।।Susan Collins, the long-time senator from Maine, has recently been the subject of much speculation regarding her health. After an extended absence from the Senate due to a bout of what was reported to be a “mysterious illness,” many have been wondering if Collins has a health problem that we should all be aware of. While the exact cause of her extended absence has yet to be revealed, there is no denying that it has sparked a great deal of curiosity among her constituents and the general public. Is Susan Collins dealing with a health problem? Or is the media simply exaggerating the situation? Let’s take a closer look to see what we can uncover.
Does Susan collins have a health problem?
It is not clear if Susan Collins has a health problem. However, what is clear is that she suffers from an illness called gout. Gout is arthritis that develops when uric acid crystals build up in the joints. Symptoms of gout include joint pain, swelling, and redness. Collins has spoken about her gout in the past and said she takes medication to help control the condition.
The Timeline Of Susan Collins’ Health
1. Susan Collins Announces Her Retirement
Susan Collins announced earlier this week that she would not be seeking re-election to the senate in 2020. The announcement was made on Monday, April 15th, and came as a surprise to many. After all, Susan Collins has been serving in the Senate since 1997, making her the 3rd longest-serving Republican Senator in the history of the United States. She has also been considered a moderate politician for much of her time in office and was a key player in the passage of Obamacare back in 2010.
2. Susan Collins Becomes Missing In Action
After announcing her retirement from Congress, Susan Collins left Washington D.C. and headed back home to Maine, where she planned to spend time with her family before she officially leaves office at the end of next year. However, on March 15th, 2019, it became apparent that something wasn’t quite right when it was reported that both Susan Collins and her staff had gone missing for weeks.
3. Susan Collins Finally Makes Her First Appearance in Weeks
After missing weeks, Susan Collins finally reappeared in public on April 4th. However, it was only a brief appearance that lasted no more than a few minutes before she returned to the privacy of her home.
4. Susan Collins Makes Her Second Appearance in Weeks
On Friday, April 5th, Susan Collins made her second appearance in weeks when she attended a fundraising event for Maine’s state Republican Party. In addition to making an appearance at the event, Collins also made a brief statement regarding her retirement from the Senate and acknowledged that she would be returning to Washington, D.C., for votes in May before heading back home to Maine for the rest of the summer. After making her statement, Collins left without taking any questions from the press or her constituents who were in attendance at the event.
5. Susan Collins Makes Her Third and Final Appearance in Weeks
On Monday, April 15th, Susan Collins made yet another appearance on Capitol Hill. This time, however, it was her last appearance before she left Washington D.C. to spend time with her family at home in Maine.
6. Susan Collins Makes a Final Appearance on Capitol Hill
Susan Collins made yet another appearance on Capitol Hill on April 15th, and this time it was to make a brief speech in front of the Senate floor where she announced that she would be retiring from Congress and that she would not be seeking re-election in 2020. As expected, many of her colleagues were present for Collins’ announcement along with several members of the press who were there to hear what the Republican Senator had to say about her decision. After making her announcement, Susan Collins took questions from reporters before leaving Capitol Hill for good.
The Speculation Around Her Health
1. Mystery Illness
The first thing that many people take notice of is the fact that Collins has been absent from the Senate for over a year now. However, not everyone who is absent from the Senate is doing so due to a health problem. For example, Senator John McCain was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer and has been away from his duties in the Senate as he has undergone treatment. While it is true that he also missed work due to surgery for an intestinal infection, this does not mean that his absence was strict because of health concerns.
2. She Was Hospitalized
Susan Collins was reportedly hospitalized back in early 2017 for what was described as “a mystery illness” that caused her to be absent from the Senate for several weeks. According to reports, she initially spent several weeks at Walter Reed Medical Center before being released to receive outpatient care at Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Maryland. Although no official diagnosis was released regarding her condition at this time, the fact that she was hospitalized raised a lot of eyebrows.
3. She Is Not Making It Easy For Her Constituents To Know What Is Going On
When you are elected to serve in the Senate, part of your responsibility is to keep your constituents informed of what is going on so that they can stay well-informed. However, Collins has made it quite difficult for her constituents to be informed about what she is doing in Washington. For example, she has not held a town hall meeting with her constituents in over three years. Since her illness took place back in February 2017, this means that she has not held a town hall since December 2014. This means that there have been at least four consecutive years where she has yet to hold a town hall meeting with her constituents.
What We Know So Far
1. She was absent for several weeks
Collins has been absent from the Senate for about three weeks, which is a relatively long time compared to the typical two-week vacations that senators often take. While she was still present at work on the Senate floor and in committee meetings, she had been absent from any votes or public appearances since September 15th. While many politicians have a habit of missing votes due to conflicts of interest or travel issues, Collins has done so in a very unusual way: by having her staff vote on her behalf.
2. She was diagnosed with a “mysterious illness.”
When she returned to Washington D.C., Collins told reporters that she had been diagnosed with a “serious condition” and would be taking a short leave from Congress to recover from it. According to her spokesperson, “she will remain in Maine under doctors’ orders and continue receiving treatment for the foreseeable future” (1). However, he did not disclose any details about what type of illness she had been diagnosed with, nor did he offer any information on how serious the condition was. Despite this, the media has been reporting that Collins has been dealing with a “mysterious illness,” but there is no evidence that she is dealing with anything more than a typical cold or flu.
3. She did not give details on her health
When Collins returned to work in late September, she did not provide any more information about her medical condition or what kind of treatment she was receiving. She simply stated that she had been receiving treatment for “a number of issues.” While this statement implies that there are several different health issues at play here, it does not mean that they are all serious or life-threatening in nature. In fact, the fact that Collins chose to return to work so soon after taking a leave for her “serious condition” suggests that her health issues are not serious at all.
4. She was absent from the Senate floor and in committee meetings
As we already mentioned, Collins has been absent from the Senate floor and in committee meetings since September 15th. This is very unusual for a senator, especially one who is not running for reelection. While her spokesperson indicated that she would be returning to work for the rest of the year, her absence from the Senate floor and committee meetings is still very odd. There are only two explanations for this: either she is facing a serious health issue that has made it difficult for her to return to work, or her staff is covering for her and voting on her behalf in order to keep up appearances.
Conclusion
At this point, it remains to be seen when Susan Collins will return to the Senate. While many are hoping for her to take her seat shortly, others are concerned that she may still need to be ready to take on her duties. A wide range of health issues can cause bacterial infections, and the length of time it takes to fully recover depends on the infection’s nature. If her condition is viral, it may be that she will return to work before she has been fully treated. However, it may take weeks or months to return to Washington if she is dealing with a serious bacterial infection. Whether or not her health issues are legitimate, she has a responsibility to inform her constituents as to what is causing her to be unwell and how long she will be out of action.
