Reichert is fully recovered from brain injury, doctor says

Congressman Dave Reichert has received a clean bill of health from the doctor who oversaw the Auburn Republican's treatment after emergency brain surgery in March.

Reichert, 60, underwent the surgery to treat a subdural hematoma — a collection of blood on the brain — that formed after a tree branch struck him in the head while he was chopping firewood in his backyard.

Dr. Brian P. Monahan, attending physician for Congress, wrote in a letter Tuesday the blood clot that was pressing on Reichert's brain was removed during surgery without any problem and "the surgery did not demonstrate any other abnormality of the brain.

"You have received close follow up and completed an uneventful recovery and your symptoms resolved completely," Monahan wrote.

Reichert's campaign released the doctor's statement at the request of The Seattle Times. Reichert is running for re-election to his fourth term to Congress.

Reichert's health became a topic of discussion in some quarters after he revealed the extent of the injury and surgery during an interview last month on KING-TV.

The interview led to a post on the Slog, The Stranger's blog, from liberal blogger David Goldstein speculating about whether Reichert was fully recovered and healthy enough to hold office.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Bainbridge Island, approached Reichert on the House floor to ask if he was OK, Reichert said. People had been asking Inslee about the congressman's health, and Inslee wanted Reichert to know he was telling them Reichert was perfectly healthy, Reichert said.

Reichert relayed the conversation with Inslee in an interview last week to the website Politico, which posted a story on Saturday about Reichert's health.

Inslee declined through a spokesman to comment about his conversation with Reichert.

Reichert said he developed a headache after being struck with the tree limb in February. In early March, a doctor initially diagnosed the headaches as a sinus infection. But the symptoms continued and in late March, his right arm went numb while he was walking back to his office after a series of House votes, Reichert said.

The numbness prompted him to check in with Monahan, who arranged a CT scan that revealed the clot. Emergency surgery was performed to remove the clot, Monahan wrote in the letter. Reichert has said the surgery entailed the drilling of four holes in his skull.

Reichert was hospitalized for five days, and during that time he received a phone call from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi — and flowers and a note from Darcy Burner, his Democratic challenger in 2006 and 2008.

Reichert flew back to Seattle two days after leaving the hospital and gave a speech three days after that. He was put on daily anti-seizure medication, which is standard practice after such surgery. Reichert was taken off the medication about two months ago, with no plans for additional procedures, Monahan wrote.

Reichert added he also had an EEG, which records electrical activity in the brain, and it was normal.

He said he is healthy and he works out every day.

"It was a serious issue," he said, "but I'm doing great."

On Tuesday, Reichert also accused the campaign of his 8th District challenger, political newcomer Suzan DelBene, a Democrat, of orchestrating speculation about his health for political gain. He didn't offer specifics about why he believed her campaign was responsible.

"It's despicable," he said in an interview. "It's grossly malicious."

DelBene's campaign spokesman Scott Whiteaker said DelBene was not involved in any of the rumors about Reichert's health.

"We had nothing to do with it, and we want this to be a campaign about the issues," he said.

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com