Update from Senate Majority Leader Dziedzic reveals severity of surgery to remove tumor

Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (DFL-Minneapolis) continues to recover at home following her surgery last month to remove a cancerous tumor.

The state senator’s latest update provided more details on her surgery, which made clear that it was more serious than originally thought.

RELATED: Senate Majority Leader Dziedzic has cancerous tumor removed

“Since my ovarian cancer surgery last month, I have been following my doctors’ advice, recovering at home, and working remotely on Senate business each day,” Dziedzic said in a statement, adding that she’s appreciated all of the notes of encouragement she’s received.

She also revealed that the surgery included a hysterectomy, splenectomy, and appendectomy and took more than five hours to perform.

Dziedzic says because her spleen was removed, she received vaccines to help her immunity, but she’s taking the advice of her medical team as to when she should physically return to the Capitol. She’s also still feeling the effects of having her abdominal muscles cut during the surgery, she said.

“Since my operation, I am continuing to read emails, take phone calls, and stay in touch with Senate President Bobby Joe Champion, Minority Leader (Mark) Johnson, the six assistant DFL leaders, DFL leadership staff, and many others on a regular basis to lead and work through issues and questions as they arise,” Dziedzic said. ”I watch many committee hearings and all Senate floor sessions remotely, and I report my floor votes to an assistant DFL leader to have them recorded. I also negotiate issues with Speaker Hortman and the Governor’s Office on a regular basis.”

The senator also reiterated how important it is for Minnesotans to prioritize preventative care and get regular wellness checkups and urged everyone to schedule appointments for things like pap smears, mammograms, colonoscopies, and other important tests.

“I’m very grateful for the help I’ve received in the past several weeks. I look forward to returning to the Capitol as soon as possible,” she added.

Dziedzic and her colleagues have a lot of work left to do at the Capitol, with just six weeks left in the session. State lawmakers returned from their spring break, which started Tuesday, April 4.