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Idaho Gov. Butch Otter underwent rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder this morning, according to his office, to repair an injury that occurred several weeks ago while he was clearing brush on his ranch near Star. “Fortunately it is not as serious as the one I had in February on my right shoulder, but I was working out at the ranch, fell over backwards and jammed my left shoulder and tore the rotator cuff, the tendon that attaches the bicep muscle to the shoulder and one of the tendons that’s in the shoulder,” Otter said. “But it is significantly less than what I had to go through in February of this year.”
The governor was at Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital, and his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Michael J. Curtin of Intermountain Orthopaedics in Boise, said he’ll likely need eight to 10 weeks of rehabilitation and physical therapy after today’s operation. The governor’s office reported, “He will be working at home for a few days, but the procedure will have no impact on his ability to perform any of his duties as Governor.” Otter said the injury occurred “about a month or five weeks ago.” By my count, this is the governor’s fourth surgery since he’s been in office: Two shoulder, one hip, and one eyelid.
Betsy Z. Russell covers Idaho news from The Spokesman-Review's bureau in Boise.
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JamesBond on October 22 at 10:05 a.m.
My God. What next?
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Sisyphus on October 22 at 12:48 p.m.
Well James, if there's any justice in this world, he'll have his health bennies taken away requiring him to pay out of pocket, and then his insurance company will deny payment for the surgery.
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Spudman on October 22 at 3:06 p.m.
I couldn't agree more, perhaps his health insurance benefits will decrease like all the other State Employees and he'll finally have to dip into his own pocket to pay for his medical procedures. After all what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Of course, in the alternative he could wait for the national health care option, oops….I mean medicare to pay for it, after all he's over 60, he's eligible now!!
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slfisher on October 23 at 5:37 a.m.
Since Otter is so big on personal responsibility and not having to pay for medical care required by others' bad choices, I wonder who is paying for his bad choice to get injured.
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Lisa on October 23 at 11:11 p.m.
Wasn't Butch in just his sock when that state trooper pulled him over for dui?. Didin't Butch claim he lost his hat thats why he was driving erratically, after he ran through a field in him socks?, maybe Butch had been in the Who Hit John when he fell over and injured his shoulder?. First it was roping thos damn caows, now this….how many more months of Butch in that Bandana Sling can we take?. To the Old Folks Home Butch!.
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