OMAHA — U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who represents the Omaha area, had an emergency appendectomy overnight Wednesday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland.
The congressman’s office confirmed the procedure to remove his swollen appendix. They said it was successful, and they expected Bacon to be released as early as Thursday afternoon.
Staff said Bacon, 59, a retired Air Force brigadier general, felt pain Wednesday that continued to grow throughout the day. He went to Walter Reed in the evening, after some meetings.
Bacon, in a statement, thanked his doctors and nurses at Walter Reed for helping him and others. He said he looks forward to “a full recovery and quickly returning to work.”
The office had no immediate word on how long Bacon might need to recover. They said they were working on plans to make sure he could vote by proxy if needed.
Campaigning will be handled on a day-to-day basis. Bacon is running for a fourth term against Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District. Election Day is Nov. 8.
Vargas, on Twitter, offered “prayers for a speedy recovery” and said he was glad the surgery was a success.
The Nebraska Examiner is a member of the States Newsroom and covers government in Nebraska.