Let me start out by saying that I’m Back, I’m healthy, and I’m ready to get back to work.
– Rep. Charlie Wilson

That sentence set the tone for a conference call held by 6th district Rep. Charlie Wilson this morning. Today is his first day back at work after undergoing emergency surgery a few weeks ago to repair a perforated colon.

Wilson said his priorities today are voting to override the presidential veto on the Water Resource Development Act and working with the Financial Services Committee on a bill to help fight sub-prime abuses of loans.

When discussing his recovery Wilson stated several times that he hoped his experience wouldn’t discourage others from having the procedure done. He said he had been advised about the risk of complications beforehand and that he “drew the bad card”. He also mentioned that doctors told him only about one person in a thousand have severe complications after a colonoscopy.

One thing that really stood out during the call was Wilson’s refusal to name the hospital or doctor that did the original colonoscopy. When the topic arose Wilson said he didn’t want to single out a specific person or place because the same risk of complications exists no matter where the procedure is done. Later in the call he did say that this was his had been his third colonoscopy and that they were all done by the same people.

And the really good news in all of this? The colonoscopy results came back cancer free.

Wilson will operate on a light meeting schedule for the next two weeks and will return to normal upon returning from the Thanksgiving break.

You can hear Wilson’s opening statement below.