The District 3 Republican congresswoman was in Holyoke, Colorado, with her children for an Easter service after being invited by supporters. She tried to suck it up, but things got progressively worse throughout the day, her campaign tells Westword.
By Monday morning, Boebert's leg had swelled up to a point where she needed to be taken to the hospital. She was admitted to UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland and given a CT scan, with doctors discovering an "acute blood clot" and diagnosing her with May-Thurner Syndrome.
An emergency surgery to remove the blood clot and insert a stent to address Boebert's symptoms was successfully performed on Tuesday morning, according to her campaign. She's expected to make a full recovery with "no significant concerns for her long-term health and no hindrance to her ability to perform her duties as a Congresswoman," her office says.
“I want to thank Dr. Rebecca Bade and the entire team at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies for their great care and providing helpful insight on my recent diagnosis,” Boebert said in a statement. “I'm looking forward to making a full recovery and getting back to Congress to continue fighting for Colorado."
Boebert's campaign initially told Westword that she had a speaking engagement scheduled in Parker tonight, April 3, which she canceled because the health scare. Later, her office said that she decided to attend the event after all, noting how she felt "great" and ready to “get back at it.”
Lauren Boebert speaking to the Parker Conservatives group on the evening of April 3.
Campaign for Lauren Boebert
"The Congresswoman is in good spirits now and recovering quite well," her campaign said in a statement announcing Boebert's surgery and diagnosis on April 2.
What Is May-Thurner Syndrome?
May-Thurner Syndrome is a rare vascular condition that affects a vein in your pelvis and disrupts blood flow. Dr. Bade, a hospitalist at UHealth, noted how patients with May-Thurner Syndrome who undergo the procedure Boebert had done to restore blood flow are "able to live and work just as they have in the past after a brief recovery.”Boebert's campaign tells Westword that check-ups will likely occur, but doctors are confident with the stent being in place, and there aren't any major concerns moving forward.
"An exact cause is unknown, but dehydration, travel, and extended periods of sitting have all been identified as potential factors in causing symptoms of May-Thurner Syndrome," her campaign said in its Tuesday statement. "Women between the ages of 20 and 45 who have given birth are also more likely to have May-Thurner Syndrome."
The CD3 rep has never had a health scare like this before, according to her campaign. But being 37 years old and a mother of four makes her a candidate for May-Thurner Syndrome.
Boebert is currently running for the CD4 seat formerly held by Ken Buck.
Buck, who had already announced he would not run again, unexpectedly resigned in March over issues he had with the political climate in Washington, D.C. Republican Greg Lopez was nominated last week as the GOP candidate for the June 25 special election to replace Buck through the November election. Boebert chose not to run in that special election, and will instead serve out her CD3 term and set her sights on the CD4 Republican primary election going down on June 25.
It's been a bumpy year for the representative. She's had multiple reported altercations with her ex-husband, Jayson, resulting in a restraining order request that she later dropped. Her oldest son, Tyler, is currently facing felony charges in connection with a string of vehicle trespassing and property thefts in Rifle.
Despite her political history and controversial past, some of Boebert's Republican opponents and social media haters extended well-wishes after her health scare.
I don't like her or her politics. However I wish her no harm or to her family. I wish her a speedy recovery. @laurenboebert https://t.co/ratSiJxAJR
— John 🇺🇲 #USMC (@BlueDotUSMC) April 3, 2024
"I am praying for her speedy recovery and look forward to seeing her soon back on the campaign trail," says former state senator and fellow CD4 candidate Jerry Sonnenberg.
"I wish her the best in her health," says State Representative Richard Holthorf, another Republican running in the CD4 primary. "Life is hectic and hard on you. In her case and in my case, there's a lot of sitting...debating and discussing and just a lot of things. We should all just give her grace and well wishes for a speedy recovery."
