A barrier-breaking, Republican senator was hospitalized over the weekend after suffering facial numbness.
Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, who is 41, said she was stricken over the weekend, according to WBMA-LD.
“While with my family in Montgomery this past weekend, I experienced a sudden onset of numbness in my face. I was admitted to Baptist Medical Center South for evaluation. Doctors determined that my symptoms were a result of swelling of a facial nerve, most likely caused by a post-viral infection,” she said in a statement.
“A specialist from UAB has subsequently evaluated me on an outpatient basis and concurred with the prognosis and course of treatment,” she said, referring to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
🚨Report: Senator Katie Britt experienced a sudden onset of numbness in her face. She was admitted to a medical center. pic.twitter.com/gSRKPCwLQN
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) August 1, 2023
“My condition is not life-threatening, and recovery could take several weeks. I am grateful for the medical professionals providing excellent care, and my family and I are deeply grateful for your prayers,” she said.
The Senate is currently in recess until after Labor Day.
Britt is the first woman elected to the Senate from Alabama and the youngest Republican woman ever elected to the Senate, according to Fox News. Prior to her election, she served as chief of staff to retired Republican Sen. Richard Shelby, according to The Washington Post.
Britt has said she wants to inspire others to succeed.
“To think that there are little girls and young women across our state who can look at what we have achieved together on this campaign and be inspired — or be instilled with the confidence and hope that they can shoot for the stars and achieve their dreams — is powerful,” Britt said in an interview last year, according to Al.com.
Britt’s memoir, “God Calls Us to Do Hard Things,” is coming out on Nov. 7, according to Axios.
According to the promotional page for the book, Britt “shares some candid advice for how to overcome personal challenges, appreciate blessed moments, make our lives more fulfilling, and keep an unshakeable faith in God, family and our country.”
Today, we celebrate the moms and dads across our nation who work tirelessly to ensure their children have the opportunity to live their American Dream.
THANK YOU, parents—for your love, grit, and the sacrifices you make every day to build a bright future for the next generation. pic.twitter.com/iVgV1mryaF
— Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) July 23, 2023
The announcement for the book said Britt “has tackled a lot that life’s thrown at her. From working in her parent’s hardware store, to finding her path at the University of Alabama and marrying the captain of the football team, to an extremely close call with a tornado that destroyed her house while she held her baby in her arms, to her upstart campaign for Senate, Britt has overcome setbacks, defied expectations and shocked the political establishment.”
The book “offers the hard-earned lessons and common-sense advice that Britt gained from her experience — and it’s the kind of stuff many young folks need to hear,” the announcement said
Its themes include “focusing on what you can control; being unafraid to fail; breaking past the limits; being a change agent; and sweating the small stuff of details and process.”
“At a moment when politics feel so toxic and broken, Katie Britt proves that there’s still a way to listen to your heart, serve and inspire,” the announcement said.
Kind of makes one wonder how many Booster Shots she got.