?
Let me check. It might be because I wanted to turn it off for the audio version but it carried over to the other ones. Thx for flagging
Fixed on today’s. Thx