Prince Albert MP on the mend

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The medical procedure itself was not simple. Doctors removed the burst disc, took a piece of bone out of Hoback’s hip and then fused two vertebrae together. 

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“The first three or four days [after], I had trouble swallowing, kind of a gag reflex.  It’s kind of like having peanut butter in the back of your mouth and they (the doctors) tell me that was the swelling from the throat. When they actually went in through the front of my neck, they actually took the voice box and the esophagus and pushed it to the side.”

Hoback said his right leg is showing great improvement but his hands and his left leg are still experiencing numbness and “heat flashes”. He remains optimistic that those feelings will also subside in time.

Doctors have informed Hoback that he is not yet allowed to fly, explaining that the change in cabin pressure could create and release blood clots.

“I’m going to see my specialist again this Friday and I’m hoping he will look at things and say everything is good, and hopefully I can be back [home].”

That being said, Hoback acknowledges it is very unlikely he will be back in Prince Albert in time for the Canada Day celebrations.

“Even though I probably couldn’t participate in any of the events, it’s still nice to be back in the riding during Canada Day.”

Reflecting back on the past six months, Hoback said he still considers himself pretty lucky.  While in hospital in Ottawa, Hoback learned how close he came to never being able to walk again.

“The concern that he (Hoback’s doctor) had was one more fall or just a trip on the sidewalk, and landing improperly, could have created even more damage, which would have caused paralyzation basically from the top of my chest down.”

Hoback was walking around his office in Ottawa on Tuesday. He does not require the use of a walker. While he admitted his medication makes him tire easily, he remains quite positive about his recovery.

He said he hopes to be back to full activity by August and will be running as the federal Conservative candidate for the Prince Albert riding in the upcoming election.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell